Request for help in designing a great hutch/tray/cage

[RobertJohnston]

Hi all.

As you can see from my username my name is Robert Johnston. I am a rabbit owner and also a design student. For my level 3 design project I decided to make a living environment for a rabbit that tries to consider the social, health, cleanliness, security, exercise, diet and owner access needs of the rabbit. Basically I want to design the ideal product for housing your rabbit. For that I need user research.

To do this I would really appreciate if the people on this site could please answer the following questions as honestly as possible and email them to me at [email protected]. All answers will remain an-ominous.

Who knows we could see the ultimate rabbit hutch/tray/cage/something out of this.

Questionnaire:

- How many rabbits do you own?

- Has your rabbit ever needed veterinary care, if so what was it and how much did it cost?

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to an illness, if so what illness?

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to a predator, if so what animal?

- Does your rabbit stay outside, inside or a mixture of both?

- Does your rabbit stay in a hutch, if so how much was the hutch?

- Does your rabbit stay indoors, if so what is used as it's housing?

- Do you have other pets, besides rabbits?

- Have much do you spend on your rabbit(s) each month?

- What is your number one concern with regards to the health of the rabbit?

- How often in a week do you play with your rabbit?

- How many hours per week would your rabbit be in your house?

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches offer value for money?

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches are sturdily built?

- Do you find it hard to clean your rabbits housing, if so why?

- How often in a month do you clean your rabbits housing?

- Is it difficult to get access to your rabbit when it needs cleaned or examined?

- Would your consider your rabbit friendly around strangers?

- Do your consider yourself environmentally conscious with regards to the products used in the upkeep of your rabbit?




Thanks if you can find the time to answer these questions. If you can they would be very helpful to me when designing this product.

 

[1357rabbitlover]

Just thought i'd reply here..

1. 5 bunnies.
2. Male neutering - £90.
3. No
4. No
5. Outside.
6. My bunnies stay in a hutch and run. The hutch was £50.
7. ~
8. 2 dogs, 1 cat and 2 lizards. Used to have 2 guinea-pigs.
9. Around £100 on all food, toys, ect.
10. Im scared incase my bunnies get diarrhea, or snuffles.
11. Everyday.
12. Not very often, a couple of times a month maybe.
13. No, most are too small and expensive.
14. Yes.
15. The hay and straw can sometimes get stuck down the sides of the hutch or in the little gapes beside the door which makes it hard to clean.
16. Well i clean all the poop up everyday, but give it a proper scrub 2 times a week.
17. No. But i guess if your bunny was shy then it would be hard.
18. All are friendly except one of my females hates strange men and stamps her feet. Never really known why?
19. No not really, i will sometimes reuse paper by shredding it up.

 

[RobertJohnston]

Thanks.

 

[ZRabbits]

Questionnaire:

- How many rabbits do you own?

5 Rabbits

- Has your rabbit ever needed veterinary care, if so what was it and how much did it cost?

2 neuterings: $358.00 (incl. medication)
Wry Neck (Inner Ear Infection) $112.76 (incl. medication)

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to an illness, if so what illness?

No

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to a predator, if so what animal?

No

- Does your rabbit stay outside, inside or a mixture of both?

Inside with some outside visits

- Does your rabbit stay in a hutch, if so how much was the hutch?

No hutch

- Does your rabbit stay indoors, if so what is used as it's housing?

Yes, 40 x 27 crates

- Do you have other pets, besides rabbits?

Yes, dog

- Have much do you spend on your rabbit(s) each month?

$120.00

- What is your number one concern with regards to the health of the rabbit?

Arthritis

- How often in a week do you play with your rabbit?

Every day

- How many hours per week would your rabbit be in your house?

24/7

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches offer value for money?

Yes

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches are sturdily built?

Some

- Do you find it hard to clean your rabbits housing, if so why?

Not hard at all

- How often in a month do you clean your rabbits housing?

Done every other day

- Is it difficult to get access to your rabbit when it needs cleaned or examined?

