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Projects for when the weather warms up...

yaretzi

Wise Old Thumper
Do you have any?

I have quite a few!

Need to re-mesh the one end panel of their large run, and give it a good sand down/repaint all over. Also need to strengthen it up a bit and add some bolts to keep the lid down. I'm fed up of using bricks!

Need to replace the two home-made end panels of their smaller run which are currently just wood with a hole in and a homemade device to hold the runaround tubes on. Luckily I got 2 new attachments so I can have it all runaround now once I make 2 new meshed end panels.

I wanna give the runaround tubes a reallllllly good clean but not sure how I'm gonna do that!

Need to replace all the runaround door screws with the new bolts they sent me.

Repaint the shed, inside and out.

Possibly re-lino the floor as it looks grubby. I scrub it regularly but it's hard to get it looking clean because the skirting board is just painted with cuprinol and it bleeds all over the floor! Argh!

The wooden flap that we have covering the meshed window needs to be replaced... ideally with perspex...

Going to make a wooden tunnel for them for outside, and replace the top of their wooden table that I made for outside and cover both of these with plastikote so it's nice and weatherproof.

And I think that's about it. Phew.

In summer, they only have the larger run. The smaller one is just so that the larger one can be moved off the grass so they don't have to sit on the muddy grass... except they like to just sit in the small run anyway
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I had a triple kennel/run block put up last year. It's was treated with a standard brown colour stain, but I'm thinking of doing it in one of the Cuprinol Garden Shades colours, although I don't know which colour yet. I'll need a good run of dry days to get it all done.

Also I've got a little hutch to renovate. It was handed in at the rescue where I volunteer (complete with its poor occupants :() and as it was in pretty good condition I took it home to do it up and use it as a hideaway in one on my runs. It's got short legs, so my current thinking is to put longer legs on it and add a ramp and make a little hayloft, that way they won't lose any of the floor space in the run section.

Got a list of jobs as long as my arm for my other half, one of them is to put a shelf in each kennel to make a 'hay loft'. We bought all the wood last year, but he's had an injured knee which has meant kneeling down and crawling around in the kennels has been impossible.

I want to do two of the kennel/runs with the interlocking foam matting. The third kennel/run is owned by my family of little bunnies and they are very grubby so need to have something that I can easily change, so they'll have to stick with the large rugs as I can wash them.

I want to add runaround tunnels too, but that involves too much expense for me at the moment. :(

I've got loads of stuff to do in the garden and the garage needs a mega-clearout.

Roll on the nice weather....it's snowing heavily here at the moment. :roll:
 
Once the grass has grown (as much as it can.. :lol:) I'm thinking about putting their 6x4 wooden run onto the shed and buying a runaround to attach one of the metal runs to move around the garden, I think they'd really enjoy that as they love tunnels :)

Leo's room will be sorted out whit week and he will hopefully be moving back in with a lady friend:D

Poppy.. don't think she needs anything done tbh! :p
 
Do you have any?

I have quite a few!

Need to re-mesh the one end panel of their large run, and give it a good sand down/repaint all over. Also need to strengthen it up a bit and add some bolts to keep the lid down. I'm fed up of using bricks!

Need to replace the two home-made end panels of their smaller run which are currently just wood with a hole in and a homemade device to hold the runaround tubes on. Luckily I got 2 new attachments so I can have it all runaround now once I make 2 new meshed end panels.

I wanna give the runaround tubes a reallllllly good clean but not sure how I'm gonna do that!

Need to replace all the runaround door screws with the new bolts they sent me.

Repaint the shed, inside and out.

Possibly re-lino the floor as it looks grubby. I scrub it regularly but it's hard to get it looking clean because the skirting board is just painted with cuprinol and it bleeds all over the floor! Argh!

The wooden flap that we have covering the meshed window needs to be replaced... ideally with perspex...

Going to make a wooden tunnel for them for outside, and replace the top of their wooden table that I made for outside and cover both of these with plastikote so it's nice and weatherproof.

And I think that's about it. Phew.

In case anyone doesn't know what I'm on about, this is their winter setup:

setup_zps0fd81196.jpg


In summer, they only have the larger run. The smaller one is just so that the larger one can be moved off the grass so they don't have to sit on the muddy grass... except they like to just sit in the small run anyway :roll:...
Hi where did u get the black plastic tubes conecting ur shed to ur runs as ive been looking for something like that for ages thx,oh great setup by the way.
 
For the black tubes look for 'land drain pipe' on ebay or goolge search....

