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Runs on paving slabs better than grass? U/D flooring question post 17

happypreso

Alpha Buck
Just getting all my plans together for my 'long term' set up for my 4 buns. We have bought a bike store that hubby is going to adapt a bit and I want to attach the new run to it 24/7 as well.

Sometimes we do go away for a weekend so is the run better on paving slabs? I think I would feel happier knowing that they can't dig their way out if we were away (it doesn't happen that often but nice to know we can go sometimes!) but want to check they would be okay on there? They will, of course, have fresh hay at all times .....

Does that sound okay? I have to get it right as hubby wont keep changing this set up, so best to get what I want/bun's need from day 1!

3 months (roughly) to bonding and moving in day ... so excited!!

Edit: just to add too, that the bun's will have free range time in the garden generally so they will have access to more space and grass etc but I need to know they would be okay in the shed/run set up for the odd weekend away.
 
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I think the best setup is to have mesh laid below grass. That way they get comfy grass to sit and flop on but can't dig out. My concern with paving slabs is how do you secure the run to the slabs to make sure they can't be wedged or lifted up?
 
All my buns live on slabs all the time.

They are easy to clean and disinfect, they don't get to be a mud bath in winter, the rabbits can't get out and nothing can get in.It also keeps their nails down

The only rabbit that goes on grass here is my house rabbit and that only when the weather is good, the grass is for guinea pigs only here.
 
Our hutch and run are on the patio. Seems to be fine, but you get get all sorts down the cracks! Easy to clean, I just go in with a big brush. Bramble has a couple of 'Chill and Chew' mats from The Hay Experts which he likes to sit on. I put straw and hay in the hutch, but not in the run. He seems perfectly happy like this. He too gets free range of the garden as often as possible too. I'm in Bedfordshire too!
 
I've had both. My current grass run is approx 6ft by 25ft and completely under and over wired, so it's big and safe. The bunnies who live in it are very clean and only poo and wee in their litter tray so the grass stays in good condition and they're easy to clean out.

However, I also had a small 6x3 run on grass (underwired) but Flora and Parsnip pooped and wee'd everywhere in it, despite having 24/7 access to both the run AND a 9x5 dog kennel/run, and I just couldn't keep it clean! So I eventually took up the turf (leaving the underwiring in place) and replaced it with rubber tiles. Much easier to keep clean. I give them daily access to the lawn and if, in winter, it's more difficult to let them out, I keep four gravel trays in which I grow grass and thetray gets put down in their run so they can have a nibble.

So in answer to your question, it's great if your buns can have access to grass 24/7 but much depends on the size of the run and how clean your buns are.
 
I think the best setup is to have mesh laid below grass. That way they get comfy grass to sit and flop on but can't dig out. My concern with paving slabs is how do you secure the run to the slabs to make sure they can't be wedged or lifted up?

good point about securing it ... will have to have a think about that. Generally speaking the run will be open to the garden all day so they will have access to grass and lots more space. Overnight they will be in the shed/run and if we go away for a weekend (which doesn't happen that often!) then they will be just in the shed/run but generally speaking they will be free range bunnies (they all get free range time now, I just can't let them all out together yet!).
 
I've had both. My current grass run is approx 6ft by 25ft and completely under and over wired, so it's big and safe. The bunnies who live in it are very clean and only poo and wee in their litter tray so the grass stays in good condition and they're easy to clean out.

However, I also had a small 6x3 run on grass (underwired) but Flora and Parsnip pooped and wee'd everywhere in it, despite having 24/7 access to both the run AND a 9x5 dog kennel/run, and I just couldn't keep it clean! So I eventually took up the turf (leaving the underwiring in place) and replaced it with rubber tiles. Much easier to keep clean. I give them daily access to the lawn and if, in winter, it's more difficult to let them out, I keep four gravel trays in which I grow grass and thetray gets put down in their run so they can have a nibble.

So in answer to your question, it's great if your buns can have access to grass 24/7 but much depends on the size of the run and how clean your buns are.

Thanks!

My current set up is as follows:
I have Bugsy & Star who are both a year old. They live together in a hutch and have free range of the garden all day and evening. These two seems to have litter trained themselves and generally speaking the hutch is clean and they use the litter tray I recently bought.

I then have two buns who I have just seperated - brother and sister (bugsy & star are the mum & dad) as I dont want them to have babies. These buns currently have their own hutch and run 24/7. These bun's wee and poo wherever!!

Like I say, the plan is that after they have all been netured, they will live in the shed together and all 4 buns will have free range of the garden all day and evening (as the two original buns have currently).

I have no idea if the two younger buns will litter train and also if the two older ones will carry on if the rountine/hutch/etc is all different?

I am swaying towards the slabs I think, it will be easier to clean and like I say generally speaking they will have access to the grass/garden all day, every day.
 
All my buns live on slabs all the time.

They are easy to clean and disinfect, they don't get to be a mud bath in winter, the rabbits can't get out and nothing can get in.It also keeps their nails down

The only rabbit that goes on grass here is my house rabbit and that only when the weather is good, the grass is for guinea pigs only here.


