| Education, Rescue, and Respect |
| HousingA Hutch Is Not Enough |
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Did you know it was the Victorians who first kept rabbits in hutches - a short term storage solution before the
animals went to the pot?
We've moved on a great deal since then, but the habit of keeping rabbits in hutches has stuck.
Rabbits are not designed to live in a confined space. In the wild they cover an area equivalent to 30 football pitches.
They're not designed to live alone either - wild rabbits live in large social groups, foraging, grooming each other and
huddling together for warmth. Rabbits living alone experience high levels of stress.
Domestic rabbits are not fundamentally far removed from their wild cousins. They share the same need to run, jump,
explore and share companionship with their own kind, so their accommodation must allow them to display these
natural behaviours.
The RWAF (Rabbit, Welfare, Association and Fund) recommends a minimum hutch size of 6' x 2' x 2', which allows
rabbits some room to move, stand on their hind legs and enough space for the food, toilet and sleeping areas to be
kept apart. It is commonly accepted that a rabbit should have space for 3 hops, but it is commonly underestimated
just how far 3 hops is - our tests show that 3 hops from an average sized rabbit covers 6-7 feet!
A hutch should only be a shelter and not the only living space. It should be attached to a secure run of at least 8' x 4'.
Something like the run shown in this video gives you a idea of what a bunny needs. A Hutch is not Enough Video
Please bear in mind that these recommendations are all minimums - and like many things
in life, bigger is better!
The RWAF's A Hutch is Not Enough Campaign is pitched at 3 levels. Firstly, we are encouraging retailers to consider
the welfare of rabbits in all their dealings with their customers. We are aiming to achieve this through our Retailer
Charter.
Secondly, we want to give advice to people who are thinking of taking on rabbits as pets. The main problem faced by
domestic rabbits is lack of knowledge on the part of their owners. Many people simply do not realise that it is cruel
to keep a rabbit alone in a small hutch. Through education and advice we hope to make a real difference to the
perception of rabbits as pets.
Lastly, we want to get through to people who already own rabbits. We have loads of advice on how you can improve
your rabbits' lives and get so much more enjoyment from them. See our Making it Right page for some great ideas.
As the name of the campaign suggests, there's more to keeping a rabbit than the accommodation, but we believe that
rabbit owners who keep their pets in bigger accommodation are more likely to be able to fulfil the rabbits' other
needs.
Why is this good for retailers?
All retailers benefit from ethical practices, so doing the right thing for the animals the products are designed for can
only help the retailer's reputation. All outlets signing up to our 'retailer charter' will be listed on the RWAF roll of
honour; the RWAF website has thousands of visits per month by owners looking to benefit their rabbits.
And there are solid economic benefits to retailers too. A larger living space means customers are more likely to take
on more than one rabbit (which is something we recommend as companionship is vital for rabbits), meaning greater
sales of toys, bedding and food. We are also recommending an attached run, which is another sales opportunity,
notably to customers who already own a hutch. And of course if a rabbit's welfare needs are met, it will live longer,
which means a longer term customer of accessories and food.
Why is this good for rabbit owners?
Apart from being a responsible owner and doing the right thing for your pet (and adhering to the Animal Welfare Act
which makes it a legal obligation for owners to show a duty of care to their pets) - it is simply much more rewarding
to have a pet that has everything it needs to live a full and contented life. A rabbit on its own in a small hutch isn't
much fun for anyone, but a bonded pair, living in spacious accommodation and able to display their natural
behaviours, is simply a joy to watch. We have numerous testimonials from owners who have 'seen the light' and are
astonished at how much more fun their rabbit is once it has been given the right formula for a proper life.
Inadequate housing can cause a number of behavioral issues and will cause your rabbit's
muscles to deteriorate.
Outfitting Bun's Housing
There are several items that will need to be included when outfitting your rabbit's housing.
Solid Flooring: Wire or wire-like flooring is not comfortable for your rabbit or good for their feet. This type of
flooring can cause sore hocks which in turn can result in serious infections. Plywood covered with linoleum would be
a suitable solution.
Floor Covering: Rabbits do not feel safe on slippery surfaces and could end up with serious injuries. All floor
coverings should be washable and prevent slipping. Some suggestions would be carpet samples (provided they do
not eat them), towels, cotton throw rugs, and sea grass mats.
