A rabbit & an omlet?

[The Duchess]

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

This is true, which is why I can't understand why they won't develop something that would be affordable for the majority but the right size. I don't think that their attempt at a larger chicken house is affordable at over £600.

Such a shame but I guess the costs of development and production just mean it's never going to be viable, especially now the cost of oil used in the manufacturing process is so expensive.

 

[Ben's mum]

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

The Animal welfare act means it's law to provide suitable housing, and I think the RSPCA's recommendations are a good guideline to go by.
I can see the perks of it, if it provided a bit more space, but having seen both the original and the larger one in the flesh for my neighbour's chickens, I certainly wouldn't use or recommend them.
Like I/other people said - it's one thing someone like you buying it and using it sensibly, but some people do assume that a product is fit for what it's advertised for and may go out and buy it for their one French Lop/3 medium rabbits and have them cramped in there for life, shut in that compartment for 8+ hours at a time

 

[Thumper & Boo]

This is true, which is why I can't understand why they won't develop something that would be affordable for the majority but the right size. I don't think that their attempt at a larger chicken house is affordable at over £600.

Such a shame but I guess the costs of development and production just mean it's never going to be viable, especially now the cost of oil used in the manufacturing process is so expensive.

Agreed, I actually called them asking if the cube had a conversion kit for rabbits but they said no and that currently it would not be suitable for rabbits at all.

They are still a relatively new company and given that they have introduced this new larger one for chickens may indicate that a larger rabbit one may come along soon.

I still think at £600 its reasonable, yes you could probably but cheaper wooden chicken coops but you would also be able to buy more expensive. It would depend on the persons views as to whether it would be a good investment for them.

I dont think that there is anything wrong with spending money on something that you think is practical and aesthetically pleasing. I find some wooden hutches very beautiful to have in the garden.

 

[Thumper & Boo]

The Animal welfare act means it's law to provide
Like I/other people said - it's one thing someone like you buying it and using it sensibly, but some people do assume that a product is fit for what it's advertised for and may go out and buy it for their one French Lop/3 medium rabbits and have them cramped in there for life, shut in that compartment for 8+ hours at a time

I agree with you. I do think that it would be wrong for those circumstances absoloutely. But this is something that you can worry about with all hutches.

People can buy a 2,3,4,5,6 ft hutch and some owners would think thats enough. No run, No free range.

Lightning as I said was perfectly happy in his year in the omlet, once he out grew it and was bonded he was moved as I said.

In summary I see all your points, I agree that Omlet are wrong for stating it would be suitable for more than 1 medium sized rabbit but I do believe that a for responsible owner that cares about their small bun it can provide a perfectly suitable home.

 

[Ben's mum]

You wouldn't find many posts on here advocating 2', 3', 4' etc hutches and no runs either though so I don't get your point there? :? Ideally I'd prefer anything below the mimimum ideal to not be sold at all - someone can care for their rabbit but not realise that just because something is for sale, it's not suitable - by not having the option to buy it, at least these people won't end up mistakenly buying something unsuitable

 

[Thumper & Boo]

You wouldn't find many posts on here advocating 2', 3', 4' etc hutches and no runs either though so I don't get your point there? :?

I'm not trying to be argumentative in the slightest, i am just pointing out that people can buy any size hutches and still not provide a suitable level of care.

A rabbits happiness is not only determined by its house size, of course this is a major factor. I'm sure if lightning could tell us he would have far more things to complain about other than the size of the space he had to sleep in during the winter for 6 hours. Like the fact I blocked of his tunnel that got him into the neighbours garden, I wouldn't let him chew the television cables and he didn't get to eat carrots morning noon and night.

I love lightning dearly, he was in their as long I felt it was suitable and as soon as it wasn't I changed it.

 

[foxyfaerie]

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

And if you keep a wooden hutch clean there's no rotting or smell.

 

[KarenM]

Ideally I'd prefer anything below the mimimum ideal to not be sold at all - someone can care for their rabbit but not realise that just because something is for sale, it's not suitable - by not having the option to buy it, at least these people won't end up mistakenly buying something unsuitable

I agree. I came across this site while looking for rabbit hutches for Alfie. And lucky I did, because my husband had originally considered a 4ft double decker Happy Hutch. After reading on here, I decided on the 6x2 hutch with a 6x4 run underneath and Alfie has 24/7 access to the whole thing. I'm even starting to think that he hasn't got enough room and want to expand the run....

