Hutch vs Home

Rabbits can happily live either outdoors or indoors - provided they are given litter training and a suitable space to call their own.

Outdoors

The days of keeping a solitary rabbit in a small hutch at the end of the garden are finished following the Animal Welfare Act which came into effect in 2007. If you choose to keep your bunny outside the Rabbit Welfare Association recommends that the hutch you provide it with is a minimum of 6ft x 2ft x 2ft, preferably with an attached exercise run of at least 6ft x 4ft x 4ft. The hutch should be above the ground, have a suitable roof to avoid damp conditions and must be secure to keep out predators such as birds and foxes. Remember that during the summer the hutch could become hot so it should be placed in an area that gets the most shade throughout the day. The hutch should be lined with hay and straw for bedding with extra provision during winter months to help protect your bunny from the cold. Covering the hutch during cold months with tarpaulin will also keep cold winds out.

Your hutch and run can never be too big! Some people get creative, turning their garden shed into a rabbit home with a labyrinth of hidey holes and ramps and using a cat flap to allow access to an outside run. Whatever you do your rabbit must be able to stand up on its hind legs. Remember to take into account that your baby bunny will become much bigger and seeing its parents would help you judge its future size.

Indoors

British Bunnies favours indoor over outdoor accommodation. Rabbits frighten easily and while outside they are vulnerable to predators - the mere sight and sound of them can cause a rabbit to die of fright. Bunnies are friendly, sociable characters and being a single rabbit in an outdoor hutch is very lonely and boring.

An indoor rabbit will quickly become a member of the family and enjoy the benefits of being safe from predators and poor weather. Keeping your bunny indoors will allow you to spend time with it, observe it and notice when it needs further attention such as veterinary care. This is the key to a happy bunny.

Within your house you should have an area designated for your bunny, usually this is in the form of a pen or an indoor cage. This means that even if your bunny is free to roam in a room, or the whole house, it still has somewhere to go if it feels tired or frightened. Many rabbits can be successfully trained to become free range house bunnies. You can see how in our Training section.

Just as with hutches, indoor housing must be of a suitable size to allow your bunny space to move around and stand on its hind legs. A general rule is to make sure the hutch or pen is a minimum of four times the size of your fully grown bunny. It's great to allow extra space for a litter tray, hay box and toys.

Suggestions for creating their space include:

Once your bunny is suitably litter trained you can stop using straw or sawdust to line its home and start using comfy materials such as towels or pet beds, providing your rabbit doesn't try to chew and ingest the material. This makes cleaning much easier and saves money in the long run.

When thinking about where to place your rabbit's space, try to avoid really busy areas, hot radiators or fires, draughts and bright sunlight. A quiet corner in the living room is usually good because you and your family will probably spend most of your time there and can watch your rabbit as it roams free.

If you are willing to share your home with your bunny remember that rabbits love to chew, play and mark their territory. See our Bunny Proofing section to find out about protecting your home against bunny munching, digging and marking.