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Set up for continental giants help :)

bunnylover1995

bunnylover1995

Alpha Buck
My animal-mad cousin bought two female rabbits last week from a breeder who was selling them as "ex breeding stock". In the advert the woman said they were agouti cross-breeds but were a bit overweight and around 2 years old. (This woman can't be reached by phone or email anymore) :evil::evil:

He took them to the vets today for vaccinations and found out some really worrying news::shock:

The rabbits are male/female neither neutered, and are not overweight, but are in fact continental giants, and around 7/8 weeks old.

Luckily the female isn't showing to be pregnant, but now his issue is housing them for the next however many months until they can be done.


Their housing is inadequate for this breed of rabbit. :?


They're currently in a two tier 5x3x2ft hutch with 6x4 run. For tonight Harry has put the buck upstairs and shut the trap door and left the girl downstairs, he's also boarded over the top of the run and attached a puppy-pen to the top, with chicken wire over the top, so that the buck has a 4x4 run.


How can he improve this and cheaply? It will need to do for about six months, then when they're done (the vet said they need to be older than most [as they're bigger] for neutering) at which point he will bond them and give them the old stable.

He's defiant that they won't go to a rescue (he runs a llama, alpaca and other spitting animals :roll: retreat himself) however currently he can't afford to make drastic changes. Any pics of big-bunny set ups would be welcome.


On a slightly less dramatic note, after EIGHT DAYS, Harry still hasn't picked a name for them :roll: any ideas?

I said Filo and Ben which he's pondering...

(I'll try to upload some pics but they're being a pain atm.):(
 
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sheds are quite cheap? if he's already got the run then he could might be able to buy a cheap shed (like gumtree or something), seperate it in two (like jackaroonie1997 has done!) and use that? this might be a rubbish suggestion, but other than buying a new hutch and run or an aviary I don't see how he can improve his current set up for two growing, large giants!



Strictly speaking I think giants are generally regarded as being better inside but that doesn't sound like an option here, which is fair enough. Maybe have a looky in the stickies?:wave:
 
JemimaH said:
sheds are quite cheap? if he's already got the run then he could might be able to buy a cheap shed (like gumtree or something), seperate it in two (like jackaroonie1997 has done!) and use that? this might be a rubbish suggestion, but other than buying a new hutch and run or an aviary I don't see how he can improve his current set up for two growing, large giants!



Strictly speaking I think giants are generally regarded as being better inside but that doesn't sound like an option here, which is fair enough. Maybe have a looky in the stickies?:wave:
Click to expand...


He doesn't really have the land for a shed, although he could look in to splitting the stable, however I think Harry hoped that it would be the neutral bonding ground.

The stable is a brick outhouse with just a stable door, it's fully insulated and has plug-sockets in it, so it's almost like indoors ;) he had it built when he got some miniature donkeys that were from some hot country and had gotten ill because they were being kept in a lean-to.

How would you go about splitting a shed/stable?

It's 12x10, and can bunnies mate through the bars? :?

Would making both runs say 6x4 but with a 5ft single hutch each be okay for a few months?
 
If the boys bits are showing I'd get him neutered and then they can stay together? I did this with my French lops. Rupert was neutered at 11 weeks and then saph spayed at 6 months. I didn't separate the .
 
Kavanne said:
If the boys bits are showing I'd get him neutered and then they can stay together? I did this with my French lops. Rupert was neutered at 11 weeks and then saph spayed at 6 months. I didn't separate the .
Click to expand...

His testicles haven't dropped yet. The vet recommended they they're both at least 6 months before they're neutered, which at any rate is 4 months from now.
 
bunnylover1995 said:


His testicles haven't dropped yet. The vet recommended they they're both at least 6 months before they're neutered, which at any rate is 4 months from now.
Click to expand...

:-/ is the vet bunny savvy? If they are giants and healthy i don't see why they need to wait so long.
 
They tend to recommend waiting slightly longer for giants as they continue to grow for longer.

Splitting the outhouse would work, as it's already semi sheltered a smaller hutch just for sleeping in would be fine. I'd look at second hand ones, you could use 4' hutches and take the divider out to make it big enough for giants.

Keep in mind it needs to be fox proof so it will need a full door, check there is no vents big enough for predators and make sure the door is bolted. Also protect the wires!
 
Separating a stable is going to be a much cheaper and easier option than trying to modify their existing accommodation. You can sometimes get hold of wooden pallets for free (not sure where usually, but my friend's husband got some free from a tip and made then into a fence in their garden) and these may be suitable.
 
