If you know what it takes to have a pet rabbit, you will be better prepared in getting one for your family. It is not only housing it in a cage inside your house but also making provisions for outdoor play and exercise such as in a rabbit run.

Will you buy it or make it?

One of the factors that determine the type of run you will have is of course your budget. There are many runs sold even at online stores that will surely fascinate you and tickle your imagination so that you feel you want to buy the best among those that are listed.

They come in different designs in color and style, and of course the materials they are made of. Basically, you could ask yourself “How can I make the proper choice of which one to buy for my pet rabbit?”

But the thing is, after reading so much materials on how to care for your pet rabbit, you learned that one of the most important things in the life of your new pet is its ability to play outdoors for a good bit of daily exercise and play and a large dose of clean air and sunshine.

So you looked and tried to find the one best suited for your rabbit. You even spotted one model that seems to you resembling a mini townhouse because probably this is the first time you saw it – a double rabbit hutch. Anyway you only have one rabbit so you continued on looking for another one because you feel you can find something better. Then you find the one that suits your taste and you believe will serve the purpose for your new pet.

You then decided to buy the particular model you want and in a matter of days, it is there in front of you. Now you are ready to bring your rabbit outdoor.

What if you want to make it yourself?

But supposing you believe that although you can afford to buy a rabbit run, it is not adequate for the purpose you envision for your pet? You might decide to build one yourself. Anyway, you have the time, and the tools to use for making one. You now start making a list of materials you would need to make one. The question is, what are your considerations so that you will have the one you believe is best suited for your pet?

1. The size of the run. It is suggested that a good run is one where your rabbit can make 6 to 8 hops, although one that is a little bigger will be good for your pet. The bigger the run, the more space your rabbit has for play and exercise.

A standard run is not really that big but it has enough space where your pet can exercise and of course play. It must be high enough to allow the rabbit to stand on its hind legs without banging its head against the cover, if you decide to have it covered.

2. The materials. If you are making one, make sure that the materials you will use are durable, strong and sturdy. This has relevance to your plan to fox proof the rabbit run you are going to make. For this purpose, you should choose all weather wood which is strong and not easily rotten and chewed.

3. The design. The design of the run can be taken from the internet or from your local rabbit association. However, you can have the basic shape and dimensions, to include the structures like the shelter or house you will place inside, but you will be the one to decide the materials to be used. Using welded wire is advisable since it is sturdy and cannot be destroyed even by a strong predator. Also, that material cannot be chewed by the rabbit.

In the design, the floor should also be included. You can leave a space for the rabbit to be able to dig or have the whole area covered by the enclosure made with welded wire, not chicken wire, so that any attempt by a predator, say a fox, to enter the run by digging will always fail.

Consider the cover of the whole top of the rabbit run. It should include a welded wire cover and a cover 0f suitable material like plywood or solid plastic board. The first one is to prevent the fox from getting in by jumping over the side of the enclosure.

Foxes are known to be able to scale fences around 6 feet in height. Also, this will bar any bird of prey from the air to get into the run should it spot the rabbit inside and make a try to get it. The plywood cover serves as a protection against the weather if ever it gets bad.

Another aspect that must be considered in the design is the space available in the yard and of course whether they are frequently used or not.

Whatever the case, decide whether the run can be folded or not, for easy removal and transport to another side, or for keeping it temporarily away, especially in the night. This can be a critical factor in the design if the space available is small.

Can you?

Yes of course, you can build the rabbit run yourself and if you have somebody to help you, it still can be fun. You might even think of making a double rabbit hutch in the end.

You can have the best of both worlds.

Author Bio: For more details about rabbit run and double rabbit hutch, please visit us online.

Category: Pets
Keywords: rabbit runs, rabbit run