Rabbit hutches: a safe basis with room to move

The enclosure is the most important purchase when you get rabbits. It is where they spend their whole life: they eat, sleep, hide, play and go to the toilet there. A good enclosure is dry, safe, calm and above all spacious. Rabbits must be able to run, jump, stand upright and stretch out fully, and they live at least in pairs. A hutch on its own is almost never enough for that. The best solution is a hutch as a safe base, combined with a spacious run or free-roaming space.

In this category you will find indoor cages, outdoor hutches and runs. Which combination you choose depends on where your rabbits live and how much space you have. Furnish every enclosure with a dry floor, a toilet spot and a hay rack with fresh Zooply hay, our own premium brand that we feed to our own rabbits every day.

In short

• ✓ The bigger, the better: a hutch from the shop is often the minimum basis, not a complete living space.
• ✓ Combine every hutch with a run or daily free-roaming time.
• ✓ Choose the size based on the number of rabbits; rabbits live at least in pairs.
• ✓ Place the enclosure out of draughts, out of full sun and (outdoors) predator-proof.
• ✓ Furnish it with a toilet spot, hay rack, feeding bowl, water and at least one hiding place per rabbit.

What will you find in the Hutches & Cages category?

Indoor cages

Under Indoor cages you will find cages with a plastic base, open enclosures that you can enlarge with panels or an extension set, wooden indoor enclosures and a stand on wheels. An indoor cage is the fixed base in the home with hay, water, toilet and a hiding place. Pay attention to the height and the floor area: open and extendable enclosures offer more space than a classic cage.

Outdoor hutches

Under Outdoor hutches you will find wooden hutches for the garden, with their own run, with two levels or with insulation, and an outdoor house to put in the run. An outdoor hutch must be waterproof, draught-free and predator-proof, with a dry sleeping section in which you put a thick layer of straw and hay in winter.

Runs

Under Runs you will find wooden and metal outdoor runs, with a roof or net, indoor runs made of panels, and fleece blankets as a floor covering. The run is where your rabbits get their exercise. Indoors, choose panels that are high enough; outdoors, choose a run that is also closed at the top and that your rabbits cannot dig under.

Indoors or outdoors?

Rabbits can be happy both indoors and outdoors. The difference lies mainly in what you need to arrange.

Indoor rabbits are protected from heat, frost and predators, and you see them all day long. They often become very tame and get used to life in the house. You do need to provide enough room to move, a rabbit-proofed room or indoor run, and a quiet spot away from the TV, radiator and draughts. Cables and poisonous house plants must be out of reach.

Outdoor rabbits have daylight, fresh air and often more space. They grow a winter coat and can cope well with cold as long as their hutch is dry and draught-free. Heat, damp, flies and predators are the main points of concern. You must check an outdoor rabbit carefully every day, even when it is raining or freezing.

Don't simply move a rabbit from indoors to outdoors or the other way round. An indoor rabbit has no winter coat and cannot go outside in the middle of winter; let such a transition happen gradually in spring or summer.

How much space do rabbits need?

A common mistake is buying a hutch to fit a young bunny. Rabbits grow, and they need space to move. So look at the total space your rabbits have: hutch and run together. In the hutch they must be able to stretch out fully, sit upright and make a few hops. In the run they must be able to really sprint and jump.

The more space, the more natural behaviour you will see and the less trouble you will have with boredom, obesity and destructive behaviour. Ideally, the hutch is permanently open to a spacious run or room, so your rabbits can choose where they want to be. If that isn't possible, give at least several hours of free-roaming time a day, preferably in the morning and evening, when rabbits are most active.

The right spot

Indoors, place the enclosure in a quiet corner of a room where the family often is, so your rabbits are part of things without being in the middle of the hustle and bustle. Not in a draught, not in full sun behind glass and not next to the radiator, TV or speakers. A bedroom is less suitable, because rabbits are active at dusk and at night.

