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Rabbits are cute. Okay, rabbits are really cute. Alright, alright, rabbits are absolutely adorable, and are one of the best low-maintenance pets you can get. Whether you are raising young children who want a new furry obsession, that will also happen to teach them about responsibility and nature, or want some cuddly company while working from home, a bouncy friend or two will provide what you need, and all without you having to make a life changing commitment.
They do still require some work however, and one of the biggest areas of this is making sure they have a place to live that is safe, secure, comfy, and fun, somewhere they love to call home. Whether this is indoors or outdoors is up to you and will depend on your situation, but with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (FWAF) recommending a minimum of a 3m x 2m space around a hutch for your rabbit, for a lot of people an outdoor rabbit hutch will be the best option for them and their furry new pet.
Outside Rabbit Hutches – What do you need to look for?
Well, the very first thing you need to think about is security. You want to know that when inside the hutch, especially at night, your pets will be completely safe from foxes or other predators. For this you need to ensure your hutch is made of a sturdy wood, with well attached metal grills that won’t start to peel off after a couple of weeks, and a solid roof that can withstand the pressure of being jumped on by a determined fox after your cuddly friends. Tick all these boxes and you will be able to rest easy knowing you won’t wake up to any nasty surprises.
Next up you need to think about the elements. Your rabbit is going to be out there all year round, and so you need to make sure your hutch can protect it through the heat of summer, cold of winter, and because we are in the UK, rain all year round. To protect from the rain you want to ensure you get a hutch with a waterproof roof, and not just water resistant. Ideally this will also have a decent sized lip around the edge of the hutch as this will provide much needed shade in the hotter months. Rabbits actually struggle more with high temperatures than they do low ones, and so a decent amount of shade combined with good ventilation throughout the hutch is a must-have. When the frost does come in your pets will need a bit of help still, and so you want to ensure that your hutch has a nearly closed off compartment of wooden panels, with only a small hole for the rabbit to enter through, that you can load with insulation so they can be snug and toastie.
Depending on how much time they will spend inside the hutch, how much space it has available to your rabbits can also be a key consideration. If they are spending most of their time in it, you want to make sure they have room to exercise and play. Having two stories with a rung connecting them is invaluable in this situation and will provide them with hours of fun. Space is a particular concern if you have more than one rabbit, and so you should always bear in mind how many you intend to get when looking at where to home them.
Finally, you need to think about your logistics, how you are going to clean the hutch, get the rabbits in and out, and replace their bedding. With these access to the hutch is essential. Ideally you would want a hinged top to allow full access to the hutch, but plenty of side doors and a removable tray for their enclosed bedroom is also more than acceptable, and will allow you to keep the hutch clean and hygienic.
Best Outdoor Rabbit Hutch
With all that in mind, we have searched for the best six outdoor hutches on the market right now, so you can pick the one that is right for you.
6ft Kendal Outdoor Rabbit Hutch and Run
This absolutely massive hutch and run combo (advertised as the biggest on Amazon!) would make our list on size alone.
- 🇬🇧 BRITSH MANUFACTURING: We’re a proud member of the Made In Britain Campaign and are the only supplier of Rabbit Hutches and pet cages that manufacture’s in Britain. Based in Kent, a family run
- 🐰 GIVE YOUR PETS THE GIFT OF EXTRA SPACE: Unlike other lesser Rabbit Hutches on the market, our rabbit cage gives your pets at least 2ft of headroom and 2ft of floor depth. The amount of space that your pets have is imperative to their happiness.
- ❤️ HAPPY PETS: We guarantee you and your pets will love your new home, but because we’re a family run business and manufacture ourselves in the UK any problems or issues you might have been covered under our guarantee and can easily be sorted out. We want you to have complete confidence in our product that's why we stop at nothing to make sure both you and your pets couldn’t be happier with your new hutch.
Perfect for a couple of bunnies that are spending a lot of time in their hutch, this offering from The Hutch Company provides your pets with a huge amount of room to play in while still being fully safe and secure through all weathers and against all attacks. At £209.99 though it is the most expensive hutch on our list as well as the biggest, and due to its immense size it is not quite as long lasting as some of the others. Therefore while this hutch is a must-have if your rabbits will be spending most of their time in it, if they will be free in a larger pen for a fair amount of time keep reading to find the perfect hutch for you.
FeelGoodUK Rabbit Hutch and Cover with Rain Cover
This Hutch is sturdy. If you are a bit of a worrier and know you would be looking outside when it is raining thinking about your beloved pets, or raise your guard every time you see a stray fox or your neighbour’s cat, this is the hutch for you.
- ESSENTIAL FEATURES: Solid wooden framed hutch with tongue and groove panels and free outdoor cover, double height with enclosed shelter and lift up sloped roof. For ease of access we have 4 x front opening doors and the two floors can be closed off from one another, both floors slide out for easy cleaning.
- FUNCTIONAL DESIGN: The locking hinge on our roof allows for easy cleaning and access to the upper floor. The two slide out tray ensure it can easily and thoroughly be cleaned. Multiple locking doors allow you to access all sections easily easily when changing bedding, food and water. You are able to secure your Rabbit or Guinea Pig on either floor so you do not have to worry about them escaping whist you are cleaning them out.
