What do you think to these hutches?

Hi there,

I am a newbie to the forum and I am newbie to the world of rabbits! or bunnies as I see you like to call them

So, I am looking to buy a hutch and run attached. Big enough to home one and possibly two bunnies (dependent on how many of each sex are at the SSPCA!)

I have been looking on the Happy Hutch Company and have found these two which I like
http://www.happyhutch.co.uk/details.php?product=159

http://www.happyhutch.co.uk/details.php?product=74

Now I am totally unaware of how much space bunnies need, but I am at home all day with my two young children so the bunnies will be able to roam our garden for the majority of most days.
Please feel free to point out my stupidity thinking that these hutches/runs might be big enough and please advise me otherwise if this is the case!

Looking forward to hearing peoples thoughts.

I have phoned the SSPCA this morning and they have six bunnies looking for a home! One lop eared? (what is this breed like? friendly etc?)
He couldnt really give me more information, so I am going to research all this week to get to know breeds etc.

Thank you for reading and helping! I can't wait to be a bunny mummy!

xxx

Firstly, no stupidity, honestly, it's great that you're checking all this before your buns arrive
Mine is an indoor bun, so I'm not the best person to advise on outdoor set ups, but the recommended hutch size for 2 buns is 6'x2'x2' with run attached. You need to bear in mind that a few things: The need to be able to stand up fully (periscope), and have room to make at least 3 hops.

In the second website, the run looks big enough, but the hutch looks small.

Although your buns will have garden access, buns are most active in the mornings (dawn) and evenings, so they tend to sleep in the afternoons and at night, and this will most likely be in their hutch, but you could give them an outdoor covered space (like a kennel) to go in for this.

As for breeds, well, bunnies are individual creatures, and it's difficult to pin any characteristics and traits down to breed. This is what makes them so endearing A few different breeds have lop-ears, so it could be one of many.

You may (depending on where you live) need to think about foxes too. Many people cannot let their buns out unsupervised because of this threat, so unless you can sit out with them, their garden access may not be as free roaming as you imagine, and foxes are very astute and fast hunters

The forum section Rabbit care articles has lots of useful info, and if you look through the property ladder section, you may find some more help there

Its wonderful that you are thinking about all these things before getting your baby (ies). I wish that more bunny owners were seeking out this kind of advice.

No question is ever to silly for this forum....Ive asked some corkers myself! ha ha

The run looks fabulous in the second pic!

As for buns personalities - as Jay said - I dont think its breed specific - its bunny specific. Each bun has his/her own personality and this is what makes them so special. You will never have realised just how clever / cheeky/ loving they are until you have fallen in love with your own.
Some are chilled out - some are manic - some are naughty - some are cuddlebuns - some are independant. I can guarantee though that you get out what you put in when it comes to buns.....the more time you spend with them the more of themselves they will show you.

They do need a lot of patience - but the rewards are very special. bunnies are very very social creatures, so getting two will be wonderful. As buns are individuals though - just like people - they wont always get on with another bun, so you need to make sure that the two can be "bonded" (ie. they like each other and can be happy together).

Enjoy !!!

so KatieB, if I rescue two from the SSPCA, that have been kept separately how do I go about bonding them? perhaps, if I rescue one? spay it, keep it a while then rescue another and do the same procedure?
I want to avoid having to get two living quarters if possible!

There are alot of things to think about before getting a bunny

xx

Ive never done it myself hun as mine is an indoor bun and lives under the sofa! (his choice not mine!!) ha ha

But what you suggest is definately a good option. Unless you can find a rescue that will do this all for you. They are out there! I expect there will be someone along here before the day is out who is one of these people who will definately be able to help you.

I agree - there is tons to learn...I just got mine without having a clue what to expect - but was lucky enough to find this site and it has been a godsend!

I promise you though - it is sooo worth it!

Jay, I think, from looking on my SSPCA website that all of the rabbits are of mixed breed. Is this a bad thing? or is a pure breed a better option?

xx

Often mixed breed rabbits, much like dogs, are hardier as the blood pool is more dilute and likely to contain less inbred problems. This is, of course not true of all rabbits (or dogs for that matter) so the best thing is to check each rabbit personally for signs of health.

The benefit of adopting a rescue is you know, regardless of parentage, it will have seen a vet who will either certify it healthy or be aware of any issues.

I have adopted both of my buns from the SSPCA. One was brought down from Wick to Inverness for me and the other was from Dundee.

My first rabbit was a companion to a now departed bun. After Holly died and he was lonely we got him a wifeybun. He had been neutered after we first got him. When we got Gloria, his wife, we kept them separately in the same run and alternated when they got out. Although there is no chance of him getting her pregnant, it is a good idea to have each bun neutered because their instincts are very strong and in female rabbits there is a high incidence of cancer of the womb in unneutered females.

Once Gloria had been spayed and recovered, I was ready to bond them. However, events took over for me and Gloria escaped into the run with Wolfie and they met when I wasn't there. Not a course of action I would ever recommend because rabbits can be really vicious and have been known to cause dreadful injuries and even kill each other. Luckily, my two had a few skirmishes (I knew this from the clumps of fur) and settled down in marital bliss.

Bonding is best approached in a fairly small area so that the rabbits have to deal with each other and in a neutral area so no bun has dibs on the space. It can look a bit scary and you should wear thick gloves and long sleeves. They will circle and chase and there is a lot of mounting (which is done for dominance reasons and not for sexual reasons). They mostly settle down after a short period and accept each other, but some buns are not so easy to bond.

It doesn't really matter what kind of bun that you get - purebreed or mixed. Some pure breeds can come with their own genetic problems so it isn't the case they are a better bet.

One of my buns is, I think, a netherland cross (a small fiesty bun) and the other is a part Lionhead lob. She is a bigger rabbit and quite shy although after three years she will now let me stroke her. They do have their own personalities and it is fun to discover what kind of bun you have.

Hi!,

I notice this thread is a year old, but i was wondering if you bought the second hutch and run combo, and how you find it? Do you have two buunies in it? I have 2 dutches that are only 10 weeks old, they are house rabbits, and they have a run in the garden to be out getting some fresh air and vitamin d (my garden has lots of escape routes as do my neighbours that have cats and dogs) and I dont think the run i have is going to be big enough when they are fully grown, also i like the idea of the hutch being attached so they can come in and out if they please and will be safe in there when i am at work. If you did go ahead and buy it, would you recommend it?

Welcome to the forum love, I too prefer the word Bunnies.

Jo xx