Hi all!
My OH and I have been talking about getting some rabbits for some time so when I discovered that a lady nearby had found that her 2 females were acctually "one of each" (and 5 unwanted babies had resulted from this error!!:shock it was enough for us to offer 2 of the babies a home.
The babies are still with their Mum and won't be ready to leave her until the week before Easter (at the moment I'm not even sure what sex the rabbits will be), so in the meantime I have been doing some "reading up homework" and generally getting things sorted ready for their arrival:
1) I have bought a 5 foot x 2 foot x 2 foot outdoor hutch which I thought would be okay whilst they are babies and have enlisted the help of my (clever and more "carpentry able" than I!) dad to extend this to a 5 foot x 6 foot x 2 foot hutch once they are bigger. Q1: Will this be big enough or should I suggest a larger extension?
2) My garden is "rabbit proof" in that it is enclosed by a high wall on all sides but I figure it won't be any good until they are bigger anyway as the ground will be wet and cold. I have therefore "rabbit proofed" my spare room in order to give them "running space" in the meantime and for cold/wet weather when they are adults too. As it stands therefore I have not bought a run yet. Q2: Will I need one if I intend supervising "outdoor play" anyway?
3) I intend calling my vet tomorrow and arranging a provisional "check-up" date soon after their arrival to "double check" sex and age, to get a general health check and to seek advice on immunisations and spaying/neutering. Q3: Anything else I need ask about while there - worming?
MOST IMPORTANTLY Q4: I am more than a little bit wary of putting my baby rabbits in their outdoor hutch with such changable weather (will they even have a thicker winter coat if born this time of year??) So I was wondering whether it would be wise to purchase an indoor hutch (or bringing the outdoor one inside while it is yet to be extended) and keeping them in until they have been checked over by a vet and the weather is warmer...I was debating one of those "hutch covers" that regulate the heat but remain "not happy" with the thought of them being outside "hutch cover" or otherwise. Any thoughts on this?:?
Thanks for any help and sorry for long (and somewhat rambling!) post.:wave:
My OH and I have been talking about getting some rabbits for some time so when I discovered that a lady nearby had found that her 2 females were acctually "one of each" (and 5 unwanted babies had resulted from this error!!:shock it was enough for us to offer 2 of the babies a home.
The babies are still with their Mum and won't be ready to leave her until the week before Easter (at the moment I'm not even sure what sex the rabbits will be), so in the meantime I have been doing some "reading up homework" and generally getting things sorted ready for their arrival:
1) I have bought a 5 foot x 2 foot x 2 foot outdoor hutch which I thought would be okay whilst they are babies and have enlisted the help of my (clever and more "carpentry able" than I!) dad to extend this to a 5 foot x 6 foot x 2 foot hutch once they are bigger. Q1: Will this be big enough or should I suggest a larger extension?
2) My garden is "rabbit proof" in that it is enclosed by a high wall on all sides but I figure it won't be any good until they are bigger anyway as the ground will be wet and cold. I have therefore "rabbit proofed" my spare room in order to give them "running space" in the meantime and for cold/wet weather when they are adults too. As it stands therefore I have not bought a run yet. Q2: Will I need one if I intend supervising "outdoor play" anyway?
3) I intend calling my vet tomorrow and arranging a provisional "check-up" date soon after their arrival to "double check" sex and age, to get a general health check and to seek advice on immunisations and spaying/neutering. Q3: Anything else I need ask about while there - worming?
MOST IMPORTANTLY Q4: I am more than a little bit wary of putting my baby rabbits in their outdoor hutch with such changable weather (will they even have a thicker winter coat if born this time of year??) So I was wondering whether it would be wise to purchase an indoor hutch (or bringing the outdoor one inside while it is yet to be extended) and keeping them in until they have been checked over by a vet and the weather is warmer...I was debating one of those "hutch covers" that regulate the heat but remain "not happy" with the thought of them being outside "hutch cover" or otherwise. Any thoughts on this?:?
Thanks for any help and sorry for long (and somewhat rambling!) post.:wave: