I feel like I have been unable to get my point across about having the rabbits upstairs, every time I bring it up I am interrupted and not able to explain myself, please at least read this, sit and consider it before coming back to me and discussing it rather than just an outright no.
Imogen and Sebastian are much happier indoors, I am not comfortable moving them back outside because I now realise that Imogen was miserable out there and I don’t want her to have to go back to being miserable. Plus the possibility of a fox is not a good thing! Not only are the rabbits happier indoors I am much happier with them indoors, I know I can go and sit out with them but I don’t have the motivation, they’re miserable and don’t want to interact with me so I spend less time out there because it feels pointless, they’re more active at times when I am not out there because of the cold, weather or time of day. It’s also more painful for me to be sat outside than it is for me to be sat indoors. I know I have been grumpy for the past few days but this is because I keep dwelling on the idea of them going outside. Having them indoors has made me happier than I have been in such a long time and I don’t want to lose that. They also can’t stay in the conservatory for much longer, both of us need a place we can study, you can use the uni but I can’t and I can’t study sat on the sofa, I get far too distracted or fed up with not being able to spread out that I just give up. Once summer comes it’ll be way too hot in there and they will need to be moved anyway.
They’re also much easier to clean when they’re indoors, I know you’re worried about hay being dragged through the house, which it did when Sebastian was indoors. That was 3 years ago though, not only is my health better but I am generally much tidier these days. Hay is not being dragged through the house with them living downstairs and I don’t see that becoming an issue with them upstairs. If they moved upstairs I would bring their 4ft hutch inside and place their hay inside this, that would reduce the amount of hay being thrown around as it would be contained in the “bedroom” area of the hutch, it’d have to get through the divide, out of the hole in the bottom and then into the room! I’d also put this as far away from the bedroom door as possible so that it is far away from your room (to reduce allergies) and has even further to go before it’d get out into the house, if I kept on top of it as I plan to then it shouldn’t become an issue. I’m much more able to keep on top of the cleaning indoors as I’m not having to lug things around outside. I put it off and then it builds up and by the time I’m finished I’m exhausted! Indoors I’m not having that issue, I’m not needing to fill buckets up and lug them around, I’m not filling up loads of bin bags and leaving them in the garden because they’re too heavy to move, my back doesn’t hurt from sweeping/mopping, my fingers don’t hurt from gripping brooms/brushes/mops, and I don’t get too hot/cold and frustrated with myself.
Sebastian has discovered he can jump out, I’ve had to shut them away in their crate because I am so worried about him hurting himself. A bunny on the forum caught his foot in the top and broke his leg recently. He is not the only rabbit that I have heard of this happening to and now he’s learnt he can jump out there is going to be no stopping him! I think even with netting he will still try it but even if he doesn’t it is going to make my life much more difficult. I know I’m going to get so frustrated with any covering because my motorskills suck, I’m going to really struggle to get it to go on/stay on without the pen moving or something else going wrong!
I’ll also be able to keep a closer eye on them, interact with them better and keep up with everything better if they’re in my room. I also hope that the carpet would help Imogens legs from splaying/slipping around.
What I would want to do is pen off my bed and cover it with a tarp when I’m not in it (to avoid wee!) and remove all wires that can’t be blocked off until I find something to protect them with, cable tidy or hose pipe or something like that. I’d get a baby gate so that if my door pops open the dog can’t get to them/they can’t get out and just for another level of protection. Also hopefully a reminder to me to make sure that hay really isn’t getting out of the room. I’d also start saving up for my own hoover, or one of those red mini hoover things we have so I don’t ruin your hoover with hay.
When my room gets moved around (and I would be fine to hold out this long as it will likely be next week when my bed is moved) I would be putting the hutch at the end of my bed that is nearest the window, you wouldn’t be able to see it from the door, badly drawn but you get the gist.
*insert badly drawn paint picture here that I cba to upload :lol:*
I’d like you to at least consider letting me have a week trial and then we can talk it all over again and decide whether or not it is working and if there is anything that needs changing.