Recommended Accomodation Sizes

by **Happy Hoppers** Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:29 pm

There are various organisation who set the recommended standard for rabbit accomodation but the main two are the RSPCA and the RWAF, whose basic guidelines are displayed below.

Owners are encouraged to remember that they now have a legal obligation to provide suitable accomodation under the DEFRA Animal Welfare Act 2006 which states:

These include the need:

For a suitable environment (place to live)
For a suitable diet
To exhibit normal behaviour patterns
To be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable)
To be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease

Failure to do so can lead to a ban from owning animals, a £20,000 fine or imprisonment.

The Recommendation of the RWAF
The Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund recommends that hutch sizes are no smaller than 6'x2'x2' for two medium sized rabbits and that they should have access to a large run, ideally 8'x4'x2' in which they can exercise for 8 hours per day.

The Recommendation of the RSPCA
The RSPCA's recommendations vary by branch and they generally encourage owners to buy the biggest hutch and run possible. The smallest we have seen recommended is 5'x2'x2' for one rabbit or two with a large attached run. The general consensus is that 6'x2'x2' is the minimum size for two small to medium rabbits.

Owners are encouraged to use their common sense and consider all the types of accomodation available. For example it would be cruel to keep a Continental Giant in a 6'x2'x2' hutch, they would do much better as a house rabbit with a room of their own to call 'home' or in a converted shed set-up with a large enclosure adjoined.

Housing methods to consider other than traditional hutches include Converted Sheds & Playhouses, Indoor Plastic Cages, Metal Dog Crates, C&C Cube Cages and the constructive use of Baby Gates as barriers.

If you are considering adopting from a rescue we recommend you get in touch with them to find out what their personal accomodation requirements are for the type of rabbit you wish to adopt, this varies from rescue to rescue so dont take one size as gospel.