As ancestors of the wild rabbit, your pet rabbit will quite happily reside outside in rabbit hutches or indeed inside your home.  It is the overall responsibility of the rabbit owner to ensure that the behavioural and physical needs of a rabbit are met so that they remain fit and content.

If you are thinking of building one or several large rabbit hutches then you might save a considerable amount of money in doing so.  However, before you begin building large rabbit hutches or indeed contemplate buying large rabbit hutches from a retail seller then you should consider the 3 main critical factors discussed below.

1) Rabbit Hutch Length

It is very important that your pet rabbit has ample room to flex and stretch in every direction.  Large rabbit hutches measuring 6 feet (approximately 1.80 metres) in length maybe suitable for one large rabbit or two medium size rabbits.  To be specific, the length of a rabbit hutch should be determined by the amount of hops your rabbit can make within the rabbit hutch.We recommend that this length should be a minimum of 3 to 4 clear hops.  Anything smaller than the recommended size may result in health concerns for your rabbit that could include muscle reduction, stoutness or spinal complications.

2) Rabbit Hutch Width

When resting, a rabbit will often stretch out along the full width of their body.  Consequently, a rabbit hutch should be wide enough to accommodate a resting rabbit and this will also provide ample room for your pet to change direction inside the rabbit hutch.

3) Rabbit Hutch Height

As with wild rabbits, your pet will check the safety of its immediate surroundings.  Standing on their hind legs, your rabbit will listen, smell and view the area around it.  Therefore, the height of a rabbit hutch must allow your rabbit to stand on their hind legs without their ears touching the top of the rabbit hutch.  Some merchants describe their hutches as large rabbit hutches but these could be multi-purpose hutches used for housing other animals such as ferrets and do not have the necessary height for a rabbit.

Multiple Storey Rabbit Hutches

If you have restricted garden space around your home that it would be advisable to consider large multiple storey rabbit hutches.  The length of a multiple storey rabbit hutch does not have to be long if it has more than one level.  For example, a two storey rabbit hutch measuring 5 feet long (approximately 1.50 metres) will offer ample space for your rabbit.  However, multiple or single storey rabbit hutches measuring 3 feet (approximately 1.00 metre) in length are too small and therefore not suitable for your pet.

Rabbit Runs

Rabbit runs can be an integral part of large rabbit hutches or be a separate stand-alone item.  Runs compliment large rabbit hutches by allowing your rabbit to freely roam, exercise and rest within a contained area and prevents them from escaping and predatory animals entering this area.  We recommend that any run floor area should have at least 16 square feet (approximately 1.44 square metres).  Materials used in the construction of rabbit runs usually consist of zinc coated welded steel mesh supported by a treated wooden frame.

3 Important Issues to Consider Before Building or Buying Large Rabbit Hutches is from Large Rabbit Hutches

Here are a few tips to help you arrange and construct impressive large rabbit hutches.

Paint

Impressive does not imply that you only have to paint the hutch with vivid colours. It is far better and more aesthetically gratifying to paint hutches with colours that combine well with the colour of the walls on your home. For example, if your home is built in brick then it would make sense to match hutches by painting them with similar but simple colours.

Design

The general design of large rabbit hutches should be equivalent to that of your house. In addition to painting the hutch with simple colours, you can also install a number of bricks around the base of it to visually match the aesthetics of your home.

Spoil your Pet Rabbits

There are many things your pet rabbit loves and one of them is laid fully stretched. Try to keep as much as the hutch areas clean as far as reasonably possibly. If your rabbit is to remain outside during the winter months, keep him or her warm by insulating the sidewalls, roof and under the floor with polystyrene insulation and then cover it with a hardboard overlay. Feed and water bowls and dispensers are essential items found in rabbit hutches and for impressive large rabbit hutches you can use vibrantly coloured bowls for this purpose. Ensure that any paint used to colour bowls etc., are non-toxic and waterproof.

