Rabbit Run needed

Hi again guys.

I need to sort out a run for my daughter's (almost here) Mini Lop.

I'm looking for an 8'x4' but all the ones on eBay seem to be less than 2ft tall (between 20-24").

Is this enough, or should it be taller to all jumping, etc.?

If so, where can I get one?

I need something with a folding top of some sort, so I can get at her, but also that I can attach to her hutch via a Runaround 8ft flexi-pipe setup.

Also, how do I make it so she can't dig her way out, as I plan to give her unlimited use of it (at least during the day, when I'm going to be working), and it will be on grass?
Is the little bit of mesh than you put all the way around enough (only looks to be 4-6" wide), or do I need to fit a full mesh base across the bottom?
If it's the latter, how do I stop her from getting hurt on it?

Thanks
Craig

You can use strips of chicken wire pegged into the ground to cover the floor inside the run a good few inches and also outside. So it will be like a frame that the run sits on to stop rabbit digging out. A guy sells them on eBay but at £8 a strip it would be cheaper to make your own for a run your size. I wouldn't cover the whole floor as your bunny will get sore feet running on wire all day. Not all rabbits dig. Mine don't. Put in a deep tray of dirt and plenty of toys and you will probably find yours won't. But you won't really know until it arrives.

Thanks mate. That's what I was wondering.

Is 4-6" of mesh on each side enough to stop them digging out?

Why don't you place the run on paving stones?

Chicken wire isn't enough to keep predators out unfortunately.

2 reasons:

1. We need to keep the patio free for our use and it's only about 12' x 12', with a 6'x3' hutch already on there.
2. I would prefer the rabbit to be able to play on and eat grass whenever she likes. After all, paving slabs are not their natural environment.

Pie Eyed said:

2 reasons:

1. We need to keep the patio free for our use and it's only about 12' x 12', with a 6'x3' hutch already on there.
2. I would prefer the rabbit to be able to play on and eat grass whenever she likes. After all, paving slabs are not their natural environment.

Click to expand...

Hi :wave: I am currently creating a new set up for my buns which sounds similar to what u r doing, hutch and run on grass (part paving in my case due to space available) with runaround pipe to connect. I have dug the area where the run will be (advice is the deeper the better but my lawn is mainly rubble under so could only dig a few inches!) I then used wire mesh, not chicken wire as not strong enough, but found a good roll on eBay for a brill price which just covered my area for a 8x6ft run (with a small part on paving stones so not quite that big on grass)


I used metal ground pegs to secure mesh down and attached it all together with cable ties. Iv left a few inches around the edges to staple it to the run when it eventually arrives! Then I covered it back over with soil (iv added a burrow pipe aswell) now I just need to turf over it and plan to overseed aswell and let it establish before letting the rabbits loose on it!

Dug out...


Mesh down...


Waiting for turf...


This is the run iv ordered, also on ebay, apparently very well made, solid and secure. The sellers r in Birmingham, sorry didn't check whereabouts u r but if near enough, these come and deliver and put up the runs and hutches for u, and prices r very reasonable, iv also ordered a hutch from them.



Hope this helps :thumb:

Pie Eyed said:

Thanks mate. That's what I was wondering.

Is 4-6" of mesh on each side enough to stop them digging out?

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Personally I wouldn't trust these if the rabbits r being left alone as my rabbits have been known to dig in the centre of their old enclosure, got quite far and deep, quite fast so a bunny that does decide to dig, left alone all day could easily dig a burrow long enough to reach the other side!

Thanks.

Lee (WoodenBuildings) is actually building my hutch too, which he's delivering on Saturday. Hadn't looked at his runs TBH.

I'm up near Manchester, so it's costing me £50 for delivery & building, but it's more than worth it to me to have a properly built hutch.

Love the idea of burying mesh (although not sure what my wife will think of me digging up part of our garden.

The other problem is, how could I then move it around?

