The best wood for the rabbit hutch

Anyone who has acquired a rabbit, must be aware that a lot of work comes to him. And not only with regard to the care of the rabbit, because the rabbit hutch must also meet the requirements of the little animals.

Here it depends above all on the material. Wood is particularly suitable, but also the accessories in the rabbit hutch itself is then important for the inhabitants. Therefore, it is important to make the right decision if you want to buy a rabbit hutch or even make one yourself. However, not only the construction of the hutch is crucial for the happiness of rabbits, but also the interior decoration of their home and protection from predators, wind and weather.

A rabbit hutch made of hardwood

Hardwood is recommended both for DIY and for buying a hutch. Rabbits feel comfortable because it is a naturally occurring material and because, unlike a metallic material, it does not reflect or bring other accompanying effects. So when you buy a rabbit hutch, make sure the hardwood is glazed. If you are even building it completely yourself, you should finish it with a child-friendly glaze. This will then make the hutch weather resistant and the hardwood won’t rot as quickly. After a certain time, this glaze should be repeated. Especially if children often play in or around the enclosure, this glaze must be mandatory child-friendly. These instructions are on the packaging of a glaze with it.

Which hardwood is the right one for a rabbit hutch?

It is important that hard wood is used, because rabbits love to gnaw on everything around them. A good hardwood cannot be gnawed by a rabbit as quickly and therefore has a much longer shelf life. Hardwood also does not rot as quickly. Softwoods, on the other hand, such as coniferous wood, are therefore rather unsuitable for the hutch.

In addition, you should make sure that all the slats and boards used are nice and smooth, without holes or grooves. The hardwood of beech, ash, birch, oak or the native fruit trees is best suited for the construction of a rabbit hutch outdoors.

The interior and securing the enclosure

But with the construction of the rabbit hutch is not yet done, because rabbits also want to have an interior in their new home. So the hutch for a rabbit, which is at least 2 square meters in size, should definitely still have a few special features. Quite apart from the fact that rabbits prefer to live in pairs and can be quite unhappy alone, certain attractions and play opportunities in the hutch or enclosure are quite useful. Especially important is the security of the hutch. Thus, it must be prevented that predators such as foxes can get into the enclosure. Likewise, the rabbit should be protected from wind and weather. The digging abilities of the rabbits also pose a particular danger, because if the natural floor is soft, they may even be able to dig their way under the enclosure. Therefore, it is important to secure not only the side barrier, but also the subfloor.