Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Foxes worst nightmare! Predator Proof Rabbit Hutches and Runs

By Glenn Turner


As a rabbit owner I am sure you know that a rabbit needs its exercise. There isn't much room in a rabbit cage for movement let alone exercise. Without exercise your rabbit is not being allowed its own strength and without exercise they are likely to become less and less able to ward of diseases. These issues can be easily avoided if rabbits are allowed their exercise. Some rabbit owners choose to let their rabbits run around in the house. At first this may seem like a good idea and on the surface a really nice one. It is not actually a practical idea when it comes down to it as it will be difficult to keep the rabbit away from hazardous things within your household, and your rabbit isn't likely to get on very well with your other pets, should you have any. Your most practical solution is to purchase a predator proof rabbit hutch with a run.

A Rabbit run is a portion of a rabbit hutch and run that is covered and designed specifically to be used outdoors. They are identified by the fact that they have walls and a roof but do not feature a floor. It isn't missing; nature is going to provide you with a floor itself! The ground becomes the floor. This works as a great floor for the rabbit to use as a place for exercise and fun times. These Hutches and runs are perfectly good at keeping rabbits in. But how good are they at keeping out predators? Predator proof Rabbit Hutches and Runs are built especially for this purpose.

It's sad to say but it is a fact of life, rabbits do have predators out there. The main predator, I am sure you aware, is the fox. As a rabbit owner you will want to make sure you are prepared for the potential onslaught of dangerous predators such as foxes. These predator proof rabbit hutches and runs are made so that your rabbits are safe from predators. These rabbit hutches and runs are made out of heavier material and use a stronger mesh which helps stop foxes from being able to chew open holes or lift up the hutches and runs so that they may use the fact that the run has no bottom to their own devious advantage.

Rabbit runs can often allow space for more than just the one rabbit. Rabbits are quite a sociable animal despite what I said earlier about their interaction with other species. Make sure to keep male and female rabbits separate to each other for the obvious reason!

Rabbit Runs can be rather cumbersome, and given their unique design are intended for use outside. They are not, however, intended to be treated as a shelter for rabbits in the long-term, as, although they protect against predators, they obviously have very little protection against the elements. Runs are intended for play time use for the rabbits and as such are often made with the capability of being unassembled for ease of storage. For housing your Rabbits in the long term you will need hutches or cages.

Whilst it is true that cages are the smallest and easiest option, they do have the obvious factor of having four open sides and this can cause your rabbit to feel the cold a lot of the time. It is for this particular reason that cages are perhaps more suited to indoor use. Due to their size, it should also be mentioned that cages are better if used for just one rabbit.

For those of you reading this article, it may be most beneficial for you to buy or have bought a Hutch. A hutch has one or two open sides allowing for ventilation, thus it is ideal for outside use. Most of the best hutches feature an enclosed area so that your rabbit can retreat away when it wants to whether it is to avoid the heat, the light, or just for the hell of it! If your rabbit needs to be outside for whatever reason, or is a particularly large rabbit, or even if you have a few rabbits then, a hutch is your best option.




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