I'm assuming that a rabbit could eat her way through rather a lot of grass and would need to be moved regularly (the garden's around 130ftx20ft, so not a problem to move her).

I suppose I could always put one mesh "trap" in place, then build a couple more and rotate the grazing area?

Thanks again.
Craig

OK. I've decided to bite the bullet and put the run on the patio for now (Missus might go ape, but I'm sure she'll calm down when I explain that it's temporary).

It's 12ft x 12ft, so it can hold a 6' x 3' hutch and an 8' x 6' run, with just a little room left for us.

I've ordered the same run as you from WoodenBuildings, and hopefully they'll both come together on Saturday.

Just need to order the Runaround kit now.

(I'm seriously beginning to wish that I had spread the costs of buying a rabbit - Too much for one month).

Pie Eyed said:

OK. I've decided to bite the bullet and put the run on the patio for now (Missus might go ape, but I'm sure she'll calm down when I explain that it's temporary).

It's 12ft x 12ft, so it can hold a 6' x 3' hutch and an 8' x 6' run, with just a little room left for us.

I've ordered the same run as you from WoodenBuildings, and hopefully they'll both come together on Saturday.

Just need to order the Runaround kit now.

(I'm seriously beginning to wish that I had spread the costs of buying a rabbit - Too much for one month).

Click to expand...

Can I just say what a super bunny parents you and your daughter and wife are going to be! What an amazing home your new bunny is going to have - great sized hutch and run, and owners who really have done a lot of research on what is best before bringing bunny home :thumb:.

I am in the process of ordering from Lee as well! I would love to see pictures of your hutch and run when they are all set up . I think he must be a busy man at the moment!

I have metal run and have cable tied the mesh to the bottom, it actually does bed down into the grass and I did get in and crawl around the push it into the lawn a bit more. Mine is attached to a Wendy house via a catflap so it doesn't move around.
http://s1085.photobucket.com/albums...e/?action=view&current=IMG-20120630-00049.jpg

You could always lay paving stones the exact size of the run somewhere else in the garden seeing as you are using a runaround pipe? You can usually get paving stones on eBay for cheap or even free, and they are simple to lay as long as the ground is flat :wave:

Then you can have some room for yourself on the patio

With everything you are doing now and what you have talked about doing in the future (spaying/boyfriend etc) she is going to have such a good life you buying all the stuff now (hutch/run) you won't need to buy some 4ft one and waste loads of money. You've got it right first time!

Well done

My dad built my pairs permanent wooden run (6 x 4) and they have 2 metal runs for supervised access as the one in the middle has no roof, just a curtain :lol: You can tell your wife that the hutch and run on the patio will help save the grass! :lol:

Pie Eyed said:

Thanks.

Lee (WoodenBuildings) is actually building my hutch too, which he's delivering on Saturday. Hadn't looked at his runs TBH.

I'm up near Manchester, so it's costing me £50 for delivery & building, but it's more than worth it to me to have a properly built hutch.

Love the idea of burying mesh (although not sure what my wife will think of me digging up part of our garden.

The other problem is, how could I then move it around?

I'm assuming that a rabbit could eat her way through rather a lot of grass and would need to be moved regularly (the garden's around 130ftx20ft, so not a problem to move her).

I suppose I could always put one mesh "trap" in place, then build a couple more and rotate the grazing area?

Thanks again.
Craig

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I'm near Manchester too! Also thought it well worth £50 :lol: I don't want to move my run around it will be a permanent fixture, I am just going to c how it goes grass wise, they will get out in the garden whenever I'm around to watch them and I plan to get a pop up type grazing run at some point aswell when iv got more cash to spend!! I have also been making graze trays, planted with grass so if they demolish the grass they can have them aswell

AnnieElms said:

Can I just say what a super bunny parents you and your daughter and wife are going to be! What an amazing home your new bunny is going to have - great sized hutch and run, and owners who really have done a lot of research on what is best before bringing bunny home :thumb:.

