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Why rabbit hutches need to be at least 6ft long and why most runs are 'walks'

Santa

Santa

Wise Old Thumper
The RSPCA guidance on the Animal Welfare Act suggests that hutches should be big enough for rabbits to take 3-4 hops. Take a look at this little vid (it's only about 20 seconds long) and see how much space that actually is. These are two small rabbits, both under 2kg, and the open part of the run you can see is about 8ft long.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v117/AlisonA/?action=view&current=002.mp4

I should note that this run is for sunbathing and grazing purposes only; they have a bigger run permanently attached to their hutch. Even in this 8ft long space Mavis can only manage 4 hops from end to end; hence my growing belief that most shop-bought 'runs' are in fact simply 'walks'.
 
I completely agree. We don't have a run under 8ft long and if we had the space they would all be bigger. Our 10ft by 8ft is my pride and joy, I can sit for hours watching the rabbits really enjoy themselves in a safe environment :love:

I found a website selling what looks like good quality 8 ft hutches for a reasonable price the other day too :)
 
That's why I think all runs should at least be wide enough to turn around easily.
The bunnies can run in circles and pick up some speed, whereas I know when ours were in a 6x3 it was the turns that slowed them down.

my local rspca is 6x6 minimum and I don't think that's too bad but I agree, most runs really aren't large enough to run in.

We have a roughly 8x7.5 run and while they can run in it it's nothing compared to watching them have the whole garden.
 
Hugo's There said:
I completely agree. We don't have a run under 8ft long and if we had the space they would all be bigger. Our 10ft by 8ft is my pride and joy, I can sit for hours watching the rabbits really enjoy themselves in a safe environment :love:

I found a website selling what looks like good quality 8 ft hutches for a reasonable price the other day too :)
Click to expand...

oooh where is that?
 
That's very true, Alison. I have a 6x4 foldable run which I used to use on the grass but now I let them freerange (supervised in a bunny proof garden) as it just doesn't give them the room to move about or really run.

This is Alfie in it a few mths back; it was his first time on grass after a few weks cage rest after dislocating his hock so was supposed to be taking it easy. :roll:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48309289@N04/4498414864/

If you skip to the second half of the video, he started doing a bunny 500, but the confined space meant he was turning in tight circles. After that, I let him out in the garden instead as the run seemed more of a danger to his newly-healed leg than free ranging was.
 
Aww, your bunnehs iz gorgows! :love:

I measured my hutch yesterday, and found it's just 4 foot long. It's a double hutch, and they're never shut in (they live in a 6x8ft shed) but it's scary to think when I bought it 7 years ago that it was the biggest hutch to be found - it seemed massive at the time!

I think a lot of rabbit owners don't even know what a binky is, just because their buns have never had the space to do one. It's so sad. :(
 
I dont like the ark runs anyways, wastes some space where the buns are too big (on the outer edges) if you know what I mean.

Also on the spacing..... I know my nethies can take 4 hops to gets across our 15ft ish room...... you know?? Lol!!
 
The only true way to allow a rabbit to be a rabbit is for them to have no cage/hutch/run and to let them freerange to allow them total choice as to whether they run around or sit still at any chosen time :D
 
TeflonsShadow said:
I dont like the ark runs anyways, wastes some space where the buns are too big (on the outer edges) if you know what I mean.
Click to expand...

Yep, totally agree I would never recommend them to anyone else :lol: I really only bought this one for Santa because in all other respects it best suited my needs at the time - Santa just needed somewhere safe and secure to graze as she wouldn't eat hay :roll: As they were both tiny and older, the pointy bit didn't really matter as they could get right up to the edge and all they did was sit and sunbathe anyway - and of course they had their own permanent run for normal exercise. It's nowhere near big enough for Mavis though - she is over double Santa's size!
 
*lily* said:
The only true way to allow a rabbit to be a rabbit is for them to have no cage/hutch/run and to let them freerange to allow them total choice as to whether they run around or sit still at any chosen time :D
Click to expand...

True - but it's all about working out the most suitable compromise to best maximise their overall welfare isn't it: freedom v safety and security.

I'm sure most of us here would completely enclose our entire gardens including with a roof, if we could :lol:
 
Awesome! The sad thing about that photo is that most people would probably use the tiny run that you are using as a shelter, and think that it's a suitable run!
 
I agree too - tbh am pretty passionate about accommodation sizes for all animals including mice and hamsters as I think it's so easy to underestimate their needs and give them the bare minimum. :?

For any animal to live a decent life a good-sized living accommodation is absolutely essential because with the best will in the world te animals are going to be spending a lot of time in that space.

