Urgent Advices Re: My Hutch "protector"

Hello All!

This is my first post, hoping someone can help me out here in case I am about to make a monumental mistake!

Basically, we're new to rabbits. My wife and I always liked rabbits, so have arranged with a reputible breeder to buy 2 baby lops. We're getting these tomorrow and all being well, will have them tomorrow night.

In preperation, I Bought a big 5.5ft hutch....it looks good to me, cost about £100 from the pet shop and all looks nice for the bugs. We located this in the garden and I set to building a home made "protector" for the hutch to save the bunnies from the cold/wet/wind which I READ, was bad for them!!

Anyways, this is built seperate from the hutch but essentially is a big "box" for want of a better word, built from tongue and groove panels purchased from B&Q and some smoothed planed timber...nothing "heavy" but alas, a protector none the less.....this covers the hutch nicely...perhaps TOO nicely as I have just read it may not be ventilated enough!!!!!!!!

Now, I must add, the box is covered on the roof, the back and both sides but NOTHING on the front of it so its a bit like a rabbit hutch but with no front. For the front, we had intended on using a tarpaulin (also from B&Q) just to keep out driving rain,

THe space round the hutch i.e. between teh protector and my "box" is not much but it is NOT tight against it so it does have some ventilation....I cannot recall of hand (I should know, I spent hours makin the darn thing) but now I am worried I may not have left enough space as I read somewhere it should be nearly 1 foot all the way around!!!

I reckon mine is about 5 to 6 inches to the sides and about the same at the back with as I say, a big 5ft 8ish hole in teh front - essentially, there IS no front!!

Will this be OK for the bunnies?? I dont want to suffocate or kill them unintentionally but at teh same time, my intention WAS to proect them as much as possible from rain, wind, cold and of course, those darned fireworks we're all about to get smashed with!!

ALL ADVICES - MUCH APPRECIATED!

We pick these buns up tomorrow and have 2 kids who are also looking forward to the family additions.....

Many thanks...

Worried rabbit lover!

Hello and welcome to the forum :wave:

:lol: :lol: I'm confused, do you have a picture?

SOAD said:

Hello and welcome to the forum :wave:

:lol: :lol: I'm confused, do you have a picture?

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Cheers SOAD! :wave:

I dont have a picture just now but I can take one a bit later when I get back from work

However, just to explain a wee bitty better.

What I have is:

The actual rabbit hutch
A frame (covered with tongue and groove wood panels on the left, right and the back of the hutch sides) with tongue and groove and with a roof as well...
The frame has no front.

Best way to explain this is - imagine building a simple box over your rabbit hutch and covering it in wood. This is what I have done...except, my "box" has no front on it i.e. it has a big space on the front so I can get into/see the rabbits...does that help a bit?

I guess my main concern is the ventilation - now, my "box" is not tight on to the hutch but it isn't as much as 25cm away from it all the way around ... a bit less in fact but as I say, the box has no front!

Does that help any?

Cheers

RR

I see what you mean, I can't see why they would suffocate, as long as it's not made out of plastic, although someoen may tell me I'm wrong in a minute :lol: . You could always put in some air holes if you're very concered. Wood is breathable, I mean you wouldn't suffocate if you were locked in a shed, so it's just the same really.

SOAD said:

I see what you mean, I can't see why they would suffocate, as long as it's not made out of plastic, although someoen may tell me I'm wrong in a minute :lol: . You could always put in some air holes if you're very concered. Wood is breathable, I mean you wouldn't suffocate if you were locked in a shed, so it's just the same really.

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Thanks very muchly!!!

Yep - that was my thinking too but I wasn't sure after reading this:
http://www.giantrabbitrescue.co.uk/

(the bit that worried me is half way down after the pics). Just to clarify, I probably should have said - it wasn't so much suffocation that worried me, more the ventilation for the sake of the ammonia and such like. That said, the bunnies will be meticulously cleaned every day and no build up of muck or anything else will be allowed....thats a surefire.....so, thats not an issue.

Also, the whole thing is made out of wood..there is a bit of plastic sheeting on the roof to stop the rain but it is not covered all over in plastic....and as I say, there's a big hole in the front i.e. there is NO front

Just a worried bunnier I guess

However, I would tend to agree with you on this and I reckon, based on their being no front on my box to shield the bunnies, this should provide sufficient ventilation...

Anyways, thanks again...much appreciated.

:wave: That's ok, good luck with the bunnies

Hi :wave: , and welcome

I am based in Germany and got my rabbits from a rescue centre over here, but they did give me a llink to a number of people who have built outdoor runs, hutches etc. it is in german but does have some good ideas, and as it sounds like you are quite handy with wood etc it should not be too much of a problem. My four rabbits are out all year round and, do not use any of the hutches or other shelters provided:roll: they just snuggle up to each other outdoors and get the fresh air!! pretty normal bunny behaviour

Here is the link http://www.kaninchengehege.de/

Click on Aussenhaltung and it comes up with peoples runs outside if you click on some of the pictures you can then see how some of them built it and it also gives the size and price guide for building )

Hope this helps sorry its in german

Rachel

whoah Rachel, there is some such cool stiff on there.

I agree, just clicked on the link, fabulous setups!

