GDLF 62" Rabbit Hutch Review: Is It Predator Proof?
A GDLF 62 inch rabbit hutch review: the pitched waterproof roof, the plastic tray upgrade, ramp and wire concerns, and the honest verdict on outdoor housing.
A fir-wood hutch with a pitched roof, and the questions to answer before a rabbit lives outside.
The verdict: The GDLF 62 inch hutch is a competent, weather-shedding fir hutch with a pitched roof and a pull-out plastic tray, and it is a reasonable sheltered enclosure for a rabbit that also gets a large attached run. Buy it if you need weather protection on a patio or in a covered run and can supervise daily. Skip it if it is going outside unattended as a rabbit's only home, because no consumer hutch is genuinely predator-proof and indoor housing remains the safer standard.
GOOD LIFE USA GDLF 62" Rabbit Hutch with Ramp and Cleaning Tray
~$160
A 62 inch two-level fir hutch with a pitched roof, waterproof non-toxic varnish, a removable plastic sliding tray and a ridged ramp to the raised house.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Exterior dimensions | 62 in long x 21 in wide x 37 in high |
|---|---|
| Upper house | 27.5 in long x 18 in wide x 20.5 in high |
| Ramp door | 7 in wide x 6 in high |
| Material | Fir wood finished with a waterproof, non-toxic varnish |
| Tray | Removable plastic sliding tray, an upgrade from the earlier metal tray |
| Roof | Pitched, so the run stays usable in rain |
| Stated capacity | Two to three rabbits or three to four guinea pigs |
Specifications above come from GOOD LIFE USA's published product information. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- The pitched roof genuinely works. A flat-roofed hutch pools water and the run underneath stays wet, and this one sheds it.
- Swapping the old metal tray for a plastic one was the right call, because metal trays rust at the seams within a season of urine exposure.
- The ramp has timber ridges across it, which stops the backwards slide that plain plywood ramps cause.
- Fir with a waterproof varnish is a sensible cost compromise, and it is easier to re-treat annually than a painted composite would be.
- At $160 it undercuts the metal-reinforced hutches by enough that the money saved could go on a proper attached run, which matters more.
Where it falls short
- The stated capacity of two to three rabbits is optimistic to the point of being misleading. Read it as a base for one rabbit, or two bonded rabbits with a large attached run.
- Bare wooden edges are what rabbits chew first, and this has no metal edging. Expect gnawed corners and re-varnish work.
- Wire flooring in the run section causes sore hocks. Cover any wire the rabbit rests on with a solid mat or board.
- Varnished fir absorbs urine at the joints over time, and the smell and staining are hard to reverse once they set in.
- The 7 by 6 inch ramp door is tight for a large breed, and a big lop will scrape going through it.
What owners report
Owner reports on the GDLF hutch centre on value and on the tray. Owners consistently describe the assembly as straightforward and the finished hutch as sturdier than the price suggests, and the change to a plastic sliding tray is widely welcomed by people who had rust problems with older metal-tray hutches. The recurring negatives are the ones you would expect from any wooden hutch at this price: the varnish needs renewing, the wire is thin gauge, and rabbits chew the exposed wood.
The more important thing to settle is not the hutch but the question behind it. Rabbits kept outside face heat stress above roughly the mid-seventies Fahrenheit, cold and damp in winter, flystrike in warm months, and predators including foxes and loose dogs, and a hutch that a person can open is a hutch a determined fox can work at. Outdoor rabbits are also observed less, which matters enormously in a species where a rabbit that stops eating for twelve hours is an emergency. Our indoor versus outdoor comparison works through this honestly, and our outdoor winter care guide covers what a hutch alone does not solve.
If you have decided on a hutch, the two decisions left are chew resistance and floor space. Our GUTINNEEN metal-framed hutch review covers the chew-resistant option at around $15 more, and our hutch versus exercise pen comparison explains why a pen usually gives more usable floor. For an outdoor rabbit, ask a rabbit-savvy vet about vaccination before anything else.
Who it suits
- Owners who need weather protection on a patio, in a shed or under a covered run.
- People who already have a large secure run and want a sheltered sleeping house attached to it.
