I have an enquiry regarding Housing and I hope you can help! I have a bonded pair of 2 Netherland Dwarf x rabbits; a neutered male and an entire female (spaying imminent - delayed due to house move).
We have had the male for 18 months, and the female for around 9 months. Male was very sickly when we re-homed him, so for a long time he was an indoor rabbit; fully litter trained and free roaming. Female had been an outdoor rabbit, but she was also quite happy being indoors when we re-homed her and they had successfully bonded.
We recently moved house and are unable to keep them indoors any more, so we built them a hutch and run. The hutch is a permanently sited 2-floor hutch 6ft x 2ft. It is attached via tubes to 2 runs; one 6ft x 3ft, one 4ft x 2ft. These are connected in such a way that the rabbits have the ability to make a continuous run over 12ft if they should feel like running. There are also plans to add 2 more runs over the next several months (I get very excited about environmental enrichment and can't really stop!) The runs are surrounded at floor level by 1ft wide mesh with 2x2 holes which is attached in a perpendicular manner to the bottom of the run, laid flush to the ground and securely pegged out in order to protect the rabbits from foxes and badgers.
My question is this: recently, they have begun to dig in the grass. The runs are moved every three weeks to fresh grass and I have provided a sandpit for digging which they LOVE, especially if I hide snacks in it. They appear to be active attempts to dig a burrow. Interestingly, they only try to dig when in
the smaller run, wherever it is sited, and even though they have free access to the hutch and both runs at all times.
I have heard that the anti-dig mesh as I have described above can also be used underneath the rabbits' runs, but I am concerned this may cause them some discomfort to walk on.
Do you recommend using anti-dig mesh under the runs? Maybe use it yourself? If so, how large should the holes be to prevent digging but still make sure their feet are protected? What mesh do you use?
If you don't recommend this measure, do you have any other ideas? I have a very small patio which is not really an option - besides which,
the rabbits love being on the grass and I am reluctant to take that away from them! I recently requested assistance from the RWAF but their suggestions involved remodelling my entire garden: pulling up the grass and returfing or getting a landscaper in to rebuild the garden from scratch with underground rabbit burrows. Now, these sound like amazing ideas, but as a student in rented accommodation they are beyond me for a number of reasons!!
Thanks for your help, I look forward to any suggestions.
We have had the male for 18 months, and the female for around 9 months. Male was very sickly when we re-homed him, so for a long time he was an indoor rabbit; fully litter trained and free roaming. Female had been an outdoor rabbit, but she was also quite happy being indoors when we re-homed her and they had successfully bonded.
We recently moved house and are unable to keep them indoors any more, so we built them a hutch and run. The hutch is a permanently sited 2-floor hutch 6ft x 2ft. It is attached via tubes to 2 runs; one 6ft x 3ft, one 4ft x 2ft. These are connected in such a way that the rabbits have the ability to make a continuous run over 12ft if they should feel like running. There are also plans to add 2 more runs over the next several months (I get very excited about environmental enrichment and can't really stop!) The runs are surrounded at floor level by 1ft wide mesh with 2x2 holes which is attached in a perpendicular manner to the bottom of the run, laid flush to the ground and securely pegged out in order to protect the rabbits from foxes and badgers.
My question is this: recently, they have begun to dig in the grass. The runs are moved every three weeks to fresh grass and I have provided a sandpit for digging which they LOVE, especially if I hide snacks in it. They appear to be active attempts to dig a burrow. Interestingly, they only try to dig when in
the smaller run, wherever it is sited, and even though they have free access to the hutch and both runs at all times.
I have heard that the anti-dig mesh as I have described above can also be used underneath the rabbits' runs, but I am concerned this may cause them some discomfort to walk on.
Do you recommend using anti-dig mesh under the runs? Maybe use it yourself? If so, how large should the holes be to prevent digging but still make sure their feet are protected? What mesh do you use?
If you don't recommend this measure, do you have any other ideas? I have a very small patio which is not really an option - besides which,
the rabbits love being on the grass and I am reluctant to take that away from them! I recently requested assistance from the RWAF but their suggestions involved remodelling my entire garden: pulling up the grass and returfing or getting a landscaper in to rebuild the garden from scratch with underground rabbit burrows. Now, these sound like amazing ideas, but as a student in rented accommodation they are beyond me for a number of reasons!!
Thanks for your help, I look forward to any suggestions.
