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What does lack of space DO to a bun?

Hoppit!

Hoppit!

Wise Old Thumper
I'm writing reviews on tiny hutches and runs now, to point out why they aren't so good and maybe stop a few people from buying them. Can you help me think of all the reasons why lack of space is bad? Medical problems caused or exacerbated by them would be really good to know too.
 
I had a bun who was hutchbound who was overweight - so there's all the probs that can lead to - sore hocks (too much weight on feet), mucky bum/flystrike (can't clean themselves), heart probs as being fat is a strain on their heart.

He also had overgrown nails - I know we still need to clip them, but being loose they can get filed on concrete/rough ground etc.

Also I should imagine back probs if bun can't peroscope - my Alistair crawled when I first got him - one foot after other, in a snakey way. So I should imagine there was muscular or joint pain there

Then there's muscle wastage etc.

I actually have a bun here I am worried about, but I need to speak to somebody else before I can post:D
 
obesity
urine scald
long nails - leads to foot/toe deformation
low bone density
sore hocks in prone breeds
aggression and territorialism
self mutilation due to boredom
spinal deformation
hip and elbow joint formation problems in young animals
inability to clean the rear end and/or eat caecotrophs leads to faeces stuck in the fur, leading to skin conditions, flystrike, urinary tract infections, abscesses.....
 
When I got Sweetepea she had lived in a small hutch all her life, she had hardly any muscle and couldn't hop or jump for ages, she just sort of crawled :cry::cry:
 
louise and Gus said:
When I got Sweetepea she had lived in a small hutch all her life, she had hardly any muscle and couldn't hop or jump for ages, she just sort of crawled :cry::cry:
Click to expand...

I remember you telling me about that. Poor little Sweetpea. That is SO wrong. Thank goodness she's got the life of riley now! :D

I was going to suggest muscle wastage is one of the biggest issues arising from small cages.....guess that proves the point. :(
 
This is her when I first got her..notice how skinny her front legs are

sweetpea.jpg


This is her now :D
bunnyiv047.jpg
 
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Ahh Lou! You stole my one!
I was about to say muscle wastage, when Ghostie came she had little muscle at all bless her heart.
Ghostie had been kept in a 1ft hamster cage along with another rabbit.
She was filthy and immaciated.
 
Bunny addicts gorgeous bridge bun Emilys back problems and artritis were due to being kept in too small a hutch.
(Hope you don't mind me saying Denise :oops: )
 
Definatly mention mental and behavioural probs aswell. Boredom leading to self mutilation, depression, being very territorial. Poor miserable buns :(
xxx
 
Oscar had been kept in a tiny hutch for 4 years before he came to the rescue.
When he first came home to me he had muscle wastage in his back legs and could only shuffle along with very bad co-ordination.
I've had him for 3 months living in a 12ft square space and his strength has started to improve, but he is still quite uncoordinated, particularly when he's excited and trying to move quickly.
He still can't stand properly on his back legs to wash his face, so has to sort of lean his front paws on the ground and put his face down into them. Heartbreaking to see how just how cruel it is to confine an animal to too small a space.
 
Bluesmum said:
Bunny addicts gorgeous bridge bun Emilys back problems and artritis were due to being kept in too small a hutch.
(Hope you don't mind me saying Denise :oops: )
Click to expand...

No of course I don't Sam - thank you for remembering her :)

I was about to say about Emily - she was horrendous bless her when we first brought her home. She should NEVER have been kept in a hutch - even a 6ft one :(

Our vet said that Emily's problems started from her being so young & never really having the chance to develop properly as a young rabbit. Not able to build up her muscles or strength :cry: I have no doubt had Emily not been kept in a hutch for such a large part of her life - she would still be with us now :cry: Her problems were far too gone before she even came to us :cry:

I think the psychological problems it also causes is equally as bad :cry: I've found with some of our buns we've rescued - they've absolutely freaked when given space :cry: As if it's made them agraphobic :(
 
Repetitive behaviour is something that often springs up in animals that are confined in inappropriately sized housing.

When I brought home our bun she'd been kept in a very small hutch and even when she was free range with a giant hutch to come and go from she would sit and obsessively yank at the wire on door. It took quite a while before she started moving about properly and playing with her toys.

Another example, though not a rabbit but I would assume similar things could happen, was a dumped rat buck that I took in. He'd been kept in a 5"x8" (yes, I do mean INCHES) glass tank and when I put him in our convalescent cage it took him a while before he realised he could actually move about.
 
If they are kept there from young and also if kept solitary it makes them 'shut off' and not develop their intelligence or behaviour fully.

I am not saying that they cannot recover from this - but it is as if you had kept a child in small solitary confinement for years - its takes them months and even years to 'develop' bunny traits of inquisitiveness, bunny behaviour (grooming others) .

In effect they just 'shut off' otherwise they would have gone mad from boredom.

i have one that has taken a year to recover.
 
Yep, its worth a try, good on you!

Their hutches are very small, and those that are of a decent size, the Orchard or whatever it is, its meant to be pants quality!

However the Lavender Lodge (which would be OK for one bun or a dwarf pair) is actually really good.
 
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