Splitting the outhouse would be a good option. I would put two mesh dividers in but with a couple of inches gap between them so they cant get at each other but can still see each other for company. It sounds like they are doing a great job trying to sort out a nice house for them :D
 
We're going to work on the stable today. :D

Plan of action:

1) Fix battons to the top and bottom of the door to prevent any foxes getting in
2) Wire over the two windows and add shutters
3) Build in aviary style panels with a 2ft gap between
4) Add a storage unit for the hay etc.
5) Split the current hutch and add a roof/bottom to each layer (so they'll each have a 5ft shelter for now)
6) Saw the old wooden trough to create two 3ft hide-aways
7) Cover the floor with lots of hay
8) Release the bunnies XD


I have a few questions:

How big does their run need to be? They're going to have 4x6 each indoors for now. :)

Also can they use ramps? I thought that we could attach the hutch on the wall and put a large ramp in there to give them more floor space.

How is best to add a run to a brick building, obviously we can't use run-around etc?

What size water bottles do they need or would they be better with a bowl?

Do giants like to climb, for example would adding a wooden stool as a vantage point be any good?


Thank you in advance... and poop at photobucket it's still not working for me.
 
Ramp's and look out points are fine :) For a run, unless you want to go through the brick wall, I guess you would need to go through the door, which you could probably do with a flexible run around tube. If you didn't want to put a hole in the currently door, you could fit a secondary door - some people add mesh secondary doors to sheds so in the day they can open the main door for ventilation and the second mesh door keeps the rabbits in.
 
HI I had a continental giant , he was 5 months when i got him and his testicles had already dropped so he was neutered straight away , basically as soon as they drop he can be neutered its no different for giant breeds.

i would keep them together and get him done asap and then get the doe done at 16 weeks saves having to go through the bonding process it will be fine so long as you keep an eye on his testicles ;)...this was our set ..6ft x 4ft shed and run attached the stable sounds good maybe you could fit a cat flap in the door and have it attached to a run then just shut the cat flap and remove the run when you want to go in ....they need lots of space and they are also really easy to litter train..ours was a really clean boy...



 
bunnylover1995 said:
We're going to work on the stable today. :D

Plan of action:

1) Fix battons to the top and bottom of the door to prevent any foxes getting in
2) Wire over the two windows and add shutters
3) Build in aviary style panels with a 2ft gap between
4) Add a storage unit for the hay etc.
5) Split the current hutch and add a roof/bottom to each layer (so they'll each have a 5ft shelter for now)
6) Saw the old wooden trough to create two 3ft hide-aways
7) Cover the floor with lots of hay
8) Release the bunnies XD


I have a few questions:

How big does their run need to be? They're going to have 4x6 each indoors for now. :)

Also can they use ramps? I thought that we could attach the hutch on the wall and put a large ramp in there to give them more floor space.

How is best to add a run to a brick building, obviously we can't use run-around etc?

What size water bottles do they need or would they be better with a bowl?

Do giants like to climb, for example would adding a wooden stool as a vantage point be any good?


Thank you in advance... and poop at photobucket it's still not working for me.
Click to expand...

Sounds fab.

Is the 6 x 4 the area of the outhouse that they'll have, or the actual run? If it's in the outhouse that's better as they have the height then, whereas a 6 x 4 x 2(?) run isn't very big for a giant. 6 x 4 isn't massive, but obviously in this situation it's the best that can be done for now. Once they're neutered I assume they'll have the full outhouse at 12 x 4 or 6 x 8 (whatever it is)? The bigger the better with giants, and they need at least 3 foot of height in any runs/hutches.

They should use ramps, and putting the hutch up on the wall sounds like a good idea. Steps also work well as long as they're big enough. Just one or two steps work well rather than lots of little ones though.

Is there any way your cousin can knock some bricks out so he can attach a run on the outside? 2 bricks should do fine. Otherwise I'm not entirely sure.

With the bottles - as big as possible. Ezi filla do a 1L bottle: http://www.johnhopewell.co.uk/default.asp?template=productdetail.page.xml&productid=22. Or bowls would work well too, yep!

I'm sure they'd love some vantage points!

EDIT: Regarding attaching a run... I've had a bit of an idea. It involves cutting the door up though.

