Mainly FAO Jill, but other comments welcome

Bit of a long post, but here goes!

Basically, last week I emailed someone who has bunnies she wants to pass on because she feels she can't give them enough time. She wanted to know what equipment I've got, and what their routine would be, so I told her, and she wasn't happy with it. Now I'm really worried. What do you think?

I'm not set up yet, P@H are having problems with their stockist, apparently :roll: So I've ordered one from ebay which will be here in 3-5 days. It's 2 feet tall, and 4ft by 4 ft:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250148269325
I've also bought a snuggly kennel that can be machine washed:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/COSY-PET-HOUS...ryZ66762QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
These would be set up in my lounge, so they'd be in almost constant contact with us when we're in the house.
I've got pellets and hay, and will obviously give fresh veg daily, plus a few treats. Pellets and hay would be available all the time. I've got a wooden chewy ball, and a ball for putting hay and treats in, plus I've stuck two cardboard boxes together and made doorways between them, and filled it with ripped up newspaper. I'd leave a couple of safe toys in the pen at all times so they wouldn't get too bored while we're at work.
As for routine, I'll let them out in the lounge for half an hour before I went to work, clean out the litter tray. In the evening, O/H gets home from work about 4, but probably wouldn't have the confidence to let them out, so I would let them out when I got home at 6. They would probably stay indoors, but out of the pen while I cooked dinner, then I'd take them out in the garden in the pen* for about an hour, as long as it wasn't raining, then back into the house until we went to bed, with veg sometime in the evening. Weekends would entirely depend on what we were doing. We don't tend to do much, but sometimes go out on the saturday, in which case routine would be the same as a weekday. O/H works sunday mornings, so I'd have the bunnies out all morning, in the garden or the lounge, depending on weather, in fact they'd more than likely be out all day on sundays. Time outside would have to be limited to some degree I'm afraid, because I'll only have the indoor run to take outside with me, so I'd only let them out when I could be with them at all times.

* It might be possible for me to give them free run of my garden, it's fully enclosed and purely lawn and concrete slabs, and quite small so I can see all of it at once, but the fence is only 3 ft tall in places, and I'm worried about them jumping out. Don't need to worry about predators, as only cats, and they don't come near the garden when I'm in it.

All comments appreciated. Although time and money are limited to some degree, so I think I've done my best with what available

xx Libby

So would they be living in just the pen then?

So, they've got a 4'x4' pen and then approx. 4hrs exercise free range in the house? That sounds fine to me. It's the same as people keeping house bunnies in a dog crate or a 8'x2' hutch

If you're worried about space you could always add something on top of the pen to add more floor area.

I would worry about a 3' fence some rabbits could certainly clear that - just depends on the bunnies. Watch out for cats to as they tend to get braver when something fast moving tempts them.

Tam

Don't assume that there are no foxes in your garden, they're everywhere! Also you may have buzzards flying over...

Hi, i think your set up sounds ok but i agree about the garden - 3 foot is hoppable!

My house bun at the moment is out in the dining room all day while i'm at work and then free range at night and she has a pen which i can put her in if need be, same as yours (£25 from p&h so think it's the same size.)

She loves it and actually seems happier in than out! She loves chilling out on the floor in the dining room and she has plenty of toys etc and boxes to keep her occupied.

I think it's fine.

Sooz22 said:

So would they be living in just the pen then?

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Yeah, I don't really want to keep them in a hutch. they'll have the bed to sleep in, I got one with a roof so they'll feel like they've got a hidey place, and I got an enormous litter tray, the biggest and deepest they do, so there'd be space for both bunnies if they decided that was where they'd want to sleep (heard that happens sometimes! :roll: :roll: )

Why, is that bad?

Thanks for all the other comments tho guys. It really shook me up being told that I wasn't doing it right, I want to do the best for my new buns. not sure what I can do bout the garden situation. so the pen's too small for garden time? Can't get taller fence panels. I could just keep them in the bit nearer the house, cos that's got taller fence panels, but all I've got to fence it off is the pen (which can be opened out into a fence) and that's only 2 ft tall!

