DIY Rabbit Shelters
Starting a rabbit shelter involves a lot more than housing and feeding a few cute bunnies. Shelters generally exist to take in and care for several unwanted rabbits, work to control the population and find adoptive homes for the rabbits already in the shelter. There are also a number of legal and organizational aspects to consider. A few basic guidelines will help those who are serious and passionate about helping rabbits begin a proper and successful shelter.
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Things You'll Need
- Hutches or cages, 2-by-2-by-4 foot minimum
- Water and food dishes
- Bedding material
- Wood shavings
- Chew toys
- Fenced in outdoor area
- Litter boxes and material
- Hay, greens and pellets for food
- Cleaning Utensils
- Pet carriers
- Veterinary access
Instructions
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Decide how large you want your rabbit shelter to be. Things to consider include how many rabbits you can house, where you can provide protected and large outdoor space for them to run and play and how much you can budget for food and other materials.
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Position the rabbit hutches or cages -- one per rabbit -- somewhere indoors. Each rabbit should have fresh, daily food and water, so a food and water dish for each cage is ideal.
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Scatter plenty of bedding material and wood shavings into each hutch or cage so that the rabbits can easily make nests and beds. Add a couple of chew toys for each rabbit. This will allow them to exercise their desire to chew, and decrease destructive behavior.
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Rabbits need plenty of safe outdoor space for play and exercise. Enclose a large outdoor area with secure fencing both on the sides and the top. The area should be large enough that the rabbits can run and jump for a couple hours at a time. Consider using concrete around the edges to discourage rabbits from digging out and predators from digging in. Include some chew toys and bedding material here as well.
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Add a litter box with litter material (not cat litter) after the rabbit has chosen which corner of the cage will be for waste. Clean the corner, and place the material filled litter box in it.
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Provide hay (the majority of a rabbit's diet), greens and pellets in the food dishes regularly, and change over the water at least daily.
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Clean the hutches or cages and outdoor play area once or twice a week. Use warm soapy water in the cages and hutches, and sweep out the play area. Replace soiled litter and lay new bedding and shavings.
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Observe proper preventive and necessary health care with regular visits to the vet. Transport the rabbits in a standard pet carrier. Obtain papers from the vet for a record of each rabbit's health care.
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Tips & Warnings
Check local zoning laws to make sure that having an outdoor play space is legal.
If your shelter beings to fill with rabbits, start a waiting list for those you cannot accommodate but do not want to turn away.
Keep records on the people who adopt rabbits from your shelter, and follow up with them to see how things are going.
Hard wire floors in cages can cause ulceration on your rabbits' feet. Cover cage floors with a piece of wood or sturdy cardboard to prevent this.
If you have children, make sure they know how to handle bunnies and rabbits. Because rabbits cannot cry out, they may become aggressive and bite if picked up improperly.
References
Resources
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