They come in all sorts of sizes... :thumb:
 
To be honest I'd like to get my Dad to make a new hutch for them, but I'm not sure if this will happen! I also want to put some platforms in their aviary thingy :D
 
Hi where did u get the black plastic tubes conecting ur shed to ur runs as ive been looking for something like that for ages thx,oh great setup by the way.

It's called runaround, and you can buy the doors to attach it. http://www.runaround.co.uk/

Buying just the tubes isn't much good, as you need some way to attach it securely!

I definitely recommend runaround :)
 
I agree the runaround comes as a kit and is easy to use, but with a little DIY know how and improvisation you can use standard tube which is about 1/4 of the cost. The runaround tubes are not very wide are made for small buns up to about 2.5kg (even though they say up to 5kg), so if your bunny is bigger they might not use them. We had to get a wide one as Tinky is a German lop and weighs 3.8kg and would not go (fit) down a 5 inch pipe!!!

Here is a pic of the tube we used to connect the shed and run. To attach I cut some mdf to fit around one of the ridges and then a frame.

IMG_0123_zps32d875c1.jpg
:thumb:
 
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Yaretzi, do you think the runaround connection kit 1 would be my best bet for attaching my pairs wooden run to their shed? I think they'll be okay with the 4.5 inch door.. It's says up to 4.5kg buns and neither weigh over 3kg but Donny is a big bun, which size door do you have? :)

I need the metal grid thing to block the gap in the shed doors so I don't think the 2nd kit would be any good for me!
 
I'm looking into building a run so the rabbits can have more outside time in the summer :wave: My friend has been wanting to help me build something for the buns so hopefully she will help me! Last summer we brought them out in the x-pen, but we had no cover for it so Toshi could hop over it if he wanted to badly enough. The run would not be their living area because they're indoor bunnies, but I would like to make taking them out easier as they enjoy it :D
 
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Finally had time to reply to this thread! Phew!

I agree the runaround comes as a kit and is easy to use, but with a little DIY know how and improvisation you can use standard tube which is about 1/4 of the cost. The runaround tubes are not very wide are made for small buns up to about 2.5kg (even though they say up to 5kg), so if your bunny is bigger they might not use them. We had to get a wide one as Tinky is a German lop and weighs 3.8kg and would not go (fit) down a 5 inch pipe!!!

Here is a pic of the tube we used to connect the shed and run. To attach I cut some mdf to fit around one of the ridges and then a frame.

IMG_0123_zps32d875c1.jpg
:thumb:

I have more than a little DIY know-how ;) Whilst a homemade attachment works in your circumstances (static), some plan to move the run to fresh grass every week or so as I do and the proper attachments mean you can do this more easily than a wooden attachment. Also, MDF isn't strong enough against predators and weathers badly (although I can see from your picture that the way you've attached it looks pretty secure, most people don't have a lot of DIY knowledge and may make something that the tube falls out of or is very unsafe).

I was looking into getting a bigger tube for my two as I was worried about them being porkers, and I did find it strange that they didn't do the standard 8foot tube in a larger width for wider bunnies. They do shorter tubes but that isn't a lot of help if you want to have a runaround setup... just for a bigger bun!

For most people I think just buying the setup works best. I know it's quite an expensive thing to shell out on, and doesn't suit bigger buns, but the customer service in the last 2 years has been exceptional! If I lose a bolt, one quick email and its here. Any worries about anything and Caroline at runaround is fabulous. The last 2 years of having a half runaround setup and a half homemade setup has not been great - the runaround bits are very strong but the moment you go to move anything else and it starts breaking/snapping. It's been driving me mental! I suppose it all depends on whether you want a moveable setup or a tube that stays still :D

Yaretzi, do you think the runaround connection kit 1 would be my best bet for attaching my pairs wooden run to their shed? I think they'll be okay with the 4.5 inch door.. It's says up to 4.5kg buns and neither weigh over 3kg but Donny is a big bun, which size door do you have? :)

I need the metal grid thing to block the gap in the shed doors so I don't think the 2nd kit would be any good for me!

