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My new bunnies!

Jonny

Warren Scout
Hi there!

This is my first post here - basically I was hoping for some advice.

We've got a rescue centre nearby, at Kirkby in Notts, so I intend to give them a ring soon... we'll probably get 2 or 3 bunnies from there so they can keep each other happy.

My first question relates to accommodation. We've ordered a nice big hutch and a large run from a local joiner, which should be ready in a few weeks time. But I'm wondering whether I should just put the hutch inside the garden shed... at least for the winter time. It's a good size (8' X 6') and I'd leave the hutch open, so they'd be able to run about in there. I'm nervous about leaving them in the pen alone during the day in case they dig their way out - or something manages to get in. We also have loads of cats that pop in and out of our garden (including two of my own). When I was a child, a stoat managed to get into a pen in our garden and killed my rabbit, and I'd really hate for something like that to happen again. Let me know what you think about accommodation.

The other query I wanted to raise was what do most of you do if you need to go away for a few days? We don't have any relatives or friends locally that we feel comfortable calling on - so I guess I should maybe look for a pet sitter? Alternatively, how long could you leave rabbits by themselves - would they be OK for a weekend if adequate food and water was available?
 
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Re: My first bunnies!

Jonny said:
The other query I wanted to raise was what do most of you do if you need to go away for a few days? We don't have any relatives or friends locally that we feel comfortable calling on - so I guess I should maybe look for a pet sitter? Alternatively, how long could you leave rabbits by themselves - would they be OK for a weekend - or even a week if adequate food and water was available?

Um no you could not leave them for a week unattended.
Even if you went way for a week-end you would have to have some one come round and check and feed your bunnys.
Or book them into a rabbit hotel or get a pet sitter. Some rescues will take your rabbit if you are going on hoilday.
 
If you are gone all day normally, I would put the hutch in the shed and let them run around in there. Make sure it is fox proof.
I would not leave rabbits alone for more than a day. Sometimes their water bottle stops working, or if they have a bowl of water, they knock it over. Then, if no one checks them, they 'd be without water and that is probably worse than being without food. They sometimes tend to overeat if you give them too much at a time, too. If you go away for a week or more, I'd put them in a bunny hotel. They get looked after and they get to run around every day.
 
Hiya
I help out at Kirkby and put the photos on Rabbit Rehome, have you seen any you like?

The hutch inside garden shed sounds like a good option for the winter.

Defiently do not leave them for even a weekend on their own...even if you left them with loads of food they will just eat it all in one go and then starve for the rest of the time.

Ive yet to find a boarding place in nottinghamshire, but apparently there are a few around. Whereabouts do you live?
 
Hello,
Theres a boarding place in Aspley that my friend uses and also one in Baramcote (I think) Definatley a bunny hotey in Aspley though. I can get details for you soon.
 
Thanks guys for all your tips :D

We are actually in Alfreton, Derbys - so if anyone knows a good pet-sitter or bunny hotel nearby (eg Derby, Mansfield, Chesterfield) please do let me know!
 
Hi, glad to hear you're doing all your research before you get your buns :D I would definitely look at Kirkby, they've got loads of lovely bunnies in.

I would echo the others and say find a pet sitter or bunny boarding, my sister lives in Radcliffe-on-Trent and uses a pet sitter, but that's a bit far from you I think, I will check though how far she travels.

As far as leaving them at weekends goes, I travel back on some weekends to Nottingham and I go on Saturday morning, feeding the buns before I go and leaving loads of extra hay and two water bottles in case one falls off. I'm happy to leave them until we get back on Sunday and feed them again Sunday night. I would not leave them any longer than that though and I get my neighbour to feed and check on them if it's say Friday to Sunday. For longer hols I'm going to use bunny boarding.
 
Thanks Kayjay :D

Aspley is about 12 miles, so that's perfectly do-able.

I wonder if it would cause them less disruption if I were to get a pet-sitter though? They'll probably have had so much disruption with the re-homing, and I wouldn't like to upset them again just 4 weeks later by dropping them into a bunny hotel.
 
As others have said please do not leave your rabbits unattended and do think of the threat of foxes :(

I hope you find a nice pair of rabbits at Kirby..I'm sure they'll advise you but a neutered male with a neutered female is usually considered the best pairing :D
 
Yeah I echo what everyone else says - Dont leave them!
I hate even leaving mine to go to work lol- but thats just cos I love them.
I guess if you dont want to upheave them, then a pet sitter is best ... and maybe when they have settled in a while start them at a bunny hotel... for a few days for the first visit and then when you go again they soon know where they are.
 
Yes definitely don't leave them as my French lop sometimes turns over his heavy dish and his food is underneath it when I go to check him. Just imagine if your buns did that, they would be starving by the time you got back after the weekend. Pam.
 
Hi and welcome to RR, why not try sinking the run in2 the ground slightly and putting mesh just slightly under the grass, stapled or nailed to the bottom of the run, that way they cant dig out, nothing can dig in, and their paws wont get hurt as the mesh is sunk? Try doin a search, sure there's been earlier posts reg this. Or consider laying slabs underneath instead?

I absolutely would not leave them for that long - I prefer to feed my 2 about 8pm, but when I was working shifts 3pm til 11pm I started feedin them about 2pm but just giving them loads of food, hoping it's last, but by the time I gave them breakfast they were starving as they'd just munch the lot and have none, so I was giving them some at 2pm and some at 11pm when I got home. Please dont leave them, not even for a weekend and absolutly definatly not for a week. The possibilities of what may happen are 2 grave to think of, u seem 2 have ur head screwed on so I dont think u'll be wantin 2 come home to some dead or very ill bunnies and thinkin i wish I'd.......... def go for bunny boarding or whatever.

Another thing that no1s mentioned is that if this is an imminent thing, it's winter and there's the chance of the water bottle/bowl freezing, or the buns becoming too cold. Als , they'll be lonely and will miss u.
 
Hiya :wave: and welcome to RR!! I got my four beatles (Mac, Starr, Lenny and Harry) from Mandy - they're great and she's great, she'll look after you and will help you after too if you need it so I definately think it's a great idea to get your buns from Kirkby. I echo what everyone else has said on this thread, I wouldn't leave mine alone for a weekend and definately not for a week not only as the food wouldn't last five minutes but they're little menaces the lot of them and they'd get up to no end of mischief!! :lol:
 
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