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Is this better than a conventional hutch & run?

Fluffers

Fluffers

Wise Old Thumper
Pro's and cons?

I'm looking to get a set up to help out Jill at Honeybunnies when she's desperate for foster care. I have the space for a decent sized hutch & run on the patio in a sheltered spot and I have a handy hubby who can make alterations to things if need be ;) Jill has already given me some good advice re. standard hutches & sizes but she's a busy lady today taking & collecting bunnies here there and everywhere and I don't want to keep bothering her with questions so thought I'd see what you guys thought :D

I was thinking about this sort of thing v a hutch & run but are there any real advantages?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CHICKEN-SHACK...tZUK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry?hash=item414e14401d
 
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I think from what people have said previously, is that the photos are deceiving. They are actually quite small. They do look nice though. Just make sure you check the measurements. You might find that the living area is far too small.

Well done for offering to foster!
 
MissMinnie said:
I think from what people have said previously, is that the photos are deceiving. They are actually quite small. They do look nice though. Just make sure you check the measurements. You might find that the living area is far too small.

Well done for offering to foster!
Click to expand...

Thanks :D I'm thinking I'll keep an eye out for a smallish 2nd hand shed/wendyhouse which we can attach a home made run to. That way I can cut a bunny hole out and partition the inside and store food etc also :)
 
Pros:

  • They are cheap


Cons:
  • Soft wood - rabbits chew through them easily and wont last.
  • Enclosed protective area is approximately 3 x 2 foot.
  • To make them usable for rabbits you need to board in the majority of the run area and attatch a run - makes it then expensive compared to a 6 x 2 over a 6 x 4 foot run.

There are a number of threads on here that show pictures of what people have done to them to make them usable as bunny housing.
 
janice-arc said:
Pros:

  • They are cheap


Cons:
  • Soft wood - rabbits chew through them easily and wont last.
  • Enclosed protective area is approximately 3 x 2 foot.
  • To make them usable for rabbits you need to board in the majority of the run area and attatch a run - makes it then expensive compared to a 6 x 2 over a 6 x 4 foot run.

There are a number of threads on here that show pictures of what people have done to them to make them usable as bunny housing.
Click to expand...

Many thanks, forgetting that idea then!! I think we'll end up mackling something together ourselves. Being married to a builder has advantages ;):p
 
I really dislike these for buns to be honest, unless you can board out the sides to make it more weather resisitant. The sleeping area (dependent on which size you look at) is tiny - something like 3x3 which means that's the only all weather bit.

The only way I'd want to see bunnies living, even temporarily, in one is if the whole thing is made all weather. I believe the foot print for most of them is only about 6ft-7ft long and about 3ft wide - so not great. Although it is bigger than a lot of foster buns get I know.

The other thing to consider, for foster buns, is that you want to make your life as easy as possible for cleaning out maticulously in between different occupants to prevent infection etc, so I think that this would be a bit more difficult than a conventional hutch.


Lastly from a value point of view, this one is made of chinese fir which is a very soft wood, so I don't think it last as long as some of the better timbers, plus it's easy to chew.

Sorry to be so negative, but I just think you'd do so much better with a hutch from the RSPCA for £110 or a second hand wendy or similar (or a bargain shed from BandQ at £89.

Great that you are going to be fostering though! Look forward to seeing your first arrivals.

Helen
 
janice-arc said:
Pros:

  • They are cheap


Cons:
  • Soft wood - rabbits chew through them easily and wont last.
  • Enclosed protective area is approximately 3 x 2 foot.
  • To make them usable for rabbits you need to board in the majority of the run area and attatch a run - makes it then expensive compared to a 6 x 2 over a 6 x 4 foot run.

There are a number of threads on here that show pictures of what people have done to them to make them usable as bunny housing.
Click to expand...

Doh! you beat me to it Janice!
 
The Duchess said:
I really dislike these for buns to be honest, unless you can board out the sides to make it more weather resisitant. The sleeping area (dependent on which size you look at) is tiny - something like 3x3 which means that's the only all weather bit.

The only way I'd want to see bunnies living, even temporarily, in one is if the whole thing is made all weather. I believe the foot print for most of them is only about 6ft-7ft long and about 3ft wide - so not great. Although it is bigger than a lot of foster buns get I know.

The other thing to consider, for foster buns, is that you want to make your life as easy as possible for cleaning out maticulously in between different occupants to prevent infection etc, so I think that this would be a bit more difficult than a conventional hutch.


Lastly from a value point of view, this one is made of chinese fir which is a very soft wood, so I don't think it last as long as some of the better timbers, plus it's easy to chew.

Sorry to be so negative, but I just think you'd do so much better with a hutch from the RSPCA for £110 or a second hand wendy or similar (or a bargain shed from BandQ at £89.

Great that you are going to be fostering though! Look forward to seeing your first arrivals.

Helen
Click to expand...


Thanks Helen, really appreciate your help and I don't take your comments as negative at all :D

My hubby Chris gets loads of off cuts of wood from jobs he does so I think we'll design & build something ourselves or make & add a run to a shed of some description. The more I think about it the more I realise it must be versitile so I can take the run away easily when not in use/not needed.

Chris' mum is taking her first foster bun from Jill tomorrow. Spent yesterday scrubbing & making good our antique (but very well made & bloomin heavy) hutch for the new arrival :D
 
Fluffers said:
Thanks Helen, really appreciate your help and I don't take your comments as negative at all :D

My hubby Chris gets loads of off cuts of wood from jobs he does so I think we'll design & build something ourselves or make & add a run to a shed of some description. The more I think about it the more I realise it must be versitile so I can take the run away easily when not in use/not needed.

Chris' mum is taking her first foster bun from Jill tomorrow. Spent yesterday scrubbing & making good our antique (but very well made & bloomin heavy) hutch for the new arrival :D
Click to expand...

Sometimes it's better to start off with something like your old hutch and see how it works out for you.

One thing to bare in mind when fostering is that not all buns will manage things like ladders/ramps. Some will be so scared that they will want to have a bed area, some will not. So, I guess what I am trying to say is keep it as you say, versitile, so that you can take in which ever bunn/ies Jill needs help with. For some older rabbits a nice big flat area is a must have, and also for some that have issues re toileting etc, it needs to be easy for you to manage - don't mike life too hard for youself by having lots of stuff to keep clean or have to repair when it gets munched.

Keep up posted on Chris' mums new arrival too!

Helen
 
The Duchess said:
Sometimes it's better to start off with something like your old hutch and see how it works out for you.

One thing to bare in mind when fostering is that not all buns will manage things like ladders/ramps. Some will be so scared that they will want to have a bed area, some will not. So, I guess what I am trying to say is keep it as you say, versitile, so that you can take in which ever bunn/ies Jill needs help with. For some older rabbits a nice big flat area is a must have, and also for some that have issues re toileting etc, it needs to be easy for you to manage - don't mike life too hard for youself by having lots of stuff to keep clean or have to repair when it gets munched.

Keep up posted on Chris' mums new arrival too!

Helen
Click to expand...

Well Eileen (Chris' mum) has received her first foster bun from Jill :D He is a really lovely bun, very inquisitive & friendly, full of life. He's at my house today though (I live just down the road) as Eileen is out all day and we wanted him to have some time in the sunshine so he's in a pen and then out free running when I'm with him, binkying like mad & sniffing away!! Inca is watching through the patio door window :shock: We should get the run situation sorted next week so it will be a better set up at Eileens then :)
 
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