No

- Would your consider your rabbit friendly around strangers?

Yes

- Do your consider yourself environmentally conscious with regards to the products used in the upkeep of your rabbit?

Definitely



K

 

[wendymac]

Questionnaire:

- How many rabbits do you own?
21

- Has your rabbit ever needed veterinary care, if so what was it and how much did it cost?
Yes, $75

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to an illness, if so what illness?
Yes, to mucoid enteritis

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to a predator, if so what animal?
No
- Does your rabbit stay outside, inside or a mixture of both?
20 outside, 1 inside

- Does your rabbit stay in a hutch, if so how much was the hutch?
No

- Does your rabbit stay indoors, if so what is used as it's housing?
1 does. A wire cage, and then free run of the house

- Do you have other pets, besides rabbits?
2 dogs, 8 barn cats, ducks, and 8 horses.

- Have much do you spend on your rabbit(s) each month?
Just food, around $80/month. Supplements, $14. Plus show entry fees, gas money, etc.

- What is your number one concern with regards to the health of the rabbit?
Snuffles. With showing, I'm worried I'll drag it home with me.

- How often in a week do you play with your rabbit?

- How many hours per week would your rabbit be in your house?
1 is in 24/7, the rest never.

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches offer value for money?
No.

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches are sturdily built?
No. They're flimsy, with cheap materials, and a short life (commercials ones).

- Do you find it hard to clean your rabbits housing, if so why?
Not at all.

- How often in a month do you clean your rabbits housing?
Trays get dumped and rinsed out every day. Cages get completely hosed/disinfected once a month.

- Is it difficult to get access to your rabbit when it needs cleaned or examined?
Nope

- Would your consider your rabbit friendly around strangers?
Yes

- Do your consider yourself environmentally conscious with regards to the products used in the upkeep of your rabbit?
For the most part.

 

[melbaby80]

Questionnaire:

- How many rabbits do you own? 2

- Has your rabbit ever needed veterinary care, if so what was it and how much did it cost? Not yet and hopefully not too soon

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to an illness, if so what illness? Random death over 15 years ago

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to a predator, if so what animal? no

- Does your rabbit stay outside, inside or a mixture of both? Inside

- Does your rabbit stay in a hutch, if so how much was the hutch? no

- Does your rabbit stay indoors, if so what is used as it's housing? A homemade wire cube pen

- Do you have other pets, besides rabbits? 2 dogs

- Have much do you spend on your rabbit(s) each month? around $25 or less

- What is your number one concern with regards to the health of the rabbit? Since I have furry rabbits, wool block

- How often in a week do you play with your rabbit? Every single day for about 2-3 hours

- How many hours per week would your rabbit be in your house? 24/7

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches offer value for money? No, I think there needs to be more a selection for indoor hutches

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches are sturdily built? They seem so

- Do you find it hard to clean your rabbits housing, if so why? Easy, because the top part can be lifted to sweep and wipe down the bottom

- How often in a month do you clean your rabbits housing? I clean my rabbits pen every other day

- Is it difficult to get access to your rabbit when it needs cleaned or examined? No

- Would your consider your rabbit friendly around strangers? Friendly

- Do your consider yourself environmentally conscious with regards to the products used in the upkeep of your rabbit? Yes I do.

 

[qtipthebun]

- How many rabbits do you own?
Currently just one

- Has your rabbit ever needed veterinary care, if so what was it and how much did it cost?
She had a fake-out recently where I thought she needed care, but was fine the second we got to the vet (details in my blog), but as for actually needing medical care, no.

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to an illness, if so what illness?
Had an old rescue bunny that was never spayed, and she ended up with cancer. She was four when we got her, so the vets said it was too late to get her spayed.

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to a predator, if so what animal?
Nope, indoor bunnies only.

- Does your rabbit stay outside, inside or a mixture of both?
All of our bunnies have been indoor only.

- Does your rabbit stay in a hutch, if so how much was the hutch?

