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Another question (sorry)- run access at night?

R

rineyroo

Mama Doe
My buns have a shed and attached run. They access the run via a catflap. The run sits on paving slabs. Foxes aren't a problem here and we have two dogs which are out most of the time. I usually open the catflap at around 7am and lock it about 9pm. After I locked it just now I saw Snowy trying to get through and scratching and biting it. Should I just leave it open all the time? I worry about stoats and weasels more than anything, cos they're sly ol' beggars and I know that if something happened I could never forgive myself. I'm probably just being paranoid. What does everyone think?
 
The vet reckons Honey and harly got myxi frm a wild rabbit passing through my garden at night 9thy were vaccinated, it is still possible 2 get it), as I left them with access to their run. personally, i wouldnt take an ycahnces. As long as thy'v plenty of room in their shed thn u hav no reason 2 worry, espesh in cold weather.
 
how secure is the run, like is it attached to the floor? Malibu has access to the run at night. But we have VERY high walls surrounding our garden plus 2 gates with locks so people cant get in. The run is held down on the grass with tent peg type things. And the door/top of the run is padlocked

There are no foxes where I live though. We only get the neighbours cats in and they could never get into the run
 
rineyroo said:
My buns have a shed and attached run. They access the run via a catflap. The run sits on paving slabs. Foxes aren't a problem here and we have two dogs which are out most of the time. I usually open the catflap at around 7am and lock it about 9pm. After I locked it just now I saw Snowy trying to get through and scratching and biting it. Should I just leave it open all the time? I worry about stoats and weasels more than anything, cos they're sly ol' beggars and I know that if something happened I could never forgive myself. I'm probably just being paranoid. What does everyone think?
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I have the same set up, the mesh I used is so small (can only get the tip of my pinky in) that the only thing that gets in the run is slugs.

I also leave my cat flap open, just to let them have a choice in wher they go.
 
sillyrabbit said:
how secure is the run, like is it attached to the floor? Malibu has access to the run at night. But we have VERY high walls surrounding our garden plus 2 gates with locks so people cant get in. The run is held down on the grass with tent peg type things. And the door/top of the run is padlocked

There are no foxes where I live though. We only get the neighbours cats in and they could never get into the run
Click to expand...

I live in a rural area. The shed and run are out of the way, so human intruders probably wouldn't know it was there. The run is very heavy, I made it myself and put loads of wood on it. Two sides of the run are inaccessible for a creature to even look at them. One is against the shed, the other a wall. The other side has a bush next to it, which hides them and makes it hard to get close to the wire. The final side is only accessible by jumping over barbed wire and getting up on my dad's great big pile of grit (lord knows why it's there) and getting over. Sorry it's quite hard to explain, but I think it is quite safe, but then again I'm a worrier.
 
that sounds ok to me. Im a worrier too. Nothing can even get into my garden, I panic its going to blow away if its windy and leave poor malibu just sitting in the garden :oops:
 
I leave mine out all the time. Predators seem to be getting braver and will often come during the day too, so I take the view that if it's not secure enough to leave them out at night, it's not secure enough to leave them unattended at all!
 
AlisonA said:
I leave mine out all the time. Predators seem to be getting braver and will often come during the day too, so I take the view that if it's not secure enough to leave them out at night, it's not secure enough to leave them unattended at all!
Click to expand...

Thats my view as well.
 
Me too. MIne have access to their runs all the time and I have never seen any evidence of anything attempting to get in.
 
Hi mandy

dont worry Im not just assuming, we dont have foxes in the channel islands or I would be more careful. and I am no where near the countryside
 
I havent let my bunny into the run of a night - its attached to the hutch but not bolted to the patio. I have clips to keep the top in place, but still worry something can get in. Never seen a fax, but know they are about.
 
I would much rather be safe than sorry, and if they have plenty of room in th shed then I wouldnt let them out - Just cos you never know what happens at night....
I wish we didnt have a fox problem here, we have an awful problem, and I always panic as to what I would find in the morning...... thus I never let them out at night they are shut up and padlocked down and shutters on.
 
hi, thought i'd add to this debate since i have all 6 of my buns in 3 separate runs with their hutches well enclosed! i let them out in the morning when i feed them breakfast and put them back in their hutch at night when they get their dinner. i always try to get them in before it gets dark-not always possible at this time of year but they are in this routine and know to go into their hutch when it's dinner time! i wouldn't sleep if i knew they were jumping about their runs at night!!
 
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