Challenges of indoor living for rabbits and guinea pigs - free John Chitty webinar

[Omi]

Also, indoor Rabbits cannot graze and forage in a natural way. So a cross against meeting Welfare Needs of expressing natural behaviours as stated in the Animal Welfare Act.

Edit- my IPad went mad and autocorrected indoor Rabbits to Tandoori Rabbits

This could actually be the case for most rabbits. Rabbits housed outdoors need to be safe from predators. This, in my view, needs to be the main consideration. That means attached accommodation (extra to a shed/hutch) needs to be sited on concrete/on grass with secure mesh underneath. An aviary on grass with mesh would also be OK.

It then follows that for the rabbit to be able to graze and forage it needs constant access to grass. This can only be achieved if the attached accommodation or aviary is on grass with mesh or the rabbit is allowed to free range with constant access to grass.

Here it is unsafe for a rabbit to free range. We have had chickens attacked who were free-ranging and the perimeter hedge would allow a rabbit to escape. The siting of her accommodation, on concrete, within the overall garden would not allow a secure transfer for her, via a tunnel etc, to a grassy area. Tui has hand-cut grass and forage daily, but she does not graze and forage it herself. This is the main reason why we have been rejected for adoption by one local branch of the RSPCA.

Perhaps I also need to sign up to this.

[Zoobec]

This could actually be the case for most rabbits. Rabbits housed outdoors need to be safe from predators. This, in my view, needs to be the main consideration. That means attached accommodation (extra to a shed/hutch) needs to be sited on concrete/on grass with secure mesh underneath. An aviary on grass with mesh would also be OK.

It then follows that for the rabbit to be able to graze and forage it needs constant access to grass. This can only be achieved if the attached accommodation or aviary is on grass with mesh or the rabbit is allowed to free range with constant access to grass.

Here it is unsafe for a rabbit to free range. We have had chickens attacked who were free-ranging and the perimeter hedge would allow a rabbit to escape. The siting of her accommodation, on concrete, within the overall garden would not allow a secure transfer for her, via a tunnel etc, to a grassy area. Tui has hand-cut grass and forage daily, but she does not graze and forage it herself. This is the main reason why we have been rejected for adoption by one local branch of the RSPCA.

Perhaps I also need to sign up to this.

Wow! I’ve never heard of anyone being rejected for that reason before. I’ve adopted from rspca years ago for bunny to live indoors.

[Omi]

Wow! I’ve never heard of anyone being rejected for that reason before. I’ve adopted from rspca years ago for bunny to live indoors.

I was also surprised, particularly as before the rejection the rspca branch asked if they could take photos here for their social media site, as an example of 'good accommodation. We had refused on the grounds of privacy.

The second reason was that at 4.5kgs Tui was too large to bond with a Standard Rex.

I think that different rspca branches will have different degrees of rabbit savviness.

[Zoobec]

I was also surprised, particularly as before the rejection the rspca branch asked if they could take photos here for their social media site, as an example of 'good accommodation. We had refused on the grounds of privacy.

The second reason was that at 4.5kgs Tui was too large to bond with a Standard Rex.

I think that different rspca branches will have different degrees of rabbit savviness.

It all seems very surprising. Agree about the different branches, my most local branch don’t have rabbits or hardly ever, whereas others have lots and are very rabbit savvy.

[InspectorMorse]

Omi, your situation re being turned down by the RSPCA was ridiculous. The poor Bunny is still stuck in Rescue on his own.

[Bunny Buddy]

My outdoor bunnies don't have grazing either, I'm kind of toying with the idea of grassed areas in the planned aviary but that would mean fully roofed to avoid mud baths, which would then mean watering .. it's really complex getting the environment right.

I too was turned down by the RSPCA. They didn't get as far as viewing the accommodation but ticked that box in principle. My crime was that I stated one of my other rabbits was unneutered. Said rabbit was living in the front room of my house and was booked for the snip 2 days after my application. The adoptee rabbit was to be living outdoors about 40 feet away from the unneutered rabbit and there were no plans for them ever to meet. Even though I tried to clarify this, my message was met with a repeat of "he needs to be neutered and healed before you apply to adopt."

[SarahP]

For me, I think permanent access to a grassed area (which you could argue is as important for guinea pigs as rabbits) is utterly unrealistic. The grass doesn't grow fast enough (or all the year round!), and it just becomes muddy areas the rabbits can dig out of, or a fox can dig into.

The thing I really hope is becoming less prevalent is the idea of having hay in a hay rack. Both species need hay at their level, and not just in one small area, in my view.

[Omi]

For me, I think permanent access to a grassed area (which you could argue is as important for guinea pigs as rabbits) is utterly unrealistic. The grass doesn't grow fast enough (or all the year round!), and it just becomes muddy areas the rabbits can dig out of, or a fox can dig into.

The thing I really hope is becoming less prevalent is the idea of having hay in a hay rack. Both species need hay at their level, and not just in one small area, in my view.

Completely agree Added to your reasons also is that if the rabbit is in indoor accommodation, it should not be taken out daily into the cold air during Winter to graze on grass, even if any were growing.

[Omi]

My outdoor bunnies don't have grazing either, I'm kind of toying with the idea of grassed areas in the planned aviary but that would mean fully roofed to avoid mud baths, which would then mean watering .. it's really complex getting the environment right.

I too was turned down by the RSPCA. They didn't get as far as viewing the accommodation but ticked that box in principle. My crime was that I stated one of my other rabbits was unneutered. Said rabbit was living in the front room of my house and was booked for the snip 2 days after my application. The adoptee rabbit was to be living outdoors about 40 feet away from the unneutered rabbit and there were no plans for them ever to meet. Even though I tried to clarify this, my message was met with a repeat of "he needs to be neutered and healed before you apply to adopt."

Sorry you were turned down for such a reason, but it's actually making me feel slightly better that we were not the only ones to be dealt with in such a way.

[Bunny Buddy]

Sorry you were turned down for such a reason, but it's actually making me feel slightly better that we were not the only ones to be dealt with in such a way.

Glad it helped. It wasn't just the reason, it was also the one sentence abrupt answer that got me. I knew the rabbit had been waiting for at least six months as I had seen her previously.