• 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.

24/7 run access??

LittleEskimo

Mama Doe
Well, just set up the run and the rabbits have been playing in it for a bit. I was going to put them away soon though as mum was saying I can't leave them outside all night.

But can I? What do you do?
 
How safe are they going to be unsupervised? Can they dig out? does it have weather proofing? Do you have foxes around? Could a rabbit chew out?
 
Of course you can :D if you want to though. It's secure isn't it? They can't get under the hutch or out of the top. They have their dry and warm hutch to go in if they want, a cover on the run and they can't dig out :) It's exactly the same as mine had theirs and they were fine:)
 
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?364843-I-give-you-the-rabbit-run

Here it is if you want to look


It is screwed onto the hutch and everything and when I gave it a good shake I couldn't get it to budge.

Just mum went and said "oh but you know foxes come out at night" :roll: and the fact that the security lightbulb needs replacing means I can't see out into the garden.

And I worry whether they will sit out in the cold or something and get too cold
 
Mine used to sit in the cold, but rabbits will be rabbits! :lol: they went in when it was too cold, I used to check on them at about 11pm and they would be behind their wooden panel in the hutch :) if they want to go in they will :)

Are foxes common in your area then?
 
Is that run from ukrabbithutches? I have always left/leave mine out in their runs/avaires 24/7...i figure if its safe enough for daytime use then it is for night time use too :thumb: The only ones of mine that get shut away at night into their shed are my babies as they are only 10 weeks old and had been kept in a shed with no outside access before they came to me...

Mine are always out in their runs if i look out at 2 or 3am ish...they seem more awake then than they are all day :thumb:
 
Mine used to sit in the cold, but rabbits will be rabbits! :lol: they went in when it was too cold, I used to check on them at about 11pm and they would be behind their wooden panel in the hutch :) if they want to go in they will :)

Are foxes common in your area then?

I have only ever seen 2 in the 19 years of living here and they were up on the moorland. I have never seen, smelt or heard one in my area.
 
I would probably lock them in when you go to bed and let them out first thing. Foxes are very strong and if it's not bolted down you never know.
 
Just had a look at your pictures, it's looking good :D I reckon your bunnies will be very happy if you can make it secure enough for them to have 24/7 access, bunnies are naturally most active at dawn and dusk so they will really enjoy it. For years all my bunnies past and present have always chosen to sit in the run rather than the hutch most of the time.

If you can make sure it is very firmly attached to the hutch top and bottom on both sides (so it can't be dragged away, bent up or in) and the lid is secured so it can't be lifted up or pushed in (e.g. put it on hinges with hasp & staple catches to keep it secured down) and the decking board is secure to prevent them from moving it and escaping underneath, then I would let them out in it all the time if I were you :D
 
Last edited:
I think I will leave them out for the night, to see how they do.
The run is screwed into place with 2 screws on both sides of the hutch and wont come away for anything. It can't be lifted up at one end or whatever.
The lid can't be lifted up by anything as it locks underneath the lip of the hutch roof and has locks on the other side.
I had to kick the decking board into place as it was a very tight squeeze, it wont come away easily.

I am more worried about it being cold on the cobbles then anything else I think. I am not used to leaving them out in the open over night. They are always tucked up in their hutch with all the hay and stuff. It is relatively warm tonight, I was out in a shirt this evening and didn't feel that cold really. And it isn't windy or raining. So probably one of the better times to have a first night outside.
 
Is that run from ukrabbithutches? I have always left/leave mine out in their runs/avaires 24/7...i figure if its safe enough for daytime use then it is for night time use too :thumb: The only ones of mine that get shut away at night into their shed are my babies as they are only 10 weeks old and had been kept in a shed with no outside access before they came to me...

Mine are always out in their runs if i look out at 2 or 3am ish...they seem more awake then than they are all day :thumb:

It is :)
 
Also went to check on them and they seem fine. It has gotten a little windy so the tarp needs to be held down properly as it is flapping around and moving a little bit. Or I might try using correx like I have on the hutch.

But I think I will continue to keep them out over night. If the weather turns bad at all or it I feel it is getting too cold I will put them away though.

:)
 
Mine have access to their run overnight - they hardly ever use their hutch, preferring to sit out in rain and paddle about in snow!
 
Why padlocks?

Because predators can easily open catches.

If its secure enough for them then I would definitely give them 24/7 access, mine often prefer to use the run early morning and late evening as thats when rabbits are the most active naturally.
 
Because predators can easily open catches.

If its secure enough for them then I would definitely give them 24/7 access, mine often prefer to use the run early morning and late evening as thats when rabbits are the most active naturally.

I don't think I will put padlocks on it :? I wouldn't want to loose the keys or feel like every time I wanted to go see the buns I would have to deal with a load of locks and bolts just to see them and give them a stroke or a treat.
 
I don't think I will put padlocks on it :? I wouldn't want to loose the keys or feel like every time I wanted to go see the buns I would have to deal with a load of locks and bolts just to see them and give them a stroke or a treat.

I always say better safe than sorry! You usually get at least one spare key with a padlock anyway which you could keep somewhere safe just in case.

There have been a lot of incidents on here where a human has wandered into someones garden and let their rabbits loose for a laugh so you can't be too careful.

eta: you wouldn't need padlocks on every single catch, just one on each opening so it couldn't be opened without the key. I have four bolts on my shed and aviary and only one needs a padlock on it.
 
Last edited:
If you use 'keyed-alike' padlocks you only need one key for upto four padlocks and you get loads of spare ones. It doesn't take more than a few seconds to undo them.
 
I don't use padlocks I use hasp and staples with carabiners through them, then there's no risk of losing keys or having to faff about, you simply unhook the carabiner and hey presto. Perfectly secure, but much easier!
 
Back
Top