You might be wondering why we decided to convert a children’s playhouse into a rabbit hutch. Well, here’s the short version: we were planning to get rid of the playhouse since the kids have outgrown it. After about five years of heavy use and lots of fun, it was just no longer needed.
Originally, we thought we’d replace it with a simple rabbit run, but then I had the idea to turn the playhouse itself into a hutch. After some research, I found that many people convert sheds or other structures for their rabbits because standard hutches tend to be too small for their needs.
To give you some background, we started with two rabbits. Sadly, one passed away a couple of weeks after we got them. A week later, we brought home a new rabbit named Honey, who was just seven weeks old. Since our other rabbit, Olive, was still young and had previously lived with a companion, we assumed they’d get along well. But we were wrong! While they’re generally fine together outside in the garden, Olive is very territorial in smaller spaces and won’t leave Honey alone. So, we had to keep them apart.
Luckily, we had a two-storey hutch, so we removed the ramp and housed one rabbit upstairs and the other downstairs. While this worked temporarily, it didn’t give them enough room and wasn’t a long-term solution. That’s when turning the playhouse into a rabbit hutch seemed like the perfect idea.
Here’s what the playhouse looked like before we started…
As you can see, it was built on a raised platform, which isn’t suitable for rabbits. So, we began by removing the base. Then we ordered a rabbit run that fit perfectly between the playhouse and our garden wall (we have a small garden, so space is tight!).
We installed a cat flap inside the playhouse, allowing the rabbits to move freely between the house and the run whenever they want.
We also removed a couple of plastic windows and replaced them with chicken wire to ensure proper ventilation. For security, we added two locks to the door to keep predators out and our rabbits safely inside.
Inside the playhouse, the possibilities for ramps and levels are endless, but we decided to keep things simple. We bought a small shelter from Amazon for around £30, which fits perfectly. Honey loves sitting on top of it—it’s her favorite spot.
And that’s it! The transformation was surprisingly easy, and I’m really happy with how it turned out. Honey now lives in the playhouse, while Olive remains in the hutch—but she at least has both floors to herself. On days when they don’t get to roam in the garden, we swap them so Olive can get exercise in the run.
Hopefully, one day they’ll be able to live together peacefully, but for now, it just isn’t working. If you have any bonding tips for rabbits, please send them my way!
