How to set up a rabbit hutch - a guide to housing

Rabbits are sociable animals and can make wonderful, furry additions to your family. Historically, pet rabbits would live in a rabbit hutch, perhaps with a run attached, and often live alone. However, we now know much more about rabbits and their needs. For example, we should ideally keep rabbits in bonded pairs rather than alone. In the wild, rabbits live in large groups, which give them company and helps them feel safer.

The traditional rabbit hutch can still make a great home for your rabbits, being easy to adapt to meet their needs. But there are other options you may wish to consider that could suit you and your rabbits more. To get you started, we’ve put together some key rabbit housing questions to ask before you set up your rabbit hutch.

A rabbit hutch is often the go-to home for new rabbit owners. But depending on where you’ll be keeping them, a rabbit cage or alternative rabbit house may be more suitable. Although rabbits typically live outdoors, indoor rabbits are becoming more common, and rabbit houses more suited to indoor living are more readily available.

If your rabbits will be living indoors, then a bulky rabbit hutch may not be for you. Which leads onto the next question.

Both indoor and outdoor living is suitable for rabbits, providing the space meets their environmental and behavioural needs. Whether you’re setting up your rabbits’ home indoors or outdoors, it’s important to make sure it is secure.

Before you decide on an indoor rabbit house, you need to consider which areas of the home your rabbit will have access to. Some owners let their rabbits have the run of the house, providing hiding, sleeping and toilet spaces. Others give their rabbits a dedicated room or part of a room and set it up similarly to the traditional rabbit hutch and run.

The indoor setup may appear safer but comes with its own dangers that you need to prepare for. Rabbits are small and agile, and it’s not unheard of for people to trip or tread on a rabbit that has free run of the house. Rabbits are also well-known for chewing – this is something rabbits need to do to keep their teeth the correct length. This could include your furniture, which may be a frustration for you, and trailing wires, which is dangerous for your rabbits.

Most people prefer to give their indoor rabbits a dedicated space as it’s easier to rabbit-proof and adapt it to meet all their needs. It also gives owners greater peace of mind when they leave the house, knowing their rabbits are safe and won’t be able to get into any mischief.

For rabbits that live outdoors, risk factors such as predators like foxes or cats and adverse weather need to be considered. The usual setup for outdoor rabbits is a connected hutch and run combination, so rabbits can come and go as they please. Rabbit hutches are secure and offer excellent protection from the elements, while a well-made run offers rabbits much needed space to move around. It’s often a good idea to invest in a good quality run cover. These can give your rabbit greater protection during heavy rain or thunderstorms, and provide shade on sunny days.

Another outdoor housing option some owners choose is a converted shed. This can offer rabbits greater protection and more space to move around. Depending on the size of the shed, you may need to connect an additional run to it. The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWAF) offers some expert advice about converting a shed into a rabbit home.

Rabbits are social creatures, which is one reason it’s recommended they’re kept in bonded pairs. They like lots of space to play and move around, and is good for their overall health and well-being. The RWAF recommends a pair of average-sized rabbits have an area of 3m x 2m, with a height of 1m.

We strongly recommend you set up a living space to accommodate your rabbits’ adult size. This is much easier than setting up a living area for baby rabbits and then having to upsize later. Find out what breed your rabbits are and then create a living area to suit.

Within both their run area and sleeping area, your rabbits should be able to:

• Stand on their hind legs without their ears touching the ceiling
• Lay fully stretched out in any direction
• Hop around easily - rabbits should be able to take a minimum of three consecutive hops
• Easily turn around

Alongside this, create separate areas for sleeping, eating and toileting, and spaces to hide. You should provide the same number of hiding spaces as rabbits, plus one extra. So for two rabbits, you need three hiding spaces. Hiding spaces should have an entrance and an exit, and be large enough to fit both rabbits. While rabbits are very sociable, just like us they like a bit of space to themselves. It’s important we give them this opportunity.

It’s also a good idea to provide each rabbit with their own litter tray, plus one extra. Litter training rabbits is very useful, particularly indoor rabbits. It helps avoid accidents and also means you can clean toilet areas more easily. This is useful during the summer months, particularly for outdoor rabbits. Litter trays are a huge draw for blow flies which cause fly strike.

Rabbits like to be occupied, and toys and enrichment activities are a brilliant way to do this. Toys that provide your rabbits with something to chew on will help keep their teeth healthy. It also helps indoor rabbits avoid furniture destruction.

Other options are feeding toys which you can use to hide food or treats in. Wild rabbits forage for food, so this taps into their natural instincts. Rabbits also love to dig, so why not provide a burrowing box? This will satisfy their natural urge and enrich their environment. You can buy these from a pet shop, or you can get creative and make your own.

The PDSA has a great article suggesting different homemade rabbit toys - including a burrowing box - you can add to your rabbits’ living areas.

Even if you’ve chosen to keep your rabbits indoors, they still need access to an outdoor space. Ideally, your rabbits could come and go as they please, but we recognise this isn’t always possible.

This outdoor rabbit area should be secure and moved regularly to give your rabbits access to fresh grass. It should also be positioned in a sheltered, shady area out of direct sunlight.

Outdoor rabbits will be more accustomed to the weather, but this could prove stressful for indoor rabbits who aren’t. Be sure to watch your indoor rabbits when they’re outside and take them indoors if they show signs of distress. In extreme weather, such as heavy rain or thunderstorms, we also recommend taking your indoor rabbits back inside.