Stylish protection

A sturdy rabbit hutch with strong steel wire mesh is essential to protect your rabbit against any attacks from foxes, dogs or other such predators and the elements. It would also be wise to consider the protection of your pets from wild rabbits, as these might carry diseases that could kill your rabbit. Any incorporated rabbit run should also be made of strong materials to deter any attack on your pet. However, you can make use of this essential safety part of a hutch and/or run construction to improve the appearance of impressive large rabbit hutches. Whilst run security can be made to appear stylish, it is imperative that they are strong and secured well enough to prevent your rabbit from pushing through or burrowing under it and to keep predators from entering.

Tips for Constructing Impressive Large Rabbit Hutches is from Large Rabbit Hutches

Rabbit Care In Winter

During the winter period, rabbits use more calories to provide extra warmth when compared to a rabbit living indoors. Consequently, rabbits in outside hutches should be fed more to compensate for this. It would not be wise to a rabbit from indoors to the outdoors in winter since they have not had time to adapt to the external climate. Extra bedding will also be needed to provide insulation to help prevent heat escaping and keeping the cold out. If you have sufficient space, consider purchasing several bales of straw to surround the hutch and place one on top of the roof to give your rabbit’s home a degree of protection from penetrating winds and frost. Or alternatively, move your pet into a garage, shed or porch to provide further protection from the elements. During the winter, some parts of the UK never see temperatures drop below 10 degrees Celsius, however, a responsible pet owner should always make the necessary precautions in the event of any unpredicted cold spells.

Rabbit Care In Summer

Unfortunately, rabbits also suffer in very warm weather. Rabbits become very distressed when they are unable to cool that could then quickly lead to heat stroke and without the necessary medical care, may prove fatal. Look for tell tale signs of rabbit heat stress including rapid breathing and flaring of nostrils. Brush any loose hair off the your pet daily as this will provide better heat dissipation. Placing a rabbit hutch in the shade will help lower temperatures within the hutch but this should not be taken as the only precautionary measure. If necessary, consider adding ice packs to the bedding area of the hutch, which your pet may appreciate and help reduce their body temperature and/or place a guarded electric fan to provide additional ventilation. If possible place a piece of marble, or similar, large enough for the rabbit to lie on, as this type of material remains cooler during warm periods. Naturally, all living animals perspire and dehydrate in warm weather and therefore additional care must be taken to ensure that your pet rabbit has sufficient drinking water.

Caring For Rabbits In Outside Hutches is from Large Rabbit Hutches

Here are some simple daily checks that you can carry out:

• Ensure your rabbit is drinking properly by checking the contents of the water bottle.
• If your rabbit does not come to welcome you then investigate why not. If he or she is hiding in their sleeping quarters within the hutch or sat huddled up at the back of the rabbit hutch then this may suggest they are poorly.
• Check the amount of food left in your rabbit’s feed bowl. If there is more food than usual then this could indicate that he or she is feeling unwell.
• Inspect your rabbit’s droppings for signs of diarrhoea. Soft droppings, which are named caecotroph, are eaten by rabbits and is quite normal and not usually a health concern. Should your pet stop eating their soft droppings then it is highly recommended that a veterinary is consulted.

During an extensive clean of your rabbit hutch that is often on a weekly basis, further health checks can be made and are listed below:

• Carefully inspect your rabbit’s nose is clean and clear of any discharge and he or she is not sneezing.
• Brush the fur of your rabbit to release loose hair. Whilst grooming your pet, check for skin infections, lumps, abrasions and fleas.
• Weigh your rabbit weekly and record it in a notebook. Any considerable increase or decrease in weight should be immediately investigated by a veterinary.
• Check the condition of your rabbit’s claws and feet. Living in a rabbit hutch and roaming on soft ground, such as a garden, is not sufficient to keep their claws short and will require trimming by a veterinary otherwise you rabbit may find it painful walking.
• Examine your pet’s eyes to ensure they are not producing any discharge and are sparkling and clear.
• Ears should be inspected both internally and externally. The colour of the skin on the inside of the rabbit’s ear should be pink. Ears should also be clean, wax free and not inflamed.
• Throughout the life of your rabbit, his or her teeth continue to grow and must be checked regularly. If your pet does not have sufficient items like fruit tree branches and hay to chew on, then their teeth will become overgrown preventing them from eating and will become painful. A veterinary must be consulted immediately if this happens to your rabbit.

Simple Daily And Weekly Health Checks For Your Rabbit is from Large Rabbit Hutches