7 Best Portable Pens For Pasture Raised Rabbits That Keep Predators Out
Safeguard your pasture-raised rabbits with the right portable pen. We review 7 top models designed for predator protection and easy rotational grazing.
Nothing beats the sight of rabbits happily munching on fresh clover, but that idyllic scene can turn into a nightmare overnight. The biggest challenge in pasturing rabbits isn’t providing fresh grass; it’s protecting them from the things that see them as a quick meal. The right portable pen is your first and most important line of defense.
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Secure Pasture Pens: A Rabbit’s Best Defense
A portable pasture pen, often called a "rabbit tractor," does more than just keep your rabbits from hopping away. Its primary job is to be a mobile fortress. It allows you to give your rabbits fresh forage daily while simultaneously fertilizing your pasture, all within a secure perimeter that thwarts predators.
The key is balancing security with portability. A pen that’s light enough to move every morning might not stand up to a determined raccoon or a stray dog. Look for sturdy construction, especially the wire. Hardware cloth (1/2" x 1/2" or 1/4" x 1/4" mesh) is far superior to flimsy chicken wire, which a raccoon can tear through with its hands. Latches should be complex enough that a clever predator can’t flip them open.
Most importantly, a pen needs to address threats from above and below. An open-topped pen is just an invitation for a hawk or owl. A pen with no floor or wire skirt is a welcome mat for a fox or weasel to dig under. The best designs anticipate predator behavior and block it at every potential entry point.
PawHut A-Frame Tractor: Classic and Reliable
The classic A-frame design is a staple for a reason. It’s a simple, effective structure that provides both an open, wire-mesh grazing area and an enclosed, sheltered space. This gives your rabbits the freedom to choose between sunning themselves or retreating from rain or a circling hawk.
The enclosed hutch portion is usually elevated, offering a dry, safe place to sleep off the damp ground. This dual-zone approach is excellent for rabbit welfare. The angled roof of the A-frame also naturally sheds rain and snow, helping the wooden components last longer.
The tradeoff is weight and maintenance. Most A-frames are built with wood, which is heavy and requires periodic sealing to prevent rot. While sturdy, moving a larger wooden tractor across a lumpy pasture can be a real chore. It’s a fantastic, reliable option, but be realistic about whether you can commit to moving it daily.
Omlet Eglu Go Hutch: Top-Tier Security System
If you’re looking for a pen designed from the ground up with security and convenience in mind, the Omlet is in a class of its own. It’s not a traditional wood-and-wire hutch; it’s a modern, engineered system. The hutch itself is made from twin-wall, insulated plastic, which keeps rabbits cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
The real standout feature is its security. The heavy-duty steel mesh run is secured to the hutch with tamper-proof clips, and it includes a thick wire anti-dig skirt that lays flat on the ground around the perimeter. This simple feature is incredibly effective at stopping predators from tunneling in. The door to the hutch has a twist-and-lock mechanism that’s impossible for a raccoon to operate.
This level of engineering comes at a premium price, which is its primary drawback. You are paying for peace of mind and incredible ease of use, particularly when it comes to cleaning the wipe-down plastic surfaces. For a hobby farmer with a small, valued herd and significant predator pressure, the investment can be well worth it.
BestPet Heavy Duty Pen: Maximum Predator Defense
Sometimes, portability needs to take a backseat to pure, unyielding security. This is where heavy-duty modular pens come in. These aren’t tractors you move every day; they are semi-permanent fortresses designed to withstand serious threats like coyotes, bobcats, or neighborhood dogs.
Constructed from thick, powder-coated or galvanized steel bars, these pens are built like a tank. The panels lock together securely, and their sheer weight makes them difficult for any animal to push over or lift. They often come with a waterproof cover, providing essential protection from sun and aerial predators.
The practical application here is different. You might set this up on a patch of lawn and move it once a week, or use it as a central, secure "home base." From there, you could let the rabbits out into a lighter, more portable run for daytime grazing under your supervision. This is the solution for high-risk areas where you simply cannot compromise on strength.
Aivituvin Rabbit Hutch: All-in-One Shelter
Many hutches on the market now offer an all-in-one design, combining a multi-level hutch with an integrated, ground-level run. Aivituvin is a popular brand in this category, offering models with lots of features like pull-out cleaning trays, multiple access doors, and ramps for the rabbits to move between levels.
These designs provide excellent enrichment and shelter for the rabbits. The elevated hutch gives them a secure den, while the attached run allows for safe access to grass. They look great and function well as a stationary or semi-stationary habitat.
However, their size, complexity, and weight make them less than ideal for a true daily-move pasture system. Think of them more as a "hutch-on-skids." You can drag it to a new spot every few days, but it’s a significant effort. The wood construction also requires monitoring for chewing and weather damage, and you’ll want to inspect the factory-installed wire and latches to ensure they meet your security standards.
MidWest Wire Pen: Lightweight for Daily Moves
For maximum portability, nothing beats a simple wire exercise pen. These consist of eight or more hinged panels that can be configured into a circle, square, or rectangle. They are incredibly lightweight, fold flat for storage, and are easy to move to a fresh patch of grass every single day.
But let’s be crystal clear: on its own, this type of pen offers almost zero predator protection. A raccoon can climb it, a hawk can fly into it, and a fox can simply knock it over or dig under it. To be used safely, it requires significant modification. You absolutely must add a secure top cover, whether it’s a second pen deconstructed to lay on top or a custom frame with hardware cloth.
The pen must also be staked down firmly at multiple points. This setup is best for daytime grazing in a relatively secure area, like a fenced yard, where you can keep an eye on things. It is not a solution for overnight housing in an area with any predator presence.
Advantek Pet Gazebo: Spacious Colony Housing
The Pet Gazebo offers a unique alternative to the traditional rectangular tractor. Its octagonal shape and taller height provide a more spacious feel for the rabbits, making it an excellent choice for a small colony or a litter of growing fryers. The steel frame is surprisingly robust, and it comes with a durable cover that protects from sun and rain.
Moving it is a bit different than a standard tractor. It’s too large to lift easily, but it can be dragged by one or two people to a new location every few days. The single-piece construction of the wire mesh body means there are fewer weak points than in a multi-panel pen.
This pen strikes a good balance between space, security, and semi-portability. It’s more secure than a basic wire exercise pen but easier to move than a heavy-duty steel kennel or a large wooden hutch. It’s a great option if you’re raising rabbits in a small group and want to give them more room to socialize and move naturally.
Tespo Pet Playpen: Customizable and Modular
Modular playpens, made of interlocking plastic or wire-grid panels, offer ultimate flexibility. You can build a pen to fit any space—long and narrow, L-shaped, or a simple square. They are lightweight, easy to assemble, and can be reconfigured in minutes, making them a tempting option for rotational grazing.
This customization comes with a major security trade-off. The plastic connectors are a significant weak point; a determined predator can pop them apart. Like the MidWest wire pens, these are not secure out of the box. They require a securely attached lid and must be staked to the ground to prevent an animal from simply lifting the entire structure.
Think of this as a kit for a DIY project. It’s a great starting point if you have an unusual space or want to build a custom-sized day pen for supervised use. For unsupervised or overnight housing, you would need to heavily reinforce the connections and perimeter.
Ultimately, the best portable pen is the one that fits your land, your physical ability to move it, and your specific predator challenges. There is no single perfect answer, only a series of tradeoffs between security, portability, and cost. Always end your day by walking the perimeter of your pens, checking every latch, and looking for any signs of digging—that five minutes of diligence is the most effective tool you have.