Didn't explain the predator situation very well. We're in the middle of a terrace, so a fox would have to climb over a wall from either end, and I'd see him coming from 2 doors down. Am concerned about the cat situation tho.

xx

Its just that I know some people who have used the pens as a house base only to discover that combined with climeable objects they are not very secure and rabbits can easily jump out and run riot.

If you plan to use the pen as a base I would suggest that you thoroughly rabbit proof your house too....they get everywhere and anywhere.

Yeah I've rabbit proofed most rooms of the house too. O/H has pointed out that we could use the corner of the room as two sides, and stretch the run out like a fence for the other two, giving a possible 4ft by 10 ft :shock: but there's phone wire bedded into the skirting round that bit of wall. I've pushed it well into the groove and covered it over with white insulating tape, so the skirting now looks smooth instead of grooved, but I'd still worry about them being near it while I didn't have an eye on them. It is only phone cable tho, so O/H says maybe not enough voltage to hurt them?
Am concerned about them getting out in the lounge while I'm not there. Jill says they're not destructive buns, and I've got lots of toys, boxes, phone directories etc, for them to destroy, but if the furtniture got trashed, O/H wud go I've already ordered the pen tho :? what could i do to keep them in?

With regards to the 3ft fence - i do think it's quite low so i would get some lattace and attach it to the top of fence. You know the type you use for climbing plants. This would add an extra foot or so. And if they are out in the garden they would prob feel more secure if they had a 'bolt hole' By this i mean a place to hide should they feel frightened. Mine usually go under a tree or run back every five minutes to the hutch to check it is still a safe place to run to.

Suzanne said:

With regards to the 3ft fence - i do think it's quite low so i would get some lattace and attach it to the top of fence.

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I can't do anything to the fence, firstly only the fence on one side of the garden is ours, and secondly, O/H won't let me.

You could buy, or build, a foldable run with a lid to whatever size you want and put that in the garden for total peace of mind.

capel said:

You could buy, or build, a foldable run with a lid to whatever size you want and put that in the garden for total peace of mind.

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The pen I'm getting is foldable, made of 8 panels. Could I somehow make a lid for it? Or, if I was going to use it to fence them into the end of the garden with tall fence, how could I stop them from trying to jump it?

The house part sounds good to me but I think its the garden bit that needs security
Mine garden is surrounded residentially on all sides and back and my boyf apparantly saw a fox in last week:shock: .
I was so shocked because I just didn't think it would go to the effort but apparantly they do.
Think you would probably need something over the pen to stop them climbing out as mine used to do that before I got them a wooden run (cheeky monkeys!)

Lib_n_bunny said:

Basically, last week I emailed someone who has bunnies she wants to pass on because she feels she can't give them enough time. She wanted to know what equipment I've got, and what their routine would be, so I told her, and she wasn't happy with it. Now I'm really worried. What do you think?

Click to expand...

So has this lady said you cannot have them as being as she is not happy with your set up?

Yep. I'm completely in love with Jill's Candy now anyway, but if this other lady wouldn't let me have hers, I thought maybe Jill wouldn't let me have Candy and Henry

Good news: I've just got a 2nd hand rabbit run off freecycle. I've no idea what size or condition it is tho, so we won't get our hopes up yet!

I have that pen from pets at home and mine came with a cover to go over the top so i don't know if you could get one also?

I have to agree with the fox worry. I personally dont believe in free range rabbits, its a nice idea but just too risky. Always assume you have foxes in your garden even if you dont ever see them, having lost 2 buns to Mr Fox I know how heartbreaking it is and wouldnt wish it on anyone. I allow my buns half an hour free range at the end of a nice day and I'm always 2ft behind them with a dog on patrol.

It's dark at 4pm soon anyway, and you can't take them in and out in cold weather really either, so you have all winter to get your garden problem sorted out - I think the area you described in another post, by the house sounds ideal for an outside running space

As for the house accomodation - I'd worry they'd jump out of the pen and trash the place - or hurt themselves trying - 2' is nothing to my rabbits.

Also they don't need pellets constantly available, just hay and water - and you should get a few litter trays too rather than relying on one as they're more likely to use one for a toilet and one for a bed, and chew the soft house (check it regularly for damage and toileting)

Personally I think you'll come home and find O/H playing with the bunnies :lol:

This is what the run I've managed to get hold of free looked like when new. What do we think? Suitable?

how long is it?