• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Those with buns that dont free-range.. Im having serious pangs of guilt!! hellllp

kaths101

Warren Veteran
:cry::cry: I cant stop thinking about this.

Since I moved last September my buns have been living in a shed and avairy.

CIMG3236.jpg


Its large and I know they are lucky compared to some other buns BUT I cant let them out to free-range. My garden is big and its just not viable to rabbit proof it also I worry about foxes etc and their safety - our gate leads onto a main road..

Im having massive pangs of guilt though as I worry about them seeing the same 4 walls all day every day and they never run or graze on grass as the avairy is on concrete. At my old house the buns were house buns and used to dash about the house, I used to let them out in the garden supervised and Sooty and Oreo loved it - had massive sprints and binkies and I just dont get that now :cry: Charlie has the occasional mad moment with binkies and I know they are all happy - constantly playing and flopping etc but I just worry about the exercise and they are not doing what bunnies do!!

I have thought about getting several puppy pen panals to put round the grass so I can open the avairy door and they run into the grass area? If I pen round the edge of the grass?? (minus the drain pipe :lol:)

CIMG2811.jpg


Do you think this is a good idea? and will only let them out when im home and in the pen with them..I have also found one that is 4 ft high so they cant jump out easily or am I just being silly?

I dont know whether im explaining myself well, I just feel like im confining them .. this is a little video of oreo in my old garden going where he wants an having a nice hop about.

http://s950.photobucket.com/albums/...=view&current=CIMG0768.mp4&mediafilter=videos

What do other people do?
thanks for listening to my rambling!! x
 
I'm in a, not identical, but similar situation. Mine don't have access to grass usually but we made up the big huge run on the grass so they can go out there in their carriers and have a mad dash on the grass when it's dry and warm. Its about the same area as their rooms but gives them time out on the grass which the lops do enjoy.
 
I think your set up is lovely. I have used pens linked together so mine can free range safely supervised. It's lovely to see them race round doing crazy binkies x
 
I think the puppy pens are a good idea, just so they get a change of scenery sometimes :)

We have puppy pens up all the time (as in the photo below) and they get to go in that area most days for a bit of a run around.
Ours only get to free range occasionally but they seem to appreciate the front run just as much as the whole garden so I think they enjoy "out time" regardless of how much space there is (so don't worry if you can't give the whole garden)
255442_10150268265949363_510329362_8990202_263748_n.jpg


Hope that makes sense, I'm quite tired and not sure if it does!
 
yes it does make sense thank you for responding - Im glad you all understand what im getting at. r.e change of scenery / mad dashes..
.. i may get a few pens to try first and then gradually extend it, maybe buy a set a month to spread the cost too.
Ive got my non fur baby arriving next month but also want my fur babies to be happy and have everything they need :D
 
i think your set up is fab, but i think the puppy pen is a good idea aswell. bisc and matt have one against the back door at the moment whilst we are trying to sort the garden out (found some ragwort growing and other things etc so need to make sure it's all safe) and i thought they would be a bit annoyed not having the whole garden yet (we only have a small garden anyway) but they love going out there in the pen as an extention to the lounge so i agree that they seem to love going out for a change of scene, even if they can't have the whole garden. :)
 
I don't like the term free-range. It means different things to different people. Some people leave their rabbits out in the garden unsupervised and to me this is wreckless and totally unacceptable.

Yes I think you should get some kind of garden fencing and let them out for supervised activity when you can.
 
Our bunnies never free range as we are surrounded by fields and it's just not possible. They have their permanent enclosures, which don't have grass. Each enclosure has a door and access to a run onto the grass, but only when supervised.

This is Daisy-Boo and Pippin's
PB080026.jpg


Mine have always seemed very happy with the arrangement! :D
 
Mine come in the house most nights for a good run around and occasionally they get to go out in a run on grass if I can supervise them. But your set up is ace so you shouldn't be to concerned. :D
 
I don't like the term free-range. It means different things to different people. Some people leave their rabbits out in the garden unsupervised and to me this is wreckless and totally unacceptable.

Yes I think you should get some kind of garden fencing and let them out for supervised activity when you can.

oh yes I agree, I learnt my lesson from 'free ranging' when I lost Oreo one day - I was watching him nipped to the kitchen over looking the garden and he was gone!! under a 1 inch gap under the gate so no i dont mean that but just a way of them being 'free' but also safe!!
 
Our bunnies never free range as we are surrounded by fields and it's just not possible. They have their permanent enclosures, which don't have grass. Each enclosure has a door and access to a run onto the grass, but only when supervised.

This is Daisy-Boo and Pippin's
PB080026.jpg


Mine have always seemed very happy with the arrangement! :D

Yes thats the sort of thing im thinking of!
Have they ever tried to jump out??
Ive ordered the puppy pens - starting with 16 panals. Just need some netting now for the top!
 
Have they ever tried to jump out??
Ive ordered the puppy pens - starting with 16 panals. Just need some netting now for the top![/QUOTE]

Where have you ordered your pen from? and how much if you dont mind me asking ? im in exactly the same boat mine have a shed and run but i want to pen off some grass for supervised playtime :)
 
No, they've never tried to jump out. It's quite high in bunny terms, and they're too interested in nomming!
 
Have they ever tried to jump out??
Ive ordered the puppy pens - starting with 16 panals. Just need some netting now for the top!

Where have you ordered your pen from? and how much if you dont mind me asking ? im in exactly the same boat mine have a shed and run but i want to pen off some grass for supervised playtime :)[/QUOTE]


I ordered this one from ebay as they do 5 different heights and I wanted one they couldnt jump out of as I know my buns can jump over 2ft

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/8-PANEL-HEAVY...UK_Pet_Supplies_Dogs&var=&hash=item9757651f78
 
Mine can't be free range as while our land is enclosed, its also a commercial property, and its just not safe for bunnies to free-range when any stranger could be here.

I make sure they have plenty to do in their run and get lots of attention. It's all I can do.
 
Hi Kath,
My four didn't get access to grass either so I bought a roll of turf and lay it in just part of their run.
They are let out lots everyday but still not on grass, so I did this so they had some grass to munch on, its been in two weeks now and its still ok (its laid directly onto slabs.... if its hot I water it)

Photo0422.jpg
 
thanks lops thats a good idea too!! I gave them a little dig box a few weeks ago but they wrecked it :lol:
I might try that as well as the pen
 
Back
Top