- Does your rabbit stay indoors, if so what is used as it's housing?
In my apartment, Q-tip has free roam of my bedroom at all times and doesn't even have a cage...just a litterbox. At her other mommy's house, we have a huge NIC panel cage (about 4'x3'x3') and she gets run time in an x-pen as well.

- Do you have other pets, besides rabbits?
Here, my roommate has a parrot, but they stay separate because the bird is terrified of the bunny, but at home, we have a kitten. Q-tip thinks he's a toy for her and wants nothing more than to play with the poor creature (he wants nothing more than to run away from her).

- Have much do you spend on your rabbit(s) each month?
When I'm up at the apartment, I buy her bags of hay. I probably go through a $12 bag every week and a half. I get her greens for free from the food store (the stuff they're throwing away). The amount of pellets she gets, I don't have to buy a bag every month, so...long story short...not really sure!

- What is your number one concern with regards to the health of the rabbit?
Snuffles or other sicknesses.

- How often in a week do you play with your rabbit?
Every day! She gets snuggles whenever she wants them.

- How many hours per week would your rabbit be in your house?
24/7

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches offer value for money?
not really. They're all too small for the price. I paid only a little more to get all of the materials for an NIC panel house than for a little cage.

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches are sturdily built?
Speaking only to the one I used to have for Q-tip, no.

- Do you find it hard to clean your rabbits housing, if so why?
Super easy when we're here because I just take out her litter box. At the house, it's harder because I haven't opened up the NIC house for easier access to the top level, but she tends to stay pretty clean. I'm lucky she's a neat freak!

- How often in a month do you clean your rabbits housing?
She gets her litter changed twice a week, and when I had a cage for her, she'd get the paper dumped out of it every two weeks or so (she hated that because she'd have to rip it all up again).

- Is it difficult to get access to your rabbit when it needs cleaned or examined?
Nope, I just call her over and there she is!

- Would your consider your rabbit friendly around strangers?
Super friendly. Her way of greeting people involves grooming, begging for treats, and nose kisses.

- Do your consider yourself environmentally conscious with regards to the products used in the upkeep of your rabbit?
Absolutely. We use Carefresh bedding (recycled materials), and rarely buy her toys, choosing instead to recycle materials from the house (toilet paper tubes, egg cartons, wadded up balls of paper, big cardboard boxes) into toys (well...I buy her some toys, but I try to be sure they're eco friendly ones). When she had a cage, she had recycled paper in the bottom of it (old syllabi, papers from presentations I no longer needed, etc).

 

[saidinjester]

- How many rabbits do you own?
1

- Has your rabbit ever needed veterinary care, if so what was it and how much did it cost?
Yes, he was neutered, it cost $45.00.

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to an illness, if so what illness?
No.

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to a predator, if so what animal?
No.

- Does your rabbit stay outside, inside or a mixture of both?
Inside, only outside if I'm supervising him in the fenced in back yard.

- Does your rabbit stay in a hutch, if so how much was the hutch?
No.

- Does your rabbit stay indoors, if so what is used as it's housing?
I use an exercise pen.

- Do you have other pets, besides rabbits?
Yes, 1 cat.

- Have much do you spend on your rabbit(s) each month?
$20.00 or less.

- What is your number one concern with regards to the health of the rabbit?
I've had no problems, so I'm not really worried. I just try to give him a good healthy diet.

- How often in a week do you play with your rabbit?
Daily.

- How many hours per week would your rabbit be in your house?
27/7

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches offer value for money?
Not really. My exercise pen was $40 and it offers more space than most hutches.

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches are sturdily built?
I suppose...?

- Do you find it hard to clean your rabbits housing, if so why?
Not at all.

- How often in a month do you clean your rabbits housing?
2-4 times a week.

- Is it difficult to get access to your rabbit when it needs cleaned or examined?
No, I just call him over and he comes.

- Would your consider your rabbit friendly around strangers?
Yes, he's a doll & loves everyone.

