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Is this good enough?

LionheadLuver

Warren Veteran
Hiya

I only let the rabbits out into their run 4 days a week. The other three days I'm at college, and haven't got time before college to put them out, and it's too dark after college to get them in. So they are in their hutch 3 days a week. It's 6ftx2ftx2ft. They seem happy, but is this good enough? I can't permanently attach the run to the hutch, and I don't want to either.
 
If they were mine I'd want them to be getting access to a run every day to be honest. Why can't you get them in from the run in the dark? :?
 
It depends what you mean by "good enough". Everyone has different standards. I wouldn't think it was ideal..it wouldn't be "good enough" for my buns anyway ;)
 
College days: I leave the house at 7 in the morning and can get back at 4.30, 5 or 6. This is when it's dark, and I wouldn't want them to be scared out in their run. They have a shelter so they can hide away. It's right by the house. I suppose I could put them out in the morning.
 
i know what you mean, its difficult when you leave early in the moring when its still dark and return in the dark too.
I would say that its ok what youre doing at the moment but not ideal. being in the dark shouldnt matter to them if they are in a well built run and cant escape and have got a shelter to go into if they want to.

My two have access to a run when im at work every day and they are always sitting out in it in the dark when i get home. I let them free range in the mornings before i leave for work when its light enough.
 
I personally wouldn't want the rabbits to go out in the run when it's wet because of the sore hocks. I know it sounds cruel, but health comes first IMO
 
They are on hay and it's completely dry on top. They have a cover which covers down the side too if it's raining so the hay doesn't get wet. They don't go on anything wet.
 
Is it because of space you can't attach the run? This would be the ideal solution.

Rabbits are not scared of the dark at all, could you get some outside lighting, if not electric some solar lights, to help you put them back in?

Do they get any free range time in your garden, could do this supervised for an hour or two at weekends when your in?

I don't think them just having the hutch for that amount of time is ideal....
 
I think attaching the run would be the best option I feel bad when mine are kept in their shed with run attached and dont get free range time. Could you post some pics of your set up and maybe people could make suggestions?
 
It so difficult i know. Dont be worried about them being out in the dark! My two outdoor bunnies sit out on the patio in the dark til i go to bed! There is a tall, bright lamp right next to the patio door so that gives them light outside. I always find that when you are looking out it looks pitch black but when you go outside, the lamp lights everything up pretty good.

Sometimes i find myself looking at them sat outside in the dark and I think 'awww' but when i go out to bring them both in for an hour, they leg it away from me cos they don't want to go in!

Put em outside for a bit tonight - they'll be fine!! :D
 
Whenever i go out the rabbits are in their run, i rarely ever see them in their sheds. Especially at night, they seem to enjoy the dark better :).

I would personally try and attach a run :). Can you not bring them in the house at night for a couple of hours exercise :) xx
 
My two boys love being out at night, its when they are most active. They stay out until I go to bed and they NEVER want to go in. They are certianly not scared! We have an outdoor light and they have lighting in their hutch so I think you should try them. They might be a little hesitant at first but they should get used to it!!! Good luck! :D
 
I personally would say no and wouldn't dream of going to work and leaving Buu and Beau shut in their hutches all day which are 6ft x 2ft x 2ft :oops: Not being mean or anything I just wouldn't do it to my buns :)

Buu is out in her run most days, if not she is in the house and Beau is free range in my room each day. It doesn't matter if its dark, Buu is out there now in her run and will go back into her hutch when I go to bed in about an hours time and im sat here with the lights off and Beau on the floor

When you say you can't put them in the run before you go to college because you don't have time, could you not just get up earlier to do it? On the days I leave at 7am for work I just get up 20 minutes earlier so that I have time to call Buu to her run and bring Beau inside

I think a secure run can be fine for them during the day unless the weather is really awful. The ebay man made me a cover for mine and it honestly keeps the wind and rain out completely :) She has a little wooden shelter box if she gets cold and some pieces of vetbed if she wants to sit on something soft. It was chucking it down all day the other day and the floor inside my run didn't even get damp :)
 
If you are conceared that your current routine with your buns isn't fair to them then i would deffinately look into getting the run attached somehow. I wouldn't say this is ideal for them. Perhaps buying a house that already has a run attached like a coop of some sort would help out you and your buns. They would be able to stay in or play out whenever they wanted to this way and you would'nt need to worry about them being stuck in a hutch all day. Or having time to move them from run to hutch in the dark and all weather. You could probably make your money back by selling their current run and cage. If they seem to be happy and healthy then things are fine, but they would probably be happier with more space and exercise every day as most buns would be.
 
There are lots of ways of attatching runs. Helen (The Duchess) has some wonderful hutches with attatched runs she uses and most of them didnt originate as being constructed to go together. Sometimes it helps to see what others have done to see what is a possibility.

If you wanted an hutch with an attatched run there is no reason why your run could not be attatched to your hutch. It just takes some imagination and inspiration.

I am sure if Helen was asked for some pictures she would oblige.
 
not being harsh but you do have time in the morning. you just get up 10 minutes earlier.

when i was at college i left the house at 6:55am for the bus, and the buns went out at 10 to seven am., my runs arent attatched either but i made sure they went out before i left.

it does involve getting up earlier, but you get used to earlier 10 mins easy enough.

I would see what they are like in the dark tbh, none of mine are bothered.

I bought some lights which you 'push' to turn on, waterproof only £5 each and when it gets dark earlier i actually attatch these inside the runs o they have a bit of light.
 
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