Hutch I am considering...

...thoughts, please.

Unfortunately, a shed is not an option, it has to be a hutch and I'd ideally like one with an attached run so Ollie and his wifey can have access to their run during the day.

This hutch and run would be for Ollie and his wife and I'd get the biggest size (6ftL, 2ftD, 2ftH with a 3FT run in front).

Linky here.

Any good?

Looks good to me. I'd get that if I wanted a hutch and run. No ladders so very good.

Looks good - only problem might be the flat roof on the hutch when it rains.

fionabisset said:

Looks good - only problem might be the flat roof on the hutch when it rains.

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It slopes from front to back.

LionheadLuver said:

It slopes from front to back.

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I don't read things - I only look at the pictures and it looks flat :lol:

LionheadLuver said:

Looks good to me. I'd get that if I wanted a hutch and run. No ladders so very good.

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yeah looks very nice :wave: love the large run on the front... lionhead luver i was thinking of getting a two tier hutch... are ladders a problem. Please let me know as i dfon't want to get something not suitable

I don't like ladders, firstly, it takes up space, and secondly, my previous rabbit broke her back whilst using a ladder so I'm not a fan of them. You could still get a two tier, but take out the ladder, and place a box underneath the hole so they can jump up.

I'm sure i've read threads saying happy hutches aren't very well made

I have a happy hutch, mine's fine.

I would get the hutch that sits on top of the run, and the front of the hutch facing away from the run. Much easier to clean out that way. If you have the hutch on the ground, you always have to crawl around on the floor. Happy Hutch ladders are no problem at all, they are quite wide and not too steep, especially if you put a brick or box underneath the bottom end. The opening for the ladder does not take up much room, and my bunnies prefer to sit downstairs in their run most of the time, anyway. Happy Hutches are ok, as long as you get the ones made from tongue and groove, and not the plywood version, and watch out for a few little things. I can post some photos, if you would like me to.

Bavarian Bunny said:

I would get the hutch that sits on top of the run, and the front of the hutch facing away from the run.

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That's how I've set mine up too.

The hutch posted in the link is a nice size, but I agree with bavarian bunny that it would be a pain to clean out because you would be on your hands and knees & I'm presuming you would need to step in and out of the run every time you wanted to change litter trays,put food in etc.

I have this exact hutch for my guinea pigs but with a slightly smaller run.
It is not fantastic quality and in my opinon that run needs to be atleast 2-3ft bigger for a rabbit.. You could ask them to enlarge it?
Also, buns could dig out of that if on grass, so they'd have to be on patio or you'd have to lay patio slabs under the lawn. :wave:

As above I'd go with a bigger run, 6ft x 6ft if possible. If space is tight get a hutch that sits on top of the run.

Thanks all!

Will keep looking for similar size, with the hutch on top of the run. In the meantime, this can remain a good choice.

Bavarian Bunny said:

I would get the hutch that sits on top of the run, and the front of the hutch facing away from the run. Much easier to clean out that way. If you have the hutch on the ground, you always have to crawl around on the floor. Happy Hutch ladders are no problem at all, they are quite wide and not too steep, especially if you put a brick or box underneath the bottom end. The opening for the ladder does not take up much room, and my bunnies prefer to sit downstairs in their run most of the time, anyway. Happy Hutches are ok, as long as you get the ones made from tongue and groove, and not the plywood version, and watch out for a few little things. I can post some photos, if you would like me to.

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Yes, photos would be brilliant. That is a very valid point about the hutch being in front of the run...so I looked again (same company) and found this. This is 6ft x 2ft x 2ft with a 6ft x 4ft run so even better. I've taken on board advice re the ladder and would put a box in place of the ladder.

That's the one I have. I honestly don't think the ramp is a problem though and I would leave it in. I've had to paint it with a few coats of woodstain since as I had some rain leaking in through the tongue and groove but it's been completely fine since then.



They also sell on Ebay, which works out much cheaper. They have one finishing every few days, and I was the only bidder on mine so I got it for the starting price. If you get outbid, don't bid up too high, just wait for the next auction.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6ft-SYKES-MAS...14&_trkparms=72:1683|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

The ramp really isn't a problem. Many people have hutches with ramps and the bunnies manage them fine. There will always be the odd freak accident, but that doesn't mean you have to remove the ramp. Then you could not even let your bunnies run around, as they might injure themselves while doing a binky. If your bunnies are a bit nervous about using the ramp, then put a little stool or brick etc. under the bottom end to make it less steep. I also put a log roll tunnel at the top end of the ramp (make sure to get good quality log rolls and remove any sharb bits sticking out of the logs).
There are some photos in this older thread:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=137872&highlight=ramp

In the photo further down you can see that we added some little pieces of wood along the sides of the ramp, which prevents the bunnies from slipping off when they are going very fast. This was only a problem during a bonding stage, when one bunny got chased a lot. Normally they don't slip off, though.

The piece that holds the ramp in place, was only stapled to the ramp and broke off one day, so make sure to add two screws to make it stronger. And the roof of the hutch, which opens like a lid, needs to be secured with a padlock or carabiner, because a strong gale can blow it open.

I've never had a problem with a ramp, the trouble with a box is unless it's very heavy they may tip it over or try and dig round it moving it out of the way (like mine seem to love with their litter trays :roll then you risk getting a bunny stuck in one part or other.

The only time I'd remove a ramp is in bonding or just after neutering & in all of those cases I'd want the buns on one level anyway for a few days.

Oooh, I like the idea of the log roll at the top. Alfie and Bubbles keep rearranging the furniture and I come home to find that they've blocked off the ramp entrance with a litter tray or a cardboard box and this would stop them. :roll::lol: