Rabbit Hutch

[@rabbitmummy]

I have two rabbits Fluffy and Daisy, they live in the hutch first hutch (smaller one) but unfortunately, they're very territorial and can't share the hutch so one lives on each floor.

The hutch measurements per floor: Length x 101cm Width x 35cm Height x 31cm

I know the RSPCA recommend rabbits living together but mine would rather not. They have a pen (also liked below) which they can have three hours each a day in as it's shared also between them both and my two guinea- pigs. But they can run round the shed (unlimited amount) a day.

I'd like to get the second hutch for Fluffy so Daisy will have their cure em hutch all to herself. But my dads like Daisy will feel left out if Fluffy has a new hutch... Do rabbits have the left out feelings and would Daisy mind? As I've got enough money to buy the hutch (£65)! But am also concerned its bad quality due to the price even though they're really popular!

So you can see the size of a Fluffy I've linked some pictures below also...

Thanks😊

 

[Bville]

I don't think Daisy will feel left out if Fluffy gets a new hutch. I would think she would be happy to have the extra space and not mind that it's the older hutch. Is the new hutch going to be outside or inside? If it's going to be inside it should be sturdy enough. If it will be outside, you could give it an extra coat of wood sealer to help it last longer though. I had my husband build our rabbit hutches so we could make them out of stronger wood. Could you or your dad build one? My 3 rabbits don't get along either so I have to keep them separate.

 

[@rabbitmummy]

I don't think Daisy will feel left out if Fluffy gets a new hutch. I would think she would be happy to have the extra space and not mind that it's the older hutch. Is the new hutch going to be outside or inside? If it's going to be inside it should be sturdy enough. If it will be outside, you could give it an extra coat of wood sealer to help it last longer though. I had my husband build our rabbit hutches so we could make them out of stronger wood. Could you or your dad build one? My 3 rabbits don't get along either so I have to keep them separate.

We'll keep it in a shed so not sure if that counts as inside or out..? The last time my buns were together was a few months ago so let them run around the shed together today and they got on like to peas in a pod which is good news as both hutches and the guinea- pig cage wouldn't fit in the shed so they might end up living together! Thanks for the tips😊

 

[Imbrium]

Rabbits can *definitely* get upset/territorial over who gets what - I see it multiple times a day every day with my three (a bonded pair of spayed girls and a neutered male who lives separately (I'm working on bonding them into a trio)). However, they don't seem to care at ALL about "old" and "new" - they care about *amounts*.

Nala and Gaz are always eyeballing me when I give them each a few craisins, each making sure they get handed one for every time that the other gets one. Normie can see the girls' enclosure from his and vice-versa; whenever I go to replenish hay, give a handful of pellets or serve veggies, whoever didn't get theirs first is always instantly staring me down like "ok, now where's MINE?" Heck, the girls even stare us down like "why aren't we getting something??" whenever we feed the cats!

Space/territory is the same way - "The other rabbit got three hours out, so you had BETTER give me three hours out too!" or "Why is that rabbit's cage/hutch bigger than mine??"

In other words, yes, rabbits can feel "left out" per se... but no, they shouldn't feel that way because one gets a new hutch and the other keeps the old one. Heck, the rabbit staying in the old one will be too busy being happy that they get BOTH levels of the hutch now .

 

[Bville]

We'll keep it in a shed so not sure if that counts as inside or out..? The last time my buns were together was a few months ago so let them run around the shed together today and they got on like to peas in a pod which is good news as both hutches and the guinea- pig cage wouldn't fit in the shed so they might end up living together! Thanks for the tips😊

By "outside" I meant will it get rained and snowed on (I don't know where you live so I don't know if you get snow), but if it's in a shed it won't be exposed to getting wet so it should be okay without any extra wood sealer.

 

[@rabbitmummy]

By "outside" I meant will it get rained and snowed on (I don't know where you live so I don't know if you get snow), but if it's in a shed it won't be exposed to getting wet so it should be okay without any extra wood sealer.

I live in the UK so not much snow in the winter... Plus the shed stays very warm.
I'm looking up bonding tips! Thanks for all your help☺️

 

[Magick_mogwai]

If one has the new hutch the other *is* getting extra space so it might not be too bad. Maybe buy a new toy at the same time so they both have something new. I'm forever having to make it up to my cats that My rabbit gets a new toy or treat (they all secretly think I love them most I'm sure). Sometimes I feel like owning pets is just as bad if not worse than children - at least you can reason with children! Lol

 

[@rabbitmummy]

If one has the new hutch the other *is* getting extra space so it might not be too bad. Maybe buy a new toy at the same time so they both have something new. I'm forever having to make it up to my cats that My rabbit gets a new toy or treat (they all secretly think I love them most I'm sure). Sometimes I feel like owning pets is just as bad if not worse than children - at least you can reason with children! Lol

Haha! Yeah, mine are no different with cravings of food! In the Summer when I pick them loads of grass sometimes I end up sharing it out between two rabbits and two guinea-pigs (live together) strand by strand! Thanks😊