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Should I let my bunny free range?

Fluffs

Fluffs

Alpha Buck
Iv'e got a 4 year old female bunny called Fluffs and I would love to be able to let her free range. I know everyone else does and it sounds a lovely idea, i'm sure my bun would love it.
I'm halfway through leash training, but she is a bit uncomfortable with something strapped around her, and i'm not really sure where to go next with this.

However, I am not sure about the idea of free ranging in the garden because there is quite few cats around this area and although they have completely ignored her when she is in her hutch/run, they might look twice when she's bounding around. i would have to follow her around the garden, guarding for cats. Also we have a fence all the way around, but there may be some gaps in it, I know there is one near the back gate. Both my next door neighbours have dogs, so now i'm wondering what is the best idea after all.

Advice needed please!

ps i forgot to mention that it would be supervised and i wouldn't leave her out alone.
 
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Never, ever ever, go free-range, even if observing in my opinion.

Whether you think there are cats/foxes around or not, its not safe.

It takes 1 quick swipe from a cat and a rabbit can die.

Foxes can jump 8ft fences and kill a rabbit in seconds, even with the owner there.

I remember stories on RU about a fox who came into the garden WHILE the owner was standing next to the rabbit and the fox was chasing the rabbit round the owners legs to get it.

It's just not worth it.

A good sized secure run is the only way to give a rabbit exercise outside, end of.

</my opinion>
 
Fluffs said:
Ha ha wow! yes it can ;) :shock: :lol:

I might just see if i can leash train... :D
Click to expand...

there are quite a few debates about bunnies on leads too :shock:


the best and safest way to exercise bun, as others have mentioned, is a permanently attached, large run :wave:
 
Babsie said:
Does she have a large run attached to her hutch?
Click to expand...

it's quite big, but i don't feel it's big enough.... We've got a big garden and it's nowhere near the size of that :(
I don't know if anyone has any run extension ideas....? only thing is I made the run myself so don't know if it would be safe enough to extend on..?

It is a secure run though.
 
Fluffs said:
it's quite big, but i don't feel it's big enough.... We've got a big garden and it's nowhere near the size of that :(
I don't know if anyone has any run extension ideas....? only thing is I made the run myself so don't know if it would be safe enough to extend on..?

It is a secure run though.
Click to expand...

Perhaps if you showed us we could make suggestions...?
 
GrahamL said:
Perhaps if you showed us we could make suggestions...?
Click to expand...

sorry sorry i meant 'making' :oops: i was thinking ahead...
the run is nearly finished but still in progress, but so far it is strong and sturdy.
I might be able to finish it this weekend, if I do I can get some pictures :)
xxx thanks for the replies

ps she has got a run at the moment, but it's a bit smaller than the one i'm making.
 
Fluffs said:
sorry sorry i meant 'making' :oops: i was thinking ahead...
the run is nearly finished but still in progress, but so far it is strong and sturdy.
I might be able to finish it this weekend, if I do I can get some pictures :)
xxx thanks for the replies

ps she has got a run at the moment, but it's a bit smaller than the one i'm making.
Click to expand...

Perhaps if you show us your current setup, we can then make offers of ideas for how you could extend it even further?
 
Mine free range under supervision. I wouldn't leave them unsupervised and although I appreciate there's a risk by allowing them to free range at all, I personally believe that the extra enrichment supervised free ranging gives them is worth the risk involved.
 
I think this is one of those questions where there's no right or wrong answers and it's a case of weighing up the pros and cons.

I can only recall one instance of a fox coming into the garden in broad daylight with the owner there and taking a rabbit - nobody can say it wouldn't ever happen to them but, imo, the risk is far far greater if you leave them unsupervised and so I do allow mine to have supervised free range time.
 
Fluffs said:
sorry sorry i meant 'making' :oops: i was thinking ahead...
the run is nearly finished but still in progress, but so far it is strong and sturdy.
I might be able to finish it this weekend, if I do I can get some pictures :)
xxx thanks for the replies

ps she has got a run at the moment, but it's a bit smaller than the one i'm making.
Click to expand...

What are the dimensions of the run you are making? It needs to be 3ft high and then as long and wide as you can fit in.
 
I have been letting my bunnies free range for the last 5 years under supervision and have never had a problem but in saying that we are on the outskirts of Dublin city centre and have no foxes. If I thought there were foxes around I wouldn't be comfortable letting them free range.