Some good points there. are the runs secured down and how did you do that?
Thanks!
 
Our hutch and run are on the patio. Seems to be fine, but you get get all sorts down the cracks! Easy to clean, I just go in with a big brush. Bramble has a couple of 'Chill and Chew' mats from The Hay Experts which he likes to sit on. I put straw and hay in the hutch, but not in the run. He seems perfectly happy like this. He too gets free range of the garden as often as possible too. I'm in Bedfordshire too!

Hi neighbour :wave: :lol: :D
sounds good ... am swaying towards the slabs I think. Sounds easier to clean and doesn't become a mud bath (which our garden does, at some points during the winter). My buns like those mats too.
 
am swaying towards the slabs I think. Sounds easier to clean and doesn't become a mud bath (which our garden does, at some points during the winter). My buns like those mats too.

I'm with you on that. Seems like a great idea. Have to persuade my OH to let me do that at some point. He's only just let me have a run for them as he said it was unnecessary so I think I'll have to wait a while :(
 
why not lay slabs.. then turf over half of the run area so that its gras sthen they have best of both worlds or if you are worried about mud bath in winter rain then put trays and trays of grass to cover one area then if it gets really bad remove the trays.(nb you can use lids off storage tubs as large grass trays which is sometimes cheaper and covers a larger area than the normal plant growing type things.
 
I'm with you on that. Seems like a great idea. Have to persuade my OH to let me do that at some point. He's only just let me have a run for them as he said it was unnecessary so I think I'll have to wait a while :(


My hubby is the same, that is why I am trying to get it right from day 1 as he wont change it once it is up!! my two young buns are now 16wks and it has taken me this long to convince hubby that we need to keep them (they had eye problems but hubby still wanted me to give them away).
 
My hubby is the same, that is why I am trying to get it right from day 1 as he wont change it once it is up!! my two young buns are now 16wks and it has taken me this long to convince hubby that we need to keep them (they had eye problems but hubby still wanted me to give them away).

Bet they are very sweet though, no one can resist the cute face of a baby bunny.

MY OH is the opposite, it's best to ask for little things over a long period of time. He then gives in to little things coz they seem insignificant :D. If there's something major which involves a lot of work he doesn't deal well with that so says no and means it.
 
Bet they are very sweet though, no one can resist the cute face of a baby bunny.

MY OH is the opposite, it's best to ask for little things over a long period of time. He then gives in to little things coz they seem insignificant :D. If there's something major which involves a lot of work he doesn't deal well with that so says no and means it.

They are very, very sweet! That is Angel in my profile picture (in the box) ... I dont know how anyone could want to give them away myself but he is not really an 'animal man'.
 
(nb you can use lids off storage tubs as large grass trays which is sometimes cheaper and covers a larger area than the normal plant growing type things.

I love that idea! I think I am going with slabs (just got to convince hubby now :roll: :lol: ) but love the idea of having 'grass' areas that they can nibble (overnight or if we do go away).
 
My lot have a fixed 6x3 run on slabs attached to the playhouse(which is so heavy, I can't lift it, let alone a rabbit). I have a huge rug in it (it has a roof) so that they can sit on something soft and Inky doesn't hurt his joints.

They then have access to a larger run on grass for at least 3 hours a day. They like eating the grass and digging but in the winter and wet weather, they tend to prefer the slabs.

I think the grass is more natural (obviously) but I do like it that slabs are easy to keep clean.
 
Mine are on slabs. They love it. Nice and cool in the summer and they can have access to it 24/7 even in the winter as I can cover it over and it doesnt get wet, therefore they dont get sore hocks etc. Their nails are nice and trim too!!

They do get to run around the grass supervised though.
 
The shed has arrived today, yippee, so work can begin soon. The floor of the shed looks like chipboard (lots of bits of wood stuck together?) .. am I right in thinking this bends etc if wet?

So my next question, in the aim of getting this shed right from day 1, is what is the best floor covering for the inside of the shed? Would this chipboard be okay? (assuming I have that right!). I know some people mention lino or carpet - is that better? or would would you have/do you use?

Only two of my four buns are litter trained so there could be mess everywhere so it needs to be easy to clean!!

Thanks everyone.
 
My shed is fitted with lino. If I had fitted it, the buns would have lifted and chewed it within minutes but my hubby's fitter friend undertook the task. It's easy to sweep out and mop too.

With regard to securring the run to the slabs, hubby used anchors which he drilled into the slabs and the run.
 
my o/h laid a slab patio 8ft x 8ft then turfed over it.
the run is fractionally smaller so the edges of the run would be inside the edges of the slabs(if you could see them), so that they could not dig out(or anything dig in).
Also one part of the run is roofed with corrugated plastic sheeting so they have a dry shady area but can still be outdoors. They also have a hidey place under the ramp.and permanent access indoors to hutches via ramp-Sue:wave:
 
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