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Buying second hand - RHDV2 related (Updated 17/7)

TheThreeB's

TheThreeB's

Mama Doe
Hi all,

I've asked this question as part of another thread, but thought it might be a good idea to ask here.

We've arranged to buy a large second hand 'coop' which we plan to adapt and extend for some of our rabbits (the two that aren't yet vaccinated against RHDV2 / awaiting stock).

Is it a bad idea to do this given the situation with RHDV2? Would it be okay if it was cleaned / disinfected thoroughly? Or would it still potentially be a risk to our buns?

Thanks in advance x
 
Last edited:
TheThreeB's said:
Hi all,

I've asked this question as part of another thread, but thought it might be a good idea to ask here.

We've arranged to buy a large second hand 'coop' which we plan to adapt and extend for some of our rabbits (the two that aren't yet vaccinated against RHDV2 / awaiting stock).

Is it a bad idea to do this given the situation with RHDV2? Would it be okay if it was cleaned / disinfected thoroughly? Or would it still potentially be a risk to our buns?

Thanks in advance x
Click to expand...

Personally I would not risk it. No doubt others will say the exact opposite :D
 
Oh no, I had a feeling it was a bit risky. Wish I'd thought of it before, we thought we had found a little bargain. No money has changed hands yet though.

Thanks for replying x
 
Personally I would cancel and buy new goods, even if its not as big as i hope, if they think time wasting.. their problem not yours.. I just wouldnt risk it, not with all the rabbit losses going on, youve no real idea if the rabbit that previously used it died from something like RVHD2, their word wouldnt be enough for it, in the past i would never have thought as ive had tonnes of second hand hutches runs and cages but just right now .. especially if your buns are not vaccinated, i wouldnt risk it


(Reposting here)
 
Shayne_ said:
Personally I would cancel and buy new goods, even if its not as big as i hope, if they think time wasting.. their problem not yours.. I just wouldnt risk it, not with all the rabbit losses going on, youve no real idea if the rabbit that previously used it died from something like RVHD2, their word wouldnt be enough for it, in the past i would never have thought as ive had tonnes of second hand hutches runs and cages but just right now .. especially if your buns are not vaccinated, i wouldnt risk it


(Reposting here)
Click to expand...

I think I would hesitate too. Not to say that with careful disinfecting it wouldn't be perfectly OK. The clincher would be that if your own rabbits are not yet vaccinated I would keep it to one side until they are.

However, that would apply to many second hand things that have been kept outdoors, not just what you're suggesting.
 
TheThreeB's said:
Oh no, I had a feeling it was a bit risky. Wish I'd thought of it before, we thought we had found a little bargain. No money has changed hands yet though.

Thanks for replying x
Click to expand...

That's OK. I may be considered to be neurotic about the RHD2 risks in scenarios raised on here lately. But I'll take that label, I'd rather be over cautious :)
 
You've got a 50/50 chance really?

I've done it in the past when owning ferrets & distemper was very high & killing 100's of ferrets (even those vaccinated). I took on a cage that was offered to me, knowing there was a risk if could be carrying distemper. I took it anyway but disinfected it. There was still the risk of the foxes that visit the garden bringing it into my ferrets, so a cage seemed a small risk.

Its your choice, if I already had wild rabbits entering the garden then I'd get the cage, disinfect & take the risk. (Remember, even bird faeces can carry RHD2 if the bird has eaten infected meat)

I don't think you'd relax so you might feel better buying something brought new.
 
Jack's-Jane said:
That's OK. I may be considered to be neurotic about the RHD2 risks in scenarios raised on here lately. But I'll take that label, I'd rather be over cautious :)
Click to expand...


I don't think you are, if so.... so am I!

I've got Crash booked into a vacc clinic on the 26th and im kinda freaking about him being around other rabbits....O.O
 
Shayne_ said:
I don't think you are, if so.... so am I!

I've got Crash booked into a vacc clinic on the 26th and im kinda freaking about him being around other rabbits....O.O
Click to expand...

I don't think there's harm in being overly cautious where RHD2 is concerned! I know I am :D
 
Thanks for all the replies, I agree you can't be too careful and I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me at the time.

tonibun said:
Did the coop have a rabbit in it or chickens?
Click to expand...

The adverts says they used it for rabbits.

I've had a chat with my dh who's just come home and he thinks we should still get it, but not use it until they are immunised. This will be in August when our vet gets more stock of the vaccine. I guess there will still be a risk even bringing it home though.

I must admit my brain is hurting a bit with it all x
 
If you're going to get it, I'd buy some virkon if you don't already have some, and give it a really good liberal spray as soon as it arrives on your premises. You can buy virkon in individual sachets to mix up to 500ml or something, so you don't need to buy loads of it. Virkon is the recommended disinfectant as it has been proven to destroy calicivirus (which RHD2 is), so if you give it a really good spray and make sure it stays wet all over for 10-15 minutes, that should deal with any RHD2 if it has come in with it. If you can store it somewhere until yours are vaccinated too, that should be a pretty 'belt and braces' approach to keeping them safe. The key thing will be getting everything ready to spray it as soon as it arrives, so that it doesn't go potentially getting it on other surfaces before you have a chance to disinfect it.
 
Thank you Santa that's really useful to know.

It's quite stressful thinking about everything, which makes me want to not get it. I don't feel like I know enough about the virus, I mean the run is going to be transported in our car so could it get on there, then when we take the rabbits in the car. Likewise, could it get from the run onto our clothes, then in the air near the rabbits.

Am I overthinking this? x
 
TheThreeB's said:
Thank you Santa that's really useful to know.

It's quite stressful thinking about everything, which makes me want to not get it. I don't feel like I know enough about the virus, I mean the run is going to be transported in our car so could it get on there, then when we take the rabbits in the car. Likewise, could it get from the run onto our clothes, then in the air near the rabbits.

Am I overthinking this? x
Click to expand...

Put a big tarp down in your car, and spray it with the disinfectant afterwards (and before?)

Personally, I would get it, disinfect it and keep it separate till yours are vaccinated. But then I rescue and foster rabbits and can't afford to turn down good bits of kit when they come my way :D
 
Thanks MM, I think that's what we will do. We can't afford to turn things down either.

My dh says he's going to ask about the persons rabbits beforehand and obviously if something feels off, we will back out. Chances are there's probably nothing wrong with them and I will obviously disinfect it x
 
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So my dh has gone to collect the coop/run this afternoon.

We will have tarpaulin covering the inside of the car. When he comes back I have gloves, plastic wrapping and a large sprayer filled with Virkon disinfectant.

We are also fortunate that we have a separate area of the garden where we can bring it into without going anywhere near our rabbits, it can be stored here too.

The seller said all her rabbits are alive and well and they are only selling as they have rabbit proofed their whole garden.

So hopefully we will have minimised any risk x
 
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