I would agree with the others and attach a large run to the hutch if possible.
 
Babsie said:
What are the dimensions of the run you are making? It needs to be 3ft high and then as long and wide as you can fit in.
Click to expand...

The dimensions are 8' x 4' x 3'(high). (I 'm already halfway through it so I can't change that) I wanted to make an 8 x 8, but my mum said that it might be hard to actually make that, and do two 8 x 4s, and join them together. (however i might not be making the other one for a while) I started doing the run plans before i thought about free-ranging really so is it big enough? <sigh>

the wire i got for the run is a big roll and i have a spare trampoline (turn frame upsidedown) so I could easily make a 13' circle run (supervised) but i just wanted her to run around the garden really..... :(
 
8 x 4 x 3 is a great size run, she'll be really happy in that. The trampoline idea could work really well! It might be hard to make it secure but you could give her access to it while you're in the garden to give her a bit extra space.

You could try bending some mesh and pegging it down to cover any gaps in fencing etc. Then you could allow supervised free ranging as long as you're watching.

Alternatively, people often make a large area with puppy panels that's a supervised free ranging area. It gives them a lot of space but it's restricted to areas that you can see, and it's a little more secure. As long as you're supervising, that sounds like an excellent option too. You could perhaps fence off half the garden or whatever you want to. Then you know she's not got under the fence at the end of the garden where you perhaps can't see her!
 
yaretzi said:
8 x 4 x 3 is a great size run, she'll be really happy in that. The trampoline idea could work really well! It might be hard to make it secure but you could give her access to it while you're in the garden to give her a bit extra space.

You could try bending some mesh and pegging it down to cover any gaps in fencing etc. Then you could allow supervised free ranging as long as you're watching.

Alternatively, people often make a large area with puppy panels that's a supervised free ranging area. It gives them a lot of space but it's restricted to areas that you can see, and it's a little more secure. As long as you're supervising, that sounds like an excellent option too. You could perhaps fence off half the garden or whatever you want to. Then you know she's not got under the fence at the end of the garden where you perhaps can't see her!
Click to expand...

Thanks!!! there's some amazing ideas here, you've been a great help! xxx :D :D :D :wave:
 
My last bunny free ranged, but I never ever left him unsupervised.

When I supervised him I was never more than a few feet away.

Personally, I think that's fine, but I think unsupervised free ranging is a no-no, even for 1 minute. If you do go down that route I'd cover any gaps in the fence, a bunny can outrun a human when bolting.
 
Free range is something my bunnies adore..they really show their personalities by bounding across the lawn and making sure I watch them binky to say thankyou! :love::lol:
BUT always supervise....its something that is risky and I do worry BUT feel their freedom is more important.

However I do NOT have neighbours with dogs..if I did - I would make sure the fence is high and the dogs can not jump over and its strong so they can not break through and also ensure all gaps are closed up.

BUT please do be aware of other wildlife like hedgehogs..they need holes to go through in fences etc and we have some breeding every year in our garden and they need to have their own little routes..so make sure that some holes you close up have locks on them that when your bunnies are shut away you can open the routes for other wildlife.

I would make a mssive secure run so you know she always has plenty of space to run and jump and binky..so it needs to be as heigh as possible. The perhaps work on the garden and eventually do some free range stuff.

I find that getting the buns in to their hutches is something that you def. need them to work on with you. DO NOT chase them..you will lose and the bun will take shelter some place you can not reach or will run away every time!:roll::lol:

I "herd" my buns..I wait until they are in an area that I know will be easy to herd them from and then once they are near the hutch I shake the food bowl and they always get a good fuss and a pellet once inside..it makes them learn that they have done well and Im pleased with them and they get rewarded for that. Do NOT feed them pellets etc when out free ranging....it will then teach them that going into their hutch is not rewarded.

Another tip ios to walk past the buns when free ranging....and ignore them..so they see that every time oyu approach them when they are free raning..its not to herd them or pick them up. Othertimes stroke them..othertimes just sit on the grass and read..they will come to you sometimes..othertimes I tickle them and then jump like a loony..and funnily enough they often start binkying too! :lol::love:
What ever routine you start to do..adapt slowly and they will learn the routine and often work with you.

I hope oyu make the right decision for your bun and yourself..safety is important..however for me...so is their freedome to run about .
Always make sure you give yourself plenty of relaxed time to get the buns back in though..as some days they just dont want to:lol:
 
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