Now John's retired our two bunnies are lucky as they get tons of free-range time to the extent that if they've had less than 2 hours free-range we feel guilty!! :p

I would love to make the whole garden bunny-safe but it will take some doing as there are fence panels to be replaced, questionable plants to be removed, trees to be bunny-protected etc etc. But I know they'd love it.

ETA: With all my animals including the teeny Robo' hamsters I've had I've found the more space they have the more fun they are to have around and the more you get to see their characters etc. :)
 
Santa said:
Yep, totally agree I would never recommend them to anyone else :lol: I really only bought this one for Santa because in all other respects it best suited my needs at the time - Santa just needed somewhere safe and secure to graze as she wouldn't eat hay :roll: As they were both tiny and older, the pointy bit didn't really matter as they could get right up to the edge and all they did was sit and sunbathe anyway - and of course they had their own permanent run for normal exercise. It's nowhere near big enough for Mavis though - she is over double Santa's size!
Click to expand...

I only realised how much I hated them when I bought one several years ago after rescuing two does who 'wanted rid' because they ate their babies :roll: Seemed like a good idea until I put the buns in and realised how much space was wasted.....! Guess it doesnt matter if the buns arent acrobats like Winni though! :p
 
Santa said:
The RSPCA guidance on the Animal Welfare Act suggests that hutches should be big enough for rabbits to take 3-4 hops. Take a look at this little vid (it's only about 20 seconds long) and see how much space that actually is. These are two small rabbits, both under 2kg, and the open part of the run you can see is about 8ft long.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v117/AlisonA/?action=view&current=002.mp4

I should note that this run is for sunbathing and grazing purposes only; they have a bigger run permanently attached to their hutch. Even in this 8ft long space Mavis can only manage 4 hops from end to end; hence my growing belief that most shop-bought 'runs' are in fact simply 'walks'.
Click to expand...

This is exactly why I believe bunnies should get some free range time daily. After seeing the speed my bunnies can get up running and binkying round the garden, they could never come close to in a run.

Strawbs has a 8ft run attached to his playhouse but he doesnt ever run or binky in it- he saves it all for his free range time.
 
Hanlou said:
I agree too - tbh am pretty passionate about accommodation sizes for all animals including mice and hamsters as I think it's so easy to underestimate their needs and give them the bare minimum. :?

For any animal to live a decent life a good-sized living accommodation is absolutely essential because with the best will in the world te animals are going to be spending a lot of time in that space.

Now John's retired our two bunnies are lucky as they get tons of free-range time to the extent that if they've had less than 2 hours free-range we feel guilty!! :p

I would love to make the whole garden bunny-safe but it will take some doing as there are fence panels to be replaced, questionable plants to be removed, trees to be bunny-protected etc etc. But I know they'd love it.

ETA: With all my animals including the teeny Robo' hamsters I've had I've found the more space they have the more fun they are to have around and the more you get to see their characters etc. :)
Click to expand...

Me too, I bang on about it constantly to the point that my Mom will now even comment on rabbits in petshops/hutches she has seen/how a friend of hers keeps her rabbits etc!

With regard to safety and security, freeranging safely in the house is easily obtainable :D
 
*lily* said:
Me too, I bang on about it constantly to the point that my Mom will now even comment on rabbits in petshops/hutches she has seen/how a friend of hers keeps her rabbits etc!
Click to expand...

John is just the same! :wave: xx

So many pet cages are teeny weeny, it's awful. :(
 
*lily* said:
With regard to safety and security, freeranging safely in the house is easily obtainable :D
Click to expand...

I don't necessarily think that it's any easier than providing safe and secure exercise outside. From predators maybe, but not necessarily other hazards. Many houses are open plan which makes it harder to restrict bunnies to areas that are safe for them. Many people have cats, dogs and/or children who would be hard to keep away from the bunny, or exposed wires in places which could be accessed, or little hidey holes where they could get themselves stuck. Some bunnies do not cope well with tiles, lino or laminate flooring, yet a lot of houses contain lots of this - it could cause serious injury to a bunny if they are one who finds it hard to cope with, especially if they become panicked and try and move quickly. Indeed some people may keep their buns outside not because they prefer it but because they aren't able to adequately bunnyproof their house safely :)

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer as to how and where bunnies should get their exercise...as long as they can do so as safely as possible in as much space as possible :)
 
Santa said:
I don't think there's a right or wrong answer as to how and where bunnies should get their exercise...as long as they can do so as safely as possible in as much space as possible :)
Click to expand...

Thats why we love our huge run so much. They are definitely able to have as much fun and exercise in there as they would free ranging, plus I am certain they are actually more relaxed because they feel secure. On top of that they can stay out longer because we know they are completely safe :)
 
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