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Housing large rabbits

Lillypad

Lillypad

Warren Scout
Hello :wave:

1. How much space would two large rabbits need? (let's use German Lops for an example)
Would a 60-70sqft, with raised playhouse (so it's not taking up floor space) and about 25-35sqft of space from extra levels be enough? (I'd like to be more than enough rather than only just enough, so be honest:D)
Or is that a bit too small?
I'd like two bigger bunnies preferably, but if it's not enough would it be all right for a big bun and a medium bun?

2. How big do litter boxes need to be for bigger buns?

3. Not really about bigger buns, but is it best to put hay in one of them hay dispensers, or can it be put in a box or just in a bundle on the floor? If a dispenser, why?

Thank you:D
 
Thank you that's brilliant!
I've been searching all morning and last night but it's difficult to find the actual space requirements, they just tend to say "they need a big area to exercise in" etc.

Although
Are you going to be able to provide this or
a large (over 20ft square) of space, in which they can exercise, play, graze and forage in?
Click to expand...
20sqft seems a tiny amount. I think I'll wait until next year when I can give them 80-90sqft for two.

I love the idea of hanging baskets, will have to use that!:D
 
Yes 20 sqft seems nothing but the shed pics give a good idea.
Our predator situation is very different here which allows me to give my guys a level of freedom not possible in the UK, so that means more room.
 
I dont have any experience with giants, but I have a 3.5kg bun who should be heavier, so I'd class him as 'large'. So I'm not sure how much use this will be to you, but as you havent got other replies I'll give it a go :lol:

I have a 6x2ft hutch with a 6x8ft run attached, so 60sqft of space. This is for him and a 2kg lionhead. Personally, I dont think it is big enough, it is just temporary, although at the moment I'm not sure how long that will be for. I try and let him free-range in the garden for 10-30 mins a few nights a week, and he adores it.

The problem with big buns is that they need bigger ramps and bigger levels, or in my experience, they wont bother with them much. Barney
wont use anything smaller than 2.5x2.5ft as anything more than a brief lookout. He also isnt happy about jumping onto things unless there is a decent amount of headroom before the next level, I imagine because he has to be quite accurate when jumping up in order to not hit his head. They also require higher runs, mine is 2ft4 or 2ft5 I think, but I think an aviary is much better, I would prefer higher than what I have, Barney doesnt really binky much and isnt that agile anymore, but for an active big bun to do proper binkies you need a good amount of headroom.

Be careful with the playhouse too, as if you have it off the ground properly , as in without lots of supports under it (supports would mean no real room for buns under it anyway) you may have problems with the floor being sturdy enough, as you're going to put a fair amount of really heavy stuff in it, and then yourself and the buns too. Depending on how high you have it off the ground the buns may also use it as a hiding place that you cant get to.

If I had two buns Barney's size, I would personally like them in something that gives over 100sqft. I used to have Barney in a bedroom that mustve been about 12ft x 18 or 20ft, when you take away space for furniture that he didnt jump/go under on he probably had at least 150sqft+ of usable area, and he was much happier there and more active too. But that is an ideal setup, I dont know if I will be able to give him that again, and its not practical for many other people either. Thats why big buns often go to be free-range house rabbits. I do think that permenant space is much more important with large buns, and dont like putting B in anything smaller than 20sqft overnight.
 
Thanks very much guys!
I should be fine raising the playhouse, my dad's good at all that stuff and it will also be screwed in to the sides of the run so it wont budge, and will reinforce the floor.
The run is 6ft high, so they would be able to binky and jump as high as they would like.
I'll wait until I can give around 90sqft of floor space and maybe go for one bigger bun and a smaller one.
 
Lillypad said:
Thanks very much guys!
I should be fine raising the playhouse, my dad's good at all that stuff and it will also be screwed in to the sides of the run so it wont budge, and will reinforce the floor.
The run is 6ft high, so they would be able to binky and jump as high as they would like.
I'll wait until I can give around 90sqft of floor space and maybe go for one bigger bun and a smaller one.
Click to expand...

Just be aware that if one bun needs feeding more it can be a pain. B often squashes A in the carrier too, and jumps on her, and just generally is clumsey and doesnt realise that he is bigger than her. They do get on fine though, and the only problems I've had with aggression/bullying have been from Anna, she's the small one!
 
I think it also depends on how much ( if any ) free range time you can offer. Mine do not have a huge shed/run but they come out in the yard every day for a run around for aslong as they like ( they generally go back of their own accord after a few hours).
 
Ohh I didn't think about feeding, how do you cater for different feeding amounts without getting an over weight smaller bun?

It depends on the rabbits how much free range time they get. We had two big lops when I was younger and they free ranged practically all day, but they never dug up the lawn or tried to dig out. We also have big fur trees at the top of our garden that would be pretty difficult to get a bunny back out of if they wanted to hide, but we never had that problem with our other two at all. They'd just hop about on the lawn and sun bathe mostly.
So really it just depends what type of personality the rabbits will have, if they're likely to be like the rabbits we did have then they can have a lot of FR time, but if they are big diggers and are likely to hide in the trees they'll probably only be able to have supervised FR time, which will be about an hour a day (or all day on sunny days)
 
Lillypad said:
Ohh I didn't think about feeding, how do you cater for different feeding amounts without getting an over weight smaller bun?

It depends on the rabbits how much free range time they get. We had two big lops when I was younger and they free ranged practically all day, but they never dug up the lawn or tried to dig out. We also have big fur trees at the top of our garden that would be pretty difficult to get a bunny back out of if they wanted to hide, but we never had that problem with our other two at all. They'd just hop about on the lawn and sun bathe mostly.
So really it just depends what type of personality the rabbits will have, if they're likely to be like the rabbits we did have then they can have a lot of FR time, but if they are big diggers and are likely to hide in the trees they'll probably only be able to have supervised FR time, which will be about an hour a day (or all day on sunny days)
Click to expand...

I think fir trees are poisonous, so you'd have to take that into account too.
 
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