I'm not sure what to do.

As most of you might of seen, I have four bonded females that need a new home ASAP.

Well I'm at the end of my tether with it all. They are currently at my parents in a hutch/run that isn't big enough, despite them having free range time, and I want to move them to mine ASAP.

Mum and Dad aren't taking care of them like I would, they are elderly and also still work long hours, but I keep asking them to make sure their litter trays are EMPTIED at least once or twice a day in this weather, and I don't think that's happening.

OH reckons it's going to cost us £300 or thereabouts to just flag the garden to get the space to put a shed up like we want to, and it's going to cost me £120 to take them to the vets next week (new vet so need new rabbit fee paying and their jabs - old vet just didn't cut it imo) and I am barely able to manage that, let alone the money for the flagging and the shed. OH will help out, but I know he's dragging his feet as he has bills to pay too.

We saw a double tier hutch that is 6.5ftx2.5ftx2ft with a 6.5ftx4 run under (it would be custom made double tier, and would cost £280), but everyone recommends the shed as the "better" option, so i've been holding out hope for that.

I just don't know what to do, I want them up to me ASAP but the only way of doing that is ordering that hutch and having it on the patio in front of the patio doors, which we can't really do with a shed as it would block light out more and the run wound't be able to be attached until we had the flagging down.

I'm torn, OH suggested we rehome them but I really really really don't want to do that unless it can't be avoided. It would break my heart to see them go, but i'm starting to get really stressed out by how long this is all dragging on, I want those rabbits in a better home NOW.. not in a month or twos time and wondering if i'm that much of a bad bunny owner that I should let them go to homes where they will have more space immediately.

I'm sat at my work desk in floods of tears right now and OH is being unhelpful as ever, and I try to discuss it with my parents and they just tut at me!!!

I'm sorry to rant here, but I know you're all great rabbit owners and could really do with some advice, even if it's just advice on a temporary solution.

Hey :wave:

Is there a possibility of them being house rabbits? They can free range in a room and have a dog kennel or something like that, as a 'base'.

What about making a hutch? that way you can design it yourself and it might end up cheaper than actually buying a hutch/run combo.
Have you had a look at the housing area of the forum?


ETA - my logic with house rabbits - it might be cheaper to get a base rather than a hutch or shed.

Heya!

Sadly we can't have them as house rabbits, the house we moved to is barely big enough for us, and there just isn't enough room, although I for one would LOVE THAT!!!

We do have a garage, but i'm worried that they'd chew wires or be constantly "in the dark" so to speak, although they'd have free range time when I was at home of course.

Building one is fine again, but it's the timescale that is upsetting me more than anything.

I've been lurking and posting random whines for a while now, have viewed the housing section and love it all! I just need the quickest option at a reasonable cost.

I don't think my two kids have ever stressed me out as much as i'm upsetting myself over this haha.

There is a £92 shed at B and Q, 6ft by 4ft. You can sit small sheds on wooden sleepers, they don't have to be on flags. It's a lot cheaper, and not that hard, to make a run with panels from Screwfix and wood from a timber merchant. Alternatively, although you say the hutch isn't big enough, if you built a run around it and the rabbits had access for most of the day, then it would probably be fine.

I think you will struggle to rehome 4 rabbits together. Although your parents may not be keeping them as you might yourself, it sounds as though they will okay for a while. Good luck with finding a solution.

Thanks Tintin, that's the shed we've been looking at.

I keep explaining to OH that we don't NEED to flag the garden immediately to get it here and up and running, we could have a temporarly solution, like that!

I'm going to forward all these suggestions to him lol. And yeah I don't *want* to rehome them, that would be an absolute LAST CHOICE, we've had them for 5 years and reared them from babies (our two original rabbits were NOT both female, apparently) and they've bonded very closely over the years starting with hutches next door to each other, then moddified so all together.

Thanks for your reply

Its a tough situation ^.

I had to wait months before we got the flag stones down for Mopsys shed (which meant she only had a few months in it before she went ).

What about getting a temporary hutch and run combo off ebay or something, so they can move to your house and you can care for them & then you can look at different housing options? Be it making your own hutch and run or buying and putting up the shed and flag stones

Hi Mopsy,

That is one option, yes. A temporary hutch would probably only be a one or two tier 6ft one, that we could donate to a rescue or something afterwards. I was led to believe this wouldn't be suitable even if only as a temporarly house while we were digging up the garden, doing the flagging and getting the shed sorted etc, that's the only reason i've not gone for it!

Perhaps I'm being dense (happens often...), but can the hutch they are in not be moved to yours at the moment?

If it's what they're already in, they won't be any worse off, plus you can make sure they get plenty of free range time...?

xxx

Nooo you're not being dense.

I am trying to arrange that, but unfortunately the hutch can't be taken apart (don't ask me why.. but it came as a one piece and appears to have been put together magically!) we have to have a van to do it, again it's a money issue right at this moment in time, normally we'd be fine, but OH has had to pay a HUGE tax bill (freelance work, boo!) and we've recently had to fork out a lot of money for other various reasons (another boo!).

I am hoping to get that done in the next week or so, we most definately have the space for that hutch here and like you say, they won't be worse off and will have oodles of free range time (only work 18.5hrs a week myself, sahm the other half).

I think what I really need OH to do is sit and listen to how much this is getting to me and how much I want to fix it, sooner rather than later, if we could just get the sodding flagstones ordered, it would be a start!

Sorry for the rant again, I often rant like this then kick myself as it's not the end of the world, just want the best for my gorgeous quartet!



Their moody mother who refuses to acknowledge them gets her own place, as usual.