So imagine a door with the handle on the right, and we're on the outside of the outhouse. At the bottom left, cut half way along and say 1ft up - and then attach this piece of door permanently on a frame. The rest of the door that you've cut the little piece from is now the door, but the little bit on the left is fixed. You'd have to build a frame for the square to sit in, but it could work. You could put the fixed bit on the right too but if it's on the left it doesn't affect how far the rest of the door can open. Then you can attach a runaround door and tube. You'd have to build the enclosure either to encompass that extra bit of what was the door, or you could have another runaround tube inside the outhouse going from that bit into the enclosure. Does any of that make sense :lol:?
 
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Thank you everyone :)

So far we've built one of the avairy set ups, so we know the buck will have somewhere to sleep tonight. Hopefully we'll have the other done soon. Thank goodness Harry is such a genius with a saw, I might get him to make my hutch ;)

Sounds fab.

Is the 6 x 4 the area of the outhouse that they'll have, or the actual run? If it's in the outhouse that's better as they have the height then, whereas a 6 x 4 x 2(?) run isn't very big for a giant. 6 x 4 isn't massive, but obviously in this situation it's the best that can be done for now. Once they're neutered I assume they'll have the full outhouse at 12 x 4 or 6 x 8 (whatever it is)? The bigger the better with giants, and they need at least 3 foot of height in any runs/hutches.

They should use ramps, and putting the hutch up on the wall sounds like a good idea. Steps also work well as long as they're big enough. Just one or two steps work well rather than lots of little ones though.

Is there any way your cousin can knock some bricks out so he can attach a run on the outside? 2 bricks should do fine. Otherwise I'm not entirely sure.

With the bottles - as big as possible. Ezi filla do a 1L bottle: http://www.johnhopewell.co.uk/defaul...l&productid=22. Or bowls would work well too, yep!

I'm sure they'd love some vantage points!

EDIT: Regarding attaching a run... I've had a bit of an idea. It involves cutting the door up though.

So imagine a door with the handle on the right, and we're on the outside of the outhouse. At the bottom left, cut half way along and say 1ft up - and then attach this piece of door permanently on a frame. The rest of the door that you've cut the little piece from is now the door, but the little bit on the left is fixed. You'd have to build a frame for the square to sit in, but it could work. You could put the fixed bit on the right too but if it's on the left it doesn't affect how far the rest of the door can open. Then you can attach a runaround door and tube. You'd have to build the enclosure either to encompass that extra bit of what was the door, or you could have another runaround tube inside the outhouse going from that bit into the enclosure. Does any of that make sense ?
Click to expand...

The 6x4 area is in side the stable for each bun, once they're bonded they'll have the full stable (12x10) but for now he needs walk-ways between the set-ups.

Ramp's and look out points are fine For a run, unless you want to go through the brick wall, I guess you would need to go through the door, which you could probably do with a flexible run around tube. If you didn't want to put a hole in the currently door, you could fit a secondary door - some people add mesh secondary doors to sheds so in the day they can open the main door for ventilation and the second mesh door keeps the rabbits in.
Click to expand...

We've popped in some ramps and added the brackets for the hutch :thumb: Would giant rabbits fit through a runaround tube?

I think that we're probably going to leave them how they are atm (once the aviary set up is complete) and then add a double door at the back of the stable then put doggy doors in the wall, and add a 10x8 aviary at the back with a 4ft brick wall base so they can't see the goats :lol: it should take a couple of weeks, but for now they can be rotated in the 6x4x2.5 run throughout the day.

We really don't want to cut the door up, it's from his dad's old farm so it's special :)
 
You sound like you are making a fab home for them. Please please please can we have pictures!! :love: I love giants ( I have 2).
 
The ramp idea sounds great and I know they won't be in their hutch on the wall for that long but a pair of growing contis will be heavy!

They do jump, climb, rip, tear and throw things! I only have one to deal with but two will be a handful.

Mine prefers a bowl for water but he always has a bottle as backup in case he knocks it over.

All sounds like great fun. Contis are lovely. :love:
 
SJH said:
The ramp idea sounds great and I know they won't be in their hutch on the wall for that long but a pair of growing contis will be heavy!

They do jump, climb, rip, tear and throw things! I only have one to deal with but two will be a handful.

Mine prefers a bowl for water but he always has a bottle as backup in case he knocks it over.

All sounds like great fun. Contis are lovely. :love:
Click to expand...

Second this. They love to trash anything. Bigger bun means bigger damage!
 
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