- Do your consider yourself environmentally conscious with regards to the products used in the upkeep of your rabbit?
Kind of. I use Carefresh recycled bedding and toys such as toilet paper rolls, cardboard boxes and branches from willow & apple trees.

 

[RobertJohnston]

Brilliant response guys. Much appreciated.

 

[RobertJohnston]

Thanks for all the feedback. Wanted to show you guys how far I have come with the design. Please feel free to comment and maybe suggestion improvements. Below is a section of my prototype proposal.

Whilst it is hard to put a direct price on the product at the moment I believe that there is huge scope to sell the product to retailers at £70 - £110 per unit and still allow a good profit for both myself and the retailer. Below are two images. The first of the run section and the second of the carry case. They include a colour coded reference to explain each part of the product.

Light Blue = Transparent Floor
Dark Blue = Ramp
Orange = Ventilation
White = Food Bowl & Litter Tray
Green = Main Body
Red = Handles for Carrying
Yellow = Sliding Hatch Door
Purple = Rails

As I have mentioned previously the product I am making is designed to be transported in flat pack configuration and assembled after arrival. This will greatly reduce the fuel needed to transport each unit thus reducing CO2 admissions. Additionally the product will be nearly entirely made of polycarbonate which is a recyclable material meaning that the majority of the product can be recycled after use. Not only that but due to the modular design of the product, pieces can be replaced with second hand sections of other unit which cuts out emissions in the recycling process.

With the main aim of the product being modular and expandable, I feel this means the product is a long life product. As further sections can be purchased and slotted onto the main unit, it lessens the chance of the owner wanting to throw out the hutch meaning less harmful impact over it's life cycle. This I feel is one of the most important aspects of the environmental sustainability of my product. It encourages people to keep the product and add to it rather than replace it. Also it's duel functionality as a housing product for rabbits in both an indoor and outdoor environment mean that the product further reduces the need for additional products to match the needs of an owners pet rabbit.

The main material of the hutch is Polycarbonate which is non toxic as well as being recyclable. This was important on two fronts for me. Firstly it will not poison the


I will explain some changes I made with the new design with the help of images.

Firstly I decided to change the configuration of the internal section of the carry case. This was to make better use of space. With these changes I was able to reduce the size of the carry case to 1m cubed. As you can see from the cross section image below I used the space below the stairs as the burrow like area for the rabbit to go when sleeping or scared. I also sectioned of the top of the stairs. I intend to add one way flaps in either direction to prevent flies from entering the litter tray and food area, thus decreasing chance of flystrike.

The next image showcases how I have changed the position of the access doors for owners to get access to their pet rabbits. This was for two reasons. Firstly to make sure that the rabbit was easily accessible no matter where in the hunch it was. Second it was necessary to reposition the doors due to the reconfiguration of the internal aspects of the hunch.

Due to the size of the carry case and the fact that the case will contain a live rabbit when being carried I decided to increase the stability of the carry case. To do this I added an extra handle to facilitate two handed carrying of the unit which I feel if more sensible for the owner and pet.

Also note that I have changed the size of the doors on both the carry case and the run section. This was also due to the change in the internal configuration of the carry case. I no longer could keep the door opening from covering two floors as I wanted the top floor of the carry case separated from the bottom. The same goes for the sleeping area which needed limited access. Lastly I beefed up the slotting rails as they are the part of the product that could see the most use hence the most ware and tear.

 

[Blue eyes]

What are the approximate dimensions of this cage? And is this intended (I assume) as an outdoor hutch?

From what I'm seeing, it looks like an enclosed box, with one small panel (orange) for ventilation? Sorry, but it looks more like a prison.

 

[RobertJohnston]

Sorry for not being clear about the design. This is still a work in progress.

The material will be made of light, cheap and strong plastics with a more muted colour. The colours in the diagrams are just for showcasing different areas of the design. Ventilation holes will be added later.

