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Eeek! Home check today!

tlcwrites

Mama Doe
Eeek! Today is finally the day when we get the home check done so we can adopt the bunny currently known as Humphrey. (Who will be renamed either Picasso, Domino, Pedro, Dali or goodness knows what if we pass this thing!)

Anyway, the hutch is up and looking beautiful. It's 6x2x2ft. :) I've lined the inside with vinyl flooring cut offs, and sealed it all down. There's a neutralised empty litter tray in the hutch. A currently empty water bottle is attached to the front, but of course there would be more than one water station after bonding. :) No bedding in there at the moment, because it isn't neccessary just yet. There's a ramp down to the run. The run's 6x8x2ft, so they have a little under 60 square foot of ground. In the run, there's a few neutralised toys, a digging box with a brick staircase up and into it. A homemade (but huge) hay rack (also empty - no bunnies to eat the hay yet!) - there'll be another one indoors post-bonding too. Oh, and the bottom is all lined with metal meshwork to ensure they don't dig out.

The question is... have I forgotten anything? Gee, I'm nervous for myself and the girls (and the bunny currently known as Humphrey). I just want all this to go right!
 
I remember those home check nerves - to me it sounds like you have everything nicely covered but my assessments have been as house buns so I'm not the best to answer. Best of luck... exciting times ahead :)
 
awww how exciting today! I'm all happy and nervous for you, I'm sure that it will all be perfectly fine.

I can't think of anything else, though I've not been at that stage yet and have some indoor buns - maybe a wee tour on the Behaviour/Bonding thread will help give you a wee idea? :):)
 
The sanctuary I'm adopting from prefers that buns are kept outdoors - so Athena (currently a housebun) might end up moving outdoors, unless we can find another charity to let us take on an indoor one and/or can twist this sanctuary's arm. ;)

I've just rushed around and cleaned out all bunny litter trays (though ran out of wood litter now, sigh) and I'm just fretting.

I managed to bond Elphie/Athena for a while, but they fell out over a satsuma. I'm kind of hoping that Elphie, Galinda and boy bun will work as a trio. Got a 2nd dog crate (Athena has one as a home base in the dining room, but I can't exactly take it away from her!) on order in order to start the bonding whilst indoors. :) And I'm always asking questions in Behaviour and Bonding. Gosh, I just want this DONE now. About 15 minutes though. Sigh.
 
Home check has been done. The lady kept saying the hutch/run combo was small. But we still passed, apparently. So I'm happy that we passed but a touch irritated that the hutch/run is regarded as small because I did continually check the RWAF guidelines.

But yay, I get to adopt "Humphrey" and have to call PACT to organise as/when I can pick him up. :)
 
FANTASTIC!

I'm so happy for you!!!! Do you know when you might be able to get Humphrey?

Well i don't know but I think the idea is 6ft is minimum? Maybe made that up :lol: but point is you passed!
 
Thank you!

Monday would be best for us tbh but we'll see. Got to call up and organise it. They wanted us to come tomorrow, but we can't get there before 5 as Mum's working and I don't drive. And also the home check woman hadn't got there to officially sign off that we'd passed. Bah, this is ridiculous.

But more importantly: I need to decide for definite what I'm calling him now! Mum likes Domino (she had a dog called Domino as a kid) but I'm quite taken with Pedro or Dali. Ah, decisions decisions!

6ft is the minimum - but we have intentions of expanding the space over time. The 6x8 run is just going to be their "main" run, with some runaround tubes attaching it to other living spaces. Also depends on how (if) everyone bonds nicely too! I'm really hoping so, but the home check lady was skeptical.
 
Home check has been done. The lady kept saying the hutch/run combo was small. But we still passed, apparently. So I'm happy that we passed but a touch irritated that the hutch/run is regarded as small because I did continually check the RWAF guidelines.

But yay, I get to adopt "Humphrey" and have to call PACT to organise as/when I can pick him up. :)

Aaaww brilliant!! :wave:
 
Thank you!

Monday would be best for us tbh but we'll see. Got to call up and organise it. They wanted us to come tomorrow, but we can't get there before 5 as Mum's working and I don't drive. And also the home check woman hadn't got there to officially sign off that we'd passed. Bah, this is ridiculous.

But more importantly: I need to decide for definite what I'm calling him now! Mum likes Domino (she had a dog called Domino as a kid) but I'm quite taken with Pedro or Dali. Ah, decisions decisions!

6ft is the minimum - but we have intentions of expanding the space over time. The 6x8 run is just going to be their "main" run, with some runaround tubes attaching it to other living spaces. Also depends on how (if) everyone bonds nicely too! I'm really hoping so, but the home check lady was skeptical.

