Luxury of the 5-star hutch!
PAMPERED RABBITS IN DERSINGHAM Possibly the most expensive rabbit hutch in the world
aRE these two lucky rabbits the most pampered pets in the country?
Hunnie, a male Continental Giant, and female Runnie, of a more indeterminate pedigree, have just moved into a brand new bespoke hutch that would cost over £10,000 to buy.
Their two-storey home boasts the latest in integral lighting, a CCTV camera, including an infra-red facility for night-time observation, a fan to control temperature and a shutter to keep out bad weather – all of which can be operated by mobile phone from anywhere in the world.
And if the rabbits don’t care to do what rabbits do, they have an added luxurious touch that any couple might need from time to time – separate bedrooms!
Jason and Mairi Batterbee are animal lovers and their two rabbits live in the garden of their Dersingham bungalow in luxurious harmony, alongside two South American iguanas, Zilla and Zubi, and three African Emperor scorpions, housed in separate vivariums.
They also have two cuddly but sharp-toothed South American chinchillas, Shelley and Roo, who live in a multi-story cage, all enjoying the comfort of the couple’s lounge.
Jason is an electrical and mechanical engineer so had all the necessary skills to construct the hutch, which took nine months to build, as a replacement for another hutch that was falling to bits.
“I enjoy designing and constructing,” said Jason, who built the tailor-made homes that contain all their animals.
The hutch 7ft 6ins long, 4ft high and 3ft deep and is made from pressure-treated pinewood with all the fittings hand made from stainless steel.
The total weight of the hutch is approximately one tonne.
It is built in a similar manner to a log cabin with interlocking timbers through which run stainless steel expansion rods to prevent gaps appearing as the wood expands in winter and contracts in the summer.
The front grill and hand-made hinges are also of stainless steel, as are the bannisters of the stairs of this two-storey hutch which incorporates separate bedrooms for each rabbit. The roof is felted and covered in red cedar shingles.
“We switch on the fan in the roof if it should happen to get too hot in the summer,” explained Jason, adding that the weather-proof shutter was lowered at night and also when the wind was cold or it was raining.
“Everything is powered by a 12 volt battery, trickle-charged from the mains, which sits alongside the hutch.”
On a panel above the battery are press-button controls operating all the hutch’s facilities.
But what really sets this hutch apart is Jason and Mairi’s ability to control its functions by mobile phone.
It enables them to turn on the fan or lower the weatherproof shutter even if they are half a world away from Dersingham.
In the evenings the CCTV cameras, linked to their computer, enables them to keep an eye on their rabbits inside the hutch, a facility they can also use anywhere in the world provided they have access to a computer.
Jason has ensured that only he or Mairi can gain access by remote control to the hutch’s various electronic functions.
In addition, any remote instruction sent is acknowledged with a return text to confirm it has been successful.
The only facility that is not powered by cutting edge technology is feeding time.
“If we are away we have friends who do that,” said Jason.
Materials used in the construction cost over a £1,000 but Jason estimates that the hours spent making the one-off bespoke hutch would give it a value on the open market of at least £10,000.
And Jason himself agrees: “They could be considered the most pampered pets in the world but they are worth it”.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
