Types of Accomodation

[Tamsin]

What are the different options for accommodating rescue bunnies? Anyone seen any good setups? Perhaps this could include some photos.

[holidayhutch]

Personally I think a rescues accomodation for the animals in their care should be no less than they would be willing to rehome to. E.g if all the rescue has is 3ft indoor cages or 5ft outdoor ones, it would be wrong to reject a person purely for not having the recommended 6ft x 2ft. Each prospective adoptee should be treated on their own merits.

[Steph]

I foster for Underhill and have various set ups for the foster bunnies, here a few :) We have tried to go as big as we can afford to make all bunnies happy.

Playhouse 5 x 5 with cat flap to run and mesh inner door for ventilation

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/STEPH1966/abun217.jpg

Also a 12 x 6 dog kennel run with bunny door, housing 6 x 6 and run 6 x 6

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/STEPH1966/kennel013.jpg

We have a couple of these for fosters too double 5 x 2 x 2 plus 4 x 2 x 5 run

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/STEPH1966/hutch004.jpg

[jrn1310]

ARC use a variety of hutches, we have a number of foster homes using 6 foot x 2 foot, some using 5 foot x 2 foot double storey hutches and also a few using 6 foot x 2 foot triple deckers which have stairs inbetween which can either be used in multiple levels or single levels depending on the size and number of rabbits being accomodated.

Examples are

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y190/girlie1310/snoopy8.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y190/girlie1310/DSCF8926.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y190/girlie1310/DSCF8915-1.jpg

[Tamsin]

That's a good point - accommodation that's flexible eg dividers/ladders.

Tam

[Steph]

None of our new bunnies that we foster are kept in sheds together or under the same roof as older residents for quaranteen purposes :)

[Sooz]

Actually for many rescues they do not have the space to provide rabbits with the same size accomodation as they rehome to, for example we use some 4 foot indoor cages.

As debate on a previous thread we could only fit about 6 standard hutches in which would cut our number of rescues to about 8 (if all were paired) and would mean bulldozing our garden.

I dont think temporary accomodation can be lumped in with longterm 'forever' care....our rabbits move up the cage sizes the longer they are here unless for size/group issues they need a large cage straight away.

[Tamsin]

We don't have to say: you must do it this way. We can includes points to consider and different options and the rescue can make up their own minds, so it's balanced info.


Hutch blocks (hutches over several stories) are a good use of floor area. Removable dividers and ladders between levels make space flexible for housing groups of rabbits (e.g. mother and litter) single rabbits or large rabbits.

[jrn1310]

In a 12 foot x 2 foot space you can either get three 4 foot x 2 foot double storey hutches OR you can place two, triple storey 6 x 2 hutches.

We also have a number of foster homes who have 4 foot x 2 foot double storey hutches.

[doorkeeper]

We have a wide variety of accomodation. We have sheds with their own gardens, larger sheds with shared access to larger runs, large hutches within huge enclosures, aviaries with 6ft hutches in them, hutch/run combinations, hutches with temporary runs attached to them, stable like pens inside a huge shed/barn, indoor cages in our recovery room and dog crates in the conservatory which acts as sick bay/guinea pig winter quarters, and last but not least the quarantine shed with 7 large hutches in it where new arrivals go at first if they do not need to be in sick bay.

None of our 143 rabbits is in a cage that is less than a 5ft by 2ft by 2ft hutch except those that have had ops within the last two days and are in the recovery room in 4ft indoor cages. Only 3 rabbit hutches outside do not have their own run attached (and plans are afoot to remedy that), and there are three dedicated runs for the 7 hutches in the quarantine shed (soon to be more). Not all the runs can be the minimum size we rehome to (6ft square) but we point out the difference between the permanent accomodation and the temporary. A smaller rescue could do this for most of its accomodation but really ought to have at least a few life size set ups for long termers and to show people what rabbits really need.

Of our 82 guineas only our newest pair and one heavily pregnant sow are in a less than 4ft cage (and she only got bumped to make a space for a rabbit that was spayed today). Once the 3 groups of boarding guineas go home none of ours will be in less than a 4ft cage.

I really believe that in order to rehome to good accoodation you need to show people that that is what the animals are used to, and that compromise is not acceptable. We rehome many rabbits to live in sheds and other large set ups because we can show people the advantages, how easy the access is and how easy they are to clean out as well as how happy the hoppers look. Looking after rabbits is far simpler when they have space as you can tell from their behaviour if they are happy and well. Separate runs are far more work intensive and are also more weather dependant. If a rabbit can access his/her hutch when he/she wants to he/she can have the option of being out in most types of weather.

This year we have to upgrade our guinea pig accomodation so we can have the same success for them.

[Abz]

I have 4 rabbits. Although i am NOT working at an adoption centre. For the male rabbit on its own i have blocked of a entry and put his double cage in there and for the three girls, i have brought a 6ft by 6ft run and put a single cage in there. I leave all of the rabbits out all night and day, so they have the choice of sleeping in or hopping about. They love it!

[hunnybun]

Personally I think a rescues accomodation for the animals in their care should be no less than they would be willing to rehome to. E.g if all the rescue has is 3ft indoor cages or 5ft outdoor ones, it would be wrong to reject a person purely for not having the recommended 6ft x 2ft. Each prospective adoptee should be treated on their own merits.

