Homeless Bunnies, No more

For my daughter's birthday, she got a sweet little Netherland Dwarf bunny.  While we were equipped with a hutch for said bunny, it was in no way made for being outdoors and was not weather proof.  It was actually a depressing little enclosure overall.  Mr Bunny was indeed, homeless.

Of course, if one had time, a very nice little house could be made with scrap lumber and bits of the depressing cage, but frankly, I had no time to invest in such shenanigans.  I went on Amazon looking for a deal.

I found the Advantek The Penthouse Rabbit Hutch and after staring at it for a couple of days, I decided to go ahead and chance the price-vs-quality ratio and buy the thing.  I was pleasantly surprised!!

First of all, the construction side of it could not have been easier. I tend to throw all caution to the wind and go with my instincts always, so there could have been a lot of swearing and sweating here.  Of course, there wasn't.  I didn't even need to throw anything--caution or otherwise.   All the holes are marked and drilled for you, so you can easily set this pen up in less than 30 minutes with just a screwdriver.  All the hardware is included with very clear and easy-to-follow picture instructions.  You don't even have to know how to read!!!

Look Ma!  I'm a carpenter!!!

The wood is very thin and light, my guess is it is pine (indeed the description says fir!), but the entire structure was not all that expensive, so you kind of get what you pay for.  It is stained a pretty reddish brown with white painted trim.  The wire cage is black and sets off the white and red very nicely.  The cage bars are actually a nice sturdy material and is featured at the front and along the right side of the cage.

The front cage door

The nesting box door or, as Mr. Bunny insists, 

the bathroom area.

Shut the bloody door!  Can't a bunny poop in peace!?

There are 2 doors in the front.  One on the left is a rustic boxcar-siding-type door with white trim.  A simple heart screwed to the front serves as a very cute latch.  On the front right, the wire cage also opens with a secure latch. (see photos above)

I think my favorite part of the Advantek The Penthouse Rabbit Hutch has to be the top, which is hinged and easily opened with a support bracket that holds it in place during cleaning, giving you 3 different entrances to the cage.
Inside, the bottom is a plastic drawer, or litter pan, that is easily cleaned, but to follow the theme of the hutch, is trimmed in white painted wood.  There is also a removable, wood “room divider” with an opening to easily allow your bunny to go into his own private room (nesting area-er...bathroom) to the right side of the hutch.

The roof, with the solid shingle feature and white wood trim

The single propping hinge that holds the roof up for cleaning

The removable room divider leading into the nes...bathroom.

We are almost done sweetie.  I promise. 

I have the Advantek The Penthouse Rabbit Hutch sitting outside and so far it has weathered well.  The roof is a solid shingled area and the unit does not leak at all.  Of course, you would want to have the wire cage part turned away from the weather; however, with half of the unit being enclosed, your bunny can easily hide in the more enclosed side of the unit if he/she needs to.  If you do use this as a winter enclosure, I would suggest keeping the snow off of it as much as possible and giving it a good paint job every spring to ensure the wood stays protected, otherwise it is a very cute, very good and comfortable little hutch for your bunny.

I have also gotten Mr. Bunny a heated water bottle and warming pad, to further make his winter home comfortable.  This being a farming community, he is a very spoiled bunny compared to most.

I am seeing all the wild bunnies showing up in the yard just so they can pick on him and call him a sissy.  I don't care.  We love him and if that makes him a sissy, then he's a sissy.  Look at that cute little sissy bunny boy...awwww