A rabbit & an omlet?

[Thumper & Boo]

I have an omlet eglu for rabbits, I bought the conversion kit after the chickens were got by the fox. The fox did not break in, the door was not locked one night.

I think that it is fine for a small rabbit or two, Lightning lived in it happily for over a year before he was bonded and moved.

It was perfectly secure, easy to clean and warm during the winter. It also definitely didn't let in snails and slugs to the sleeping compartment.

Yes it doesn't have a window, but the door was only closed when we went to bed and opened as soon we got up.

What exactly is a window needed for during the night? the run was big and you can buy as many extensions for it as you would like. We had one extension that we bought after a few months.

You can move it around the grass easily.

Lightning had room to stretch out whilst he was sleeping.

I have sent an email to omlet inviting them to contribute to this thread rather than just slagging them off.

 

[Thumper & Boo]

due it's plastic design, bakes you in the summer and freezes you in winter .

It has a twin wall insulation so its cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It also keeps the food protected and the water bottle shaded. This reduces the risk of algae forming and also protects the water from freezing in the winter.

Due to the security of the run I would have no problem not closing the compartment door at night and have done so many many times.

 

[Charys]

Nope, I'm not at all convinced. I've had experience of seeing these in use and thought they were hard to move, lacking in space and more of a 'fashion statement'. I was offered one by someone who had been donated one and didn't want it !!! - I said no thanks.

 

[luvabun]

I have sent an email to omlet inviting them to contribute to this thread rather than just slagging them off.

The manufacturers can spout all the marketing waffle they like but nothing will convince me that this is remotely suitable for rabbits.

Yes it doesn't have a window, but the door was only closed when we went to bed and opened as soon we got up.

What exactly is a window needed for during the night? the run was big and you can buy as many extensions for it as you would like. We had one extension that we bought after a few months.

Don't the ammonia fumes produced by wee escape through the window? Imagine the ammonia produced by multiple buns (as advertised this is suitable for).

 

[norrielian]

I wouldn't use one of these for my rabbits. I think it is far too small and just doesn't look as safe and secure as they say. I think you can get a lot better accommodation for that price for example:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dog-Kennel-An...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1308&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

[Thumper & Boo]

The manufacturers can spout all the marketing waffle they like but nothing will convince me that this is remotely suitable for rabbits.


Don't the ammonia fumes produced by wee escape through the window? Imagine the ammonia produced by multiple buns (as advertised this is suitable for).

The sleeping compartment is made of two parts that rest on top of each other, between the two is a slight gap that provides both light and ventilation.

 

[Thumper & Boo]

I wouldn't use one of these for my rabbits. I think it is far too small and just doesn't look as safe and secure as they say. I think you can get a lot better accommodation for that price for example:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dog-Kennel-An...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1308&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Why is so much about price. I dont think that these are targeted at people that are particularly short of money.

Someone else mentioned the amount being resold on eBay, its not nearly as many as the amount of wooden hutches.

 

[Ben's mum]

It may be that you just keep them in there overnight and have added extensions but lots of people will assume that for the price and that it's aimed for buns, it's suitable as it comes and there's nothing on the site that suggests the buns couldn't be shut in the compartment during the day while the owners at work or something. I personally wouldn't even confine a rabbit overnight - if they wake up while you're asleep and fancy a stretch of their legs, or are feeling a bit poorly and could benefit with a bit of moving around to keep their gut going, they have no choice of doing this until you're awake.
I don't think there'd be many people on here happy to shut their rabbits in 3' hutches overnight, even if they had access to a run all day - the Eglu compartment is only 2' square. I've known french lops that are that long themselves, they wouldn't even be able to lie down properly in the Eglu yet it's being recommended for them.

 

[Charys]

I don't have experience of the rabbit accomodation, but the guineapig version was dire in terms of space. The 'daytime wire run' was 1 metre long and much narrower !!!!!! 1 metre, that is 100 cms, imagine that !!!! The unit cost over £300 and sadly people think with that sort of money that they are buying luxury for their pet. I don't think are, as being shut in a tiny plastic rounded box all night is not a nice prospect and the run cannot even accomodate some toys. What about the winter ? A person I knew had two guineas in this housing and as I said gave up with it for a variety of reasons.

 

[The Duchess]

The sleeping compartment is made of two parts that rest on top of each other, between the two is a slight gap that provides both light and ventilation.

Sorry, that's just not true. I have one in my garden and when the lid is on and secure with the catches there is no gap. There are a few 10p size holes in the front but that is all. My rabbits would be terrified if they were forced to live in it.

Imagine if something was wrong, you'd never hear your rabbit thumping or anything else for that matter and you couldn't see it on a walk by either.

 

[The Duchess]

Why is so much about price. I dont think that these are targeted at people that are particularly short of money.

Someone else mentioned the amount being resold on eBay, its not nearly as many as the amount of wooden hutches.

That is entirely my point. People who want to make a statement buy them, not those who care about giving their rabbits the most amount of space. (Not wishing to offend you for buying one by the way - but it's my experience and I have a lot).

That fact that they are made of super funky coloured plastic rather than drab old brown wood tells you something. A bit like buying your boring trainers from Asda or super funky ones from KSwiss at twice the price.

If they were that great, why are they being resold at all?

 

[honeybunny]

2 foot square to shut a rabbit in for all the hours you are asleep??
I'm sorry but that would be considered unacceptable by most people on here.
Remember rabbits don't follow the clock like humans and are often lively at night.
Also you say due to security of run you shut him in at night..what about you go out for the day?

