Calling ALL bunny owners. I need your help!

I hoping I can get lots of people to help with this, as I know there are many well cared for rabbits on this forum, but I want to help boost the standards for all rabbits in the UK if not further afield.

Many of you know about the Animal Welfare act that means all companion animals should be well cared for, though sadly many do not. ONLY the Welsh version states that a rabbit hutch should be 3 hops long.
There used to be an older (now not used) DEFRA report stating all adult rabbits needed about 4-6 square feet each. but this is no longer used.
The goverment MAY be looking into something to improve the welfare of rabbits, but its not a huge priority for them.

What I'm looking for is help from you all to gather some data about rabbits. I'm from a science (biology) background meaning this might actually have some weight if we could get it published somewhere!
If you're willing and able to help I'm looking for the following information about EACH bunny you own.
1) Gender
2) Age by grouping, <6mth >6mth, 1-2yr, 3-4yr 5-6yr 7+yrs (Estimate if not sure)
3) weight
4) length when sat in a relaxed position, from nose to end of rump (not tail)
5) length when laid out at full stretch (not including tail)
6) height when stretching all the way up (please state if with support ie hutch/run side, or free standing)
7) distance travelled in 3 hops. (this is from standstill with feet together-entend front feet-take back feet to join/exceed front feet x3)
8) Breed

I plan to take the data and look into the amount of space a rabbit needs to move around unhindered per individual, by breed, by age grouping, by weight and length groups (which I'll sort out).

I'm hoping to use this data to show what size hutches actually allow a rabbit to experience a good standard of welfare. With it all compiled I then hope to pass it on to DEFRA, RSPCA, SSPCA and the British Rabbit Council. Hopefully all of these organisation will be able to use it to improve standards of care for any hutch/cage confined rabbit. I say that as many people still keep their rabbits in cages/hutches for long periods, so ensuring that those were actually giving the rabbit enough space to move comfortably would be a good start and hopefully reduce the use of the tiny breeding hutches used for pedigrees and get the hellish tiny hutches removed from general sale!

My personal belief is that a rabbit should have minimum 3 hops LIVING space, with 1 hop sleeping area. With the depth being 1.5x laid down length and height being 1.25x max stretch height. Something I will add when I write up all the information.

This is for individual rabbits that are kept singly.
For groups the area should be 4hops by 1.5length by 1.25height pf the LARGEST rabbit in the group. Additional footage should be added at 0.25x total floor space per additional rabbit.

Anyone want to question my reasoning please say so, or offer different ideas and we can try and come up with something that will get them to listen.
If we rabbit owners already do the work and present it for further analysis the government can't complain too much about time/costs.

Hopefully this could improve the welfare of rabbits everywhere. I'm a BRC member and they want to improve welfare of the animals used for showing and breeding (no rabbit can go without a water bottle at shows any more! yes!), so if I handed them this information it might get them to do other work into the care of the animals.
Hell the BBC did a program on the Kennel Club and that's started to shift things in the pedigree world, so maybe this could too!

Many thanks

em-j

I suppose having a minimum is a good thing to ensure some kind of standard, but I just wish this wasn't necessary and that people would not think about the minimum they can get away with and think about the maximum they are able to provide for these complex, intelligent little animals. If I put my two in the minimum you suggest, I can tell you now they would be MISERABLE little rabbits. They don't just need space, they need different areas to go to break boredom, to get away from each other for a while, to change position/outlook, to have toys, tunnels, boxes, haystacks, to get into the shade, hide in a cave, lie in the sun or just generally have a wee explore. I hope you can make a difference.

I'll try and measure my two mini lops tomorrow morning for you (if they'll stay still long enough!)

We'll 'attempt' it! They've worn themselves out binkying and treat balling today so I don't think they will be very co-operative at the moment.

Schuette said:

We'll 'attempt' it! They've worn themselves out binkying and treat balling today so I don't think they will be very co-operative at the moment.

Click to expand...

This! (Schuette, I swear Im always just quoting your comments and agreeing with them! :lol

I will give it my best shot, maybe not for all 4 but I will try for 2 of them :wave:

Gemmapookie said:

This! (Schuette, I swear Im always just quoting your comments and agreeing with them! :lol

I will give it my best shot, maybe not for all 4 but I will try for 2 of them :wave:

Click to expand...

:lol::lol:

Well Mini and Mischa should be about the same so in theory that should reduce it to three.

I'll come back and update this as I get the measurements if that's ok...

