flyscreen on aviary to prevent myxomatosis (i think thats what its called) ???

i havent really seen anyones enclosures that have flyscreen or anything like that on them.
Here in Australia there is no vaccination for myxomatosis, so would it be best to cover the rabbits aviary permanently in flyscreen??
Will it still let in sunlight? Flyscreen looks so dark being black..

Or should i only attach it to the top and make it possible to roll it up in the middle of the day when mozzies arent really out?? although if i did that i don't know how i would get it to stay down when i rolled it back down without there being gaps where the mozzies could get in..

Just thinking about it now as when i went to the vet yesterday and said i was building a new outdoor enclosure he said make sure my rabbits cant be exposed to it.
And in march there was apparently a high increase in the disease (according to a newspaper article) close to the area where i live..

Any suggestions??

Try it!

It should let the sun shine through. Fly screen is a good way to keep those pests away from your rabbits. Just remember to cover all sides and the top of the aviary. Good Luck!

It lets a fair amount of light through as some people with allotments grow plants under similar netting to keep various insects out - I think you can get it in white too for a lighter look.

It's a great idea for aiding in preventing myxomatosis. I would staple it to the top/sides and then maybe velcro down the sides if you want to be able to lift it, or staple it to a hinged frame so you can open it like shutters. It would be fine there permanently though, I think you'd still get enough light through.

Making sure there isn't any standing water helps keep them down too, so covering water buts, adding a little fountain to ponds, making sure buckets are stored upside down so they don't fill with rain - that sort of thing.

That's a really great idea! Maybe you could permanently fix it to some parts (like the top and the very bottom a few feet up) so the light could still come in, but it is a little more secure for when you lift the rest up. And as Tamsin said, Velcro would be good or maybe releasable cable ties?

flyscreen on hutches

Hi there,

I staple black flyscreen to the mesh parts of my hutches such as doors. I worried that white mesh may attract flying insects. It stays on all summer and need not really come off in the winter.
It works really well and we seem to have loads of mosquitos around this year! i know ive been bitten loads!

It does let light in but i also find it helps shade the hutches. None of my hutches are in direct sunlight but the shade i feel is beneficial. My bunnies come out of their hutches often so get plenty of sunlight.

I have seperate meshed sections for water bottles and on these parts i use velcro so it is easy to move to access water bottles daily.

I will post some pictures when i get a chance. I have many rabbits and therefore many hutches. Regular tutu mesh fabric works just as well and is cheaper per meter. It is also easy to cut to size, i start stapling and then cut around the door or its easy to cut at diagonals! lol.

I also place fly catchers on the outside of my hutches and they work a treat.

If you dont already i would recommend you put your rabbit waste away from your outdoor hutches as it attracts the flies etc. I put my bunny waste at the other end of the garden before i take it to my local green recycling centre.

Best wishes and ill post some pictures tomorrow if i can

Emilie.

I have made a door blind using fly screen in my house to separate my birds from my dogs when they're out and it let's loads of light through, so much so that I have walked into it several times forgetting its there!! I was thinking of using it over mesh panels for a digging box (another project that is occupying my mind!) to prevent the earth flying all over the place :lol:

Thanks for the idea

I might staple it permanently to the top of the aviary and down the side a little and velcro the rest.
I think this will also make it easier to clean the aviary, as i can put the screen up and hose off the pavers

Emilie i would love to see pictures if you get around to it

And ill take the other advice about the no still water and waste away from them As i may have mentioned, I havent actually built this yet but am getting all my ideas and i've started building the playhouse frame, and have all my other materials so was wondering if i should also buy flyscreen and now i think i should especially because it seems like mozzies have come more and more over the years around here. Theres a roll of 30metres for $50 on ebay which is pretty cheap for here so i might get that

Summer&Skye, i was also thinking about a digging box for my buns! I was thinking about using a kiddie pool but they are rather large, then i thought maybe a planter box cuz i think that would be fairly easy to build, and if i build it myself i can make it highish so the contents don't go everywhere and maybe put in a little door/entry hole

thanks everyone

No probs.

I'll try get some photos today if it's not raining too much. Uk has such a poor excuse for a summer! I'm already thinking about winter insulation! Lol.

The foil insulation is apparently very good for reflecting heat from the sun too so I may install it now.

Your project sounds ace! Well done you!

Xx

Thanks fingers crossed it isnt raining! Wow ur summer sounds good summer here is horrible, unbearable heat! Bad weather for bunnies really, but i have some foil type insulation that is meant for houses that mum had lying around for some reason and then bubble wrap to go over that (because i assume the foil would go on first facing the outside and then id put bubble wrap on top of that?)

But thanks, im not very diy savy, i dont think too many 19 year old girls are but my mum and boyfriend are helping me out so i hope it turns out good.

I am hoping to build my digging box as a separate thing to the run, so it doesn't take up floor space or make a mess of the run as they dig so I plan to use a shelving unit I have and make a kind of box around it and add mesh, then fly screen so the soil doesn't fly out all over! I will have a pipe leading to it from the run. Hard to explain as its still all in my head and don't really know if it's going to work til I make a start!! Also love the big round wooden trug planter type things u can get at garden centres but like i said its where to put it!! Will be posting pics when done Good luck with ur project :thumb:

Well i'll be looking out for the photos of when you get it finished, might have to steal some ideas!
I think i'd have to have mine in the avairy as i won't have anywhere else the rabbits could access it permanently, and boy do my rabbits love to dig even on their hutch floor which isn't digable :roll:
Good luck to you too