I have never free ranged my rabbits, we didn’t have a secure garden. I moved house a year ago and my garden seems to be pretty secure, concrete gravel boards at both sides and back fence is wire. As long as I block access to behind the sheds and the back gate I think I could let my bunnies free range when we are at home. Just wondering if many people did this. Neither rabbit comes over to me so catching them might not be the easiest. Do you think it would be a bad idea as they are not tame enough to come back to me?
-
Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
Free ranging in garden
- Thread starter beki
- Start date
Jack's-Jane
Wise Old Thumper
I would only allow free range time if I were able to be out with the Rabbits the entire time. If they are difficult to handle then it may be stressful for all of you when you need to get them back to their accommodation. It is possible to train free range Rabbits into a routine of 'going home'. But again I emphasise that my personal opinion is that no Rabbit should ever be left free ranging outside unsupervised. IMO it is just not worth the risk.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do for your Rabbits
Most rabbits will keep coming back to where they live, either their hutch or shed etc. This is home where their food is and their shelter. So if you let them have a run round don't feed them beforehand so they will be hungry and should come in for their dinner. Make sure there are no gaps in the fencing. Do you get foxes coming into your garden?
keletkezes
Wise Old Thumper
We don't fully free-range but they have semi-supervised (because we live in an industrial estate) open-topped pen time. We trained them quickly to come to the playhouse windowsill for pellets, so we feed pellets once a day in the evening, whether they've been out or not. If they're not out for ages they forget they need to come in, but they can be individually herded into the connecting tube: last time their half-meshed new run made an excellent gate!
I would never leave unsupervised. Maybe I’ll buy a load of puppy panels and make a huge run for them instead, or some sort of temporary fencing I can take down when they aren’t in it. It’s nice to see them run around, which they don’t really get chance to do properly at the moment, especially as they have a really small run as the old one rotted through. I’ve had to buy a small one to use temporarily until I can get their set up fully changed.
I believe my garden is fox free, I haven’t seen or heard any evidence to tell me otherwise. My old house we used to see and hear foxes so the rabbits were only allowed in their run when we were in the house and fully locked in the hutch at night.
I believe my garden is fox free, I haven’t seen or heard any evidence to tell me otherwise. My old house we used to see and hear foxes so the rabbits were only allowed in their run when we were in the house and fully locked in the hutch at night.
joey&boo
Wise Old Thumper
My bunnies used to love free range time in the big garden of our rented property. I used to supervise them but even then while carrying Mouse (bunny) in Joey was chased by a cat & scared senseless. Mine were absolute rotters, they only came in on their terms. They had lots to feast on out there so no amount of food would tempt them. If I had a garden like that again I would let them out but I do recall it being hard work staying out there so long. I also had to take risks to grab drink, food, loo breaks. A huge run with stuff to do sounds perfect
Supervision isn’t a problem, I have two young children so if we are at home there is always someone outside and the kitchen opens right out onto the garden. The food thing though, too many brambles that the bunnies love eating, I would never see them again when they find their way into that area of the garden! I think maybe a large pen type thing is what I need
I have cats and they scare off neighbouring Cats, and my cats are scared of the rabbits so all fine on the cat front
I have cats and they scare off neighbouring Cats, and my cats are scared of the rabbits so all fine on the cat front
Flora and Thistle
Young Bun
I personally free range my buns, and they absolutely love it - every morning they are waiting at the door to be let out and love tearing across the lawn. We also have ducks free ranging (which Thistle loves to chases!) and a cat who is terrified of rabbits. As long as your garden is secure and you don’t have too many foxes and cats then they would be fine (although make sure that there aren’t any poisonous plants).
In regards to putting them in at night, Flora used to be a vey wild rabbit, but after herding her in a few times, she got the idea and started going in herself.
In regards to putting them in at night, Flora used to be a vey wild rabbit, but after herding her in a few times, she got the idea and started going in herself.
My old bunny Smudge used to free range in my parents garden when I moved in with them. We left her unsupervised after Mum had made sure that there were no cats about for a couple of weeks. She had a section of the summerhouse as her base and would come running inside when she heard the rattle of the pellet bag at bedtime. She was quite a big bunny - a dwarf lop and weighed about 7 pounds so I didn’t worry about birds of prey as I may have done had she been a nethie. She loved wandering around the garden, pruning the plants for us and finding the sunny spots to snooze in.
I think it totally depends on your individual circumstances, you location and the breed and personality of your bunnies.
I think it totally depends on your individual circumstances, you location and the breed and personality of your bunnies.
If I could start all over again, I would make the whole garden into one big aviary. It would cost a bomb but it would be worth it. There are no foxes here during the day time as too many people and our foxes are scared of us. There is just 1 cat which comes in and that is at night-time so I am always worried about whether I haven't closed the doors properly. It has happened a few times over the last 20 years.
I'd like to but I dont free range, I've seen a bird swoop down and bounce of an enclosed run with lightning speed and I was stood right there. It made me very aware that if the rabbit had been freeranging even though I was immediately next to the rabbit I would not of saved it.
I keep thinking it would be a great idea to try it. I have a lot of overgrown bushes and undergrowth which we plan on digging fought back to the fence (about 6 feet worth either side) so maybe when I have a clear garden I can give it a go. Bertie escaped a few weeks ago and got under there and he was a pain to catch, if the garden is clear to the fence catching would be a lot easier.
Good point on the size of bunny and birds of prey. Bertie weighs 3 kilos and Betsy not much less so not going to be easy for a bird to carry them off!
Good point on the size of bunny and birds of prey. Bertie weighs 3 kilos and Betsy not much less so not going to be easy for a bird to carry them off!