Hutch Design

We are currently looking to build our rabbits a new hutch - we built the last one, a very large two tier affair - you should have seen the removal men's faces when they saw it when we moved house. :lol:

Does anyone have any ingenious ideas or helpful hints on design features - we have a learnt a few lessons from the first one but any advice anyone could give would be greatly appreciated.

We have 3 rabbits - all bonded 1 female and 2 males (all had 'the op')

My husband was thinking of using something like reptile warmers as underfloor heating as we have an outdoor power supply????????

Any ideas

Thanks

Gill

maybe you would be better off giving them a shed/playhouse rather than building a hutch? Adele has some fab ones and several other members on here (sorry im **** with remembering names) have some really good ones too. Jeremy has pictures on his website of his setup too (memory just came back briefly! :lol: ) Whatever you build its gonna have to be fairly big for 3 rabbits to live in together otherwise.

Hi

I would def recommend a shed for three bunnies as gives them more room and u can attach a run to it as well with a cat flap going out into the run or a tunnel (that's my Dad's job for this summer for Princess' shed!!). I line my shed with lino so it's easier to clean and as she is litter trained it is very easy! She also has a bed, vet bed, toys etc and loves to jump on top of the covered cat litter tray. Low shelves are a good idea as they do like to jump onto them. Just make sure u give them a couple of 'bedroom' or 'bed' choices in case they have any disagreements!! :lol:

Nicola

Which ever you decide, access for cleaning is something to consider and also access to get the bunnies. They might come running usually but I guarentee they'll know when its vet time and hide in the most inaccessible corner

Lol Tamsin, Pippa does that, whenever it is Baytril or vet time she knows and she goes into the furthest corner she can, just out of reach!!! I have to practically climb into bottom part of her hutch to get to her. Crafty little bun, any other time she loves her mummy!!

Nicola

hello!! I have a very large wendyhouse (but looks more like a shed with window boxes!) and its great as I have 2 two-tiered hutches inside which I leave open permanently and there is still loads of room to put toys in and vet-beds and litter trays etc. Mine has heating and a light in it - I wouldnt be without it now!! My husband made 2 mesh doors for me, so they have plenty of natural light coming in, and so they can see out and be nosey!! :lol:

Gill said:

My husband was thinking of using something like reptile warmers as underfloor heating as we have an outdoor power supply????????

Any ideas

Thanks

Gill

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I am pretty sure (as the ones I have for my lizards come with warnings) that these shouldn't get very wet and will definately not be safe to use outside as their insulation won't be rated for frost damage etc.

A snugglesafe heat pad would probably be better or possibly an aquarium plant heater coil - usually buried under substrate in aquariums and water proof if you buried it in a layer of fine sand then put perspex over the top heat would probably still come through but I wouldn't like to guarantee it would be safe or bunny proof :roll: !

Caz

We just use a greenhouse heater.
Simple and designed for the job (weatherproof etc)

ps. I'd insulate the shed if you don't want an electric bill the size of the national debt! :wink:

Oh I thought you were thinking about heating a hutch.

We use greeenhouse heaters to keep our (insulated) fish house at 26-28oC it takes two (2KW) heaters to keep it constant and they are always cutting out. If it is for rabbits you would probably just need one as you woudn't need to keep the temp so high. I wouldn't recommend the ones we bought from B&Q as if you mount them using the bracket supplied they don't get enough cool air from behind and cut out almost constantly. In the end we had to make our own mounting brackets.

They will obviously need to be mounted high as rabbits chew wires luckily fish don't !

Caz