You can almost understand why people have some sub-standard accomodation

GrahamL · May 13, 2011

With it being R.A.W coming up, i was looking for a hutch+run just as a thought, that met recommendations.

So most of the 'recommendation meeting' hutch+run combos can cost in excess of £250-£300. I know obviously you can get a shed+run for cheaper, but its not always viable, or available.

Whilst i appreciate it costs money to make good quality items, this prices lots of people who would offer an excellent home to a pair of rabbits out of the market. This then tempts them to a hutch that might not be quite the right size but means they can still have a pair, but not with so much room, but lots of love, care, and veterinary attention when/where required.

It's quite dis-heartening.

I dont really know why i typed all this out, its just my rambling thoughts.

steph182 · May 13, 2011

Not to mention that most rabbit books for research are awful and petshops know nothing.

When I got Charlie I was told a ZooZone2 was plenty big enough for 2 rabbits... I did research and the books/leaflets I read didn't suggest anything different.

Blackberry & Co · May 13, 2011

But then again, rabbits are expensive pets all round, with the vaccs and the cost of vet treatment. People should be aware of that from the start - if they can't afford a decent set up then will they be able to afford vets fees?

I'm joining in with the rambling thoughts!

Sky-O · May 13, 2011

I have a standard e-mail that I send to people when they ask for accommodation ideas, and in it I put this.

If you buy two rabbits from a pet shop, they are likely to be about £20-£30, so for two, that would be on average £50. You would have to buy each rabbit separate accommodation to live in, at roughly £100 each, so that would be £200. You would then need to get each rabbit vaccinated against Myxomatosis and VHD, which is around £35 for each rabbit, so that's £70. The boy would need to be neutered which, at my vets costs about £70, and a girl would need to be spayed, which, at my vets, costs £80. After all that, you would then need to wait for them to recover and then bond them, which is incredibly stressful. Adding all that up, it would cost roughly £470 to get to the place where the rabbits in the Centre are.

Adopting from the Centre they ask for a donation of £25 per rabbit (and they come fully vaccinated and neutered, and bonded, and can live together straight away), so that works out to £50 for two rabbits. That leaves roughly £420 'left' for a budget towards accommodation. Most accommodations of the size we ask for are cheaper than £420, so whilst it appears we ask for something very large and expensive, it still works out cheaper overall and the rabbits are happier with more space and our bunnies get their second chance at happiness in a loving home.

That tends to give people some perspective.

I think the biggest problem is the crud the pet shops still sell. I went into Jollyes yesterday and the hutches were horrendous. Much worse than Pets At Home. If bigger accommodation was more easilly accessible, and the smaller stuff wasn't, then people would be able to get something suitable.

Pebblesetc · May 13, 2011

Blackberry & Co said:
But then again, rabbits are expensive pets all round, with the vaccs and the cost of vet treatment. People should be aware of that from the start - if they can't afford a decent set up then will they be able to afford vets fees?

I'm joining in with the rambling thoughts!

It's different though. The hutch and run is a massive lump sum. Vaccs are say 20 quid each but spread out over the year.
If you have insurance your premium is spread across 12 monthly payments.

The hutch and run combo is a massive chunk of cash to be forking out in one go. I wouldn't be able to fork out that much. I'm fortunate that Buckley can be an inside bunny.

louise and Gus · May 13, 2011

Blackberry & Co said:
But then again, rabbits are expensive pets all round, with the vaccs and the cost of vet treatment. People should be aware of that from the start - if they can't afford a decent set up then will they be able to afford vets fees?

I'm joining in with the rambling thoughts!

I agree, yes accommodation is expensive, but so are rabbits as pets. :wave:

thenamesJT · May 13, 2011

After the initial set up - hutch/run/cover/neutering

My buns cost be on average £15 every 2 months! :shock:

I dont find that my buns cost me much.

SarahP · May 13, 2011

I definitely think it's the range of products on offer that is the problem (although things are at least improving in that respect). I had to get some accommodation sorted in a real hurry when I was getting my bunnies, so stupidly didn't do my research. I organised a hutch/run combo that was the biggest in the range, which turned out to be woefully small.

steph182 · May 13, 2011

Blackberry & Co said:
But then again, rabbits are expensive pets all round, with the vaccs and the cost of vet treatment. People should be aware of that from the start - if they can't afford a decent set up then will they be able to afford vets fees?

I'm joining in with the rambling thoughts!

But it's hard to be aware when there's next to no info on it.

Going on my area still, but I'd never heard of rabbit vaccinations, or neutering. I didn't know the recommended sizes and trusted that a petshop who sells the animals would know.
They don't. I learnt not to trust them but so many people will believe the petshop where their animals come from.

Elena · May 13, 2011

thenamesJT said:
After the initial set up - hutch/run/cover/neutering

My buns cost be on average £15 every 2 months! :shock:

I dont find that my buns cost me much.

