Soon to be rabbit owner - can you help me with some housing questions?

[littlewren14]

Hi everyone!

I'll hopefully be getting some baby rabbits to join our family soon. I'm in the midst of my research and I feel like my head's swimming with all the different advice! I'm hoping someone could answer some questions about our set up?

We're looking to get two rabbits who'll be kept outside. We've go a 6ft hutch inside a walk in run that's, I think, about 6ft x20ft. Originally I was thinking the whole hutch would need filling with their bedding straw but now i'm wondering if that's overkill. Would people just put straw in the sectioned off sleeping area? Would I put their litter tray in there too? What should I put on the floor in the rest if the hutch?

I was also planning on putting some tree stumps in their run. Just for them to climb on and explore, and as something for us to sit on and watch them play. The stumps are from a load of trees the previous owner of our house cut down. I think they're leylandii but can't be sure. I've recently read leylandii branches and leaves aren't good to give to rabbits but would the stumps be OK? They've been sat out side for probably 8-9 years and have weathered down.

Thanks everyone! I've got loads more questions but that'll probably do for now

 

[Shimmer]

Looks like a really good size run.

Flooring - I use non-slip lino on the hutch / shed floors. It makes cleaning out a lot easier (daily sweep out) and protects the wood. It's aways worth painting the wood inside and out to weatherproof it. Rabbits often carry a parasite that is shed in urine - so having unprotected wooden floors can be an issue when trying to eradicate the spores of the EC parasite.

Bedding - I just use hay as it saves me having to store both hay & straw. They need hay to eat, and often eat from the bed or litter areas. Straw is fine for bedding and is a better insulator, but has no food value.

I use large litter trays (usually as big as will fit in the area) with either newspaper or fitch (hemp) as an absorbent layer under the hay, including in the bed area. In Winter, I fill the nest area with hay for insulation. They don't usually need as much during the rest of the year. Trays for litter / toileting just have hay up to the top of the tray, as that needs spot cleaning daily and completely changing more regularly. Some rabbits will eat newspaper, so it should be avoided if that is the case with yours.

Trays make cleaning out so much easier as you just remove the whole thing and tip it out. Wet hay and litter straight onto the floor is a lot messier to deal with.

Food and water are provided in ceramic bowls so they don't get knocked over. Rabbits drink more from a bowl than from a bottle, so that is better for them.

 

[tulsi]

Mine are in a shed with access to a small run. They have littler trays lined with newspaper, straw and hay and have a large wooden magazine rack which they use as a hay rack.

I don't have the floor covered but at my last three houses I have lino on the floor with wooden batons to hold it down around the edge.

They have one 32 litre underbed storage box and one almost flat so called shoe rack from argos. Just a simple black plastic low sided tray as one of my rabbits has arthritis and can't jump into the storage box.

They tend to wee and poo where they eat. Also they will poo anywhere but not as much as they do in their litter trays ime.