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Will this be ok for a week?

Elena

Wise Old Thumper
We're on holiday soon so I wanted to do a trial run of an extra pen on Mini and Mischa's base. Their dog crate is far too small to leave them for a week. We've got this run for outside which is a series of wire panels and have attached half of it to their dog crate and put an elasticated sheet over the top to stop Mini jumping out and so that the people who are feeding them for us can take it on and off easily to give them food and water. We've also put a blanket underneath in case they wee. It's worked pretty well. We're leaving them in there for a while to see how they get on.

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Can just about see their base in this one

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That gives them about a 6ft by 3ft area. Will that be ok do you think?
 
Could you get another set of panels to extend it with? 6x3 foot does sound a bit small if they're not going to be getting any free range time or anything...

ETA: Just read that you've only used half the pen. Could you add the rest of the panels on to make it bigger?
 
I don't really have the room. That is almost half my bedroom! The other half is wardrobe and bed and I don't like them under the bed in case it collapses. It has collapsed in the past. Plus if I make it much bigger there wont be room to get round it to do their water and hay.
 
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i would be worried about stasis if they had no free time, im not sure that size enclosure really gives a bunny the incentive to run about and keep them guts moving..

Alvin would lie down all day given the choice, but by giving him free time he runs from room to room between lazing on the bed. :love:

cant the people looking after them give them a few hours out each day? my mom comes and sits with the chippies when im away to give them a good few hours run each day
 
They could for a while. I wish I could trust them enough to leave them out but they've only been free-ranging in there since the start of the month.
 
i think as long as they get a little run about each day a week isnt all that long :D

if i wasnt so haunted by stasis id not worry about it at all... a week is a very short time really :D
 
I don't really have the room. That is almost half my bedroom! The other half is wardrobe and bed and I don't like them under the bed in case it collapses. It has collapsed in the past. Plus if I make it much bigger there wont be room to get round it to do their water and hay.

it sounds unpractical for people and buns to be living in that area if its that size, but if you are going to be away for the week then that wont matter too much will it?

In all honesty, i apolegise for this but i think leaving buns on their own for a week despite someone coming in to feed them is a very bad idea.

I run a pet boarding i had the same scenario. A phone call from someone who once boarded with me asking if i wanted their hutch/dog crate etc because their rabbit died whilst in holiday. I said "oh i though they would have come to us" and they said "well yes it was just a small holiday so we left them at home, our neighbours popped in etc" and i explain to them that its probably nothing they did as owners that caused the death, but the fact they were alone for a large ammount of time, could have been avoided.

I have also had buns from this forum stay, for example Boudicca's bunnies dudley and daisy and daisy got extremly in a mere few hours, and if my mum hadnt got her to the vet literally as soon as she noticed, daisy may not be here today.

This isnt me being rude or anything i just want you to be aware that boarding has many benefits, and i would be very against leaving rabbits alone for a week.

xxxx
 
You could also say that uprooting them and moving them is not ideal, and, frankly, impossible with Nutmeg. She is a nervous bun, happy in her own place, hates moving. Which is why I ask people to come here rather than the other way round. And also there is the risk of passing on things.

I will ask my friends to let them out for an hour or two.

The space in my bedroom is limited by the bed (as I have previously mentioned I will not allow them underneath, not until I can afford a new one anyway - there always seems to be more pressing things like vaccinations and stuff) and wardrobes. They jump on the bed so their space is a lot bigger normally but obviously I can't put a pen ON the bed. They have never had stasis issues, though I realise that is not a precursor to anything.

I have just had a thought which MAY work to make it more like 6ft by 5ft.
 
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When bonding my buns I had them in a similar set up for over a week, it wasn't a problem. As long as they are checked on a couple of times a day by someone who know the signs to look for (quiet/not eating/hunched up) I'd probably leave them :)

As MissySJ said there is always a risk they will get ill rapidly, but there is always a chance that could happen if you were at work or out for the day..
 
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