Colony Pens

If one has the available space, an interesting way of keeping rabbits is on the colony system of allowing one buck to run with several does in a large open air pen, of a type similar to a chicken run. If one has the time and the inclination, quite an elaborate and ornamental structure can be constructed. Shrubs and creepers may be grown around the pen and the weather-proof sleeping quarters can be built to resemble an alpine villa; a Chinese pagoda or any other structure which takes one’s fancy. The house should preferably be set on a concrete base and there should be
separate compartments for the buck and each doe. It is advisable to have spare compartments available, to help prevent squabbling when the does are rearing litters. Care should be taken to ensure that all parts of the house are easily accessible for inspection and cleaning purposes, and
that there are no niches left for the benefit of wild rodents.

Guinea pigs (cavy) make good companions for rabbits. The main pen should have a wire netting wall about 2 metres (6ft) high, which is bent oulwards at the top to prevent predators entering. The base of the wire should be bent inwards for about 60cm (2ft) under the soil to prevent the rabbits from burrowing out. The rabbits will soon destroy the initial grass in the pen, but this may be replaced with sand, which can be replenished as necessary. The size of the pen will depend on the number of rabbits to be kept, but an enclosure some 4m (l3ft) long by 2m (6ft)
wide would be adequate for a buck and eight does.

It can be mentioned that guinea pigs (cavy) make fine companions for rabbits, though one should not mix the large breeds with small guinea pigs in restricted accommodation. In colony pens, one should also provide small ‘bolt holes’ for cavies to retreat to whenever they feel threatened — for example by cats. The diet of the guinea pig is the same as that of the rabbit.