What should a rabbit hutch be made of

The floor and bedding material should be replaced when it becomes soiled. The hutch should be thoroughly cleaned every week or as required. Keeping the enclosure clean will also help to reduce attraction of flies to the area which assists with disease prevention.

Please ensure the area where rabbits are kept will not become too hot as rabbits are prone to heat stress which can be fatal. An entry and exit hole should be made at each end of the hutch where air can circulate. The enclosure also needs to have a part that is weather proof, dry and warm. Hutches need to be well ventilated.

Another option is to keep your rabbits inside your house. This often results in people spending a lot more time interacting with their rabbit companions, getting to know them really well and forming a close bond. They can even be toilet trained. Ideally, your indoor rabbits should have some access to a safe place outdoors some of the time, or they can be trained to use a cat flap to a secure safe outdoor area.

Remember to also keep any poisonous cleaning products and foods out of reach, and protect your rabbits from potentially chewing power cords. Rabbits are intelligent animals that need plenty of exercise and room to run around to keep them mentally and physically stimulated.

You should make their environment as interesting as possible and provide opportunities for running, jumping, and digging on a daily basis. This is best achieved by regularly letting your rabbits out into a safe, predator proof protected grassy area away from wild rabbits, where they can move around freely.

You must keep a watchful eye on your rabbits while they are out otherwise they may burrow and escape, or be attacked by predators such as cats or dogs. Remember that dogs and cats will often chase and kill rabbits. Make sure to spend dedicated time with your rabbits every day, to provide them with human companionship and to groom them and play with them. Any items provided to your rabbits must be non-toxic and safe.

For example:. Feeding the right diet is one of the most important aspects of maintaining a healthy rabbit. Rabbits are herbivores they eat plant material. This also means that the rabbits will ingest less hair themselves and reduce the risk of hairball blockages in their gastrointestinal tract.

This is especially important for long-haired breeds. While brushing your rabbits, take the time to check their fur for any parasites or dirt, especially under the tail. If the soiled areas are not cleaned, it can lead to a fatal condition called flystrike. When you first obtain your rabbits, their health should be checked, ideally by a veterinarian. A healthy rabbit is alert, has bright eyes and free and easy movement.

Rabbits can live for up to 10 years provided they are well cared for. Rabbits should be vaccinated yearly against Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus to protect them against this fatal virus. Rabbits should have regular yearly veterinary check-ups. In addition, you should take your rabbit to the veterinarian if you notice any signs of a problem such as poor appetite, lethargy, weepy eyes, sneezing, diarrhoea or any scratches or cuts.

There are also written instructions to guide you through building it. This plan keeps a list of the tools you need as well. If you have more than one rabbit, you'll want to download this free plan for a sectional rabbit hutch, which can be made to hold up to five rabbits. There's an option for making the hutch sections either four or six feet. Diagrams, a material and tool list, photos, and step-by-step building directions are all included.

Simply Easy DIY. Not only are there written instructions on how to build this particular rabbit hutch, but a video is included for visual help. Simply Easy DIY also lists how you need to cut all the materials, such as the frame, roof, and door, to make them fit together.

This is another free rabbit hutch plan offered by BuildEazy, but this one has wheels attached so it can be moved easily. A complete materials list and cut list are shown in this plan, as well as a handful of diagrams with specific dimensions for all sides of the rabbit hutch. There are also step-by-step instructions to guide you through it. Ana White. This rabbit hutch plan from Ana White will provide the perfect home if you have more that one rabbit.

This plan has you build two stories but is still a pretty straightforward project. Unfortunately, there aren't detailed plans here, just a few pictures and some general information about the rabbit hutch. If you're not a beginner, this project might be for you.

Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Ideally you'd design a setup that allows them to access to all the space at once or a way to move between living and exercise space freely. Keep in mind, if you are housing giant rabbits or more than two bunnies then you'll need to upsize accordingly. When thinking about size, it's also a good idea to think about anything you may want to fit in the cage - for example a litter tray.

Measure these items and make sure they'll fit in your plans. The location your cage will occupy in your home goes hand in hand with cage size. There is no point building the perfect cage and then finding it won't fit through a door way or is blocking a plug socket you need access to. You might like to look around your home for opportunities to create something 'built-in' taking advantage of a cupboard, space under the stairs, or alcove that could be adapting into rabbit housing.

This can be a good way to create a rabbit space without taking up too much people space. One of the benefits of house rabbit is that they are part of the bustle of family life, but your rabbit will also appreciate quiet time where they can escape from busy people and noise.

That won't necessarily be at the same time you like to relax - choose a location where your rabbit won't disturb your sleep if they choose to play at 5am. Any materials you use in making your cage need to be chew proof and non toxic.

There are lots of options depending on how you want your cage to look and the needs of your rabbit. Most untreated wood is fine for example pine, for sheets - plywood is fairly commonly used to build outdoor rabbit housing. Different cuts of wood can be used for different purposes for example trim is good for covering edges that might get chewed and skirting board can make a nice tray. Corrugated plastic sheets Correx can be an easy to use building material - though they aren't very chew proof.

If your cage will include a mesh section, I'd suggest using weld mesh which creates a nicer finish than chicken wire. Plastic or powder coated mesh can look better than bare wire. Fitting the mesh on the inside of the frame generally gives a neater finish and also helps prevent your rabbit chewing the frame by limiting access.

There are a range of pet safe paints available for example Cuprinol Garden Shades. It's also fine to use normal water-based paints on the outside, where your rabbit doesn't have access to chew. Inside, leaving any wood untreated and just protecting the floor is generally fine - particularly if you provide a litter tray.