- PET PRIORITY: Keeping your Rabbits happy is top of our list when it comes to the design of our hutches. The RHL model features a totally enclosed shelter for them sleep at night keeping them cosy and sheltered from wind and rain. The hutch has multiple opening doors on the two levels meaning that you can easily allow your rabbit access to their run as well as giving them the option to return to shelter.
With a fully protective rain cover on the hinged roof, an extra thick wire mesh, and made from wood not only hard and strong but also treated with anti-fungicidal animal friendly stain, FeelGoodUK are not messing around with this one. Although not as big as the previous offering, this hutch still offers two floors with a rung to entertain its inhabitants and also has withdrawable trays at each level for easy cleaning. Pick it up for £139.99 today.
Pawhut Wooden Rabbit Hutch
The cheapest hutch on our list at £64.99, if you are looking to house your bunny on a budget.
- TWO COMPARTMENTS: Allows your rabbits to move feely inside and out as they choose. TWO FRONT DOORS: This rabbit hutch allows easy access to your rabbits.
- WEATHER-RESISTANT ROOF: The asphalt shingle roof of this guinea pig hutch keeps them protected from the rain and UV rays.
- SOLID FIR WOOD CONSTRUCTION: Built to last. This outdoor rabbit hutch is finished with non-toxic paint.
While it is also the smallest shelter here, with no run to a second level, if you have plenty of room for your pets to run around during the day, this hutch from Pawhut is a perfectly fine, safe and secure home for them to sleep in at night.
Pawhut 2 Tier Wooden Rabbit Hutch
If you want a little more room while still not breaking the bank however, this upgrade by Pawhut at £109.99 could be for you.
- House and Hutch: Combines for them to rest, sleep and eat privately when needed and a secure place to enjoy the outdoors and fresh air.
- Fir Wood Body: Tough and strong, a rabbit hutch with a weather-resistant paint finish which protects it from mild outdoor elements – can be used indoors and outdoors.
- Safe: Bolt latches on the doors and mesh wire fencing, keeps the securely inside for peace of mind. EASY ACCESS: Pull-out tray, multiple doors and openable roof for easy access in and out to see your pet, feed them and clean the guinea pig hutch.
With a second tier added with a run between the levels this option is just as safe and secure as the previous hutch, just with more space. We are also big fans of the fact you can actually pull out the bottom floor to double its size, giving your rabbits even more room to play in. The only thing we would note is that for security we recommend putting this bottom floor back to its smaller size as it is the sturdier option.
Premium, Large Rabbit Hutch: 2 Floors, Log Cabin, with 3 Doors
Another spacious but affordable option, this £89.95, 3 roomed rabbit hutch will give your pets plenty of room to play in in all weathers, with a generous roof covering the whole area.
- SHELTER & ENTERTAINMENT IN ONE. This rabbit hutch with its two storeys and generous run area serves as both a play pen and roofed shelter for your small animals outdoors. It has 3 doors to guarantee optimal accessibility
- ROBUST MATERIALS. The small animal shelter is made of robust fir wood and the roof is fitted with water-repellent bitumen panels. The wire mesh all around prevents the animals from running away, provides good visibility for both you and the animals, and protects the animals against predator access
- SPECIAL FEATURE. A running ramp gives the animals access to the 2nd floor, where the screen offers an ideal refuge. The open floor of the lower area offers the animals the possibility to play and graze on the lawn
The hutch comes with all of the features you would expect from a quality product and is able to withstand both rugged weathers and determined attacks by predators. The only slight issue we have with it is that the bedroom has a wise mesh rather than wooden tray bedroom, which if you don’t provide sufficient insulation, can be a touch uncomfortable for rabbits to walk over.
FeelGoodUK Rabbit Hutch
Our personal favourite hutch, this option from FeelGoodUK is very similar to the Premium, Large Rabbit Hutch above but with one vital difference.
- ESSENTIAL FEATURES: The wooden framed hutch is made with solid wood tongue and groove panels, it features a secure outside run area, ridged access ramp, sliding access door between house and run for securing overnight, weatherproof felted roof panels and easy clean slide out tray.
- FUNCTIONAL DESIGN: The slide out galvanised cleaning tray in the house section helps to ensure the hutch is easily and thoroughly cleaned. Multiple locking doors allow you to access the hutch and run easily when changing bedding, food and water. The run area has a solid roof panel for additional weather protection.
- PET PRIORITY: Keeping your rabbits happy is priority when it comes to the design of our hutches. The Bunny House model features a cosy and dark hutch area to sleep at night and for them to shelter away when they require it in the day. An outside run to safely hop around, the run has a locking door that can be left open if you want to provide a free range option throughout the day.
Rather than the mesh tray they have added a solid wooden one which is perfect for keeping your furry little friends comfy. At £109.99 it is still only in the mid-range cost wise and for security, comfort, and space, we think it manages to create the perfect compromises to keep your rabbits happy, and your mind at ease.
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