They are horrid and the company is at fault for advertising them as rabbit houses in the first place

We have turned down people who have these who wish to adopt

 

[Lucy]

Agreed, we won't rehome into them either. Horrible little things made to look pretty for the fickle rabbit owner in my opinion.

 

[The Duchess]

It was perfectly secure, easy to clean and warm during the winter. It also definitely didn't let in snails and slugs to the sleeping compartment.

I agree that the 'pod' would be secure once closed but I would never, ever have the heart to shut anything in it.

You can move it around the grass easily.

sorry but I have to disagree totally with you here No you can't. You have to detach the run first, which means taking the lid off first unless there are several of you lifting. Getting the top off is not easy at all, the catches being very hard to move in and out. I had to lever the catch open as it was so heavy and cumbersome.

Unless you had different clip fixings on yours there are totally inadequate, and as I have already stated in my first post, they are prone to decay in heat and sun. I have had several become brittle. They are made of plastic so any rabbit with teeth could chew at them making them incapable of doing their job (in my opinion). I certainly would not leave buns unsupervised in this even as a play run. Photo of the clips here....

Lightning had room to stretch out whilst he was sleeping.

I am guessing you mean in the run - then yes big enough for bunnies to lie down but not possible in the 'pod' part unless they were tiny and then they would take up all of the floor area.

I have sent an email to omlet inviting them to contribute to this thread rather than just slagging them off.

As Jill (Luvabun) already said, they were given all of these comments years ago, by a very experienced bunny rescue owner and they chose to ignore everything said. The design is still the same.

 

[rianne23]

Someone else mentioned the amount being resold on eBay, its not nearly as many as the amount of wooden hutches.

Erm i think you will find that is because of the new RSPCA laws for size, as well as the fact there is a wider market for wooden hutches and also the fact people upgrade in size frequently/lose pets/just wanted a new one.. yadda yadda yadda and lets not forget the fact wooden hutches have been around for years so there are a hell of a lot more knocking about!

I think the eglu is far too small and would never put a bunny in it let alone the amount of bunnies they say can go in it.

But i am in no way, saying you are wrong to have kept yours in one.

I am merely stating my opinion

Surely RSPCA new laws would say that is too small for a bunny??? :shock:

 

[The Duchess]

Dear Thumper and Roo, I just wanted to say please don't think I am having a go at you personally.

Any of my comments are not aimed at you, it's simply my experience. I just can't abide these things. The rescue owner who Omlet gave the thing to was set to throw it away as she considered it that bad. I ended up with it for emergency play for my foster bunnies (hasn't now been used for over a year). I have tried to use it for that but I just doesn't come up to scratch. It just can't compete with a good wooden shed/hutch or wendy house. Much more space and comfort for far less cash.

 

[raine]

Ive just picked up my late sister in laws Omlet and will keep it for emergency use. I shall utilize it in the same way as Duchess.

I would not advise anyone to purchase one as I feel there are better alternatives for the bunny. You obviously manage yours well Thumper and do not lock your bunny in it during the day. Please don't view the negativity as an attack on you or the caring of your bunny. We just don't want new members to think they are great and go and purchase one. Not everyone will "manage" the Omlet in the positive way you do for the bunny. To be left permanently locked in one of these would be worse than our nightmare of a
3" wooden hutch

 

[The Duchess]

I would not advise anyone to purchase one as I feel there are better alternatives for the bunny. You obviously manage yours well Thumper and do not lock your bunny in it during the day. Please don't view the negativity as an attack on you or the caring of your bunny. We just don't want new members to think they are great and go and purchase one. Not everyone will "manage" the Omlet in the positive way you do for the bunny. To be left permanently locked in one of these would be worse than our nightmare of a
3" wooden hutch

Here here, I agree Lorraine, just not as good as expressing myself.

Helen

 

[rianne23]

Yes and i think it is important to add that my main concerns are with the fact that i bet many bunnies are left in them day in day out with no access to the outside world. THAT is the worst thing about it. Wooden hutches have doors where they can look out, at least. My daisy has her hutch and run and i couldnt imagine her being stuck in a little plastic box, unable to breathe in that fresh early morning 4am kinda fresh air, binkying around her run like a loon as she is met by the birds singing their morning song etc... (yes she does do this !! i have still been awake at 4am and witnessed it :lol

 

[Thumper & Boo]

I didn't take any of the comments as a personal attack so I am not offended at all.

As I said, Lightning was in this for a year when he was on his own, and when he was fairly small.

I do agree that it is not suitable for medium sized bunnies, but I do think that two small bunnies would be happy.

We didn't go to bed until very late, around midnight and due to having two small children we were up no later than 6am. I would also only close the hatch during the winter as it did provide a very warm sleeping area.

Maybe I'm lucky that lightning didn't chew the clips, I did replace all the clips after the first year as they had become brittle due to sun and frost. At a cost of just a few pounds it didnt bother me in the slightest. It would be comparable to treating a wooden hutch.

I now use this eglu as a run when needed for instance when I am cleaning the main sheds or cutting the lawn.

Lightning was not from the RSPCA and their guidelines are not law, they are their own regulations.

I disagree with the fashion statement comment as no one else would have seen it other than family, and I really am not that type of person. As I said it was originally bought for chickens.

I think that it was plastic was also great as it did not absorb any urine hence no rotting or smell.