Ramps: Multi-level condos often contain ramps to enable a rabbit to access other levels. Be sure that these ramps
are covered with a nonskid, rabbit safe material or are equipped with wood slats to help provide traction.
Food & Water: Water and food bowls should be made of heavy, crockery or your rabbit will mistake them for toys
and toss them around their housing. A space also needs to be provided for Timothy hay, which a rabbit should have
access to at all times. A couple of different options would be to stuff the hay inside an empty tissue box (remove
plastic) or in an all natural basket that has not been painted, stained or varnished. Craft stores, garage sales, and
second hand stores are a great place to find baskets in a variety of shapes and sizes!
Litter Box: It is important that your rabbit's litter box is an adequate size to prevent accidents. Fill with 1/2" of
non-clay, non-clumping and rabbit safe litter. Some recommendations would be all natural wood stove pellets, Crown
Animal Bedding, Recycled paper crumble bedding, band corn cob litter. Their litter box should be emptied regularly to
avoid odors which are harmful to your rabbit's respiratory system.
Hiding Box: Everyone from time to time needs a place to get away from it all; your rabbit is no different. They
should have a hiding box available to them in their housing. Cardboard boxes work great for this and can be filled
with Timothy Hay for your rabbit's comfort and enjoyment!
Toys: Your rabbit will also need toys to play with. Empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls work great, hard plastic
baby toys and old telephone books are just a few items you can add to your rabbit's housing.
Cleaning: Your rabbit's housing should be completely cleaned once a week at least. Use a 1:1 solution of warm
water and white vinegar with just a little dish soap for cleaning. Do not use pine scented, pine oil based or
commercial cleaners. My favorite cleaner is Vanilla Extract. It disinfects with a very high alcohol content, when dry
the alcohol evaporates leaving no harmful residue your bunny can walk in and then ingest while cleaning himself.
Appropriate housing does not eliminate the need for bun to have exercise time outside of
his/her housing. Rabbits should be allowed at least several hours outside of their housing
to run, jump, explore and interact with their family daily.
animals went to the pot?
We've moved on a great deal since then, but the habit of keeping rabbits in hutches has stuck.
Rabbits are not designed to live in a confined space. In the wild they cover an area equivalent to 30 football pitches.
They're not designed to live alone either - wild rabbits live in large social groups, foraging, grooming each other and
huddling together for warmth. Rabbits living alone experience high levels of stress.
Domestic rabbits are not fundamentally far removed from their wild cousins. They share the same need to run, jump,
explore and share companionship with their own kind, so their accommodation must allow them to display these
natural behaviours.
The RWAF (Rabbit, Welfare, Association and Fund) recommends a minimum hutch size of 6' x 2' x 2', which allows
rabbits some room to move, stand on their hind legs and enough space for the food, toilet and sleeping areas to be
kept apart. It is commonly accepted that a rabbit should have space for 3 hops, but it is commonly underestimated
just how far 3 hops is - our tests show that 3 hops from an average sized rabbit covers 6-7 feet!
A hutch should only be a shelter and not the only living space. It should be attached to a secure run of at least 8' x 4'.
Something like the run shown in this video gives you a idea of what a bunny needs. A Hutch is not Enough Video
Please bear in mind that these recommendations are all minimums - and like many things
in life, bigger is better!
The RWAF's A Hutch is Not Enough Campaign is pitched at 3 levels. Firstly, we are encouraging retailers to consider
the welfare of rabbits in all their dealings with their customers. We are aiming to achieve this through our Retailer
Charter.
Secondly, we want to give advice to people who are thinking of taking on rabbits as pets. The main problem faced by
domestic rabbits is lack of knowledge on the part of their owners. Many people simply do not realise that it is cruel
to keep a rabbit alone in a small hutch. Through education and advice we hope to make a real difference to the
perception of rabbits as pets.
Lastly, we want to get through to people who already own rabbits. We have loads of advice on how you can improve
your rabbits' lives and get so much more enjoyment from them. See our Making it Right page for some great ideas.
As the name of the campaign suggests, there's more to keeping a rabbit than the accommodation, but we believe that
rabbit owners who keep their pets in bigger accommodation are more likely to be able to fulfil the rabbits' other
needs.
Why is this good for retailers?
