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Can 2 rabbits ...

whitehood

Warren Veteran
Live together in a 6x4 hutch overnight?
And in the morning have free range time until the evening.
 
yes, that's a huge space for overnight. My rabbits live in a 6ft x 2ft hutch overnight and then go into a 7ft x 5ft run during the day.
 
That's pretty much what I do.
I feel my garden is secure though because it's walled on three sides by houses and has about an eight foot wall on the fourth side. And I'm by the window all day. A lot of people don't think it's safe as predators could get into the garden during the day.
 
Ty
I was thinking if Lucky and future partner could live in the run in my garden during the night

As my dad designed the run like a hutch without a base for grass and 3 ft high.
The bottom 3x4 space has a base(and is sheltered from all 3 sides) the half (front) side has grass.
 
Ty
I was thinking if Lucky and future partner could live in the run in my garden during the night

As my dad designed the run like a hutch without a base for grass and 3 ft high.
The bottom 3x4 space has a base(and is sheltered from all 3 sides) the half (front) side has grass.

Have you got pics of it? I'm having trouble visualising it.
 
Looks ok I guess (not really up on outdoor enclosures as mine are free range house buns lol), the only thing that jumped into my mind was with the grass section you might find them making a bid for freedom one night :oops:
 
So you're going to put them in that overnight with no enclosed space to hide, feel secure and keep warm?
 
Quoted from Whitehood.....

I mean the bottom half is sheltered from 3 sides and the other half is meshed
Theres a hidey hole there(a 3 ft hutch)
The bottom half also has a wooden raised platform(decking boards)

It is designed like a hutch one half is meshed the other is plywood
 
I would suggest talking to whichever rescue you are planning on getting Lucky's new friend from and seeing what their requirements would be. 6*4 as a base is of course bigger than the recommended hutch size, but I would expect most rescues would ask for more of the area than a 3ft hidey hole to be completely enclosed.

Imagine it's midwinter, -5 degrees outside, it's cold, wet and windy - the bunnies would only have that tiny 3ft space in which to eat, sleep, poop in warm, dry comfort. Even with a covered top, a bitter wind would get right into that area. You wouldn't sleep with your windows wide open when it's blowing a winter gale outside, right? Even if it's covered on three sides, that's not enough for them to be cosy in bad weather, IMO.
 
Thank you for your reply Santa
That wont be used for winter
But if necessary I could attach a plywood piece, so it resembles the half way between the hutch the dark area separated from the light mesh area.
:wave:

Like this:

l l l l l l l l l
l............l
l............l
l llllllllllllllllll
l............l
l l l l l l l l l
Ignore the dots

the red thing is the plywood
 
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Live together in a 6x4 hutch overnight?
And in the morning have free range time until the evening.

I'm very confused. I thought they were going to live upstairs in your house - or have I got hold of the wrong end of the stick?
 
Personally i think they need a proper hutch attached. That looks more like a run than a hutch? Unless im being blind. Also, what has happened to Jack?!
 
I'm a tad confused too :oops: I know that being kept in a run overnight has already been discussed and you've said you wouldn't do it, don't know if this is a different run though but it is in my eyes still a run and not really safe to be kept in overnight. When you begin to look to adopt a female all your housing questions will be discussed and seen at your homecheck though so you will be advised on your housing then if there is anything to be advised upon :)
 
Thank you for your reply Santa
That wont be used for winter
But if necessary I could attach a plywood piece, so it resembles the half way between the hutch the dark area separated from the light mesh area.

I'm still not sure that would do it for me if I was homechecking to be honest - it would all be completely dark in there, then, so if they wanted to sit in daylight, but reasonably protected, they'd have no choice but to sit out on the grass in the wind. It gets jolly cold at night especially at many other times of year, not just winter.

Runs are sold as runs for a reason - they are designed for exercise, not for living in. Could you get a 6ft happyhutch or similar and put it on top of the run with a ramp or boxes going downwards, so that the 6*4 remains as a run, but with the hutch permanently attached, that would make a reasonable sized base with both covered and run area?

Really though, talk to the rescue you're hoping to adopt from - there's no point in us advising you to do x or y if you spend money doing it, and then the rescue tells you that they actually want you to do z.
 
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Is there mesh under the grass? If not, bunnies can dig out, and worse, foxes can dig in.

Would they be free ranging in the garden during the day? If yes, is someone going to be out in the garden with them ALL the time? Again, think of foxes, poisonous plants, rat poison being thrown over the fence, magpies, etc..

The size of the setup is ok, but I would also prefer a proper hutch, which is higher up, and keeps them warm if necessary. 3 ft box isn't big enough. Even 4 ft is quite small.
 
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