Moving Out and New Real Estate.

Hey guys,

Like Jay, I am really keen for your thoughts on whether or not Harley can, or should, be moved outdoors.

The new cage I am looking at is actually a chicken coop, and is 3 x 6 feet. It's quite big, and given the cost (which is very reasonable) I am thinking of spending some extra money on some modifications. I will be installing clear plastic drop down blinds on each side which can be pulled down and clipped into place to keep rain and wind out as the weather cools down (it's Autumn here but moving into Winter soon, but the coolest we get is probably down to about 2 degrees at night - is this far too cold for him?!).

This is a link to the cage: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Rabbit-Guinea-Pig-Chicken-Coop-House-Cage-Hutch-Run-400-/250766401081?pt=AU_Pet_Supplies&hash=item3a62d79e39

I am also very keen to hear thoughts and opinions on the ramp and elevated sleeping area. With the bed area elevated, this means there is more space for running and binkies on the floor of the cage. Is the ramp too steep? I am thinking of elevating it a little with some kind of step, so it's a little less steep and then just a step at the bottom.

Also, with the bedroom elevated, leaving space on the floor, this is probably the most ideal, as literally this is going to take up the entire backyard! We only have a very small deck and patch of grass out the back. So this cage will be going up on the deck, right next to the house (for radiant heat) and right next to the large window/door so we can see them at all times. We'll be including digging boxes etc to make up for it not being on the grass.

I just don't know! I feel bad to move him out. But I have been putting him outside now each day for about two weeks, and he really seems to love being out - he is so active and SO destructive, he seems to enjoy having his own little house and things to chew on and dig in. Also, if he moves out, this means he can find himself a room mate, as I will then have the room to house two buns. A rabbit rescue orphanage near us do 'bunny dating' - you send your bunny there for the weekend, and they meet lots of bunny friends and the people who run the orphanage monitor and take notes on their interactions, and pair your bun up with theur perfect match.
At the moment I just don't have room for two indoors, I don't feel comfortable with it.

Of course Harley and his new friend will be welcomed indoors when I am home for cuddles.

I really just want some honest opinions and thoughts, at the moment I think it's the right thing to do, but I feel terrible, like I'm kicking him out and punishing him.

Just on the temperature thing.. I think it's going to be too cold, but others keep telling me their buns are outdoors all year, they snuggle together in their bed with lots of hay and they are super warm, etc. I need some convincing.

I think that provided he had a friend he would be quite happy outside hun.

I know how awful a destructive bun is hun, in a lot of cases they do calm down once they get passed their terrible teens.

I think this is a good size but I think it sounds bigger than it actually is. I expect the living area will be quite small and there may be times they would need to be shut away in the living are and it would have no light coming in and would be quite small. That said, its not tiny. It might be worth taping that space out on the ground so that you get an idea of how big that is, and keep this option in mind but see if there are any other options which might be suitable.

Some people use a childrens play house / small shed with a run attached, and here that can sometimes work out really cost effective, and fab for the buns.

Jodie wrote:Just on the temperature thing.. I think it's going to be too cold, but others keep telling me their buns are outdoors all year, they snuggle together in their bed with lots of hay and they are super warm, etc. I need some convincing.

It gets a lot colder than that here and the buns are normally fine.

If you were going to put him out you will need to do it before it gets cold though so that he is used to it.

The other thing to bare i mind from your point of view too is that you might miss him too.

Yeah we don't get to freezing point here or anything like that.

I just don't know what to do with the space I have! I can't get too extreme with modifying the yard as it's not my house.

It's really hard because I want him to stay indoors, but he has so far gotten through the curtains in the dining room and the lounge room, and in my room, and multiple cords, and has chewed holes in the carpet and chewed pieces of furniture - mind you, this is all with an amazing array of toys, chewing mats, digging boxes, etc. I'm heading into a crazy time (work wise) where I'm not going to be here to supervise him.

Hmmmm tricky.. and worrying! Thanks for your advice.