I am in the process of ordering from Lee as well! I would love to see pictures of your hutch and run when they are all set up . I think he must be a busy man at the moment!

Click to expand...

Awww. Thanks.

I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy inside (starting to understand how a bunny feels in summertime) :lol:

Seriously. Thanks to EVERYONE who has offered advice & support to me while I've been getting everything sorted out.

She's all registered at the vet's now (under the name "Rabbit", until Aoife names her), and will be getting vacc's as soon as she arrives, as they confirmed Myxi in the area.

AnnieElms said:

Can I just say what a super bunny parents you and your daughter and wife are going to be! What an amazing home your new bunny is going to have - great sized hutch and run, and owners who really have done a lot of research on what is best before bringing bunny home :thumb:.

I am in the process of ordering from Lee as well! I would love to see pictures of your hutch and run when they are all set up . I think he must be a busy man at the moment!

Click to expand...

He is iv been waiting for a phone call for a week, I know who to blame now!! :lol:

Pie Eyed said:

OK. I've decided to bite the bullet and put the run on the patio for now (Missus might go ape, but I'm sure she'll calm down when I explain that it's temporary).

It's 12ft x 12ft, so it can hold a 6' x 3' hutch and an 8' x 6' run, with just a little room left for us.

I've ordered the same run as you from WoodenBuildings, and hopefully they'll both come together on Saturday.

Just need to order the Runaround kit now.

(I'm seriously beginning to wish that I had spread the costs of buying a rabbit - Too much for one month).

Click to expand...

I know exactly how u feel!! :roll: iv also just booked 3 spays (although one is free but 2 r still costing £160!) and have a guinea pig hutch to buy aswell :shock: expensive few months for me!! Hopefully like someone said tho, these will last for yrs to come so worth the investment and there is nothing nicer than looking out and seeing happy bunnies playing I can't wait til it's all done!

Pie Eyed said:

Thanks.

Lee (WoodenBuildings) is actually building my hutch too, which he's delivering on Saturday. Hadn't looked at his runs TBH.

I'm up near Manchester, so it's costing me £50 for delivery & building, but it's more than worth it to me to have a properly built hutch.

Love the idea of burying mesh (although not sure what my wife will think of me digging up part of our garden.

The other problem is, how could I then move it around?

I'm assuming that a rabbit could eat her way through rather a lot of grass and would need to be moved regularly (the garden's around 130ftx20ft, so not a problem to move her).

I suppose I could always put one mesh "trap" in place, then build a couple more and rotate the grazing area?

Thanks again.
Craig

Click to expand...

Hi :wave: just wondering if u got the hutch and run sorted from wooden buildings? Arranged for mine to come end August now as suits me better and he is very busy!! Just wondered if u r happy with it and would love to c some pics

Hi.

Yes, Lee delivered on Saturday as promised.

I love the hutch & run. The only thing I would (and will) change is that the run really needs handles on the 4 opening sections, as the wire feels a little "sharp" and will hurt if you grab the wire to open the doors/lid.

I've only taken a couple of pictures so far, which are below.
I also still need to join the 2 together with the Runaround kit.

Hutch:


Run:


Aoife and Lola-Rose (again)

Aw how lovely Glad you got it sorted

I am hijacking your thread here (sorry) but am going to build an attached run set up for my outdoor bunnies in a few weeks time and was also debating over the burying mesh, putting on concrete dilemna.

I have seen a friends run that has buried mesh and the grass has been nibbled literally to death. does the grass actually grow in runs like this when bunnies have full time access? I was thinking about the run-around idea so that they could keep having fresh grass. Is it safe to have the run just on concrete, can't foxes move it to lift it up? My latest idea is to put mesh on the bottom of the run, then put lino over it, for when they are not on the grass, but then could lift it up when they were? or would this not be nice for their feet?