The carry case is the sleeping/feeding area. It is carry-able because it is designed to allow owners to easily transport the rabbit into the house, to the vets, etc. For me this would be very useful in the winter months. The carry case is 1m x 1m x 1m and will be made as lightweight as possible. This should be easily lifted by most people.

The floor is transparent ( as will the main run and side doors of the carry case ) because it will allow for owners to check their rabbits for clumped or soft poos stuck to the rabbits underside. Hopefully this can reduce flystrike. I will add a grip material on the floors to prevent distressing the rabbit.

Note that the run will be the main exercise area for the rabbits. The run is designed to fold up so that the owner can shepard the rabbit back to the carry case whenever access to the rabbit is needed.

The main idea of the hutch is that other pieces can be added to the Run to improve the life of your rabbit(s). You can add additional living areas, play areas, safe areas. If you get another rabbit you can easily add another carry case on.


Thanks for the feedback guys. Any more questions or gripes/suggestions then please post. This is very beneficial for the design of the hutch.

 

[Samara]

I'd have to see it in person, but I just can't imagine housing a rabbit in anything plastic. A plastic bottom on the cage (a tub bottom) is different than an entirely plastic house, even with ventilation holes. Their entire world would be distorted with any colored plastic, even muted, as walls. Is my understanding incorrect on what you're designing?

- How many rabbits do you own?
3

- Has your rabbit ever needed veterinary care, if so what was it and how much did it cost?
Yes. Neutering - 280.00. X-rays: 100.00.

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to an illness, if so what illness?
No.

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to a predator, if so what animal?
No.

- Does your rabbit stay outside, inside or a mixture of both?
Inside.

- Does your rabbit stay in a hutch, if so how much was the hutch?
No.

- Does your rabbit stay indoors, if so what is used as it's housing?
Yes; NIC panels ( http://raisincane.weebly.com/how-to-building-a-nic-pen.html )


- Do you have other pets, besides rabbits?
Yes.

- Have much do you spend on your rabbit(s) each month?
Feed: 40.00 Critical Care: 15.00

- What is your number one concern with regards to the health of the rabbit?
Respiratory health.

- How often in a week do you play with your rabbit?
Upwards of 15.

- How many hours per week would your rabbit be in your house?
All.

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches offer value for money?
No.

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches are sturdily built?
No.

- Do you find it hard to clean your rabbits housing, if so why?
No.

- How often in a month do you clean your rabbits housing?
Daily.

- Is it difficult to get access to your rabbit when it needs cleaned or examined?
No.

- Would your consider your rabbit friendly around strangers?
Yes.

- Do your consider yourself environmentally conscious with regards to the products used in the upkeep of your rabbit?
Sometimes.

Hope this helps!

 

[Dulmit]

Potential Issues:
If your floor has raised traction that would distort the clear bottom and if it is just non-slip that could make it very hard to clean. Also it would have to be raised to see under it. Seems overly hard, when I could just pickup my bun and look at the feet.

Size: 1m x 1m x 1m will be hard/impossible to fit in a standard car for transportation limiting the carry cages use. Additionally having handles on the top and center will make the cage hard to lift by anyone who is smaller in stature, A 1.75m (5' 9") Adult will only be 0.75m taller than the cage (~2' 9") this will make the cage hard to lift and move regardless of the weight. Add to that a bunny which can move around inside and you would have a hard load for a single person to manage.
Suggestion: Forget about making the cage portable while setup. Rather have the pieces come apart and lay flat for moving and cleaning. I like the idea for being able to expand outwards, perhaps up as well. Also 1m^3 is a VERY large form factor. Consider reducing the minimum unit to maybe 0.5m^3 and rely more on the fact that multiple units can easily be added. This way people with smaller spaces will have an easier time and it will open up even more option for multiple unit configurations.


Like the idea is general, but seems to need some work. Do you image this as an indoor or outdoor setup?

 

[Blue eyes]

RobertJohnston wrote:

Sorry for not being clear about the design. This is still a work in progress.

