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Designing Rabbit Playpen, please answer my questions :)

Hey Everyone,

I am a product designer at University and I'm designing a rabbit playground.

I was just wondering if anyone could answer some questions for me...

Where do you keep your rabbit currently?

if outside, where abouts in your garden is your hutch?

Where do you keep your rabbit during the winter?

if in the house, which room and why?

and what breed of rabbit do you have?

this information will be very useful for me, if there is any other information you want to add with the design of the rabbit playground, please just let me know.

thanks :)
 
we had one of these last year, designed a very impractical hutch.
if you search round the site you'll find some lovely rabbit playgrounds.
 
In my bedroom.

When he was outside he lived in a shed across the garden with an aviary attached.

He's lives in all year round now he's an old boy (9).

He lives in my bedroom (free ranging) because being a single rabbit he needs my company, and because it's the only room my parents will let me scatter feed him in!

He's a yellow and white Dutch rabbit.

Hope that's helpful! :) If you're planning on designing an outdoor play pen it will need to have a preditor proof lid, and secure fastenings on the door - foxes can open bolts for instance. Any playpen will need to be tall enough for the rabbit to periscope (stand upright) without their ears reaching the lid. The wire (if that's what you're using) should be strong (chicken wire is no good for example, as it can be chewed through) and any gaps will need to be too small for weasles or snakes to fit through.
 
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Two French lops in the spare room, they have a 42 inch dog crate with an 8x4 pen attached, then we have a single English spot in another crate in the living room, she doesn't have a pen as she free-ranges. We keep them inside all year round, for a variety of reasons:

We can offer more space inside
No risk of predators
Noticing changes in behaviour/illnesses is easier
Cleaning/feeding/playing would seem like a chore if I had to go out in the cold to do it :lol:
 
Where do you keep your rabbit currently? In our bedroom, free ranging.

if in the house, which room and why? She stays in our bedroom but also has access to the rest of upstairs if she wishes (she only really goes on the landing). In our room, it's easier for us to provide everything she needs when she needs it and she has plenty of company as that's where we spend the majority of our time. I'd worry far too much if she was outside.

and what breed of rabbit do you have? She's a small lionhead (possibly nethie mix)
 
Where do you keep your rabbit currently?

Indoors, upstairs.

if outside, where abouts in your garden is your hutch?

N/A

Where do you keep your rabbit during the winter?

N/A

if in the house, which room and why?

Bedroom, landing and spare room, reason being these have been the easiest to bunny proof in my case.

and what breed of rabbit do you have?

One mini lop, one nethie lionhead and one lionlop.

As for the design, mine enjoy tunnels, jumping on things going under things, etc. they aren't bothered very much by 'toys' they much prefer exploring. I also think some open space is essential for mad dashes and binkies. (I'm not sure if you mean something enclosed or something to go in a larger space)
 
Currently kept - outside in a fully insulated 6 x 4 foot shed, with a 'runaround' attached tunnel to a 6 x 4 x 2 foot run. In the winter they also get an 8 x 2 foot run to move their bigger one off the grass as it's so wet.

The shed is on a small bit of patio we have on the right hand side of the garden. In the winter they stay outside, shed is fully insulated and they have plenty fur if they live outside all year round.

I used to have them in the house. They were in my bedroom, and then the kitchen.

Mine are crosses.

Other things - bigger is better, but not too big. For it to be an alternative to exercise time, it needs to be at least 6 x 4 x 2 foot. Bunnies love tunnels (simulates a warren) and different levels. Different levels need to have some sort of barrier along the side to prevent falling, unless they're less than two foot tall. Most bunnies prefer big steps rather than ramps - it's more natural and more fun. They can hop up to 2 foot easily (more if necessary), so they can be big steps. Just make sure the landing area is non-slip. Hidey holes are good. Needs to be easy to clean. Wood will usually get chewed. If it's outside, the only secure material to make the sides out of is square/rectangular welded mesh (not chicken wire or fully wooden - both can be chewed through). Bar spacing needs to be 1 x 1 inch maximum, less if possible, otherwise predators can scratch/bite the rabbit through it.
 
Where do you keep your rabbit currently?
Outside. I have two pairs:
Pair 1: 6ft x 3ft hutch over 6ft x 5ft run, with access to another run 4ft x 10ft.
Pair 2: 4ft x 4ft playhouse with access to 6ft x 4ft run.


if outside, where abouts in your garden is your hutch?
One hutch is on the patio, sheltered by a shed wall and a fence. The playhouse is further up the garden, under a tree and against a fence.

Where do you keep your rabbit during the winter?
In the same accommodation as above. With extra hay to snuggle in, and snugglesafe heatpads on really cold nights.

if in the house, which room and why?
N/A

and what breed of rabbit do you have?
1 Netherland dwaft, 1 lionhead, 1 dwarf lop and 1 minilop.
 
