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Newbie with few questions if possible pls?

wales1000

Young Bun
hello - i am new and although i have small animals, such as guinea pigs and a chinchilla, i would like to ask a few things if possible pls? I have taken on 2 rabbits which were in deseperate need of a new home from a family member who weren't being fed properly, no water, hutch with no roof etc access to a very small run and i have decided enough was enough and have taken them. They are out door rabbits, but are in a very large run in our animals play room in the house at the moment - i have put in hay, water and hidy places and wooden toys, but i need to ask a few things. They are roughly 11 months old and are males and tonight i have double checked and they do look like males and they are quite big rabbits.

Would a 4 ft x 2 ft double hutch be suitable for these 2 rabbits, if they were to have access to run also with access to the run most of the day? i have a large garden, but i need to make some areas secure before I can even think about putting them back outside, as we have an outdoor cat and a lot of the neightbours cats come into our garden. Our dogs use a large part of the garden also, but they would not be able to get near the rabbits as we have broken an area off for them.

Also I wanted to ask if you are able to use plain toilet roll for bedding area for rabbits like I used to do for our rescued hamsters? I couldn't find anything on the net about this. I dont use woodshavings as my guinea pigs live on vet bed.

Many thanks.

Natasha x
 
Hi Natasha, I housed one bunny (what he came in from previous owners) in a 4ft double storey hutch with a 4x4 run attached (permanent access) which was ply underneath and covered in a really thick layer of hay as a temporary scenario though, it was never going to be good enough as a permanent thing, you ideally need a bigger hutch for 2 I think but, if it's just till you can get some cash etc it won't hurt them as such, sounds like they are better off with you already, at least they will be clean, well fed etc

They are going to need neutering you know that don't you, i would take both males together and keep them together the whole time to ensure not breaking the bond.:wave:

Edited to add I wouldn't use toilet roll or kitchen roll, I would use newspaper under hay, there are a lots of litter products, I particularly like Megazorb, I posted this link on your Intro thread it's a brilliant site, www.thehayexperts.co.uk also have a look at this http://www.petsathome.com/shop/smal...-by-pets-at-home-24353?cm_re=barilliance-_-up sell-_-product details these can be used indoor and outdoor and you can connect more than one together, I have 4 and it makes a fabulous size run, they are also handy to put round a hutch at night for extra protection from foxes.
 
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Hi :wave: Glad you are looking to give these bunnies a better life than they've had. I would say a 4x2' double is too small, especially for large bunnies. Most people on here recommend at least a 6x2' single hutch with a large run attached or available. The run should be as big as possible - there are lots of recommendations on here if you search the housing threads, but as a minimum most people say 6x4' or 6x6'. I think free range time is still important with a run of this size so it's great that you are sorting something with your garden. Many people go for a shed or playhouse instead of a hutch - have you considered this?

I'm not sure about the toilet roll in case they chewed it - someone else might have more advice on that. I use megazorb for litter trays if you can get hold of some - it's cheap for the size of the sack you get :)
 
Hello & welcome :wave:

I might be able to help with a few of your questions:

Hutch size: 6ft x 2ft x 2ft is what you need for two buns of the size you describe. Either that or you could consider a wendy house or small shed.

Run: Absolute min of 6ft x 2ft(high) x 4ft attached to the hutch if possible

Hutch bedding: litter training is easy and will remove the need for hay etc all over. Get a washing up bowl or similar, line it with newspaper and fill with hay. Buns like to chew while they're on the loo :roll: so they SHOULD automatically do everything in the one place :D You'll need to empty it at least once a day but twice or more often is best, especially with two. Top up with fresh hay each time. You could have more than one of course, one in the run and one in the hutch maybe.

If your hutch isn't already lined I would suggest using lino as a floor covering. This is easy to wipe clean and will make the floor last much longer. You can put an old towel down, fleece or a piece of carpet for somewhere for them to lie on but remove if either start to chew as this could be ingested.

In the bedroom/sleeping area you could put another box, cardboard or plastic or just make a sort of den out of towels, fleece blanket etc for them to snuggle into during the winter months.