The material will be made of light, cheap and strong plastics with a more muted colour. The colours in the diagrams are just for showcasing different areas of the design. Ventilation holes will be added later.

The carry case is the sleeping/feeding area. It is carry-able because it is designed to allow owners to easily transport the rabbit into the house, to the vets, etc. For me this would be very useful in the winter months. The carry case is 1m x 1m x 1m and will be made as lightweight as possible. This should be easily lifted by most people.

The floor is transparent ( as will the main run and side doors of the carry case ) because it will allow for owners to check their rabbits for clumped or soft poos stuck to the rabbits underside. Hopefully this can reduce flystrike. I will add a grip material on the floors to prevent distressing the rabbit.

Note that the run will be the main exercise area for the rabbits. The run is designed to fold up so that the owner can shepard the rabbit back to the carry case whenever access to the rabbit is needed.


Thanks for the feedback guys. Any more questions or gripes/suggestions then please post. This is very beneficial for the design of the hutch.

"Light, cheap, strong plastics..."
I have some experience with what you are trying to accomplish with the plastic:

I made this cage using acrylic. It was really just a "home base" for the buns since the cage was open all the time.

As you can somewhat see, it is very difficult to keep the acrylic clean and clear. Even with neutered buns, stuff still seems to get all over the sides of the plastic.
The clear sides were rather a pain to clean.

Mine wasn't intended to be moved. And as small as this cage was, it was still difficult to manage or carry when empty. I'm sure I couldn't do it with the shifting weight of a rabbit. With your design, the plastic would have to be far thicker.
I can't imagine the plastic remaining "viewable" for more than a couple years.

If this is intended for outside it could become a veritable hot house. The plastic will also become brittle if left in the elements. When I abandoned that acrylic cage, I put it outside in the yard, not sure what to do with it. In time (a year, possibly 2) it was wind-scratched and brittle. I don't see how the run area can be all plastic and still be hinged and light enough to fold in, yet heavy enough to prevent rabbit from getting out from underneath.

I agree with Dulmit that it would be better to have a section of the cage that would be the transportable part. You simply couldn't fit that design through a car door.

I am also still concerned about ventilation. If venting holes are put in the plastic, not only will that section not be so transparent, but the cleaning factor will be even more of a problem as dust, hair and debris gets in the openings.

 

[littl3red]

First of all, interesting cage design. I agree that using this as a carrier is not realistic, and I'm iffy about the plastic design. Here's the questionnaire if you still need that:

- How many rabbits do you own?
One, at the moment. Probably two or three in the future.
- Has your rabbit ever needed veterinary care, if so what was it and how much did it cost?
Spay: $115
Checkup: Free (my vet provides a free check-up with proof of adoption from the local animal shelter.)
- Have you ever lost a rabbit to an illness, if so what illness?
No
- Have you ever lost a rabbit to a predator, if so what animal?
No
- Does your rabbit stay outside, inside or a mixture of both?
Inside
- Does your rabbit stay in a hutch, if so how much was the hutch?
No
- Does your rabbit stay indoors, if so what is used as it's housing?
Yes, a large tri-level NIC cage
- Do you have other pets, besides rabbits?
Three dogs, two rats, one cat
- Have much do you spend on your rabbit(s) each month?
About $50, probably
- What is your number one concern with regards to the health of the rabbit?
Making sure she doesn't ingest toxic materials
- How often in a week do you play with your rabbit?
7 days a week, minimum three hours per night
- How many hours per week would your rabbit be in your house?
24/7
- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches offer value for money?
No
- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches are sturdily built?
No, they are cheaply manufactured and terribly overpriced
- Do you find it hard to clean your rabbits housing, if so why?
No
- How often in a month do you clean your rabbits housing?
The whole cage 4-5 times a month, the litter box 10-15 times a month
- Is it difficult to get access to your rabbit when it needs cleaned or examined?
No
- Would your consider your rabbit friendly around strangers?
She's pretty skittish
- Do your consider yourself environmentally conscious with regards to the products used in the upkeep of your rabbit?
Somewhat, mostly because environmentally-friendly products tend to be more rabbit-friendly too.