Looking at the dimensions on the omlet site, the eglu is only about 2ft sq and the run is 6 ft long by 4ft at it's widest point meaning that it narrows down to only about 2ft at the end that attaches to the eglu itself. Alfie is still tiny but I wouldn't want him in something that small, especially now I know as much as I do about rabbits' natural behaviour.

 

[Ben's mum]

I'm not trying to be argumentative in the slightest, i am just pointing out that people can buy any size hutches and still not provide a suitable level of care.

But that's not what this thread about, it's specifically about the Omlet. I'm sure everyone's aware that a decent size hutch/cage isn't the only necessity in a rabbit's life, this thread is just stating that lots of people don't find this particular setup suitable :?

 

[Phoebesmummy9]

I wouldnt ever put any of my bunnies in an omlet. I took an interest in the omlets, and I spotted one on ebay and emailed the seller to go and have a look and i wasnt impressed. My bunnies have probably over triple the space now, for alot less money! (payed £130 for a massive shed/playhouse)
Its personally quite annoying to me there recommended for more than one bunny, and think there no better than the flimsy wooden hutchs tesco were selling not so long ago. it makes it worse that the fact theyve actually consulted a good rabbit owner, got recommendations and have still went ahead and made something totally unsuitable for bunnies.
May I also add - I have plastic indoor cages and sometimes they can smell just as bad as wood - if there not kept clean!
Bunnies living area is a big part of thier happiness - if they dont have enough space to act like a bunny, they aint gunna be happy. When i first got my rabbit, he was in a pretty smallish hutch, and it wasnt until he got a bigger living area that i realized how miserable he actually was! Rabbits need space to go on thier back legs "to stand",room to stretch,flop,binky,kick! I dont think us as humans would be happy AT ALL kept in a small room where we couldnt walk,talk,run etc and do the things that made us human!

 

[ecudc]

I've seen all the omlets at the NEC and the smaller versions are way to small for anything except for a "base station" for a nethie (or bantum) or two but not to be locked in over night & the runs are not heavy enough to prevent fox attack if put on a patio like a normal wooden run attached to a heavy hutch. It isn't big enough for full sized buns or chickens. The big one looks better for chickens but I can't see how they would get a suitable moulded ramp to work for bunnies as the sleeping bit is way up in the air. You could make you own out of wood but it would look daft & you may as well spend your £600 on a large avary or similar which would look just as nice.

Great idea.......but far too small.

we keep our outdoor wooden hutch spanking and fresh using lino and a good weekly disinfect, spot cleaning + plenty of litter trays including some deep ones for snuggling up. They are very easy to clean and the whole thing smells fresh as a daisy.

 

[The Duchess]

Just been surfing back through time and found this too.....

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=135116&highlight=Omlet

I know foxes can get in to any old hutch if they aren't secure enough, but I just wanted to highlight this for those reading this thread.

 

[Charys]

Although I have kept my run, I let Happy hutches know via an email that the wire on their product was faulty and not of good quality in places (cut and bent in seeral places). I have had a response and it said along the lines of 'we have never had a problem with the wire we use, maybe this was just a bad roll, we will look into it on Monday'. I'm SURE it was just a bad roll, but the point has been made on here, it is about quality control and not sending a product out if some of the materials used on it are not fit for purpose.

 

[Kuja]

I first saw these a while ago and thought they were great until I saw a picture of one with a rabbit in it and realised what size it was Then I saw the price and almost fainted!

The thought of that being marketed as a permanent home for medium and large bunnies makes me angry to be honest... The sleeping area in particular is tiny - my medium-large bun would barely have been able to sit in it or turn around properly, and she would have hated being shut in it.

I just hope they get their act together and if they insist on making them at least improve the design. In hindsight I'm actually pleased they're really expensive as I don't know many people who could afford one, so it spares a lot of buns the discomfort...

 

[Bluesmum]

When I was first researching into having a bun ( I always think too much about things ) I looked at them thinking they would be a good idea.......and then saw a pic of it. Was so shocked at how small it was. Went to pets at home an spent £60 on a bigish hutch instead (hes house bun with free range of the kitchen and only gets shut away at night)
I guess the cube thing wouldn't be so bad in a run if you could take it off the wheels. Amazes me they advertise it for 6 chickens but in the pic theres only 2.....and even they look crowded. (I'm not expert on chooks though!) :?