Be careful to only put hay where you want them to toilet though or they'll get confused :)
 
thank you for you replies :)

firstly i didn't know i would have to get their chopped to be honest! Will they fight if i dont then? I have to admit, when we got 2 guinea pigs chopped we had bad experiences and one of them cost me £300 at the emergency vets after he had the chop so i have always said I wouldnt get any boys netuered again.

shame about the hutch size, but i do have a large chicken house (without any sort of run) which hasn't been used - my OH revamped it when we were going to get chickens, but then i found out i was pregnant and we never got them in the end, so i could possibly adapt them with the double hutch i have? Luckily the run i have is 3 ft high, so it gives them plenty of head height to jump around. i have noticed that they do the toilet in pretty much one area and not in the hay and definately haven't seen any poos in their sleeping area, so that's a good thing.

I hoover my guinea pigs hutches / cages out every day, so I shall be doing the same with the rabbits, so they shall never be in dirty hutches and also the hutch is already lined with protective easy clean flooring, so no worries there. Would I be ok to use vet for the rabbits, like I do with the guinea pigs?
 
Two males are very likely to fight at some point, and I guess the bills to have them treated after a serious fight could easily be more than the cost of two neuters. The op for males is simpler than for females, and they usually recover really quickly. Think it cost me about £60ish for my male, including his antibiotics and pain relief etc.

I find it easier to use a litter tray, with no other bedding over the main floor area. Hardly any cleaning out :)
 
A rabbit neuter is much simpler and easier than a guinea pig neuter. I think it's because their testicles are separate, whereas in guinea pigs everything is 'together' if you know what I mean. I have been looking into getting my male pigs neutered for a while and was advised against it as it doesn't change their behaviour, but neutering massively changes behaviour in rabbits. If you don't get them neutered they will probably fight and could even castrate each other :shock:
 
thank you for you replies :)

firstly i didn't know i would have to get their chopped to be honest! Will they fight if i dont then? I have to admit, when we got 2 guinea pigs chopped we had bad experiences and one of them cost me £300 at the emergency vets after he had the chop so i have always said I wouldnt get any boys netuered again.

shame about the hutch size, but i do have a large chicken house (without any sort of run) which hasn't been used - my OH revamped it when we were going to get chickens, but then i found out i was pregnant and we never got them in the end, so i could possibly adapt them with the double hutch i have? Luckily the run i have is 3 ft high, so it gives them plenty of head height to jump around. i have noticed that they do the toilet in pretty much one area and not in the hay and definately haven't seen any poos in their sleeping area, so that's a good thing.

I hoover my guinea pigs hutches / cages out every day, so I shall be doing the same with the rabbits, so they shall never be in dirty hutches and also the hutch is already lined with protective easy clean flooring, so no worries there. Would I be ok to use vet for the rabbits, like I do with the guinea pigs?

If you post where you are (on a separate thread) & ask for vet recommendations I'm sure people will be able to help :) Getting a good rabbit savvy vet is very important, particularly when it comes to neutering.

Yes they may fight if there are not neutered, certainly far less likely to if they are & it should also stop spraying & reduce the desire to dig (should this start) & just generally make them happier buns :D

Maybe you could somehow attach the hutch & run onto the chicken house by way of a tube or catflap? This would give them a lovely spacious base with interesting levels to explore :D

Re. the toileting - I would pop a litter bowl in the area where they "go" at the mo and see what happens. Saves you a lot of cleaning out!

Best of luck. Please post some piccies, we love piccies :love:
 
You said the hutch was a double one? So I would think that would be fine for now. Probably more room tahn they had. :(
 
hi, yes the hutch has two levels with a ramp, so it is a double hutch.

My opinion is, if they're clean and dry and they have hay and water and enough space to hop about it's better than what they did have. You can improve with time but for now it's great that you've got them.
 
My OH is not going to be happy with me then, only just got them and will have to get them neturered - there is a new vets now in a drive away, which we have taken GPs since the old vet we used and they are much better, so i am confident with them - think it will cost £62 each, so thats £120 to get them done, my OH is not going to be happy when he gets home tomorrow!

I will have to order a litter tray as I dont have one.

Here are quickly some pics - they dont have names yet and i know the run looks a bit pants at the moment, but this is temporary until i sort out their proper home - they are in the spare bedroom right next to the gps (the gps get two days in the runs then I swap them over) also this is another cage I have (its just over 6ft long), which I could use for the rabbits and put the 3 gp girls into the 4 x 2ft double hutch if that's better - they rarely use the other side of this cage (you can see them all down the other end)

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk156/tasha10000/DSC00723.jpg
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk156/tasha10000/DSC00722.jpg
 
You said the hutch was a double one? So I would think that would be fine for now. Probably more room tahn they had. :(

Whilst this is true for now - long-term it really is too small for a pair of buns' which is why the advice has been posted to go for bigger when possible.

