How to Set Up a Rabbit Hutch

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: November 25, 2022 References

Rabbits are great pets. However, caring for and housing rabbits takes time and effort. While many people choose to house their rabbits in cages and enclosures inside, others prefer to have their rabbits in outdoor hutches in their backyards. Hutches are large raised enclosures used to keep rabbits outdoors. If you choose to go with a rabbit hutch, you’ll have to dedicate a little time into setting up your hutch. Fortunately, with a little knowledge and some thought, you’ll have your hutch set up in no time.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Setting Up a Completed Hutch

1
Lay down newspaper in the hutch. The first step you want to take in preparing the hutch for rabbits is to lay newspaper down throughout the compartment of the hutch. Newspaper will help keep in hay or wood shavings and provide insulation for your rabbits.
- Put newspaper in all areas of the hutch.
- Consider two or three layers.
- Make sure the newspaper is placed down carefully and evenly.^{[1]
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2
Spread wood shavings or hay throughout the hutch. After you’ve put down the newspaper, take some wood shavings or hay and spread them liberally throughout the hutch. Wood shavings or hay will provide insulation for your rabbits and provide them with a comfortable environment to live in.
- Provide enough hay or wood shavings so that your rabbits have enough to insulate them and play in, but not too much that it makes it difficult for them to move around.
- Make sure to use hay appropriate for feeding livestock. You do not want specialty holiday hay used for decorating your home on holidays. This may be treated with fire retardant or other chemicals.
- If you choose to go with wood shavings, avoid cedar or pine shavings. These may emit a gas that is dangerous to animals. Oak or other hardwoods are a good choice.^{[2]
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3
Create a bedding area. You need to also create a specific place for your rabbits to sleep. This area should be cozier and more comfortable than the rest of the hutch. Design and components will vary, but consider:
- If you’ve used wood shavings throughout, make sure you leave one spot to put a soft hay for the rabbits to sleep in.
- Using pelleted wheat fiber. These fibers are chemical free and comfortable.
- Using recycled fibers or paper fibers.
- Bedding supplies can be purchased at most animal supply stores.^{[3]
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4
Provide food and water bowls. One of the final touches will be to provide a food and water bowl for your rabbits. Needless to say, food and water are important, so placement is an important consideration. Consider:
- Putting two water bowls or sources of water in the hutch. The number really depends on how many rabbits you have, the size of your hutch, and how often you’ll be able to provide water. Make sure that your rabbits always have fresh clean water to drink.
- Putting a food bowl near the bedding area.
- Putting larger food and water bowls if you have a large hutch or a lot of rabbits.
5
Place your rabbit(s) in the hutch. Your final step will be to populate the hutch with your rabbits. While this is your final step, it is also a very important one. Make sure to introduce your rabbits in way so that they will be comfortable with and excited about their new home.
- Take time to introduce your rabbits by hand into the hutch.
- Place one rabbit at a time, gently, into the hutch.
- Stick around the hutch for a while and watch your rabbits explore their new home.^{[4]
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6
Maintain your hutch. After setting the hutch up, you'll need to maintain the hutch so it continues to be a safe environment for your rabbits. While basic maintenance might take some time, if you stay diligent, it should be fairly inexpensive.
- Make sure to replace wood as it degrades and rots.
- Replace any rusty wire or other metal.
- Periodically, remove your rabbits from the hutch so that you can paint and refinish it (if needed).
- Make sure to replace newspaper, hay, and other bedding material as it degrades or as waste accumulates.
- Replace any plastic rabbit water bottles (if you use them) as they age and degrade.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Choosing a Hutch Location

1
Evaluate your yard. The first step in setting up your rabbit hutch is to evaluate your yard and outdoor space. By walking around and taking a good look at your yard, you’ll get an idea of which spaces are potentially suitable for your rabbit hutch. Consider a number of factors, including:
- Shade.
- Rain.
- Proximity to the house.
- Potential perils such as water runoff, sickly trees that may collapse, or unstable ground.^{[5]
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2
Pick a location. After you’ve evaluated your yard, you should pick the most ideal location possible. You’ll want to pick a location based on all of the factors you’ve already evaluated. The location should be safe and secure from the elements and from predators. Consider:
- Picking a spot that is on high ground away from any areas that could potentially flood.
- Picking a spot that is shaded, but is also safe from falling trees or tree limbs.
- Picking a spot that is close enough to your home so that you can monitor possible predators.^{[6]
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3
Avoid putting your rabbit hutch in an area frequented by other animals or livestock. One important thing to remember is to avoid putting your rabbit hutch in a location where other animals or livestock get to roam free. While your rabbits will be relatively secure in their hutch, other animals can be unpredictable and may hurt your rabbits.
- Livestock could potentially knock over the hutch.
- Free ranging dogs could see your rabbits as a snack and try to get into the hutch.
- While some animals, like chickens, can safely co-exist around a rabbit hutch, be careful and monitor any interactions.^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Building a Hutch

1
Level the ground. Now that you’ve selected a location for the hutch, you need to make sure the ground there is level. This is important since most hutches have either four legs or a flat bottom. Ultimately, you don’t want your hutch leaning to one side or another, as a bad rainstorm or wind could knock it over and injure its inhabitants.
- Take a shovel and level the ground where the hutch will be.
- Spread out dirt and rock to form a level surface.
- Employ a large level (tool) to verify that the ground is indeed flat.^{[8]
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2
Assemble the hutch. After you’ve leveled the ground, you need to put the hutch in place and assemble it. Assembling the hutch is also very important, as you need to make sure it is put together properly and is secure. If your hutch is not put together properly, your rabbits could get out, or intruders could get in and hurt your rabbits.
- If you’ve bought a new hutch from the store, follow the directions that come with the hutch. Most store-bought hutches will be relatively simple to put together.
- If you’ve bought a second-hand hutch, chances are it will require minimal assembly. Make sure you have all of the pieces and put it back together the way it was before you transported it.
- If you're building your own hutch, make sure you build one that is stable and secure.
- Position the hutch. After you’ve assembled the hutch, move it into position onto the level ground you prepared.
3
Review the hutch, and fix any damage. After you’ve assembled and positioned the hutch, take a minute to carefully review it for damages or defects. This is important, as you want to make sure the hutch is safe and ready for your rabbit friends.
- Look to see there are no sharp or pointy pieces of metal or frayed wire. Cut these or bend them so they pose no risk to the rabbits.
- If your hutch uses wire, make sure that there are no gaps or large spaces in the wire from which a rabbit could sneak out. If there is, use some spare wire to cover the gap.
- Make sure the hutch is sitting on completely flat ground and the base is stable.^{[9]
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