Wind is what actually makes an outdoor hutch cold. A rabbit copes with low temperatures far better than it copes with a draught driving through mesh and damp bedding, and the cheapest fix by a distance is a fitted cover over the outside of the hutch. This one wraps all four sides, so rain is not blowing in sideways at three in the morning whilst everyone indoors is asleep.

The fabric is 600D oxford with a plastic coating on the reverse, which is a genuine step up from an untreated tarpaulin thrown over the top. It sheds water rather than wicking it through, and it holds its shape instead of flapping loose in a gale. The front door section sits on touch fasteners, so morning feeding and cleaning does not mean stripping the whole cover off and wrestling it back on in the dark. There is nothing to assemble.

• Fits hutches measuring 37/31cm high x 43cm wide x 52cm deep
• Made for the PawHut X-D2-0047 and similar models
• 600D plastic-coated oxford fabric, water-resistant
• Front door opening 31 x 21cm on touch fasteners
• Brown, no assembly required
• Supplied as one cover

Measure your hutch first, and mind the airflow. At 43cm wide this fits a small hutch, so check yours against the figures above rather than assuming, because a cover that is close but not right will never sit properly. And never seal a hutch completely. Leave the mesh front open during the day so air moves through, or condensation and ammonia build up inside, which does far more harm than the cold ever would.

Who it's for: Owners of the PawHut X-D2-0047 or a similarly sized small hutch, keeping a rabbit or guinea pig outdoors through a wet British autumn and winter.