Where do you keep your rabbit currently?

Outside in a hutch/aviary style run combo. Hutch is 6ft x 2ft wide and around 3ft high. Run/aviary is 10ft long by 6ft wide and approx 5ft high. Hutch is on 'stilts' in the run with a shallow slope ramp down so rabbits get underneath the hutch for full 10ft length

if outside, where abouts in your garden is your hutch?

Near the bottom of the garden, with a long side against the fence for wind protection

Where do you keep your rabbit during the winter?

Outdoors, providing snugglesafes, lots of bedding, insulating hutch and the run has a roof

and what breed of rabbit do you have?

Bonded pair - male dwarf lop and female english spot cross

As mentioned before height for bunnies is important, but also consider ease of accessibility by owners for cleaning out - not only in terms of size but also materials for flooring etc (can it be washed/wiped), perhaps thinking about something that can be taken apart for thorough cleanings if it's not easy to do when assembled? Consider spacing for things like hay racks and litter trays - for example a long narrow enclosure with these in it will prevent those mad bunny dashes where they zig-zag all over the place :lol: If you are primarily a product designer and not particularly knowledgeable on animal behaviour I'd personally suggest reading a couple of rabbit books to understand the full range of behaviours rabbits need and want to perform, to check whether your accomodation will allow for this :thumb:
 
Where do you keep your rabbit currently? I have 11 outdoor bunnies, All have a playhouse/shed (smallest is 4ftx4ft playhouse for a pair) and a run that is atleast 8ftx4ft attached for 24 hour access, and another pair in a 12ftx5ft dog kennel. I do not use hutches. I also have an indoor foster bunny who has a pen of 8ft x 3ft and gets plenty of free range time, he is poorly at the moment but when healthier will be looking for a new home with those measurements as a minimum.

if outside, where abouts in your garden is your hutch?
See above...

Where do you keep your rabbit during the winter?
They stay where they are but with plenty of hay for insulation, they are all kept in pairs and one group of 3 so huddle together a lot

if in the house, which room and why?
Foster bun is in my spare room as it is the room with the least cables :lol:

and what breed of rabbit do you have?
I have mainly cross breeds, the only one I think is "pure bred" is my mini rex. They are mostly from rescue centres (apart from my original pair)
 
Where do you keep your rabbit currently?

Inside....they are free range house bunnies

if outside, where abouts in your garden is your hutch?

NA

Where do you keep your rabbit during the winter?

Inside

if in the house, which room and why?

They are entirely free range, except at night and when we are out. at these times they get shut in the kitchen (10x12 ft ) They're also not allowed in the bedrooms as Marnie wees on beds. We keep them inside because They are part of our family....and I love spending time with them. I'm also VERY lazy and would hate cleaning them out and stuff if they were outside :oops: Having them inside means we spend all day with them (well....sort of....they spend most of the day asleep at the top of the stairs)

I also get paranoid about somethng happening to them, preditors and the like, even when they're indoors. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if they were outside......sometimes I wake in the night panicing that I've left the back door unlocked and a fox or something could get in.

and what breed of rabbit do you have?

Maurice is a French Lop and Marnie is an English Lop cross.

Niether of them bother with toys really....but Marnie likes to climb things she shouldn't.

If you're planning an enclosed space....will need to be strong, Marnie shoves things open if she can. Will also need a lid...she clears 3-4ft easily...and gets even higher if she has a 'stepping stone' She gets up on the sides in the kitchen and windowsills too.
 
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Where do you keep your rabbit currently?

Outside in their shed

if outside, where abouts in your garden is your hutch?

They live in a shed, which is along the side of the side, near the back door.

Where do you keep your rabbit during the winter?

Same

if in the house, which room and why?

and what breed of rabbit do you have?

One dutch cross and one lop
 
They currently live in a hutch in a garage as a temporary measure, but have mostly lived in a pen inside.

Inside they lived in the lounge as that was the most practical room in the house, and where they would get a lot of attention! Ideally they would have lived in the kitchen thanks to the lino floor...

I have crossbreed and a pure rex!

Word of advice: adventurous rabbits will destroy absolutely everything! And I mean everything: mine have chewed through 1/2" thick wood, through netting 2ft above them so they can jump out, and even worked out how to pickup their pen so they can get under it :lol: If you are designing one for inside try and make it as airy as possible and make it very easy to (a) contain mess and (b) clean it. Mine have a habit of removing all of the bedding and sawdust from their bedding and toilet area, and then seeming upset that there isn't any there when they go to the toilet/sleep! They can also jump higher than you would have thought: mine worked out how to 'double jump' up the corners managing almost 1m! Try not to make anything fixed, and as said steer clear of thin wires :) Hope that helps, let us know how it goes!
 
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