Jodie, don't worry about the cold. As long as you don't suddenly put him out in mid-winter, he will be fine. If you start acclimatising him now he will be ready to cope with the weather and will start to thicken up his coat. We had one of the coldest winters here for years and my buns were outside all through it. At the worst it reached -17 or -18 degress c. As long as there is protection from damp, they have lots of bedding and protection, and have a good thick coat, rabbits can cope with very cold weather.

What is your outdoor set up like Nickie?

I have been looking through posts on here where people have posted photos of their set ups. The shed thing is the most desirable - but I dunno, sheds over there must be really affordable or something (!!!!) because the cheapest I could find here was around $1,000 (650 pounds) ARGH!

Mind live outside in a big hutch in a compound that is 15' x 20' (I have a really big back garden). It is just a basic high fence with chicken wire. They have an A-frame at the bottom of it to hide in and that's where their burrow is. They go there if they get a fright. There is also a chair with a box on that they sit in and watch the world and a couple of other hidey holes.

They are out from first-time in the morning until dusk when I bribe them to bed with veg.

Wow that sounds like a great set up!

So you can tell I am new to this whole outdoor thing - would you lock them in the bed at night? Is that purely a warmth thing? I had thought Harley would take himself off to bed and stay warm in there when he wanted - but is there the possibility he would not sleep in there and could get too cold? sorry if I'm asking stupid questions!

Because their compound is basically a fence, I lock them in the hutch at night for safety. However, if there was a roof and I knew it was secure, I would just let them come and go as they please. As long as you knew that nothing can get into them when they are outside, you are fine.

We are lucky up here as there are no foxes in the area and very few cats. The fence is made of chicken wire and has no solid edge so cats can't get in because they have nothing to perch on.

As Nickie said, if you start acclimatising him now there won't be any problems. Tigger was outside alone a lot of the winter and she was fine. I just put super duper amounts of hay in her bed for her to burrow in to.

Mine have an 8 ft square shed with a double hutch inside (basically somewhere extra for them to explore and sleep in) and then they have a little drawbridge in the side of the shed which lets them out in to a run that 9ft x 4ft and then that run has another adjoining little run (which is lower & with a small wooden house) which is 6ft x 2 1/2 ft

I debated with this when Binky was a teenager, he was a nightmare and trashed the house a lot .... when he was 2 he calmed down.

I had been putting Binky / Pumpkin out all day in 2 hutches and large run , its easier for me as I work from home and can watch them running around the gdn. I would bring them in to sleep in house at night in 2 large cages.... 4 x 3 ft . It did get to the point that they didnt want to come in at night so I left them out in hutches / large runs...

When I put them out for the first night within 1 hour of darkness they went mad, the stomping was so loud even the neighbours could hear it.... I brought them back in... and its the same system today...

They go out all day weather permitting and at night usually around 10 pm they come in and have a cuddle and then go to bed.. They are in such a routine they seems to love it and are instinctive about when its time for bed etc....

I think if I had been able to bond them it would have been easier to have put them outside... as it is the situation is good...

Dawn

Mine too are having a bit of both. I ge up at 6, let them, out of the cage they sleep in, they run around like their tails are on fire, have their pellets, a cuddle and a 'check over' and do a bit of exploring before I leave the house at 8.30am - at that point they get carried outside into the hutch and run combo and play in there untill I get home from work at 5. When I get home they are desperate to come in because its veggie time! They then have a free run with a watchfull eye untill I go to bed around 11, then they go in their cage. The cage we have is now too small for this length of time really, but they seem very happy and have their favourite places to lie about, dig up and make a mess, and they munch alot of hay at night. What I plan to do is get a huge dog pen for night time (its going to look beautifull in my lounge, but hey ho!) I hope they will be less distructive as time goes on, and also my bunny proofing needs to go up a notch as these two are more atheltic than I knew possible! I can usually tell what mood they are in in the morning and at the weekends they dont really go outside - as they arent bored at weekends because my little girl builds tunnels and ramps and palys with them constantly they wont be distructive at all. I think that all the toys in the world are no fun unless they have a someone to play with (do the adoption centre do 9 years old children?ha ha).

I dont think you have any reason to feel guilty, he has a lovely life and is very lucky, in or out its all fun fun fun

I am sure he is a very happy bun and I think you are a great mum.

Hugs

Jo xx