Yeh it is pretty cool, loads of ideas also for indoor rabbits (innenhaltung) too. They are pretty strict over here or my rescue centre was about what type of accommodation you have for your rabbits and what type of wire you use and what flooring do you have etc. so my husband was busy for a couple of weekends changing our "rabbit accommodation" in order to be in- line with their rules before they came and did an inspection, but it was all definitely worth it

Oh I love the indoor setup pics! If only I could read German...

Hi Rodgerabbit, welcome to the forum:wave: I can't see a problem with your hutch at all. It's not any different from having a doubleskinned hutch like mine..i.e t&g lined with ply. If you are still a bit stressed about it you could drill a series of holes through the back of the hutch to line up with some in the back of your protector. Welcome to the stressful world of rabbit keeping!!! You'll find this forum a godsend!

capel said:

Hi Rodgerabbit, welcome to the forum:wave: I can't see a problem with your hutch at all. It's not any different from having a doubleskinned hutch like mine..i.e t&g lined with ply. If you are still a bit stressed about it you could drill a series of holes through the back of the hutch to line up with some in the back of your protector. Welcome to the stressful world of rabbit keeping!!! You'll find this forum a godsend!

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Cheers Capel!!!

Yep - it's pretty much a hutch outside a hutch as you describe though as I Say, it has no front which, I reckon will provide plenty ventilation.

Now I'm home, I Just had a wee look at it.

The protector box has about 2 inches at either side and the same at the back so not as much space as I thought but the hutch doesn't touch the protector in any way...

As I say, plan is to keep the front open anyway i.e. no tarpaulin on it unless its pouring down.....

I guess, as long as we clean the hutch regularly, keep the front open as long as possible (tho as I say, there IS no wood on the front ) it should be OK then!

Cheers again Capel and indeed, all the rest of you on this fine forum!!

I'll be back soon for more advice no doubt!

RR

:wave: Some people have clear shower curtains for the front in bad weather so they can still see out. Are you attaching a run as well - a lot of people have a roof on those as well in the winter.

racheld69 said:

:wave: Some people have clear shower curtains for the front in bad weather so they can still see out. Are you attaching a run as well - a lot of people have a roof on those as well in the winter.

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Hiya :wave:

I built a run as well...a simple rectangular run with no roof (I don't plan on ever leaving the bunnies out by themselves) but covered round the sides with mesh obviously...

Nice size too...some 10ft x 4.5ft with 18 inch in height...so, its quite big. The ones for sale in the shop were smaller, and cost a fortune...think they were about £50-£60 for a 4x4 or 5x5ish....too small methinks so, I built me a custom sized job! :thumb: :rabbit2:

I wont actually be attaching it to the hutch due to proximity of the hutch and the way the hutch actually is in the garden but, they will be getting out in the run plenty ... as we have 2 younger kids, they'll love it too...

Cant believe how very easy it was to make the run in fact....and total cost wasn't too much either. TO be honest, the reason for making my own run wasnt so much the cost but more the size - I DO grudge paying £50-£60 for something I Considered to be too small...this way, they have a biggg run (or, bigger than they would have had anyway!)..and it only cost about £20-£25 all in....

Anyways, all being well, they'll like their new home AND run and all will be well!

Here's hoping anyway.

I have another wee question being new here:
1) Can I get the rabbits vacinated right away - when we get them tomorrow I think they'll be between 8-9 weeks old and is it best to get the both jags together?
2) Also, how often does one get these jags? Every year I take it?

Many thanks to you all for the welcome and your help...much appreciated.

There was me thinking rabbits would be a nice "easy"(ish) pet to get :shock:

HEY!!!! Another Scot methinks!!! The myxi and VHD have to be given 2 weeks apart. Just be aware that at only 18" height the bunsters will be able to get out of the run nae bother!! Floss jumped out of my run which is just over 3' high( I'd left the lid off when putting Bournville back into their hutch and when I went back for Floss, there she was..gone!! Luckily I managed to catch her.

:wave: Your new set up sounds wonderful ! Welcome to the forum

capel said:

HEY!!!! Another Scot methinks!!! The myxi and VHD have to be given 2 weeks apart. Just be aware that at only 18" height the bunsters will be able to get out of the run nae bother!! Floss jumped out of my run which is just over 3' high( I'd left the lid off when putting Bournville back into their hutch and when I went back for Floss, there she was..gone!! Luckily I managed to catch her.

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Aye...my diction must have gave it all away then!!!

Cheers for the advices too .. much appreciated.

If these vaxines need split over 2 weeks, which would you suggest we get the bunsters first??

Nightmare with the run!! I thought 18" (mini loops - they are soooo wee!) they'd toil to get out of that....ack, plans foiled and I Dont even have the rabbits yet ... maybes, I'll see about adding more mesh and covering one bit over the top as well.........!

Cheers again...being new to this rabbit game, its not easy for sure!

RR

Steph said:

:wave: Your new set up sounds wonderful ! Welcome to the forum

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Cheers for the welcome...

Indeedly, I just hope, after Capel's advice, those pesky bunnies dont escape my run

Mibbes I'll extend it upwards super quick...we wont be letting them out tomorrow night so, I should have a bit of time to nail it!

Cheers again.

Haha:lol: It was the "jags" that gave it away:lol: . Floss is a mini rex and on the small side of mini at that!A piece of that stretchy netlon stuff ( garden centre) would work fine in the interim I think.