• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Can I please ask this question whilst making trifle and hiding in a cave?

Sky-O

Wise Old Thumper
I can't believe I'm about to ask this, but its been on my mind for a few days. I'm fairly certain people can tell me things I have missed when thinking about this, and so can give factual and rational answers.

Also, this is not a 'go' at anyone, it has been brought on by seeing different reactions to different things said, at different times.

What is the difference between a 48inch (i.e. 4ft) dog crate and a 4ft (i.e. 48inch) hutch? Why is one acceptable and one isn't?

Like I say, this has been brought on by mixed comments to posts and responses on threads, although something I saw yesterday did make me question it further.

*hands round some premptive trifle* Please lets keep this good.
 
I think the answer to that is neither as the sole place that a rabbit has. I think the reason for the dog crate being more acceptable is because people generally keep the door open and rabbits have access to that and a pen if they cannot be trusted free range or are free range with access to the cage if they so choose.

A 4 ft hutch on the other hand is normally frowned apon as lots of people for safety (and other reasons which we'll not go into) reasons will shut their rabbits away at night just in the hutch thus a 4ft hutch isn't large enough.
 
Last edited:
A 4ft dog crate is also nearer to 3ft wide than 2ft wide, meaning that the total area in it is nearer 12sq ft (same as a6*2 hutch) than the 8sq ft it would be in a 4ft hutch...plus they are much higher which means that many people also put a shelf in it to create additional space.

On the whole I agree though that a 4ft crate should be used only for minimal 'shut in' unless it has a pen attached or a decent second level shelf...and even then the bun still needs an additional exercise area :)

I guess also indoor buns tend to have more 'free time', in as much as they can be let out whenever someone is home - regardless of the weather and what the owner is doing, so they are less likely to be in the crate for as long as an outdoor bun stays in a 4ft hutch :)
 
The only difference I can think of is that a crate has more hight so shelves can be added to make extra space. Also with the crate option being indoors the bunny will have more free range time, interaction with humans etc rather than being left alone at the end of the garden.

48inch crates are about the biggest indoor accomodation available and a marked improvement from the normal indoor cages for rabbits, whereas there are a large range of bigger and better options available for outside accomodation :)
 
Cool. Ok. I'm guessing then it depends on how much of the set up is known about factually, and how much is presumed about, as to how, when these things are mentioned, people react.
 
Cool. Ok. I'm guessing then it depends on how much of the set up is known about factually, and how much is presumed about, as to how, when these things are mentioned, people react.

Yes, definitely. A 4ft hutch is perfectly acceptable too if part of a larger set up maybe inside a large aviary or shed with lots of small sleeping/keeping warm areas. It just really shouldn't be used as the sole area or attached to a 6ft run or example as when it rains it would be very cramped.
 
I use a 48" inch dog crate at the minute. Can I ask which people think is best as these are the two options for accomodation for my bunnies;

1) A 48" dog crate in my bedroom which they are closed in between 8am and 4.30pm and then free range in the whole house till bedtime then free range in our room over night (it was wooden floors).

2) A 6ft by 3ft NIC set up in our spare room which they are locekd in between 8am and 4.30pm then free range in the house. But overnight they have to be locked away in the NIC setup again as the room is carpetting and Strawberry eats it.
 
Yes, definitely. A 4ft hutch is perfectly acceptable too if part of a larger set up maybe inside a large aviary or shed with lots of small sleeping/keeping warm areas. It just really shouldn't be used as the sole area or attached to a 6ft run or example as when it rains it would be very cramped.

I'm with you.

It does sound very much like its based on presumptions.

For example, I use four foot hutches joined to or in runs (one of which, I admit, is not big enough, but it's due an upgrade), but my runs are fully weather proofed and we are lucky to not have any predators, so my buns have full access to hutch and run all the time and its safe and dry.

One example being a 4ft by 8ft area, one end with a built in hutch and the rest as a run, fully weather proofed. Another as a 5ft by 5ft run with a four ft hutch inside it so they have a 'base' and they can get both on top and underneath it too.

Plus 14 of mine are nethies and teeny tiny.

Had I said that I just used four foot hutches though, I may have been jumped on for that without people knowing the full facts.
 
I'm with you.

It does sound very much like its based on presumptions.

For example, I use four foot hutches joined to or in runs (one of which, I admit, is not big enough, but it's due an upgrade), but my runs are fully weather proofed and we are lucky to not have any predators, so my buns have full access to hutch and run all the time and its safe and dry.

One example being a 4ft by 8ft area, one end with a built in hutch and the rest as a run, fully weather proofed. Another as a 5ft by 5ft run with a four ft hutch inside it so they have a 'base' and they can get both on top and underneath it too.

Plus 14 of mine are nethies and teeny tiny.

Had I said that I just used four foot hutches though, I may have been jumped on for that without people knowing the full facts.

I completely agree, it depends on the set-up as a whole and what sort of bunny would be there. 2 nethies would probably look a little coooped up just in a 4ft hutch but 2 giant buns wouldn't be able to move even if you did manage to shoe horn them in somehow. Anyway, 14 buns? wow! My limit is 3 :lol:
 
I completely agree, it depends on the set-up as a whole and what sort of bunny would be there. 2 nethies would probably look a little coooped up just in a 4ft hutch but 2 giant buns wouldn't be able to move even if you did manage to shoe horn them in somehow. Anyway, 14 buns? wow! My limit is 3 :lol:

Yeh nethies do look cramped in them, but I don't enclose them in so they don't look cramped with all the space they have. Serves as a good base though. Yes, definitely, shoehorning two giant buns into a 4ft cage would not be good. It would be a bit like trying to shoehorn someone into a rucksack or something.

Whilst I have 14 nethies, I also have two more cross buns and a super dooper baby foster :D So maybe I might say 17 is my limit? :lol:
 
Back
Top