Yes I think it would be suitable. N&T are about 2.8kg each but as they live outside and they're lops, they are kinda enormous (Helennnnnnnn can attest to this!). They look massive, but get down the tube with no problem at all. I've given an offcut of the tube to a friend with a 3.2kg bunny and he gets down it fine. I just have the standard size door. Tbh, even giants can squeeze through the normal door and the tube is bigger than the door so it should be fine :D

I can't picture your door where you want to attach it, can you show me a pic :D? I have 3 double doors and one mesh clamp - the mesh clamp works really well to be honest and it's a lot cheaper. The flower doors look nicer though and it's really nice to have the option to shut it off. What I have is the double door on the shed (tube attached to the outside, and able to block the front off with the circle of plastic that they give you), and then the pipe clamp attached to the run. As long as the mesh is relatively strong, you shouldn't need to get the extra metal grid thingie! Although I've found 2 years after getting the setup the mesh on the run is starting to go (from my mom putting the setup at a really odd angle!) so that's why it needs re-meshing.

If you want any detailed pics or anything let me know and I'll take a picture/videos. Sometimes it's a little hard to visualise stuff! I don't actually have the mesh clamp on at the moment though.

EDIT: When I was having concerns about the pipe size a few years ago I emailed them and they sent me out a tube sample. N&T wouldn't go down the sodding thing by itself so I could never test it properly, but it was great to have an actual piece of it to try. If you email I'm sure they can send you a bit! :wave:
 
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Oh, I love both those setups with the tubes! I would 100% have something like this if mine were outside.
 
Yaretzi...I love your set up:love:

Projects for the summer...blimey:roll:
I want to repaint Poppys shed and I'm thinking of lining it too.
I also want to find someone to refelt the roof on it and my larger shed.
Paint the fences and her decking around the shed
Make her a new run (thinking of roofed aviary)

Paint the main decking, its massive and will take ages
Put paths down to Poppys shed and the chooks pen
Put gates on my main decking (so that the dogs dont roll all over the grass when the grass turns into a bog:lol:)
Sort out my garden

Doesnt sound like a lot but I'm on my own and have Fybromyalgia so its going to be a struggle:oops:
 
Thank you :blush: If my parents allowed it, I'd have much larger runs and more tubes! Unfortunately I have to abide by their laws :lol:

The runaround stuff is amazing though - I could never transport them to a run and back, I think it's so important to let them have the freedom to choose where they are. My mom lets the bunnies out into the run at 7/8am and I shut them away about 9/10 so they are in the shed overnight. They don't dig at all and never have, and we've never seen any predators but it's still peace of mind that they're safe at night. :D

In other news I made progress with my projects today! I explained everything I wanted doing to my stepdad and we've set up an action plan :lol:! Also replaced the 2 existing runaround pieces with their new bolts and cut some old lino to fit the top of the run to help keep water out :D

I need to get my hands on some plastikote outdoor spray...in pink :D

EDIT: Oh I totally forgot to add that we're making a new roof for the large run so that it's waterproof. It's proving a bit of a nightmare at the moment!
 
Yes :) Well hubby does! ;)

Pain both sheds, the playhouse, both avaries and the run
Make the french lop shed door into a stable door
Finally put the catflaps into both sheds and the playhouse

Oh and pondering painting the gpig hutches to match...maybe..
 
I was thinking about buying the things separately as I want to be able to shut off the shed and the run for when I clean them out so I guess I would need 2 flower doors with the things on.. I wouldn't want to close one things off and them both get in the tube :shock: It's so confusing :lol:

I think the 4.5 inch size of the door would be okay then, Donny is 2.7ish kg and Lola is only 1.8kg so she would be fine.

This is the run I have -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6ft-FULLY...et_Supplies_Small_Animals&hash=item3cc8404605

The shed doors are on a pulley system so it's easier to open and close them, but I was thinking perhaps the mesh I have spare (the small mesh that's on their wooden run) might work the same or would it be too weak?

There are 2 bits of wood where the door to the runs slides up and down where the mesh thing would be attached to, I don't actually know if it would work though :lol: .. I could fill the gap there would be at the top with the spare mesh too. I need someone to write a list of what I need :lol:

IMAG2411_zps99d0e208.jpg


IMAG2412_zps13e16f17.jpg


I just want to get them off the grass their run is on at the moment to let it grow a bit! :lol: being able to move the run would be fun for the tiny lawn movers too..!
 
I was thinking about buying the things separately as I want to be able to shut off the shed and the run for when I clean them out so I guess I would need 2 flower doors with the things on.. I wouldn't want to close one things off and them both get in the tube :shock: It's so confusing :lol:

I think the 4.5 inch size of the door would be okay then, Donny is 2.7ish kg and Lola is only 1.8kg so she would be fine.

This is the run I have -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6ft-FULLY...et_Supplies_Small_Animals&hash=item3cc8404605

The shed doors are on a pulley system so it's easier to open and close them, but I was thinking perhaps the mesh I have spare (the small mesh that's on their wooden run) might work the same or would it be too weak?

