Housing advice, temporarily splitting a double hutch

Bertie has a 6x2 double welfare hutch. Now that he is alone he barely uses the top level. He does go up there sometimes but prefers the bottom, he doesn't have a separate bed area but there is one solid door that he has a hay box behind that he spends a lot of time sulking in and munching hay.

Baby betsy bunny is in a 4x2 hutch temporarily until both are treated with 28 days of lapizole before I bond (Bertie is an ec bunny so vet said full course before I bond but they it was perfectly ok to bond Before betsy is spayed).

I was wondering if it would be best to block off the ramp in the 6 foot double hutch and let betsy live upstairs for the next 4 weeks? She is only tiny, 800g, so could fit in plenty of hops and for 4 weeks I'm not concerned about her being confined to this space only. She would of course get use of the run when Bertie isn't in it. Does this idea sound ok? It will make Bertie's space smaller but I think it would be better for betsy as it is a much sturdier and hopefully warmer hutch for her.

If its better than what she is in now then go for it, but please remember if they are sharing a run you should ideally be disinfecting in between, especially on the days he is likely to shed any EC spores.

Thanks Amy. I didn't think about the spores. I might be best letting her have a little run on the patio then and let him have the run. He doesn't wee in the upstairs of the hutch but I had probably better disinfect that too.

I've noticed that her hutch is a bit damp this morning after all the rain. I think the tarpaulin must have blown off the front a little.

I'd use a bleach/water mix for EC, a steam cleaner is also good.

I have a steam cleaner. Could be a good idea as it might dry out faster compared to me soaking the hutch with bleach and water in this weather

How are you going to bond them?

Personally I think I would leave Betsy in the smaller hutch for the time being, reduce Bertie down to the one level and then clean the top level out.
Then once you have finished the course of lapizole you would have a neutral hutch to put them in for bonding.

I will be bonding them in the run, which I will move to a neutral part of the garden. This will be my third bond and I have previously used the slow bond method by putting them together for longer each day in the run and after a full day together trying over night. With outdoor rabbits I can't bond and then keep an eye on them for 24 hours. It has worked in the past so I'm hoping it will work this time.

beki said:

I will be bonding them in the run, which I will move to a neutral part of the garden. This will be my third bond and I have previously used the slow bond method by putting them together for longer each day in the run and after a full day together trying over night. With outdoor rabbits I can't bond and then keep an eye on them for 24 hours. It has worked in the past so I'm hoping it will work this time.

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That makes sense. Obviously the bonding method is the key here. You can't leave Baby Betsy in the smaller 4ft hutch indefinitely whilst you are slow bonding with Bertie so I agree as well moving her to the top level is the sensible option. If you were going to do the quick bond method I recommend my first suggestion. Good luck with the bonding.