I'm kinda the same. Hay £7, pellets £3 and then in spring, summer (and hopefully autumn) all greens are foraged or grown. Herbs in winter cost a bit and vets bills obviously. I try to spread vaccinations through the year and have savings for emergencies.

The initial costs are the biggest.

Amy104 · May 13, 2011

A 6ft hutch and run from happy hutch is just over £150. I think thats a reasonable starting block as you can alway increase the run as and when you can afford it.

GrahamL · May 13, 2011

Take this as an example;

http://www.happyhutch.com/ViewProduct.asp?productID=39

The 6x2x2 w/ 6x4 run.

it's the largest sold in that range.

It still doesn't meet requirements. Thats only 36 sq ft.

Thats £155.

I guess im feeling dis-heartened, at the fact, if something that was fairly good in my eyes, still doesn't meet what people say rabbits should have for a pair.

Some RSPCA branches require 50sq ft.

Where would the RSPCA recommend someone goes to get a hutch/run combo 'off the shelf' so to speak that meets those requirements?

Where would a rescue recommend?

Just because someone can't afford a £300 outlay, doesn't make them a bad owner. They may well easily be able to afford basic veterinary attention, vaccs, insurance etc... you can't ALWAYS plan for 'end of the world' situations, where a vet bill may come to £3000.

I'm making myself angry now :lol:

I can't even afford a hutch/run combo that meets the requirements of bunny(s) i'd like to help.

Sky-O · May 13, 2011

GrahamL said:
Take this as an example;

http://www.happyhutch.com/ViewProduct.asp?productID=39

The 6x2x2 w/ 6x4 run.

it's the largest sold in that range.

It still doesn't meet requirements. Thats only 36 sq ft.

Thats £155.

I guess im feeling dis-heartened, at the fact, if something that was fairly good in my eyes, still doesn't meet what people say rabbits should have for a pair.

Some RSPCA branches require 50sq ft.

Where would the RSPCA recommend someone goes to get a hutch/run combo 'off the shelf' so to speak that meets those requirements?

Where would a rescue recommend?

Just because someone can't afford a £300 outlay, doesn't make them a bad owner. They may well easily be able to afford basic veterinary attention, vaccs, insurance etc... you can't ALWAYS plan for 'end of the world' situations, where a vet bill may come to £3000.

I'm making myself angry now :lol:

I can't even afford a hutch/run combo that meets the requirements of bunny(s) i'd like to help.

For example. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6ft-5-x-2ft-5...et_Supplies_Small_Animals&hash=item35b1c903ba

KarenM · May 13, 2011

Sky-O said:
For example. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6ft-5-x-2ft-5...et_Supplies_Small_Animals&hash=item35b1c903ba

But look at the price. :shock:

GrahamL · May 13, 2011

KarenM said:
But look at the price. :shock:

This is my only only bugbear.

That did NOT cost anything near that to make. The materials can't have cost anything like £330 (cost+delivery).

It prices me out of the market immediately. Does that mean im not suitable to have bunnies? So that means it prices lots more people out of it also - im not badly off - and i can't afford it.

I guess im just shocked now im really looking at it.

KarenM · May 13, 2011

I used to have the HH hutch and run combo Gray linked to and, although I always thought of it as the minimum space they should have, it now seems that it's become inadequate.

So people may have hutches that were bought 2-3 yrs ago (or less) with the intention of them lasting 10 yrs or so, only for them now to be thought of as too small.

chul · May 13, 2011

I can understand really. Shops dont provide much information and sell sub-standard hutches and little/no runs. Average Joe doesnt double check RSPCA standards and online forums before buying and then often don't have the money to replace when they have already spent about £100 or more on.

The cost of decent hutches and runs also put people off getting the right sizes. I cant afford it, hence making my own.

GrahamL · May 13, 2011

KarenM said:
I used to have the HH hutch and run combo Gray linked to and, although I always thought of it as the minimum space they should have, it now seems that it's become inadequate.

So people may have hutches that were bought 2-3 yrs ago (or less) with the intention of them lasting 10 yrs or so, only for them now to be thought of as too small.

Thats a good point.

The RWA say 8x4x2 for a run + 6x2x2 hutch. (Source: http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/HutchisnotenoughLft.pdf)

So for those of us who bought a hutch/run as Karen did that was 6x2x2

thumb

and 6x4x2

() do we have to upgrade? Is it seen as 'bad'?

My head is running away with me now :lol:

pigsforlife · May 13, 2011

KarenM said:
But look at the price. :shock:

I thought it seemed high, and then I converted it into the Aussie dollar (I live in Australia) and went :shock:

There is no way I would spend that amount of money on a hutch and a run. That doesn't make me a bad owner.

steph182 · May 13, 2011

Ebay isn't always an option either. I couldn't buy online when I first got bunnies, so had to rely on local petshops.

The petshop closest to me doesn't sell any hutches bigger than 3ft long.

When it's all people see they're going to have no idea it's wrong.

You can almost understand why people have some sub-standard accomodation

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