MISCHA:

1) Gender - Males
2) Age by grouping, <6mth >6mth, 1-2yr, 3-4yr 5-6yr 7+yrs (Estimate if not sure) - 5-6yr
3) weight - Last vet check - 1.8kg
4) length when sat in a relaxed position, from nose to end of rump (not tail) - ??
5) length when laid out at full stretch (not including tail) - ??
6) height when stretching all the way up (please state if with support ie hutch/run side, or free standing) - ??
7) distance travelled in 3 hops. (this is from standstill with feet together-entend front feet-take back feet to join/exceed front feet x3) - ??
8 ) Breed - Mini lop

MINI:

1) Gender - Female
2) Age by grouping, <6mth >6mth, 1-2yr, 3-4yr 5-6yr 7+yrs (Estimate if not sure) - 3-4 yr
3) weight - Last vet check - 1.8kg
4) length when sat in a relaxed position, from nose to end of rump (not tail) - ??
5) length when laid out at full stretch (not including tail) - ??
6) height when stretching all the way up (please state if with support ie hutch/run side, or free standing) - ??
7) distance travelled in 3 hops. (this is from standstill with feet together-entend front feet-take back feet to join/exceed front feet x3) - ??
8 ) Breed - Mini lop

NUTMEG:

1) Gender - Female
2) Age by grouping, <6mth >6mth, 1-2yr, 3-4yr 5-6yr 7+yrs (Estimate if not sure) - 3-4yr
3) weight - Last vet check - 1.4kg
4) length when sat in a relaxed position, from nose to end of rump (not tail) - 13"
5) length when laid out at full stretch (not including tail) - 20"
6) height when stretching all the way up (please state if with support ie hutch/run side, or free standing) - 19" no support
7) distance travelled in 3 hops. (this is from standstill with feet together-entend front feet-take back feet to join/exceed front feet x3) - ??
8 ) Breed - Nethie/Lionhead

SMUDGE:

1) Gender - Male
2) Age by grouping, <6mth >6mth, 1-2yr, 3-4yr 5-6yr 7+yrs (Estimate if not sure) - 1-2yr
3) weight - Last vet check - 2.1kg
4) length when sat in a relaxed position, from nose to end of rump (not tail) - ??
5) length when laid out at full stretch (not including tail) - 20"
6) height when stretching all the way up (please state if with support ie hutch/run side, or free standing) - 22" no support
7) distance travelled in 3 hops. (this is from standstill with feet together-entend front feet-take back feet to join/exceed front feet x3) - ??
8 ) Breed - Lionlop

bensonlola said:

I suppose having a minimum is a good thing to ensure some kind of standard, but I just wish this wasn't necessary and that people would not think about the minimum they can get away with and think about the maximum they are able to provide for these complex, intelligent little animals. If I put my two in the minimum you suggest, I can tell you now they would be MISERABLE little rabbits. They don't just need space, they need different areas to go to break boredom, to get away from each other for a while, to change position/outlook, to have toys, tunnels, boxes, haystacks, to get into the shade, hide in a cave, lie in the sun or just generally have a wee explore. I hope you can make a difference.

I'll try and measure my two mini lops tomorrow morning for you (if they'll stay still long enough!)

Click to expand...

Having an actual legally set down minimun hutch size that can be quantified would help ensure that any rabbit used for breeding or as a pet could be seized if found to be in too small a space.
At present the authorities can't really do much about the size of accomodation if the rabbit is otherwise well cared for. I know. I was reading up about it and other things I've recieved. The authorities can't take any animal unless they have a warrent, and an owner doesn't have to let an inspector on to the property without one. So bunnies can be kept in 2x2ft boxes for breeding (sometimes responsibly other times not so), but can't be siezed or given better care as there's no legal mininimum that the owner has as a bench mark to adhere too.
Maybe we can make a differece. If this got used ot make legal standards, would mean less animals being bred as owners would have to give each animal more space. Hutch prices would increas, but then the hutches would actually be worth the price AND be a good size!

Currently RWAF says 2x6x2 right and thats for 2 bunnies. Hopefully the data collected will help back this up, and even help increase the lower limit!
Anything I write up about this, will state "These numbers are the lowest possible size a single or group should be kept in. However when it comes to actually providing housing, it should not be a case of what is the lowest we can offer, but how much more that this can we offer? In addition, how much run around space can we provide and how often will they have access?" Think

I do agree, the Welsh standards say three hops so it would be great to get some good stats on how far that is.

The best option is probably to spend a day at a rescue with a measuring tape though. I think it would hold more weight is the measuring is done by one person and officially recorded. Maybe even photo/video. There is a bit more margin for error with different people making estimates.