I disagree, rabbits are only in rescues temporarily, sometimes 4ft hutch is far better than what they came from but I would not want them to live their lives in it, but only for a short time.

[hunnybun]

In saying that most of my hutches are 6ft but not when I first started out :wave:

[bunny mommy]

hi my names kelly known as bunny mommy i love rabbits i have 3 2 boys and a girl. sully is my girl and tigger and blackjack are my boys im new 2 this site:wave:

[wendle]

hello bummy mommy im also new here too my names wendy x

[katewalsh]

HI until this morning I had two lovely netherland dwarf rabbits ( for 3 years) which I allowed to run free in the garden and who went in the shed at night in their hutch. However alas this morning as I let them out , a fox took one which I am truly stunned at as the garden was very secure. However I am now left with one bunny who is used to being free and yet I have had to put him back in his run. The run is large but not large enough in my book. I would love to know your thoughts as to whether or not I should let him run around the garden still ( obviously reinforced ) or whether he is now signed off for a life behind bars.

[sw33ty]

Sorry to hear that Katewalsh:( I'f your out in your garden then I would think your bun will be quiet safe as foxes are very shy around people. If the fox came in over the top of the fence I would be tempted to but a few lines of barbed wire up as long as it's over 6ft off the ground & on the inside of your boundry so your with in the law.We had to do this because a few little:censored:tried to steel our dogs & the pups:evil: It has had a knock on effect that we don't get cats walking along the back fence anymore or jumping into the garden for the birds & fish we keep out there

[angieb]

I started off with a large very secure run. (or so i thought) Anyway I put my male rabbit in it and went out when we came home the run had been messed with and the rabbit had gone. I was devistated and had just got him a doe to bond them after i'd had them "done". I still have the doe and i now have got another doe aswell. Hopefully i'm going to bond them in time. I did keep them in a shed at the top of the garden but we have a very large garden and having 3 children i wasn,t able to spend as much time up there as i would of liked so i spent quite alot of money on outdoor cages with runs attached and brought them down next to our back door.
The animal that got into the original run must of been a dog as it must of been really strong as i couldn't of broke the run and foxs dig dont they? My question is What can a fox get into and when the last run got messed with there wasn't any fur so is it possible the rabbit got away? Also I keep thinking that it might happen again but the rabbits are really socible and keeping them up there i feel like i'm cruel. Any advise???

[animal ry]

our hutches are 4ft the smallest being the indor 3 ft one but i think thats enough we do have a 8 and a 6 and a 5ft but i dont think they all need 6ft hutches

[Kay]

our hutches are 4ft the smallest being the indor 3 ft one but i think thats enough we do have a 8 and a 6 and a 5ft but i dont think they all need 6ft hutches

Hi why wouldn't they all need 6ft hutches? How do you choose who has a bigger hutch, is it like the favourite one has a big hutch? With 6ft being the minimum recommended size I think most people are trying to pull all the stops out to create the biggest and best homes possible. 3ft surely isn't enough. How many do you have?

[Nix]

TBH in an ideal world all rescue would be set up with 6ftx3ftx2ft minimum hutches. Sadly sometimes it has to be a case of what will do - as they are going to be there temporarily and for a short period of time, and funds often have to be prioritised for medical bills.

[The Duchess]

our hutches are 4ft the smallest being the indor 3 ft one but i think thats enough we do have a 8 and a 6 and a 5ft but i dont think they all need 6ft hutches

I think this thread is about rescues and their accommodation animalry so not sure this is relevant to the thread, but I do want to answer you.

I disagree with your comment about your hutch sizes being enough. They really aren't enough as they are your permanent residents unless of course they have permanent access to secure runs that are attached for use 24/7 and then you might just be okay. Bunnies need to be able to stand up and periscope without their ears touching the roof and to be able to bunny hop at least 3 times from one end to the other without hitting their noses on the end of the hutch, and, they need to be able to lie down across the hutch from front to back. That would be the minimum for a happy pair of bunnies.

[The Duchess]

I would love to see every rescue be able to offer 6ft accommodation to all residents, sure I would, but it can't happen when the people who give up their time and money to rescue the rabbits are faced with an unending stream of unwanted bunnies.

In most cases, I'd have to say that bunnies aren't in rescues long enough to be negatively effected by having smaller accommodation than 6ft. Plus, as already said earlier in the thread, smaller accommodation with a caring, knowledgeable rescue has got to be a million times better than an enormous hutch in the back of someone's garden where they get no attention, an incorrect diet, and no love.

In an ideal world there would be no reason to have rescues and that is what we should be working towards, but in the meantime, as long as the animal is safe, clean, fed, watered, exercised, and loved, then a smaller hutch would be okay for a short time, in my books.

Helen

[flying_solo]

All my bunnies inc the rescues always have a run attached to the hutch, i couldnt have a rabbit in a hutch 24/7 imo, attached is the minimum size housing i would give for a pair

(i do understand when running a large rescue this much space is difficult to accomodate for each rabbit, but access to a run imo is a must)

I no longer have the time or space unfourtunly for rescues(and the runs seem to deteriote soo quickly), but here is a pic of my previuos min set-up

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e332/pink_eagle/Rabbits/Hutch1.jpg