- Anyone wanting a movable outdoor base for supervised daytime grazing.
Who should skip it
- Anyone planning to leave a rabbit outside unsupervised as its permanent housing.
- Owners of large breeds, who will find the 7 by 6 inch ramp door and the 20.5 inch upper house cramped.
- People with senior or arthritic rabbits, who should not be negotiating a ramp at all.
Alternatives worth considering
GUTINNEEN 2-Story Rabbit Hutch with Chew-Proof Full Metal Frame
~$175
Aluminium alloy edging on the parts rabbits chew first, three locking pull-out trays instead of one, and casters so you can roll it out of the sun. It is about $15 more and the edging is the difference between a hutch that lasts two seasons and one that lasts several.
Check price on AmazonMidWest Homes for Pets 36-Inch Exercise Pen, Single Door
~$59
A hutch alone is not enough space, and the cheapest fix is a pen attached to it so the rabbit can choose between shelter and floor. Sixteen square feet, folds flat, and it can be pegged down outdoors with the included anchors for supervised time.
Check price on AmazonSnugglesafe Microwave Pet Heating Disc
~$32
If a rabbit is going to sleep in an outdoor hutch through cold weather, a microwaved heat disc under bedding gives hours of warmth with no cord and no fire risk. It is the safest way to add heat to a wooden hutch, which is why it belongs alongside this purchase.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- Indoor vs outdoor rabbits
- Hutch vs exercise pen
- Outdoor rabbits in winter
- Sore hocks explained
- Best rabbit cages and pens
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Editor's Pick ยท Affiliate link
A Chew-Proof Two Storey Hutch
Rabbits chew everything, and a wooden hutch becomes a repair project and a health risk once it is soaked and gnawed. A full metal frame with two levels gives the vertical space rabbits actually use, and it survives the chewing that destroys cheaper housing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GDLF hutch predator proof?
No consumer hutch is truly predator proof, and this one is not marketed as such. Wire mesh keeps out a curious cat and slows a fox down, but foxes are patient, strong and good at latches, and dogs can knock a hutch over. If a rabbit lives outdoors it needs a fully enclosed run with a solid or buried base, secure latches a predator cannot nose open, and checks several times a day. Even then, a rabbit can die of fright from a predator that never gets in.
Can two rabbits live in a 62 inch hutch?
Two bonded rabbits can sleep in it, but they cannot live in it. The advertised capacity of two to three rabbits assumes an animal that stands still, and rabbits do not. A bonded pair needs room to chase, flop out and get away from each other, and a pair confined too tightly can fall out badly enough to break a bond. Treat the hutch as the sleeping house and attach a large run, and read our single versus bonded pair comparison before adding a second rabbit.
What temperature is too hot for a rabbit in a hutch?
Rabbits start to struggle above roughly the mid-seventies Fahrenheit and heat stroke becomes a serious risk in the eighties, which is a lower threshold than most owners expect. They cannot pant effectively and they lose heat mainly through their ears. A fan alone does not cool a rabbit the way it cools a person, because rabbits do not sweat, so moving air past one is far less useful than shade, a cool surface and a ceramic or granite tile. Signs of heat stress are a veterinary emergency.
Do I need to cover the wire floor in this hutch?
Yes, on any surface where the rabbit rests. Standing and lying on wire causes pododermatitis, meaning ulcerated sore hocks, which is painful, slow to heal and more common in heavy or long-nailed rabbits. Cover the resting area with a solid board, a thick mat or a fleece liner, keep it dry, and check the undersides of the back feet weekly. Any redness, bald patch or scab there is a reason to see a rabbit-savvy vet rather than to buy another mat.
GDLF hutch or an exercise pen for a rabbit?
A pen gives more usable floor for less money and removes the ramp, so for indoor rabbits it is usually the better answer. The hutch wins only where weather protection or a degree of security is genuinely needed, meaning a patio, a shed or a covered run. Many owners end up with the hutch as the shelter and a pen attached as the run, which is a better setup than either alone. Our hutch versus exercise pen comparison covers the trade-off.
Need more help caring for your rabbit?
Browse our guides by topic to find practical solutions.
Wellness Planner: $39