Rabbit run??

I still put my rabbits in there run when ever I can when its not raining,as you dont often get a non rainy day lately so I like to make the most of it,they all get a turn out in the run,and sometimes I put poppy and bertie in the run together.
The point of this really is should I be??as it can be quite cold??
Also bertie will every so often chase poppy and pull some of her fur out,so I only let them in together for short lengths of time.

You don't mention if your buns are outdoor buns or indoor buns.

You can always buy run covers or you can make one yourself out of a cheap shower curtain to cover the run to protect the buns from the cold wind and the rain.

Janice

They are out door bunnys,I only ever put them out if its not raining,but it feels so cold out dont no if im doing the right thing or not?some times I bring them in one at a time for a run about but the cat gets really stroppy and goes out all night when i do that! :roll: typical!

By letting them out you are not doing anything wrong at all, it is far better for them than being shut up in a cage all day. They are far less likely to get joint problems or become overweight if they can run about.

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/tam/viewtopic.php?t=9397&highlight=run+shower

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/tam/viewtopic.php?t=12808&highlight=run+shower

These two thread show a couple of runs which are protected to keep the elements of the rabbits, it may be worth providing some protection if they are caught out in the rain if they have no where to shelter and you don't spot it it raining.

Janice

Wow the first one looked home made,I never let my rabbits out unless im at home and I can always see them,I might have a go at making a run :wink: Thanks for the advise

I let my buns outside in their runs, eventhe inside buns love to play out and Pepper who was a house rabbit loved playing out in he rain, she would just sit in the middle of the garden and get wet even though she had loads of shelters. If it was snowing then she really loved the snow and would sit at the back door mithering to go out

I put my rabbits out in runs everyday, with shower curtains over the tops and 3 sides in bad weather. My buns looooove playing out, and I'm sure the fresh air every day does them a world of good

I put my rabbits out in runs everyday, with shower curtains over the tops and 3 sides in bad weather. My buns looooove playing out, and I'm sure the fresh air every day does them a world of good

if you keep a taupauline over the top that will protect them from the bad weather, make sure you put some lietter trays filled with hay in there where they can sit instead of wet grass.

If your rabbits are healthy then they def should be out in their runs as much as poss. Only in the case of a rabbit with snuffles or with arthritus would I keep them in their hutches in the damp weather, and then they should have time to run in a warm dry space instead.

twilightpagan said:

Also bertie will every so often chase poppy and pull some of her fur out,so I only let them in together for short lengths of time.

Click to expand...

Do they usually live together? Is bertie (males?) neutered?

Tam

Taupalin is good, esp if you want your buns to get plenty of grass regardless of the weather. I usually cover the top and allow air to come through at the sides, but not to the extent of chilling them though.

If it was torrential rain I would avoid putting them out completely :wink:

Ideally, I'd have a go at making runs which can get attached to the front of your hutches, so that the bunnies can come and go as they please. (I used to do this by putting a cat flap into the mesh part of the hutch so that it could be locked if necessary). If you make them foxproof there is no reason they can't stay out all the time. They seem to prefer to have the choice of when to stay in and out, and also seem to feel more secure if the run is part of their permanent residence rather than being moved from place to place.

If the run is separate, they do need a box or somewhere warm and dry to retreat to if they want to - it doesn't need to be massive but big enough for them to get in and snuggle up. It also helps them to feel safer, as they can feel very exposed and vulnerable in an open run. Mine are allowed out whatever the weather (part of the top of their runs are covered in corrugated plastic, it's a bit of a bodge at the moment but it does the job) and often choose to get soaking wet or sit in the wind, rain and snow :roll:

No poppy and bertie dont live in the same hutch together,bertie is a male.
I did try and bond them together,but after berte nearly killed Liquorice im not sure so Im trying to bond poppy with floppy again as they were bonded once but fell out. :roll:

If bunnies don't usually live together than they will chase/mount when you put them in the run together. This should settle down if you let them live together all the time.

Mixing bunnies up is likely to cause trouble with bonding as bunnies will get cross if they smell strange bunnies on their friend. It sounds like Poppy & Bertie might bond together.

Tam

Benny's run is under his hutch - it gets a bit damp but the hutch over it shelters it from getting soaked - I'm amazed he sits out there all day every day, rather than in his cosy, covered hutch (he has a hay box in both so it's his choice) - Yesterday was the first day this winter he's chosen to stay in his hutch all day, because of the gales.

Cold and wet he doesn't mind at all, but you must cover the run with something as it's very hard for rabbit fur to dry out in this weather and they may get chilled if they get soaked...I let them out in the gale force drizzle yesterday onto the patio as they love to run around, but they didn't choose to stay out long - had enough after 20mins :?

Because it is winter, my last male rabbit's penis touches the ground and somehow caught some bacteria from his penis back to his body, and was sick for a 3+ mth.

I don't want to take him out that day (winter of last yr.), but like you said, it was warm and I want him to do some running in the backyard. In the end, it's a mistake.

What I like to add on top of everyone's opinion is to that winter cold weather along w/ moist soil not able to be shine on by the sun (say block by the shadow of the house) can be a bacteria spot. Versus hot summer w/ the sun up everyday. The spot my last rabbit caught the bacteria was an exposed soil area (actually not moist) w/o the sun and no grass on top.

As such, if there is any exposed soil area in your yard, cover it w/ grass. If there are soil area not shine on by the sun, and if you have male rabbit, I won't let him get near it.