The Hutch, The Ideal Home For Your Rabbit
A hutch is where your rabbit will spend most of its day. All rabbits need a home and a place that is theirs. However, creating the right place for a rabbit can take a lot of ingenuity.
In principle many questions arise. How big should a hutch be? With what materials is better to build a hutch? Should the hutch be inside or outside the house?
Your rabbit’s housing decisions are a world full of possibilities. As the owner, it is your responsibility that your rabbit has a space to exercise, entertain and rest.
One of the most important characteristics that an enclosure of this type must fulfill is having enough space for the rabbit to move around. As you know, the bodies of rabbits are designed to spend their days jumping and running in the field.
When a rabbit does not have enough room to move and jump, its health is severely affected. Among the consequences of a lack of movement are osteoporosis, obesity and muscle deterioration. In particular, the latter can cause serious long-term problems, as it prevents fluid movements.
An ideal hutch
The most popular enclosure among rabbit owners is the hutch or burrow. You must be careful when selecting a hutch, as many of the cheaper ones do not meet the necessary requirements. Whether it’s a lack of space or cheap materials, low-quality hutches will always be more expensive in the long run.
A good hutch provides enough space for your rabbit to move freely and space for it to sleep safely. In addition, a hutch must be safe against predators and provide protection against inclement weather.
A good rabbit hole is multi-tiered and large. The ideal is that you send to make a personalized hutch, or make your own. If you decide to build your own burrow, there are a few things to consider.
1. Size
When it comes to rabbits and their burrows, bigger is always better. The minimum measurements of a burrow are precisely minimum measurements. According to UK animal care regulations, the minimum size of a burrow is 180x60x60 centimeters.
If you want your rabbit to live comfortably and happily, we recommend that its burrow be much larger than this. Remember that a rabbit needs a lot of room to jump and run.
2. Security
When building a home for your rabbit, you need to ensure that it is a completely safe environment. From door to corner, a burrow should be built with the safety of its inhabitants in mind.
The door should be secured with more than just a cross wood. There are many medium predators that know how to open these kinds of doors. Also, if you have young children at home, you don’t want them to accidentally leave the door to the burrow open.
Regarding mesh, it is preferable that you use mesh with a vertical / horizontal criss-cross pattern. We do not recommend the use of chicken wire, as it is easier for rabbits’ feet to get stuck in it.
When choosing mesh, make sure each hole is less than an inch. If it’s wider than this, cats or other predators can stick their paws in and torment your rabbits.
3. Distance from the ground and soil quality
Burrows must always be separated from the ground, as humidity affects them a lot. If you decide to buy a legless burrow, you can easily have one built.
Remember that the ground in a burrow must be firm and flat. You should never use mesh for the floor of the burrow, as your rabbits will not be able to jump and run easily.
To protect the floor from organic debris, we recommend that you install vinyl. Vinyl is an excellent option for your burrow, as its cleaning and maintenance is very simple.
As you can see, choosing a hutch is only a matter of care and attention. Building your own hutch may take more time, but the results will be better. Remember that a rabbit needs space to live a full life.
A rabbit with little space can develop negative habits. Among these negative habits are repetitive or destructive behavior in your environment and apathy. These are all behaviors that indicate your rabbit’s lack of mental stimulation.
A rabbit can only act like a rabbit if it has enough space to exercise. If it is impossible for you to provide your rabbit with that much space, you may want to consider putting it up for adoption. We insist that a rabbit will only be happy if it can move with some freedom.
