Introducing rabbits to their new home

My girls currently have a 6.5x2.5x4ft one of these (modified of course)


But once spayed will be upgrading to this


However I'm worried that doubling their space may cause a problem between them, or that they'll be scared as it's very open and generally they don't like new things (unless it's toys :lol

How would you suggest I introduce them to their new setting, should I just put them in and let them get on with it, or maybe cover the front with tarp for a week (the other three sides are fairly sheltered), I thought maybe I could just lock them upstairs for a few days, but then I thought better of it as I don't want to confine them. There's also the suggestion of just letting them play in it, then putting them back in their old hutch until they're used to it but I really want them out of that asap.

Should I put some of their old bedding in the new bedding bit (the 3ft bit with solid door on the left) so it smells a bit more familiar?

I know it's a while off, but it's really concerning me, I saw how scared they were just moving their hutch from the patio to a more sheltered area in the garden, and they refused to come out of the hutch area for a week, I had to coax them down with strawberries, and lots of them. This is going to a completely new area of the garden and it's huge and new. :?


P.s. Can anyone recommend any outdoor battery operated lighting that I could use in there?

I wish I could be more helpful, but I don't have experience of this.. Hope someone can help soon... :wave: the bunnies will love new set up once settled though!

In regards to lighting, can you use those sticky back spot light things? Just push and they come on?

I''d just put them in the hutch with their own (not cleaned) litter tray and let them make their own way into the run in their own time.

With Luna I put all her old bedding in the new hutch and her cardboard box so that it didn't smell too different. I also put her in the run and let her go in and sniff around herself. I did it in the morning so she would have the day to get used to it. She was fine in it during the day- flopped on her side and quite relaxed. However on the first night she was not happy at all and pretty much thumped on and off all night. The second night she was a bit calmer, and since then she has been completely fine with it

Their new home looks fab- I would love to see photos when it's all done