Your thoughts on new rabbit housing is appreciated.

Please bear with me and indulge my rabbit insecurities which I have at the moment.

I'd like to sound out my housing proposals, and have your thoughts, please.

I cannot say I have a bottomless pocket but I appreciate I am genuinely honoured to be privileged to have 5 rabbits to care for and I want to give them the best I can. Time and love is no issue. DIY skills are pretty good, too!

Each rabbit will live in individual units of wood-framed wire cages sat on grass. Each unit will be 1.2m long, 50cm wide and 60cm high. Over each set of 5 units will be a weather-proof shelter of exterior grade OSB-board. It's roof will be felted and slanted backwards to drain the rain off backwards and the back and side boards will also be felted and solid.

The front will have a 12 inch base-board and 10" top-board. So essentially the rabbits will be in individual units inside a weatherproof box with an opening at the front of around 75%. I believe this will provide lots of ventilation with protection from winds and rain. I will also have a screen for the front to keep flies out. The front will also be chicken-wired for security. Each unit and the whole box will be pegged down securely with tent pegs.

I'm also thinking of putting in a flourescent light in for winter on the ceiling of the shelter box with RCD breaker.

I will always set the rabbits on dry uncut grass. But to combat dew-wetness I thought about having a 2foot square board raised 3" off the ground. I'm hoping the rabbits will have enough sense to use it when there is dew on the ground. The whole shelter is south-facing so it will get the sun to warm the whole of the inside. There will be tubes and toys for the rabbits to hide in and play. Obs water and food will be there.

I'm also thinking of including a paving slab in there to help them keep their claws short.

The rabbits will only be in their units during the night. I intend to provide a run of 3m x 3m for the does and individual runs of 3m x 1.5m for the bucks. There will also be tubes and toys for all. In particular for the outside run I will use camoflage netting to provide shelter from direct sun and there will be a plastic canopy to protect against rain. The rabbits will be out from around 6-8am to around 9pm.

Thanks for staying with me. What do you guys think? I'd love to hear about your ideas of improvements and things that I might do that does not sound not so good. Thanks in advance for reading me and for your time to reply.

I will post photos in about 2 weeks when all this is done.

(edited for spelling and grammar)

Hi Kevin! :wave:

That's a lot of info but I'll try to be some help - firstly, why are all your rabbits living individually? they would be much happier in pairs or groups, and this would allow you to make them much bigger housing for each group. They will need to be neutered and bonded on neutral territory by someone experienced though.

The dimensions you quoted are too small - each rabbit needs a minimum of 153cm x 60 x 60 for their sheltered area plus 182cm x 121cm as a run. A pair or group needs a lot more than this.

The size of the day time runs is much better, but rabbits aren't sensible so don't always get off the grass when its dewey or raining, so sheltering half or 2/3rds is best. They may also dig out/fox dig in so need to be supervised (i.e. someone at home) if left on the grass. Its better to have permanent exercise space on concrete or decking, or put concrete slabs under turf.

If your rabbits are to live alone at night they shouldn't be exercised together i the day, especially if not neutered, as they may fight. Its best to keep them together in groups/pairs 24/7 as i described above.

I hope this helps, feel free to ask more questions! :wave::wave:

First, it's really great that you've posted asking for opinions and advice! I can tell you really want to do the best things by your buns and hopefully you'll get some excellent help on here

1) my first thought is that if you neutered and bonded the rabbits could have a huge space between them, as well as the invaluable company of other bunnies, rather than much smaller housing each.

2) the minimum recommendation for a rabbit to live in is 6ftx2ft, ideally with a 6x4 attached run.
The measurements you've given equate to 3.3ft x 1.6ft which is far too small I'm afraid.

3) Chicken wire can be chewed through by rabbits and foxes so it won't necessarily keep predators out or bunnies in! galvanised wire mesh is the best choice

4) if you're putting rabbits on earth it needs to have been meshed underneath to stop them digging out.

5) The runs sound an excellent size, and it's brilliant they'd be out for that many hours each day. Would it be possible to attach them to the hutches?

Hi VikkiVet,

Thanks for your advice - that's great. I think you said it all - "...bonded by someone more experienced" and that's not me - not yet, anyway.

The rabbits are older rabbits and have lived separately and that's why I thought it better to have them individually housed when under shelter - although your comments about having them all together in the outside run makes a lot of sense.

I shall make the inside space at least what you recommend and I had forgotten to include the fact that I intended to shelter some outside space also.


Hi BattleKat,

Thanks to you also. Yes, the people here are the best!

I'm increasing the space as suggested - thanks and changing the wire type also, thanks for that - also for the bottom wiring. attaching the run to the hutches sounds good. Now you've said that, I'm thinking of doing them separately so I can still move them around to fresh grass but still have them abutted together and fastened with secure clips so that the run and hutches can be joined.

My biggest issue is that I want to breed some of them to show my g/daughter the facts of life and I have responsible homes for baby rabbits to go to. Then I will have them all neutered. Also I have been told that three of the rabbits (1 buck and 2 does) may have already mated before I got them.

But let me assert that I am all in favour of responsible rabbit-owning and neutering and all that goes with it.

Thanks again for your help. ;-)

e2a:
I've decided to extend the outside run to 6m x 3m - it will cost an extra £15 so I can't complain. It's size will allow me to move the run in a better fashion around the grass (I know that sounds puzzling, but trust me that's the case).