Hi everyone :wave:
Just thought I'd ask your opinions on my rabbits housing. At the moment they have the run of a large shed with their two storey hutch permanently open. Now obviously I want them to have a run off their shed, so that they have more space. But, the problem is that I have a Patterdale terrier, who we rescued before rescuing the bunnies in November (they were due to become ferriet food :evil.
Whilst the bunnies are in the shed Otto isn't that interested but I'm worried that if they have a run which he can see them through his prey drive will soar and he'll not give them any peace.
I've been thinking about a number of options. 1. buy an aviary like this one, but the 6ft by 6ft version
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6ft-x3ft-Mesh...?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Birds&hash=item27b91846d6
and then penning off the area around it with electric fencing. I have a unit I can access because I have horses and am quite used to using electric. We have a long narrow garden though and it might be difficult to have the space to make sure that the fence is well away from the aviary. I don't want to compramise on space for the bunnies, so don't want a smaller one.
Alternately I though about panelling round the aviary to about 3 foot, so that Otto can't see them. I'm hoping that like with the shed, he clearly knows that they are there but can't see them so doesn't bother. I worry then that the bunnies wouldn't be able to see out - would this bother them? Or would feeling safe away from predators be more important to them?
I know as bunny lovers some people may say get rid of the dog, but seeing as we rescued him when he was 1 year old, had been through 4 homes and was due to be PTS the very next day I feel it wouldn't be fair on him.
Sorry for the ramble, you can see i've been really mulling this over. I really want to get it right and make everyone happy
Just thought I'd ask your opinions on my rabbits housing. At the moment they have the run of a large shed with their two storey hutch permanently open. Now obviously I want them to have a run off their shed, so that they have more space. But, the problem is that I have a Patterdale terrier, who we rescued before rescuing the bunnies in November (they were due to become ferriet food :evil.
Whilst the bunnies are in the shed Otto isn't that interested but I'm worried that if they have a run which he can see them through his prey drive will soar and he'll not give them any peace.
I've been thinking about a number of options. 1. buy an aviary like this one, but the 6ft by 6ft version
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6ft-x3ft-Mesh...?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Birds&hash=item27b91846d6
and then penning off the area around it with electric fencing. I have a unit I can access because I have horses and am quite used to using electric. We have a long narrow garden though and it might be difficult to have the space to make sure that the fence is well away from the aviary. I don't want to compramise on space for the bunnies, so don't want a smaller one.
Alternately I though about panelling round the aviary to about 3 foot, so that Otto can't see them. I'm hoping that like with the shed, he clearly knows that they are there but can't see them so doesn't bother. I worry then that the bunnies wouldn't be able to see out - would this bother them? Or would feeling safe away from predators be more important to them?
I know as bunny lovers some people may say get rid of the dog, but seeing as we rescued him when he was 1 year old, had been through 4 homes and was due to be PTS the very next day I feel it wouldn't be fair on him.
Sorry for the ramble, you can see i've been really mulling this over. I really want to get it right and make everyone happy