I'm setting up rabbit hutches in my barn. Since there is not a lot of sun that reaches inside, how much light do they need? Do they need direct sunlight or is light that enters from open doors enough? I have two floors. The downstairs has the advantage of dirt floors for the rabbit droppings and worms, the upstairs (wood floor) has a little more light. Any recommendations on which floor?

-- Derrick Comfort (dcomfort@ccnmail.com), November 20, 1999

Answers

I would choose the bottom floor, unless it is so dark there that you have trouble seeing. The dirt floor is a very big advantage, and will help avoid amonia build up which can damage the lungs. Rabbits are more active in the dark, so reduced light is probably not a major factor with them, as it would be for, say, chickens.

-- Fran Ogren (trumpkinland@plix.com), November 21, 1999.

Adequate light is essential for rabbits to be willing to breed. Dirt floors are much better as wood holds disease and is hard to clean well. Just make sure they aren't exposed to wind or rain.

-- Carmen Carrion (revfrank@psln.com), January 01, 2000.

It is actually very bad for rabbits to get direct sunlight because that causes heat strokes but I think it is much better to have the rabbits on the bottom floor with just a little anount of natural sun light.

-- Mary Elizabeth Bognar (minilopmb@aol.com), January 05, 2001.