I've done loads of home checks for Rescue Centres, and I can always spot the enthusiasts ;) Was this lady a 'bunny expert'? You have to allow people to start off and get to know their bunnies, rearrange things (as it's inevitable :lol: ) and keep coming back for advice. Did she suggest you could contact her if you needed to?
 
haha I see. Well either way skeptical maybe but shes forwarded. need loads os pics mon :)

I'm aiming for a trio (2xgirls, 1xboy as Athena just isn't recovering from her abscess) but she said the girls will fight. However, I've seen plenty of evidence to the contrary - and if they do, I'll figure something else out anyway! :p

I'm super excited about the next step now. I just want him home - and as soon as he is, there'll be pictures galore. :D
 
I've done loads of home checks for Rescue Centres, and I can always spot the enthusiasts ;) Was this lady a 'bunny expert'? You have to allow people to start off and get to know their bunnies, rearrange things (as it's inevitable :lol: ) and keep coming back for advice. Did she suggest you could contact her if you needed to?

She said she has 1 bunny now, but not getting anymore as she has six cats. :) But she still loves them. She kept fussing the tom cats saying they were all gorgeous and beautiful (I know, I know! :p). I introduced her to Elphie specifically as she's more tolerant of being handled and she loved her too.

She did not say I could keep coming back for advice - thankfully I have RU for backup! She went straight into the back garden without knocking (I thought that was very rude). Talked to her about the hutch/run - said it was bespoke made and of the size the RWAF recommends and would be expanded upon over time, giving them time to adjust to new space and each other. Complained about the "off the shelf"/"online retailer" hutches too. We have the worst garden in the world for keeping rabbits in but the runaround system would make it workable. :)

I think the thing she was most skeptical about was the concept of a trio. She said that 2 does would argue over a buck and vice versa. But still, it can work, and I can but try.
 
She said she has 1 bunny now, but not getting anymore as she has six cats. :) But she still loves them. She kept fussing the tom cats saying they were all gorgeous and beautiful (I know, I know! :p). I introduced her to Elphie specifically as she's more tolerant of being handled and she loved her too.

She did not say I could keep coming back for advice - thankfully I have RU for backup! She went straight into the back garden without knocking (I thought that was very rude). Talked to her about the hutch/run - said it was bespoke made and of the size the RWAF recommends and would be expanded upon over time, giving them time to adjust to new space and each other. Complained about the "off the shelf"/"online retailer" hutches too. We have the worst garden in the world for keeping rabbits in but the runaround system would make it workable. :)

I think the thing she was most skeptical about was the concept of a trio. She said that 2 does would argue over a buck and vice versa. But still, it can work, and I can but try.

You're not the only one, me and my big yack-trap would have commented on that too. Especially as she might be checking stuff out in your home but just -snorts-. I won't rant on my soapbox -jumps off-

Well I'm holding you to the pictures galore :lol: I will come a-looking
 
She said she has 1 bunny now, but not getting anymore as she has six cats. :) But she still loves them. She kept fussing the tom cats saying they were all gorgeous and beautiful (I know, I know! :p). I introduced her to Elphie specifically as she's more tolerant of being handled and she loved her too.

She did not say I could keep coming back for advice - thankfully I have RU for backup! She went straight into the back garden without knocking (I thought that was very rude). Talked to her about the hutch/run - said it was bespoke made and of the size the RWAF recommends and would be expanded upon over time, giving them time to adjust to new space and each other. Complained about the "off the shelf"/"online retailer" hutches too. We have the worst garden in the world for keeping rabbits in but the runaround system would make it workable. :)

I think the thing she was most skeptical about was the concept of a trio. She said that 2 does would argue over a buck and vice versa. But still, it can work, and I can but try.

Indeed it may possibly well work! I think a trio is a lot more sociable for the bunnies than having one bunny alone :D
 
@Shrinkie: thankfully I saw her pull up and park on the drive. ;) I went to open the front door for her, saw her heading towards the back and then, when I reached the back garden, she knocked. Just because we don't have an enclosed garden, doesn't mean she can just invite herself in! Lucky I knew she was coming. ;)

@MightyMax and Sarah - I hope they'll be fine, but I won't know til I try. Athena is almost certain to need surgery for her abscess now, so the timing is completely wrong (for her) to try a quad. :(
 
Ooo I hope all goes well with the bonding. I have not had any experience of a trio but lots of people on here have them.

I reakon 1 buck and 2 does is the best sounding combo. Surely better than 2 bucks and a doe but I guess it all depends on the individual rabbits.

Your set up sounds great. My two belgian hares have an 8 x 6 run (with a 6 x2 hutch inside). Like you I hope to expand in due course.

Looking forward to piccies.
 
Congratulations on passing the home check. The women sounds really odd .I'd be annoyed that she just let herself into your garden tbh. I have a trio of girls bonded with a buck, I've found many rescues are against people adopting a rabbit to bond into a 'group' although many people on RU have groups or single sex combinations rather than the standard male/female pair.
 
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