Outdoors, choose a spot that is in the shade for most of the day and sheltered from wind and rain. Place the hutch slightly raised so that it stays dry underneath. A spot you can see from the house is handy for keeping an eye on your rabbits.

Safety in and around the enclosure

Rabbits are prey animals, and that shows in what can go wrong. Outdoors, foxes, martens, cats and birds of prey are a real danger, even in town. An outdoor hutch should have sturdy locks, a run should also be closed at the top, and the floor must be shielded so that nothing can dig underneath. Let rabbits sleep in a securely closed hutch at night.

Indoors, it is mainly about escaping and gnawing. Rabbits jump higher than many people think, so the panels of an indoor run must be high enough. Keep cables, house plants and small objects out of reach. If you have a dog or cat, never leave it unsupervised with the rabbits, even if they seem to get along well.

An enclosure for two rabbits

Because rabbits live at least in pairs, always choose the enclosure for a pair. That means not just more floor space, but also two hiding places, preferably with two entrances, several drinking spots and a hay rack that both rabbits can reach at the same time. A pair with enough space can avoid each other when things aren't quite clicking, and that prevents fights.

Furnishing the enclosure

A good layout makes the enclosure pleasant for your rabbits and easy to keep clean. Start with a layer of low-dust, absorbent bedding. Put a litter tray with litter pellets in a corner and hang the hay rack above or next to it. Place a heavy feeding bowl and a water bottle or water bowl in a dry spot. Give each rabbit a hiding place and preferably one extra. Complete the run with tunnels, toys and a place to dig. That way, every part of the enclosure has a fixed function.

Cleaning and maintenance

Remove wet patches and droppings every few days and refresh the litter tray regularly. Replace the bedding at least once a week. If the enclosure smells of ammonia, you are not cleaning enough; that smell is bad for the airways. While cleaning, check locks, hinges, mesh and wood for damage at the same time. Outdoors, also look out for rot, leaks and digging holes along the run.

Handy combinations

A hutch becomes a home with the right furnishings:

• Bedding: a dry, low-dust floor in hutch and run.
• Litter pellets & Corner toilets: a fixed toilet spot, so the rest stays clean.
• Hay racks: for unlimited, clean Zooply hay.
• Houses: hiding places in hutch and run.
• Hay: Zooply hay as the basis of the menu and, outdoors, as a warm place to lie.

Frequently asked questions about rabbit hutches

How big should a rabbit hutch be?

As big as you can fit. In the hutch your rabbits must be able to stretch out fully, sit upright and make a few hops, with room for a toilet, hay, food, water and hiding places as well. Always combine the hutch with a run or free-roaming space where they can really run. So for two rabbits you will quickly need a large enclosure.

Can I keep one rabbit if it has a large hutch?

No. Rabbits are social animals and need a companion of their own kind; a large hutch or lots of attention from you doesn't replace that. Keep them at least in pairs, preferably a neutered male with a female.

Indoor cage or outdoor hutch: which is better?

Both can be good. Indoors you are closer to your rabbits and have less to worry about in terms of weather and predators. Outdoors they often have more space and daylight. Choose what suits your home and garden, and in both cases provide enough room to move.

How often should I clean the hutch?

Wet patches and the litter tray every few days, the bedding at least once a week and the whole enclosure thoroughly now and then. In summer you do it more often, so flies don't get a chance.

What do I put in a new rabbit hutch?

Bedding, a litter tray with litter pellets, a hay rack with fresh hay, a heavy feeding bowl, a water bottle or water bowl and a hiding place per rabbit. Outdoors, add a thick layer of straw in the sleeping compartment. Then add enrichment, such as tunnels and toys.

Buying rabbit hutches at Knaagplaza

At Knaagplaza, the webshop of 't Knaagplein, you will find indoor cages, outdoor hutches and runs to give your rabbits a safe and spacious home. Furnish the enclosure with unlimited Zooply hay, our own premium brand that we use every day for our own rabbits in the shop and the breeding facility, and give your rabbits room every day to truly be rabbits.