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Worrying Myself Silly

Beapig

Mama Doe
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. :)
 
I totally understand the worry, and the lack of sleep, I've been there myself. When I first moved up here (about 4 years ago) I had a shed built with a full height attached enclosure, so my 2 buns could get out, but were warm, safe and cosy too. Even though it was a well built shed, I still worried, as we get bad storms up here, but they were always fine.
I think a shed, as you describe, sounds a good bet. You could insulate it, build shelves and really customise it. It's easy enough to attach a run (lots of info on here about attaching runs via pipes, doors etc).
Having said that, I just have the one bunny now, and she lives indoors and has totally taken over the extension and the lounge, I love it ! :D
 
I know the feeling! I worry so much about my pets too. Either a shed or your outhouse attached to a run would be good,and you can sit with them more easily then. I worry about my goats, hubby put me a camera in their shed so that I could watch them, so now, if I worry I can have a look whenever I want day or night!
 
A shed could work as a quick solution for now.... then once you've saved up for the extension you could convert the shed back into garden storage etc.

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I've had bunnies for nearly 20 years and still worry. No matter what you do for them, there will still be something that isn't quite right etc. A shed is always much more secure than a hutch and gives better shelter. They can get hot in the summer so try not to position it facing south if you can. (Something else to worry about)! My garden faces due south and I've had a lot of trouble with playhouses and sheds getting too hot.
 
I had four. They are all gone now yet I still worry about them in their lifetime, if you see what I mean.
 
I had four. They are all gone now yet I still worry about them in their lifetime, if you see what I mean.

I get you Happybun. I too worry about things related to my bunnies who are no longer here. Only yesterday a memory crashed in to my head that I'm now feeling horribly guilty about.

Rabbit ownership = worry. Just as well they are so wonderful to share our lives with
 
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. :)


BP this is so normal! But also exhausting ....

It does get better, and you've proved time and again that they are safe. However, I think your suggestions of coping with this winter, however is best for you, would put your mind at rest until the warmer days and we all feel a bit brighter.

I am concerned that a dog can get into your garden. One of next door's dogs managed to dig under their old fence and get into my garden a few years ago. The neighbour was so concerned (after I marched into his house carrying his overweight terrier and saying this must never happen again) that he replaced the whole of his fence! :lol:
 
BP, I worry about my 5, but I do worry less now that they are all in the shed. Im still continuing to improve their set ups, but now when it's raining (like now) or really windy, I think 'I'm glad I've moved them' rather than worrying, if you see what I mean. However, I do think it's me that was the problem, im sure their previous set up was actually completely fine (a hutch with run attached) and the reason Ive spent 18 months and a SHED load of money (hehe) was more for me than them. Your set up is great, a warm dry hutch and a lovely big run. A shed would be great added on as the next step. Or, how about putting a runaround tunnel from their current set up to your utility room so they could come in and out? Unless it's really far. I bet they'd still sit in the run in the rain... it's pouring here, Ive got 'the Gingers', Lucy and Dave, with the runaround tunnel to the run, ( my 2 set ups take it in turns to have the tunnel attached) it's pouring and they're still out. Daft bunnies. Just waiting for the rain to stop to go feed them all and shut them back in their home.
 
I understand the worry too.

I manage to avoid sleepless nights though, by shutting them in their sheds and playhouses at night. They still have lots of space and it's a small price to pay to make sure they are safe. During the day I open up the runaround doors which connect to their runs and don't usually close them till around 9pm.

Our three girls have full time access to their run, but it is on slabs, so it's more secure x
 
Thank you so much everyone, for all of the suggestions and reassurance. It sounds like I'm not the only one who overly worries about the safety and well being of my buns. On the plus side I feel like it's better to be this way than complacent.

CometLucy195, I like the idea of the runaround tube going into the outbuilding a lot. The problem is that their current hutch/run setup is indeed at the other end of the garden. We're going to have a think about it anyway and see what we can come up with, but like a lot of people have been saying, the best short term solution might be to replace the hutch with a shed.

MM, it's no surprise at all that the dog got into our garden, as it isn't secure at all. We're on a corner plot and right now the front garden is attached to the back with no gate or fence in between to stop people from walking right in :shock: Our garden (and the whole house) was a complete mess when we bought it a few months back, we've spent so many weekends just clearing trees that were cut down and left to rot, digging rubbish out of the earth (we found a whole bike, still chained to some tree stumps, 2ft under the soil!) We've only just reached the point where the earth is now levelled off to make putting up a fence even possible. Thankfully our road is very safe and the buns are tucked away out of sight, but I've told my OH that ordering and erecting a fence should be our first job of the year :)
 
I'm also very much a worrier Beapig. It's absolutley natural and shows you care - like everyone else posting does. You want the best for your bunnies and your options are sound. If the best option on the table is the big shed option, then that sounds fine. As has previously been suggested, you could customise it by insulation and taking time to bunnyproof the inside. It sounds a great project and they'd have a wonderful customised home and I'm sure Mr ham would approve. But on the other hand, utilising the utility room would be more secure for them and give you more peace of mind. They'd be much warmer and more secure. You could set it up with a simple indoor cctv camera and you could watch on a smart phone and keep a closer eye on them. Making a safe outside area for them would also need to be a priority to allow them safe areas to play in and of course keep Mr Ham happy. You don't want to have the 'rear feet flick of shame'.
 
My bunnies are in the room next to me and I still worry every single day x-D

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Thank you so much everyone, for all of the suggestions and reassurance. It sounds like I'm not the only one who overly worries about the safety and well being of my buns. On the plus side I feel like it's better to be this way than complacent.

CometLucy195, I like the idea of the runaround tube going into the outbuilding a lot. The problem is that their current hutch/run setup is indeed at the other end of the garden. We're going to have a think about it anyway and see what we can come up with, but like a lot of people have been saying, the best short term solution might be to replace the hutch with a shed.

MM, it's no surprise at all that the dog got into our garden, as it isn't secure at all. We're on a corner plot and right now the front garden is attached to the back with no gate or fence in between to stop people from walking right in :shock: Our garden (and the whole house) was a complete mess when we bought it a few months back, we've spent so many weekends just clearing trees that were cut down and left to rot, digging rubbish out of the earth (we found a whole bike, still chained to some tree stumps, 2ft under the soil!) We've only just reached the point where the earth is now levelled off to make putting up a fence even possible. Thankfully our road is very safe and the buns are tucked away out of sight, but I've told my OH that ordering and erecting a fence should be our first job of the year :)


:shock:

Good luck with the fence BP :thumb:
 
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