Would it be worth trying to rebond one or two with mum so they aren't in a group of four? The four are around 5 yrs old now and have constantly been next to each other or together.

if you look in your local paper, there's usually guys advertising a "man with a van" service, which I imagine would be way cheaper then buying a new cage or anything. But that doesn't solve taking it apart i guess lol.

Yeah, talk to your OH i guess! Personally, if you have the money obviously, I'd just order it, then tell him! That's what I did with my new hutch that came last week lol.

xxx

Willowzee said:

Hi Mopsy,

That is one option, yes. A temporary hutch would probably only be a one or two tier 6ft one, that we could donate to a rescue or something afterwards. I was led to believe this wouldn't be suitable even if only as a temporarly house while we were digging up the garden, doing the flagging and getting the shed sorted etc, that's the only reason i've not gone for it!

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Who told you it was too small?
If they had a run and free range time... it should be ok? Hopefully a more experienced rabbit person will come along and say whether it would be suitable for temparary housing .

If this were me, I would get a double 6ft hutch with a run attached and then let them free range when you are home. To me, thats better than worrying about them and not living with you

beckie20 said:

if you look in your local paper, there's usually guys advertising a "man with a van" service, which I imagine would be way cheaper then buying a new cage or anything. But that doesn't solve taking it apart i guess lol.

Yeah, talk to your OH i guess! Personally, if you have the money obviously, I'd just order it, then tell him! That's what I did with my new hutch that came last week lol.

xxx

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LOL i'd love to, but sadly I only have a cash card for my bank account, that's why he ends up being the one to buy most things, I could "borrow" it, I guess

I'm going to pay the £120 tomorrow to get them in a decent vet and that won't leave me with *much*. I offered to buy the shed, if he could buy the paving (haaa!), so I can buy it, but I won't be able to erect it until he's done his part.

He's said he'd happily buy me the 6.5ftx2.5ftx2.5ft hutch (double tier with 6.5ftx4ft attached open access all time run) if it "shuts me up" and that already has a temporary home but if it's not going to be their permanent home it's going to be £300 odd going to waste. I quite like the hutch, it's very sturdy looking and the run is modular so can be added to.. here's a link to the guys hutches that would make it (he doesn't do double tier only as custom)

Hutch Guy

That would be the easiest/quickest option. But I like the idea of the shed, as do most others!! It just won't be as quick.

MopsyMops =] said:

Who told you it was too small?
If they had a run and free range time... it should be ok? Hopefully a more experienced rabbit person will come along and say whether it would be suitable for temparary housing .

If this were me, I would get a double 6ft hutch with a run attached and then let them free range when you are home. To me, thats better than worrying about them and not living with you

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Hiya!

I spoke to a couple of people, I even rang the RSPCA line and they all tried to shoo me off of the idea of the double hutch I posted above with run.. even though I explained most of the week the lil ones could free range to their hearts content.

I am not a rabbit expert, which is why i'm in such a tizz about it all, I just want whats best for the girls, if it's a shed, then that's what i'll do, my OH doesn't understand why the above hutch wouldn't be suitable either! lol But with the cost nearing £300, it wouldn't be a few weeks temporary home, it'd be most definately a few months (probably more) temporary home, then we'd flag the garden at a slower pace, sort the shed etc.

I'm just going around in circles, I bet ppl reading this are like ohhhh Willowzee.. SSHHHHH!

Could you get the 6ft hutch but with a bigger run?

If a hutch suits you better I don't think it is a bad plan, lots of people have hutches and your buns don't look like giants to me :wave:

louise and Gus said:

Could you get the 6ft hutch but with a bigger run?

If a hutch suits you better I don't think it is a bad plan, lots of people have hutches and your buns don't look like giants to me :wave:

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I believe the ebay guy said that the run was modular, so we could add bits to it to lengthen it. They will only be in the run and locked away whilst I work which is Mon-Tues 9-5 and Weds 9-1.

As soon as I get home they can free range, obviously they will be locked away if I have to pop out to the shops etc, but usually one of us is at home.

And no, the girls are defiantely no giants lol

Willowzee said:

I believe the ebay guy said that the run was modular, so we could add bits to it to lengthen it. They will only be in the run and locked away whilst I work which is Mon-Tues 9-5 and Weds 9-1.

As soon as I get home they can free range, obviously they will be locked away if I have to pop out to the shops etc, but usually one of us is at home.

And no, the girls are defiantely no giants lol

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I would see if you can get a bigger run made for it, if you could get 6ft that would be good, then I don't see a problem with having your buns there, A shed would not give any more floor space than a 6x6 run anyway :wave:

Are you doing the slabbing yourself?

A basic 18" x 18" slab from B&Q is £1.74 so to do an area 12ft x 6ft would need 32 = £56 plus a bit more for sand and cement to bed them on, so it can be done a lot cheaper than £300

I personally wouldn't have any problem putting buns in a smaller than 6ft hutch for a month or two as long as they had time to run in the garden. I think you need to look at what's best for them in the long term,and for me, that would be much preferable to rehoming.

Have you tried your local freecycle or preloved or Friday ads for a hutch?- True they are unlikely to be 6ft but could you not screw two smaller ones together for the time being? Also I often see slabs offered free on there.

Rehoming them is a bit drastic imo- what about finding someone other than your parents to foster them?

Don't get too bogged down by rules and regs- I'm sure there are many really kind bunny owners on here whose hutches are are few inches short of the perfect 6ft x 2ft x 2ft but they know their buns have plenty of room and time to run in the garden.
besides- your set-up would be temporary.

The RSPCA has to stand by its stance on the ideal hutch sizes but I do think its a matter of common sense. The bunny should be able to stand upright in the hutch to wash and to be able to take 3 hops- which for an average size bun is their recommended size for a permanent hutch..-sue:wave:

another option would be bunny boarding till your new set up is sorted?