Best rabbit hutch: sizes, hutch-and-run sets and what to avoid

What is the best rabbit hutch to buy?

The best hutch is the biggest one you can join to a run, measured inside. Every welfare body we read says the same thing in different words: the RSPCA says a traditional small hutch should never be a rabbit's only home, the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWAF) says a hutch should never be the sole or main accommodation, and Woodgreen asks for a run permanently and securely attached to the hutch, with 24-hour access between the two.

So you are not buying a home. You are buying the bedroom of a home. That changes what "best" means: a shorter, cheaper hutch joined to a big walk-in run beats a fancy hutch with a tiny run every time. Our page on rabbit hutch size explains where the minimums come from, and our guide to rabbit cage and enclosure size covers the whole living area, including giant breeds.

What size hutch do rabbits need?

Two average rabbits need a hutch of at least 180 x 60 x 60 cm (6 x 2 x 2 ft) inside, according to the RWAF, with room for three hops end to end and a full upright stretch. The RWAF gives the same minimum for one rabbit as for two, because rabbits should live in pairs. No welfare body we read gives a fixed figure for three or more, so treat these as a floor and add space and hides.

The two height figures differ: the RWAF's minimum is 60 cm (2 ft), while the Scottish Government's guidance asks for at least 75 cm (30 in) for medium rabbits. We'd follow the taller one, and the RSPCA's simple test: your rabbit must stand on its back legs without its ears touching the roof.

How to read a hutch listing before you buy

Most listings give the outside size, and that hides how small the inside is. Legs, a sloping roof, a storage loft and a pull-out tray can all eat into the space a rabbit actually uses. Work through the listing like this:

1. Find the inside size. Look for "internal" or "living area" measurements. If the listing only gives outside figures, ask the seller or assume the inside is smaller by the thickness of every wall, the roof and the legs.
2. Measure the ground floor only. The RWAF says the upper floor of a two-storey hutch, ramps and platforms do not count towards floor space. Judge a two-tier hutch by its bottom floor alone.
3. Check the length in one line. You want at least 180 cm (6 ft) in one direction so a rabbit can hop, not just shuffle.
4. Check the height in each room. A hutch with a sloping roof can be tall at the front and too low at the back. The lowest point is the one that matters.
5. Check the run size separately. In a hutch-and-run set, add the run's floor to the hutch's ground floor. If the total is under 3 x 2 m (10 x 6 ft), plan a bigger run from day one.

What to check on a hutch before buying

• Inside floor at least 180 x 60 cm (6 x 2 ft), and tall enough for your rabbit standing up
• Two rooms: a dark, enclosed bedroom and a lighter living area, as the Scottish Government guidance asks
• A solid, non-slip floor (RSPCA), never wire or bars
• Welded mesh, never chicken wire: 16 gauge (about 1.6 mm) wire with 13 mm (1/2 in) holes is the RWAF's recommendation, ideally stainless steel
• Bolts that take a padlock, not turn buttons a fox can nudge (RWAF)
• Vents or mesh panels high up and opposite each other, so air flows without a draught (RSPCA)
• Raised off the ground on legs or a stand, so the floor stays dry (RSPCA, PDSA)
• A waterproof, overhanging roof
• A deep floor tray or lip that keeps a thick layer of straw in
• Doors wide enough to reach every corner when you clean: the RSPCA asks for a daily toilet clean and a full clean about once a week
• A door or pop hole where a run or tunnel can be fixed on
• Untreated wood, or a pet-safe finish that has dried fully (RWAF)

Hutches that are too small, and why

Most hutches sold as "rabbit hutches" fail the size test before you look at anything else. The RWAF picks out a common pet shop size of about 1.2 x 0.45 m (4 x 1.5 ft) and says no one should sell or buy a hutch that size or smaller. In one like that, a rabbit cannot stand up with the lid shut, which the RWAF says can lead to a painfully bent spine.

Hutch and run sets, two-storey hutches and sheds compared

If you are choosing between types, this is how they stack up. Every one of them still needs to reach the joined 3 x 2 x 1 m (10 x 6 x 3 ft) total.

How to make a hutch better

A hutch you already own can often be rescued rather than replaced. These fixes come straight from what the welfare bodies ask for:

• Join it to a run with a pop hole or tunnel, open day and night
• Replace a steep ramp with a wide step, log or box with grip (Woodgreen)
• Swap chicken wire for welded mesh, fixed on the inside of the frame with strong U-nails, not staples (RWAF)
• Add a second layer of 13 mm (1/2 in) mesh if stoats or weasels live near you (RWAF)
• Fit padlockable bolts top and bottom on every door
• Board over any wire floor, then add a thick layer of soft, dust-extracted straw for bedding (RWAF)
• Fit a cover for wind and rain, leaving air inlets above ear level, as the Scottish Government guidance says
• Move the whole hutch into a shed or outbuilding for winter, with the run still attached

DIY rabbit hutch: how to build one that passes

Building your own is often the cheapest way to get a hutch that is truly big enough. Use the same numbers as a bought one.

1. Draw it inside out. Start from the inside floor: at least 180 x 60 cm (6 x 2 ft), and 75 cm (30 in) tall or more for medium rabbits. Add the walls, roof and legs around that.
2. Pick safe timber. Use untreated wood, or a preservative safe for pets, then let it dry and sand it before the rabbits move in (RWAF).
3. Split it into two rooms. A solid, dark bedroom and a living room with a welded mesh front.
4. Use the right mesh. 16 gauge welded wire with 13 mm (1/2 in) holes, fixed on the inside with U-nails.
5. Raise and roof it. Put it on legs, give it a sloping roof with felt and an overhang, and add high vents on opposite sides.
6. Add a run door. Build in a pop hole that lines up with your run so the two can be fixed together for good.

Indoor rabbit hutches

An indoor hutch needs the same total space as an outdoor one: Woodgreen asks for 24-hour access to a rabbit-proofed room or an area of at least 3 x 2 m (10 x 6 ft). Use the hutch as a bed and litter base inside a pen, away from radiators and draughts. Our guide to indoor or outdoor rabbits helps you choose, our cage checker compares measured homes with the figures we use, and our rabbit care guide and best rabbit cage guide cover the rest.