Anyone with Rabbits - advice please

[Concepta]

We are thinking about getting a rabbit for our children. Could anyone tell me what is the best type of hutch. We have seen different types and not sure which is the best. Where do you keep your rabbit. We only really have the garage and do you let yours wander on its own in the garden or do you have some sort of run. Any advice would be most appreciated. We don't have a clue what we need and we want to have everything right before we even think about getting the rabbit. My husband is thinking of making the hutch to save money and he's good at that type of thing.

Rabbits need both a lot of room and most importantly a companion, preferably another bunny or maybe a guinea pig or two.

The best home would have a large shetered inddor area, which contains an almost closed off sleeping area, and also has access to a large outdoor run, the indoor area could be built over the outdoor area with a ramp to save room.

Garden excercise will be needed too, but I would say only when you are there.

We have 2 rabbits who live in a large hutch in the shed. We move it outside when the weather is nice (daytime only). DH made it himself to his own design with an enclosed sleeping area and a run on 2 levels with ramp, much as WTWTW describes, and it's great, if a little heavy!

DD lets them hop about in the garden under her supervision which they seem to like. She's very fond of them

my rabbit lives in the house with us. He has a large 2 story hutch and gets to run around the house too.

If the weather is nice, he goes outside in an extra large puppy crate that has been covered on top to offer shade

Rabbits love company so be thinking of getting two.

Rescue centres are great, a second chance for the rabbits and they will be a matched pair that have been neutered.

If you go and have a look, you can see what they have and they will give you great advice on housing, feeding and the care that the rabbits will need.

My rabbits live in a shed that my dh converted, they have a 6ft attached outside run.....and i have bunnyproofed the garden so that most days they can run free, or lay in the sun

"Look here www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/index.asp"

Its a great site and you can see various rabbits that are looking for homes.

As you can see, i am a bit of a rescue fan

Thank you all for your advice - will probably get two now instead - wouldn't want it to be lonely.

We have just 'decided' on two rabbits from a rehoming centre. The male has been neutered, but the female hasn't. The lady there said it wouldn't matter. Is she right or should we get the female done (so to speak)?
Sorry to gate crash, but thought I'd ask.

Is it normal for a rehoming place to have only got the males 'done'? Also how much is this likely to cost me?
Sorry for so many questions.

Most rehoming centres will neuter the males and females, they also health check them and any obvious genetic defects are spotted. I would certainly recommend getting a neutered, already matched male-female pair as bonding them yourself can be a trial. Same sex pairs are more likely to fall out but lots of people have devoted male-male female-female pairs. Personality matching is key, and this is where a good rescue can really help.

You are probably looking at a donation of at least £25 per rabbit, up to £50 per neutered rabbit. A pair will need minimum 6ft by 2ft by 2ft hutch and attached run 6ft x 4ft min with 24 hour access preferably. Basically, the bigger the better. Hutch and run need to be sited on concrete to prevent foxes digging in and buns digging out. Mesh needs to be weld mesh, not chicken wire.

all rabbits i've had together have been anti social.

i have one indoor one which has a ferplast cage sort of like this one and one outdoor rabbit who has a hutch and run.

i got my rabbit from pets at home.. he was £25 which isnt cheap but well worth it, hes never bitten and is tame as anything. He has a handmade hutch i got from a market for £15, its got two doors on the front half wired and other half full wood so that section is sheltered.. i was going to get him a run but ended up just letting him out on the garden and he loves it.. (obv garden is fully enclosed no way of escape!!)

the more i handled him the tamer he got, my nxt door neighbour is just two and she plays with him and loves him.. Gizmo is nearly one now and hes the happiest bunny ive ever known lol

would you like me to email you a photo of my hutch for your husband to see? as its handmade ...? i could take one and put it on tomoro for you?