It feels like the longer I have my bunnies, the more and more worried I become about them! I am a worrier by nature, but the main problem I have is that as soon as it gets darks outside and I can't keep an eye on them from the house, I start to imagine up scenarios in my head.
Last night it was very windy and raining heavily, I feel like I got no sleep because I kept imagining the hutch blowing away, the door of the hutch blowing shut so they can't get back, Beatrice having no common sense and sitting in a puddle of water (this has happened before).
Of course, I came out this morning and they're completely fine and happy as usual. I think it will be better in the spring/summer when the days are longer and the weather is better, but I'm starting to appreciate why people want to keep their rabbits indoors. If you feel safe in your own house, you know that they're safe too.
A sitution happened yesterday which should be reassurance to me that they are very safe in their current housing. My OH and I were in the middle of laying a floor when our neighbour came knocking saying his friend's dog had escaped into our garden. The little terrier was over by the bunny run, obviously able to smell the rabbits and very excited. They were both in the litter tray eating hay and didn't seem even slightly worried. So that must mean that they feel safe in the home we built for them?
Despite this, I'm wondering what I can do to make things better for myself next winter, because as I'm typing this I'm feeling rubbish from the lack of sleep and more and more convinced that I'd be happier keeping them inside at night.
There are two ideas that I have in my head: 1 - Build a shed to replace the hutch which is bigger and which I can shut them into at night. There's a good 4ft of space behind the run and I've found a shed for around £180 which would be the right width and length to fit in the space. It is 8ft wide by 4ft deep. We could adapt it to make it bunny friendly/fun for them with a couple of levels and at least then they would have a more substantial sleeping place.
Idea 2 - We have a utility room type off of the kitchen which is single brick. It is about 3m x 1.5m and just has our tumble drier in it plus the rabbit feed and garden tools. We'll be getting a shed soon for the garden tools so it will be much emptier. It only has a tiny window though so isn't very light. It needs renovating and we were debating knocking it down completely to build a proper extension. It will take years to save for so probably not a viable option right now. Mr. Ham particularly loves being outside, so if they were to ever have an indoor base, it would have to have secure outdoor access in the day or I think he'd get really crabby.
Any opinions/advice are really greatly appreciated. Perhaps I'm still in the early stages of bun motherhood and just need time to adapt and relax.
Last night it was very windy and raining heavily, I feel like I got no sleep because I kept imagining the hutch blowing away, the door of the hutch blowing shut so they can't get back, Beatrice having no common sense and sitting in a puddle of water (this has happened before).
Of course, I came out this morning and they're completely fine and happy as usual. I think it will be better in the spring/summer when the days are longer and the weather is better, but I'm starting to appreciate why people want to keep their rabbits indoors. If you feel safe in your own house, you know that they're safe too.
A sitution happened yesterday which should be reassurance to me that they are very safe in their current housing. My OH and I were in the middle of laying a floor when our neighbour came knocking saying his friend's dog had escaped into our garden. The little terrier was over by the bunny run, obviously able to smell the rabbits and very excited. They were both in the litter tray eating hay and didn't seem even slightly worried. So that must mean that they feel safe in the home we built for them?
Despite this, I'm wondering what I can do to make things better for myself next winter, because as I'm typing this I'm feeling rubbish from the lack of sleep and more and more convinced that I'd be happier keeping them inside at night.
There are two ideas that I have in my head: 1 - Build a shed to replace the hutch which is bigger and which I can shut them into at night. There's a good 4ft of space behind the run and I've found a shed for around £180 which would be the right width and length to fit in the space. It is 8ft wide by 4ft deep. We could adapt it to make it bunny friendly/fun for them with a couple of levels and at least then they would have a more substantial sleeping place.
Idea 2 - We have a utility room type off of the kitchen which is single brick. It is about 3m x 1.5m and just has our tumble drier in it plus the rabbit feed and garden tools. We'll be getting a shed soon for the garden tools so it will be much emptier. It only has a tiny window though so isn't very light. It needs renovating and we were debating knocking it down completely to build a proper extension. It will take years to save for so probably not a viable option right now. Mr. Ham particularly loves being outside, so if they were to ever have an indoor base, it would have to have secure outdoor access in the day or I think he'd get really crabby.
Any opinions/advice are really greatly appreciated. Perhaps I'm still in the early stages of bun motherhood and just need time to adapt and relax.