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No smaller than 4x3'

Crunchie

Warren Veteran
Seen this on a website...

"The rabbits hutch must be appropriate for the size and breed of the rabbit, but no smaller than 4 foot long by 3 foot wide by 2 foot high."

It gives the same number of square feet as a 6x2' hutch but I take it the size is not really suitable given the rabbit don't really have the room to make three hops in a 4' hutch? Want to e-mail them regarding this as they're a former employer but want to ensure I'm making a half decent argument first.
 
It really depends on whether a permanent run is attached or not. Personally if it is I have no problem with a four x three for smaller rabbits as most my buns only ever go in the hutch to shelter from the wind and are then usually just sprawled out resting, they don't really hop about it as such.
 
Yeah I tend to agree, many Wendy houses are 4*4 so they don't have lengthways room for three hops either...but if they're permanently attached to a run, they provide both a reasonable amount of indoor space and plenty of room for hopping around. In some ways I think 3ft deep is better as it provides more shelter from driving rain/direct midsummer sun, although obviously 5 or 6ft long would be better still! I wouldn't automatically rule out 4*3 as inherently unsuitable as I think it could be ok in the right context.
 
There's no mention of a run being attached though the care sheet mentions later on that rabbits need exercise.
 
It doesn't meet the welfare specs no, its the '3 hops in a straight line' which works out to be 6-7ft that it falls down on.

What people may choose to provide their rabbits with that almost meets the specs is their personal choice, but the guidelines should be accurate, especially when it doesn't mention that it should be attached to a run.

For those that use 4x3 spaces, they usually have runs/pens etc permanently attached, so that the rabbit can get its '3 hops in a straight line' that way.
 
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