Setting up a rabbit hotel (like a cattery)

[gotmychocolateimgood]

This is my DH idea but I love it! We have just been on holiday and put our two pet rabbits in a cattery. He said, we could do the same. I'm bunny obsessed.

Just hypothetical at the moment but we have a large walled garden and two spare hutches plus two big runs. What would the insurance /paperwork side involve? Not rushing into anything here but just having a think.

I've never kept rabbits (I'm a guinea-pig slave ) but my pigs go to a small animal boarding that looks after piggies an rabbits.

I think with rabbits you'd need to offer unlimited access to the grass runs but with the option of locking them up for the night (I think if I had rabbits I'd want to know they were secure , away from foxes etc , even though they would probably want to be dancing round the lawn at 5am)

Can you rotate the grazing to let it rest and limit the risk of any cross contamination from different rabbits.

You'd need to check they've had their vaccines ( the place we use will insist on seeing the certificate , luckily pigs don't need them).

Cleaning and sanitising the hutches between guests. ( I use a steamer on our piggies house and if I'm introducing a new pig, I use Vikron S )

Insurance - probably you'd need to insure against loss / injury. To cover the value of the rabbit/ vet bills if there's an injury in your care.
And security against predators and any human predators .

Have you thought about fostering for a Rescue? You'll have them short term maybe till they are rehomed , or maybe pregnant bunnies who need somewhere quiet to have their litters? That would be year round rather than holiday time

Is there a certificate in animal care you can do?

Go to Rabbits United and ask there. They’ll know.

Personally I wouldn't board my two in hutches as they're used to a much larger space. A shed/aviary type set up is easier to maintain.

You also have to consider disease control, such as making sure everything is easy to disinfect and only allowing vaccinated and non-EC rabbits to board. I would be wary about allowing them access to any grass as you can't disinfect that.

Housing shouldn't be next to each other either. Some bonded pairs can divorce if they're right next to other rabbits and diverted aggression causes them to fight. (They can't fight with the rabbits they can see, so they fight with each other.)

Thank you for the reality check!

A year ago i also would have thought this was a fab idea - but now a know a lot more about keeping rabbits i can see all the pitfalls - just too risky - but the fostering option would be a good idea - all the fun without the risk