Well done on rescuing the rabbits! Sounds like they needed you! :) xx

Chicken coops can be smaller in some ways than hutches depending on their shape - some I have seen in 'real life' are really very small living-space wise.

I fully agree that for the time being whatever you can offer them is brilliant and they are safe, cared for and well fed which is of course the main thing. But rabbits are very active and a good size living space is absolutely vital for their happiness and well-being.

Look forward to pics!! :wave: xx
 
Whilst this is true for now - long-term it really is too small for a pair of buns' which is why the advice has been posted to go for bigger when possible.

Well done on rescuing the rabbits! Sounds like they needed you! :) xx

Chicken coops can be smaller in some ways than hutches depending on their shape - some I have seen in 'real life' are really very small living-space wise.

I fully agree that for the time being whatever you can offer them is brilliant and they are safe, cared for and well fed which is of course the main thing. But rabbits are very active and a good size living space is absolutely vital for their happiness and well-being.

Look forward to pics!! :wave: xx

here are some pics i put just before you posted your reply

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...0/DSC00723.jpg
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...0/DSC00722.jpg
 
My OH is not going to be happy with me then, only just got them and will have to get them neturered - there is a new vets now in a drive away, which we have taken GPs since the old vet we used and they are much better, so i am confident with them - think it will cost £62 each, so thats £120 to get them done, my OH is not going to be happy when he gets home tomorrow!

I will have to order a litter tray as I dont have one.
Here are quickly some pics - they dont have names yet and i know the run looks a bit pants at the moment, but this is temporary until i sort out their proper home - they are in the spare bedroom right next to the gps (the gps get two days in the runs then I swap them over) also this is another cage I have (its just over 6ft long), which I could use for the rabbits and put the 3 gp girls into the 4 x 2ft double hutch if that's better - they rarely use the other side of this cage (you can see them all down the other end)

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk156/tasha10000/DSC00723.jpg
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk156/tasha10000/DSC00722.jpg

A washing up bowl (or similar) works fine - honest! No need to spend more than £1.50 :D
 
Whilst this is true for now - long-term it really is too small for a pair of buns' which is why the advice has been posted to go for bigger when possible.

Well done on rescuing the rabbits! Sounds like they needed you! :) xx

Chicken coops can be smaller in some ways than hutches depending on their shape - some I have seen in 'real life' are really very small living-space wise.

I fully agree that for the time being whatever you can offer them is brilliant and they are safe, cared for and well fed which is of course the main thing. But rabbits are very active and a good size living space is absolutely vital for their happiness and well-being.

Look forward to pics!! :wave: xx


Agreed :D Best to start as you mean to go on tbh as often what happens is people never get round to "upgrading". I do agree though that you've done a fab job in rescuing them and the fact that you're on here asking questions is excellent so well done :thumb:
 
do i need to put anything in the washing up bowl? to be honest i wouldn't just put them in the 4 x 2 double and not upgrade them - if you saw how many times i have upgraded my guinea pigs houses and the chinchillas and the amount of money i have spent in the past you would think i was mad. The hutch they were in before i got them was 3 ft long single hutch. I will have a good think tomorrow about what is best to do with the rabbits - if my OH lets them stay in doors I could adapt that 6 ft cage which i posted the link showing the gps in, with the run if that would be ok?
 
do i need to put anything in the washing up bowl? to be honest i wouldn't just put them in the 4 x 2 double and not upgrade them - if you saw how many times i have upgraded my guinea pigs houses and the chinchillas and the amount of money i have spent in the past you would think i was mad. The hutch they were in before i got them was 3 ft long single hutch. I will have a good think tomorrow about what is best to do with the rabbits - if my OH lets them stay in doors I could adapt that 6 ft cage which i posted the link showing the gps in, with the run if that would be ok?

Yes, as per post 4, line it with newspaper and fill it with hay :D
 
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not a good start and have only had them one day! one of the bunnies is weeing blood - i picked them both up to see if i could see, but i cant tell and also one just kicked the hell out of me and has cut my hand! their nails are not long, but by jeepers they can kick. Vets it will have to be.
 
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