All retailers benefit from ethical practices, so doing the right thing for the animals the products are designed for can
only help the retailer's reputation. All outlets signing up to our 'retailer charter' will be listed on the RWAF roll of
honour; the RWAF website has thousands of visits per month by owners looking to benefit their rabbits.
And there are solid economic benefits to retailers too. A larger living space means customers are more likely to take
on more than one rabbit (which is something we recommend as companionship is vital for rabbits), meaning greater
sales of toys, bedding and food. We are also recommending an attached run, which is another sales opportunity,
notably to customers who already own a hutch. And of course if a rabbit's welfare needs are met, it will live longer,
which means a longer term customer of accessories and food.
Why is this good for rabbit owners?
Apart from being a responsible owner and doing the right thing for your pet (and adhering to the Animal Welfare Act
which makes it a legal obligation for owners to show a duty of care to their pets) - it is simply much more rewarding
to have a pet that has everything it needs to live a full and contented life. A rabbit on its own in a small hutch isn't
much fun for anyone, but a bonded pair, living in spacious accommodation and able to display their natural
behaviours, is simply a joy to watch. We have numerous testimonials from owners who have 'seen the light' and are
astonished at how much more fun their rabbit is once it has been given the right formula for a proper life.
Inadequate housing can cause a number of behavioral issues and will cause your rabbit's
muscles to deteriorate.
Outfitting Bun's Housing
There are several items that will need to be included when outfitting your rabbit's housing.
Solid Flooring: Wire or wire-like flooring is not comfortable for your rabbit or good for their feet. This type of
flooring can cause sore hocks which in turn can result in serious infections. Plywood covered with linoleum would be
a suitable solution.
Floor Covering: Rabbits do not feel safe on slippery surfaces and could end up with serious injuries. All floor
coverings should be washable and prevent slipping. Some suggestions would be carpet samples (provided they do
not eat them), towels, cotton throw rugs, and sea grass mats.
Ramps: Multi-level condos often contain ramps to enable a rabbit to access other levels. Be sure that these ramps
are covered with a nonskid, rabbit safe material or are equipped with wood slats to help provide traction.
Food & Water: Water and food bowls should be made of heavy, crockery or your rabbit will mistake them for toys
and toss them around their housing. A space also needs to be provided for Timothy hay, which a rabbit should have
access to at all times. A couple of different options would be to stuff the hay inside an empty tissue box (remove
plastic) or in an all natural basket that has not been painted, stained or varnished. Craft stores, garage sales, and
second hand stores are a great place to find baskets in a variety of shapes and sizes!
Litter Box: It is important that your rabbit's litter box is an adequate size to prevent accidents. Fill with 1/2" of
non-clay, non-clumping and rabbit safe litter. Some recommendations would be all natural wood stove pellets, Crown
Animal Bedding, Recycled paper crumble bedding, band corn cob litter. Their litter box should be emptied regularly to
avoid odors which are harmful to your rabbit's respiratory system.
Hiding Box: Everyone from time to time needs a place to get away from it all; your rabbit is no different. They
should have a hiding box available to them in their housing. Cardboard boxes work great for this and can be filled
with Timothy Hay for your rabbit's comfort and enjoyment!
Toys: Your rabbit will also need toys to play with. Empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls work great, hard plastic
baby toys and old telephone books are just a few items you can add to your rabbit's housing.
Cleaning: Your rabbit's housing should be completely cleaned once a week at least. Use a 1:1 solution of warm
water and white vinegar with just a little dish soap for cleaning. Do not use pine scented, pine oil based or
commercial cleaners. My favorite cleaner is Vanilla Extract. It disinfects with a very high alcohol content, when dry
the alcohol evaporates leaving no harmful residue your bunny can walk in and then ingest while cleaning himself.
Appropriate housing does not eliminate the need for bun to have exercise time outside of
his/her housing. Rabbits should be allowed at least several hours outside of their housing
to run, jump, explore and interact with their family daily.
Domestic rabbits need to be kept in pairs or in larger groups inside the home with humans. Rabbits kept alone
outside will live a much shortened life. Normally they will only live 5 to 6 years and die of loneliness.
outside will live a much shortened life. Normally they will only live 5 to 6 years and die of loneliness.
| Too Many Bunnies |
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