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Smaller hutch orlarger run better for newly bonded pair?

FredW

FredW

Alpha Buck
Hi,
my little Bunbuns is off on Monday to do some speed dating and bonding in a rescue place. She has for her day time a 8x4 run (well two temporary ones attached), but is in her hutch at night, which is small 5x2, though she's only in it a minimal amount of time, which I know isn't ideal, but it's being replaced shortly, being build by Boyles right now.
anyhow, my question is, when they get home, should I keep them in the big run, day and night, even when I am not around, or is it better for them to be in a smaller space for the short term until I am totally confident they have bonded?
Hope that makes sense.
by the way, I let Bunbuns run around the room the run is in while I am in there working, which is most of the day, is it ok to let both of them straight away run around in the whole room, or again best to keep them in a smaller space?
 
yeah that is very much the advice I had before too. the good thing is the way the run is set up, it's two separate parts, so I can close one off and keep them in the smaller place if needed and then just open up to give them more space. but since all new to me, I just thought I'd check here, cause it always seems that this place is full of people who really know their stuff :)
 
sounds all very much what I planned on doing myself initially, based on all the info I had before from here and other places. :)
hope Scruffy likes his new companion. how long has he been on his date. is it very early on, well sounds like it from what you said
 
well fingers crossed all goes well for you.
as for me, yeah Monday is when she goes. I picked 4 potentials (based on size and ages), with two back up ones if none of them works, and let her do some "speed dating", so basically she'll be able to pick her match rather than me trying to, though I hope she picks the one I like best lol
 
yeah initially they asked if I wanted to pick one, and I was tempted, then I thought, why not let her pick who she wants to be with, after all I love bunnies and could happily have any here with her. only thing for us is that I do prefer them to match sizing wise, for the simple reason that it will make it easier for their new home. I am having it all build based on her size really, well going slightly larger still, but not too large, or too small, so hopefully she'll go with one more her size so we don't have to have things all changed, but we'll see.
is yours another dutch one you're getting?
 
Because your female is bringing home a male rabbit you will have to be more careful where you put them as anywhere she has been before will be her territory. If possible I would put them together in a neutral area for a week before putting them in her old hutch/run. As you say you are having a new hutch made, this is the ideal place to put them as it won't have any of her smell etc. so if you can wait until the new hutch arrives you will stand a better chance of them not falling out.
 
Scruffy said:
I was worried about size bout apparently it doesn't make much difference (in bonding)

We only picked as she has been there so long, usually we just let nature do it's thing.

We hopefully are getting a blue rex cross, she's a little bigger than Scruffy. Least I will be able to tell them apart from distance now!

You getting a Dutch?
Click to expand...

yeah was told the same, just don't want the new one ending up not being able to enjoy their new home as much as he cant climb into things as easy or so... may not even be the case.
no mine will be out of either a mini lop, well there are three, or an English spot. so all will be a bit bigger than her. but not too much. one of the lops stole my heart... but because, and you probably know that from your own Dutch, she is very active, lops may be too calm for her, while the English Spot is a very active boy as well, so we'll have to wait and see.
 
tonibun said:
Because your female is bringing home a male rabbit you will have to be more careful where you put them as anywhere she has been before will be her territory. If possible I would put them together in a neutral area for a week before putting them in her old hutch/run. As you say you are having a new hutch made, this is the ideal place to put them as it won't have any of her smell etc. so if you can wait until the new hutch arrives you will stand a better chance of them not falling out.
Click to expand...

I was going to wait till the new home gets here, but because they have massive orders outstanding still, it will be another couple of months, I am going to wash all out with vinegar and hope it will neutralise her smell, since I cant have them in a neutral space, for a short time in the kitchen would be doable, but that is not ideal. the rest of the house is not bunny proved and wouldn't work for them, space wise either. so it's the room I work in, which is the biggest room in the house, but she has been in that room since having her, so hopefully it will be fine. the lady from the rescue will actually come and have him settle in here. after the bonding, so if she spots any issues, she'll be able to work out what to do. I hope anyway. I do wish I had the new home already, but it's not meant to be.
 
Scruffy said:
Yeah Scruffy is feral so he needs one to keep up with him and get into mischief. His "date" seems similar in that respect so they could get up to some fun.
Click to expand...

yep. they do love to cause mischief, don't they, but because they look so cute they get away with it. it's always funny, I can tell when she's up to no good, there is a certain look in her face, and I know, in a sec she's going to do something she knows she "shouldn't". Great to hear his date is similar, so fingers crossed. :)
 
Good luck both of you!

I'm hopefully going to be in a similar place soon. The place I have reserved a bun doesn't do speed dating, so I had to pick. All the boys they had were so young compared to Galinda. But, I've reserved a 1.5 year old wild cross. Just have to hope I get through the homecheck smoothly (and he'll have to be neutered too. :lol: )
 
Scruffy said:
The homecheck is straightforward, you just need to have the right sized hutch/shed and make sure any area they are in is all rabbit proof. Good luck!
Click to expand...

That actually answered one of my questions too, I thought it be something that straight forward, but great to know it is.
 
Scruffy said:
The homecheck is straightforward, you just need to have the right sized hutch/shed and make sure any area they are in is all rabbit proof. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thank you! The hutch/run is RWAF sized and I have an old wire pen to ensure no digging out. Only problem is a lack of grass. Our garden was a rockery and gravel- though some grass has grown through since the introduction of rabbits. :lol:
 
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