 

[daisyandoliver]

- How many rabbits do you own?
Two.

- Has your rabbit ever needed veterinary care, if so what was it and how much did it cost?
Yes, twice. Once because he was sniffling and sneezing, was $50 because he was in perfect health, just had to change his bedding. Once to get neutered, $80.

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to an illness, if so what illness?
No.

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to a predator, if so what animal?
No.

- Does your rabbit stay outside, inside or a mixture of both?
Inside ONLY.

- Does your rabbit stay in a hutch, if so how much was the hutch?
No.

- Does your rabbit stay indoors, if so what is used as it's housing?
Cage at night and free roam of room during the day.

- Do you have other pets, besides rabbits?
Cats, dogs, rats, cockroaches and a chipmunk.

- Have much do you spend on your rabbit(s) each month?
$100-$150 My dad buys their food and is picky.

- What is your number one concern with regards to the health of the rabbit?
Getting into things their not suppose to, harmful substances, toxins.

- How often in a week do you play with your rabbit?
Everyday.

- How many hours per week would your rabbit be in your house?
24/7.

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches offer value for money?
No, they are not big enough.

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches are sturdily built?
Sometimes but not always.

- Do you find it hard to clean your rabbits housing, if so why?
No, pretty easy.

- How often in a month do you clean your rabbits housing?
I clean out the poop every day and full clean at least once a week.

- Is it difficult to get access to your rabbit when it needs cleaned or examined?
Nope.

- Would your consider your rabbit friendly around strangers?
Oliver is decently friendly to anyone. Daisy is very pick as to who she likes.

- Do your consider yourself environmentally conscious with regards to the products used in the upkeep of your rabbit?
Yes.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

- How many rabbits do you own?
**I currently own 3

- Has your rabbit ever needed veterinary care, if so what was it and how much did it cost?
**I do all my own vet care, so it varies at times. I know I've spent at least a couple hundred in supplies for treating different things, though.

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to an illness, if so what illness?
**I lost two rabbits to illness; just don't know what it was.

- Have you ever lost a rabbit to a predator, if so what animal?
**Nope.

- Does your rabbit stay outside, inside or a mixture of both?
**They are outside in a shed.

- Does your rabbit stay in a hutch, if so how much was the hutch?
**They are in stackers. I don't recall how much each stacker cost, but I paid $200 for about 8 or so cages.

- Does your rabbit stay indoors, if so what is used as it's housing?
**See above.

- Do you have other pets, besides rabbits?
**2 cats.

- Have much do you spend on your rabbit(s) each month?
**I spend about $30 to $40 every 3 or so months.

- What is your number one concern with regards to the health of the rabbit?
**Just making sure they stay healthy.

- How often in a week do you play with your rabbit?
**Not very often. I'll pet them and talk to them when I feed in the AM and PM, but that's about it.

- How many hours per week would your rabbit be in your house?
**I will sometimes bring them in, but it's definitely not a weekly thing.

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches offer value for money?
**I think it depends on who is buying the hutch. Some hutches are definitely too small and very spendy.

- Do you feel that currently available rabbit hutches are sturdily built?
**Yes, most are. They need to be in a secure area, still, though.

- Do you find it hard to clean your rabbits housing, if so why?
**Nope. I just have to dump pans once every week. Pretty simple.

- How often in a month do you clean your rabbits housing?
**4 to 6 times, roughly.

- Is it difficult to get access to your rabbit when it needs cleaned or examined?
**Nope.

- Would your consider your rabbit friendly around strangers?
**My current rabbits don't like being picked up, held, etc. so I'm going to say no. The buck my sister just took loves people though.

- Do your consider yourself environmentally conscious with regards to the products used in the upkeep of your rabbit?[
**I suppose so. I dump all of the waste outside at the edge of the property and it composts into the earth.