A hutch is a type of

cage A cage is an enclosure often made of mesh, bars, or wires, used to confine, contain or protect something or someone. A cage can serve many purposes, including keeping an animal or person in captivity, capturing an animal or person, and displayin ...

used typically for housing

domestic rabbit A domestic or domesticated rabbit (''Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus'')—more commonly known as a pet rabbit, bunny, bun, or bunny rabbit—is a subspecies of European rabbit, a member of the lagomorph family. A male rabbit is known as a ''bu ...

s. Other small animals can also be housed in hutches such as

guinea pigs The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus ''Cavia'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the a ...

ferrets The ferret (''Mustela furo'') is a small, domesticated species belonging to the family Mustelidae. The ferret is most likely a domesticated form of the wild European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), evidenced by their interfertility. Other must ...

, and

hamsters Hamsters are rodents (order Rodentia) belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae, which contains 19 species classified in seven genera.Fox, Sue. 2006. ''Hamsters''. T.F.H. Publications Inc. They have become established as popular small pets. The ...

. Most hutches have a frame constructed of

wood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin th ...

, including legs to keep the unit off the ground. The floor may be wood,

wire mesh Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm A wire is a flexible strand of metal. Wire is co ...

, or some combination of the two. Wire mesh is very bad for rabbits' feet and can cause sore hocks. One or more walls of the hutch are also wire mesh to allow for

ventilation Ventilation may refer to: * Ventilation (physiology), the movement of air between the environment and the lungs via inhalation and exhalation ** Mechanical ventilation, in medicine, using artificial methods to assist breathing *** Ventilator, a ma ...

. Some hutches have built-in

nest box A nest is a structure built for certain animals to hold eggs or young. Although nests are most closely associated with birds, members of all classes of vertebrates and some invertebrates construct nests. They may be composed of organic materi ...

es and shingled roofs—these are generally intended to be placed directly outside rather than inside another shelter such as a

barn A barn is an agricultural building usually on farms and used for various purposes. In North America, a barn refers to structures that house livestock, including cattle and horses, as well as equipment and fodder, and often grain.Allen G. N ...

. Some hutches have a felt roof. In any case it is important that the hutch is draft-free and provides a shelter in case the animal is scared and wants to retreat to a safe haven. Not only will this help protect your pet from harsh weather conditions, but also predator attacks. The generally accepted minimum hutch size is 10 square feet for a 4 kg medium-sized breed. If the animal is very protective or even aggressive, this is generally a sign that the hutch is too small. However, it has in the past decade, become unacceptable for people who are more knowledgeable about rabbits' needs that they should live in a hutch of this size, or any small cage for that matter. Rabbits love to run and jump and need space. For many animal rescues, now a predator safe run must be attached to, or contain the hutch; the run must be at least 10 ft x 6 ft with a run height of 3 ft, or in metric, 3m x 2m and a run height of 1m. (Rabbit Welfare Association and Trust, 2018) Even more space to live in is better.Rabbits and other small and would thrive better if in doors and not in any kind of hutch or cage

References

Buildings and structures used to confine animals Domesticated animals Rabbits as pets {{tool-stub