Hutch Advice?

[MiliaMalvae]

Hello! Until now I have been keeping my bun in a metal play pin with a plastic litter box and using a card table for a top so he can’t hop out. You can see how this is maybe inconvenient… 

I would like to get him a proper bunny hutch (while still keeping him inside) that would have an attached play area as he is very picky and demands room to run around every second of the day. I actually ordered a hutch like this that arrived today but as I was setting it up, I saw one review that said it killed their rabbit… 

“I wrote a review earlier because I was so excited when I got the cage as were my bunnies! Unfortunately 4 days later my sweet holland lop is now dead. He was completely fine!!! I’ve read other reviews with sonar experiences and believe that this product has very toxic chemicals for little bunnies. I highly advice against this cage.”

Apparently it is toxic?? There are many reviews and this is the only one I saw saying that their rabbit suffered but naturally one is enough to make me cautious… This is said hutch I received:

https://www.amazon.com/Advantek-Stilt-House-Rabbit-Hutch/dp/B0087BI9KW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Is there any reason I should not use this for my bun? Are there better ones you would recommend? Please help.

Thanks!

I may be looking at these as replacement, remember he is staying inside with it so it doesn’t have to be weather proof:

https://www.amazon.com/Tangkula-Rabbit-Chicken-Wooden-Backyard/dp/B01N3QIR7D/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010PVKOD6/ref=psdc_2975537011_t2_B01N3QIR7D

[Deleted User]

I would also be very off put by that review…If only the reviewer had given more detail about the situation, maybe there was a different reason for the poor baby’s sudden passing. It is entirely probable that a commercially produced product could contain chemicals that are toxic to animals. These hutches are designed for outdoor conditions so they could contain waterproof sealants, paints, and other chemical concoctions used to treat the wood. In this situation, the first thing that comes to my mind is that maybe they use a lead paint and if the bunny chews the wood and ingests the paint that would be poisonous. I know that lead is not allowed in household paint, but I think it can still be added to exterior paints, so that is a possibility. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to know all of the chemicals that are contained in the product, but I think maybe looking for an indoor hutch would be better because maybe it would not be as heavily treated with chemicals. Some people build bunny condos out of NIC grids, but you would have to cover the wire flooring to prevent injury/discomfort. You could also look into DIY hutches, there are lots of good ideas out there using repurposed furniture. Good luck on finding something!

[jerseygirl]

It says it is cypress fir, which I don’t think is suitable. Perhaps someone else can weigh in on that?

From what I can tell, they use this wood as it is “naturally weather and insect resistant”. Those qualities may be due to it having a lot of resin still in the wood. Does it have a strong smell? It could be a problem if a rabbit where to chew it.

Since you already have a pen, what about getting another and making a habitat using them? I recall a member here using a pen and putting a upper level in it and a roof for the top.
Or you could just use a pen with higher sides for when he need to be shut away. Or do you have other pets that could get into the pen?

[Author]

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