There are 2 bits of wood where the door to the runs slides up and down where the mesh thing would be attached to, I don't actually know if it would work though :lol: .. I could fill the gap there would be at the top with the spare mesh too. I need someone to write a list of what I need :lol:

IMAG2411_zps99d0e208.jpg


IMAG2412_zps13e16f17.jpg


I just want to get them off the grass their run is on at the moment to let it grow a bit! :lol: being able to move the run would be fun for the tiny lawn movers too..!

What size is the mesh that you have that you can attach? Mine is currently attached to 1x1inch mesh and it's perfectly strong enough, and it will be attached to 1.5x1inch which is absolutely solid! If you meshed over the hole I think it'd be perfectly strong enough, especially if you're not moving it. After 2 years of just dragging my run around with the tube attached :)oops:) it's started to break away, but if I hadn't moved it it'd still be like it was new. EDIT: Just looked back at your pic - is the mesh you'd use the same stuff as on the walls? It'd definitely be strong enough!

You'd probably need to staple the mesh down on all 4 sides though in order to make it strong enough. I think if it was just stapled down to 2 sides it might be quite wobbly and thereby cause the mesh to break sooner. Not sure how easy that'd be to do with your setup though! You could maybe screw 2 batons to the top and bottom to staple the mesh to? You could always remove these at a later date if necessary if you just attach them with 2 screws!

The doors come with plastic clear disc things which you can use to block them off, so you may not need to use the pully thing. Although you can use whichever is easier!

Yeah I think you're best off getting 2 double doors so you can shut them in whichever. It's definitely come in handy to be able to block them into the run so easily when I need to paint the shed or something, and as I've mentioned before I shut them in the shed every night so I use that a lot!

In terms of actually fitting the doors - it's very easy. They give you a size guide and you just snip the mesh away with wire cutters, and as long as no pointy bits protrude into the hole you don't even have to make it neat. Mine's a right state underneath but nobody can tell :lol:

EDIT again: They've changed the attachments from how they used to attach. They used to be screws, now they're a bolt with a philips screw head on one side with a very small nut on the other side. We were lucky that we had a spanner tiny enough to just about work, but if you plan to do it you might want to order it early to make sure you have a spanner that fits or order it early to allow yourself to find a spanner that fits! Or they might provide you with one now, I'm not sure. I just got replacement bolts!
 
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What size is the mesh that you have that you can attach? Mine is currently attached to 1x1inch mesh and it's perfectly strong enough, and it will be attached to 1.5x1inch which is absolutely solid! If you meshed over the hole I think it'd be perfectly strong enough, especially if you're not moving it. After 2 years of just dragging my run around with the tube attached :)oops:) it's started to break away, but if I hadn't moved it it'd still be like it was new. EDIT: Just looked back at your pic - is the mesh you'd use the same stuff as on the walls? It'd definitely be strong enough!

You'd probably need to staple the mesh down on all 4 sides though in order to make it strong enough. I think if it was just stapled down to 2 sides it might be quite wobbly and thereby cause the mesh to break sooner. Not sure how easy that'd be to do with your setup though! You could maybe screw 2 batons to the top and bottom to staple the mesh to? You could always remove these at a later date if necessary if you just attach them with 2 screws!

The doors come with plastic clear disc things which you can use to block them off, so you may not need to use the pully thing. Although you can use whichever is easier!

Yeah I think you're best off getting 2 double doors so you can shut them in whichever. It's definitely come in handy to be able to block them into the run so easily when I need to paint the shed or something, and as I've mentioned before I shut them in the shed every night so I use that a lot!

In terms of actually fitting the doors - it's very easy. They give you a size guide and you just snip the mesh away with wire cutters, and as long as no pointy bits protrude into the hole you don't even have to make it neat. Mine's a right state underneath but nobody can tell :lol:

Yeah that's the same mesh :D I have a panel worth of it left from when my dad meshed the shed :)

Oooo I'll ask my dad, he could probably put the mesh on the shed but in front of the door that's already there, I can take the doors out anyway so that's not a problem :)

So -

2 of these? http://www.runaround.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/runaround-double-door

http://www.runaround.co.uk/products/8ft-burrow-pipe

But ... if I had this -

http://www.runaround.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/connection-kit-1

I could make it so I use one of the doors I have in the shed at the moment to block off the hole and have the double door on the run? Would that work the same do you think?
 
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