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Where to keep Penny?

Debster

Mama Doe
I have a foster bunny who is living in my rabbits's old hutch. Its on my patio, right outside my lounge door and there is also a run for her. The hutch has a cover on and although there is no bedroom bit (its a PAH hutch and the wood creating the bedroom broke :roll:) she has a big carrier stuffed with straw and hay to snuggle in, a snugglesafe, fleeces and wooden "shutters" that cover the mesh hutch doors at night. My OH though suggested the other day that we should move her into my bunnies shed, as they are indoors for winter. Now I don't know what to do, I could disenfect the shed to get rid of any scents, but the attached run is on grass. My own buns will be moving outside again in spring, so would any scents linger and upset them?

Also I think that at least in the hutch she can see us and has things to look at, if she was in the shed she would have no view and I worry that she would be more lonely :oops:

When I went into the shed earlier (its storing hay at the moment) it did feel quite cosy, so am I being a bit mean keeping her in the hutch? I really don't know what to do for the best now! Any thoughts anyone?
 
Hmm its a toughie. I have often had to introduce new rabbits to communal areas such as the lawn or more recently the garage so while they can't get to each other they are aware of each other. I neutralized everything and put in fresh nom noms to distract everyone whilst putting the new buns which seems to have worked. In time they do of course get used to each other.

Misplaced aggression could be a concern if you have bonded rabbits in the shed and you introduce a new bun so you would have to watch out for that but it might be nice to move Penny into the shed as at least she will have some company from her own kind and enjoy the warmth although it does not sound as though she is too cold outside either. Rabbits cope fairly well with lower temperatures but I do think you are right to consider moving her.

As for the shed set up, are there hutches in the shed in which your current buns live or do they get to free range around the shed? If free ranging then I would not put Penny in unless you can place her hutch so that it is well above the ground.
 
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