opinions please - now have Happy Hutch - updated with questions

Archie is a large dwarf lop and currently has a four foot wide double decker hutch with solid floored under run and ramp.

I need to replace his hutch soon due to size and ageing.

I don't want a hutch with a run attached as we already have a 6 ft by 4 ft run (which he hardle ever uses as he goes free-range during the day getting in and out of hutch as he pleases and uses a corner litter tray which is placed in the under section

I have narrowed down one choice to the largest of these
http://www.happyhutch.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=44&categoryID=6
the size I want is £134


Will it be much colder and draughtier though as his current hutch is solid floored with back and sides to the under run?

the 6ft by 2ft by 2ft equivalient with solid floor works out at 257 pounds which is just a bit too 'ouch'

One option I am thinking of to make it more snuggly and less draughty is to but the cheaper one of the two and add some sides? He is used to having his litter tray down stairs but if the under run is exposed the tray will get wet and soggy.

I've got the 5'x2' and the 4'x2' in that design - the 4' is too small for my lop rabbit as the ramp takes up half the space, but the 5' one is brilliant (wish I had room for another!) My bunnies seem to live in the run part, even at night - they both removed the hatch door, so I have to cover the hutches at night incase foxes or cats come around, never mind the weather. The great thing about these hutches is the roof opens, so I have stapled a clear pvc shower curtaint to the front of the hutch on top - it gets plenty of ventilation through the gaps and the stairwell. In summer they are great for keeping the rabbits cool as they are deep enough to be shaded, and on concrete gives them a lovely cool floor to lay on. The open bottom isn't a problem in summer unless it rains - I have one hutch against a wall and the other not, so to shelter the run part I just put bits of wood, or plastic trays around part of it - you can see in this picture

thanks for that . . . all the rabbits I have had seem to prefer being out than shut in anyway (in all weathers)! Our last two dwarf netherland / polish crosses had a large run with a small hutch inside just to sleep in - they used to sleep on top of the hutch even in winter - mad things!

Archie likes rain and water and sometimes it is hard trying to stop him getting wet as I worry he will get a chill.

I had a thought inspired by your pictures - I figured the corner he will have his triangular litter tray, I could attach some thick polythene to the outside to two sides into the corner

Give graham a call and ask him for a quote for a two tier in the size you want. We get our hutches for the business custom made from him and the guys there are fantastic. Brilliant warehouse too if you can get there to look in person, we had a great tour around it last time we were there.

we now have assembled in garage ready for commissioning a new giant happyhutch.

We went for the one with the 6 foot by 4 foot under run and got it on ebay for 115.

Very impressed.

A couple of questions / advice please.

The bedroom area is over twice the size of Archie's current one. Suggestions for making it cosy or do we just give him 3 times the amount of bedding?

Do you use your happy hutches as they arrived or have you ever treated them inside? My last hutch which is now 5 years old and going on FreeCycle, I used yacht varnish inside but do not know whether that is a good or bad idea.

I stapled heavy duty bubble wrap around the back and two sides of the open lower part of my double decker hutch. Works a treat!

If he's not litter trained I'd fix some vinyl on the floor first, or varnish the floor so it's easy to clean. Mine just have a couple of big underbed storage boxes in their hutches - one for a bed full of hay, and one for a toilet, also full of hay - I keep the floor bare and they just snuggle in their box. With the guinea pigs I wish I'd put a board along the front too, to stop all the mess falling out - they're not litter trainable :roll: