There’s nothing more heartwarming than seeing a pet bunny binky hopping and zooming around outside. Even if they live in a nice indoor rabbit cage or rabbit hutch, pet rabbits deserve a safe outdoor rabbit run to stretch their legs and get a change of scenery. To ensure a rabbit’s health, they should be given a safe space for exercise, mental stimulation, and fresh air. However, rabbit owners must take into consideration the health and safety risks involved in letting rabbits run free outside. Predators, extreme weather, escape, and parasites are all possible, and it’s our responsibility to protect our bunnies from these risks. Below are some tips to consider when designing and building your rabbit run.
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1. Choosing the Right Location
- Choose a great place with partial shade, protected from direct sunlight. Rabbits overheat quickly, so having a place to escape the hot sun is essential. If there are no shade trees, shade can be created with shade cloth or solid walls built from wood, cardboard, or cinder blocks.
- Choose a spot that has good airflow, but also provide protection from heavy wind. Good airflow will keep their air clean and fresh, but in extreme weather, a wind block is necessary.
- Avoid areas with toxic plants. Here is a list of plants that are toxic to rabbits.
- Build your rabbit run a safe distance from other pets and wildlife. For example, you don’t want to build it along a fence line where the dog next door can see your rabbit and bark in its face all day. Your rabbit will be terrified, and eventually the dog might figure out how to get in and attack the rabbit.
2. Secure Enclosures and Fencing
- Use predator-proof enclosures. The type of building materials and strategies you need will depend on the types of predators in your area. Many predators work primarily at night, so it’s a good idea to bring your rabbit indoors before dark. Here are a few suggestions of what to use to prevent each predator. This is not an exhaustive or guaranteed list. Predators can be very persistent.
- Raccoons: Use hardware cloth stapled onto a wooden frame with heavy duty staples. Don’t use fencing, they can fit their hands through to grab your rabbit. Line the enclosure from all sides, including the top. Make sure the gate has a lock, and there are no gaps anywhere. Chicken wire or mesh is not strong enough to prevent raccoons, or any predator.
- Foxes: Similar to raccoons.
- Hawks: Build a solid roof (or use a tarp) so hawks can’t see your rabbit from above.
- Dogs and coyotes: Use solid walls, or very strong fencing such as chain link (hardware cloth can be torn apart by very persistent dogs.) Build walls at least 6 feet tall, preferably with a roof. Bury hardware cloth around edges or line with pavers to prevent digging under the fencing.
- Bears: Similar to dogs, hope and pray they lose interest and move on.
- To prevent rabbits from escaping, build a roof on your enclosure (some rabbits can climb!) Create an underground barrier, such as pavers or hardware cloth, to prevent digging tunnels under the walls.
- A portable exercise pen such as this one, or this one can be a great idea, but due to their flimsiness, I only recommend using them when you are nearby, supervising the rabbit at all times. These types of pens are too easy for predators to knock down.
3. Flooring Considerations
- Grass is lovely in a rabbit run. Be sure it has not been sprayed with any toxic chemicals. Grass can harbor parasites, including ticks and intestinal worms, so you may need to check rabbits for those issues regularly.
- Paving stones or concrete do not harbor parasites, are easy to clean, and can even help keep your rabbit’s nails filed down. I have concrete flooring in my rabbit run. An added bonus is that it feels cool in the shade on hot days, and the rabbits love to stretch out on it.
- An outdoor rug, cage liner, or foam mats could be nice options. They are easy to clean, but some rabbits might chew on them, which can be dangerous. Some of these options might not be meant for outdoor use.
4. Weather Protection
- Rabbits need protection from sun, rain, wind, heat, and cold. Here are a few ideas:
- Sun: Use existing trees, shade cloth, tarps, or building materials to create plenty of shade.
- Rain: Use tarps, corrugated tin, or roofing materials to construct a sloped roof structure with walls that your rabbit can take shelter in. Ensure that the rabbit run drains quickly and doesn’t flood.
- Wind: Protect from harsh winds using solid walls, tarps, or plastic sheeting. Tarps and plastic sheeting can be tied to fencing for support.
- Heat: Provide plenty of shade and fresh water. Fans or misters can help cool the air. Keep electric cords out of reach of the rabbits. To avoid electric shock, don’t mix electricity and misters. Provide stone pavers or allow rabbits to dig tunnels for a cool place to lay down.
- Cold: In addition to the wind protection listed above, give your rabbit a house or hideout filled with straw that they can burrow in.
5. Enrichment and Play Features
- Rabbit tunnels, ramps, and platforms are a great way to make the rabbit run fun and enriching. I use tree stumps, branches, and cardboard boxes, as well as a play tunnel.
- Provide lots of toys. Safe chew toys for rabbits, and untreated wood houses and toys, are a lot of fun. Don’t use painted or varnished wood, or wood species that may be toxic to rabbits (cedar, apricot, plum, cherry, citrus, yew, balsam, fir, cypress, and more.) Apple, pear, kiln dried pine, willow, poplar, and many more are fine. Pinecones are a safe, fun toy.
- Give your rabbit plenty of hiding spots so they can feel safe and secure. I like to use a large cardboard box for this. Don’t use boxes with plastic tape or shiny colorful ink.
- Make a large enclosure, with plenty of space to run. Mine is about 24 feet by 6 feet (7.32 meters × 1.83 meters.)
6. Supervision and Daily Checks
- Regularly inspect fencing and enclosures for damage, and make repairs immediately.
- Watch your rabbit for signs of stress or overheating.
- Check your rabbit for ticks or injuries when you bring your rabbit back inside.
- Check the rabbit run regularly for potential hazards like predators, sharp objects, standing water, or toxic plants.
Conclusion
A safe outdoor play area gives your rabbit the chance to enjoy fresh air, exercise, and natural exploration while staying protected. With a secure enclosure, cozy shelter, and fun enrichment, you can create a space where your rabbit can thrive without the risks of predators, escapes, or harsh weather.
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