Re: Sprite's Complete Guidance Thread

[Snowy]

Can I suggest that you go down the rescue route, there are hundreds of pairs of bunnies just sitting in rescues up and down the coutry, if you do you will need to find out their minimum requirements for a hutch and run if you O/H is going to build it,

Good luck

[Sprite]

Thanks for that Snowy, we will bear it in mind when we come to get the rabbits... I think it should be fine though as we plan on making both as big as can within practical limits.

[Snowy]

Thanks for that Snowy, we will bear it in mind when we come to get the rabbits... I think it should be fine though as we plan on making both as big as can within practical limits.

Brilliant , just didn't want you to go to all the affort of making one to find that a rescue turns you down because of the size of the hutch,

[Sprite]

Yeh, I did notice in some of the FAQ section threads that there is guidance regarding reasonable sizes, so we will have a look at those when it comes to getting all sorted.

Regarding the run, is there often a problem with the bunnies trying to dig their way out of it? How do you get round this? (OH seems concerned that whever it is put might ruin the grass so doesn't like the idea of moving it around too much...)

[Snowy]

Yeh, I did notice in some of the FAQ section threads that there is guidance regarding reasonable sizes, so we will have a look at those when it comes to getting all sorted.

Regarding the run, is there often a problem with the bunnies trying to dig their way out of it? How do you get round this? (OH seems concerned that whever it is put might ruin the grass so doesn't like the idea of moving it around too much...)

You can make a wire base or if it's a permanant run you could bury some of the wire or you could slab an area?

[Sprite]

OH suggested that but it seems a bit cruel to keep the bunnies on slabs and not let them run around on grass... not exactly their natural habitat! I wondered if maybe having the wire go down a shallow way into the gound might do it or something like that? Is that what you meant by burying it?

[Snowy]

OH suggested that but it seems a bit cruel to keep the bunnies on slabs and not let them run around on grass... not exactly their natural habitat! I wondered if maybe having the wire go down a shallow way into the gound might do it or something like that? Is that what you meant by burying it?

Yes, that's what I meant, if it went in to the ground then they couldn't dig out

[Sprite]

Ah ok, thanks I think that's what we'll end up with then.

I see on some of the photos that people have uploaded, that they let their rabbits run free around the garden... is that quite safe to do then, if all the borders are secure? Nice for them to have so much running room but I think I would be worried about a cat or other animal getting into the garden, or bunny hurting itself in shrubs etc?

[ElleyMay]

When I was younger I had 3 meat rabbits that we bought as pets. They lived in my back yard and had free reign (not at first, but eventually). We did our best to keep them enclosed in our yard but they always found ways out. Actually, we found out from a neighbour that the rabbits would head over to her place at about 4:00 am to hang out on her front porch with her cats. The lady would feed them some carrot and give them a little rub. They would then ensure they were back in our backyard by 7:00 am when we went out to feed them... sneaky little buns!

[Sprite]

Ohh. Yeh I guess even if you "secure" all the boundaries they will dig out... and no way you can keep checking all round for tunnels!! We will probably stick to the run then.

What about the little harnesses and leads, do they go down well with the bunnies or not? xx

[Snowy]

What about the little harnesses and leads, do they go down well with the bunnies or not? xx

No!!, in my opinion they are cruel, rabbits are a prey animal and having a harness on gives them a feeling of being 'caught', I would never, ever use a harness and personally I think they should be banned, but that is just my opinion

[Sprite]

Oh ok lol. I just thought if they didn't seem to mind them it's a way of letting them run around more! But I wouldn't want them uncomfortable.

[Snowy]

Oh ok lol. I just thought if they didn't seem to mind them it's a way of letting them run around more! But I wouldn't want them uncomfortable.

that's OK, I really don't like them

[NickieM]

My buns live in an outside compound and have dug a huge burrow, but it isn't an escape tunnel, but somewhere to go. They use it as a bolt hole if they get startled or if it is really hot. Also Wolfie bolts down there at bedtime if I am not quick!

Some buns will dig out and escape, but mine just like to dig because it is their instinct to do so. I think building their burrow said that they were happy and felt the compound was their home.

One of my neighbours has two buns who live outside all the time and have totally abandoned their hutch and live in a burrow they created.

[Sprite]

Ohh, that's interesting to know, about them burrowing just for somewhere to hide. Ours wont be living outside but hopefully will spend plenty of time in the garden over the summer months.

Speaking of which, over the winter months should they still go out? Just for shorter lengths of time? How cold is too cold, for the bunnies to be outside?

[NickieM]

If your buns are going to be indoor buns, you have to be careful about taking them outside in winter as they will not have a thick winter coat and will be used to the temperature in the house.

Mine live outside all year. As long as they are outside most of the summer and autumn so they develop thick winter coats, they will be fine. I fill their hutch with hay so they have somewhere warm to go ...... and they sit outside in the snow. As long as they are acclimatised, they are very hardy. They can tolerate cold but wet and damp does give them problems. If their hutch gets damp it can be a problem. I cover mine with a big bit of vinyl floor covering and sheets of bubble wrap and a carpet in the winter. You can also buy special covers which insulate too, or make them yourself. I also know someone who had a hutch built and put polystyrene in between a double skin to give it good heat properties in the winter. If there are two buns, they also have each other to huddle up to.

This winter we got down to minus 10 and they were quite happy and warm. I always check them to ensure they are well.

[Sprite]

I think we will be having two.

My OH is allergic to animal hair (hence the decision to go for rabbits in the first place!) so there's no way the bunnies can come into the house unfortunately. But we were thinking of having their hutch in our garage? (No car in there with them!) We just assumed it was too cold to keep them outside all year, but also though that having them in there would make it much easier when it came to spending time with them/cleaning out in the wintertime, as we have access to garage without venturing outside.

The garage we thought would be cooler in summer and warmer in winter, than being outside... what do you think of that idea? If it is suitable for them to still go in a run for short spells during the winter we'd still do that...

[Sprite]

Hi all,

Well the OH and I were out and about yesterday and took a look at some of the hutches that are around at the moment.

We saw a 6ft one for £130, in Jollyes (which I can't find details of on their site!) But were also very tempted by two in Pets at Home... which was a surprise as we were thinking theirs would be very overpriced compared to less commercial shops...! These are the two we saw:

http://www.petsathome.com/find/keyword-is-hutch/product-is-22474/pgs-is-15

and

http://www.petsathome.com/find/keyword-is-hutch/product-is-22475/pgs-is-15

As you can see from the dimensions noted on their descriptions, they are bigger than they look in the pictures, particularly the "Orchard Manor" single tiered one.

Does anybody have any thoughts on whether it's better to have a larger, one-tiered hutch or a smaller one with two storeys??

xx

[Sprite]

Hey all,

Haven't been on here in a while so thought I'd check in.

Anybody have any advice on the above ^^^?

The OH and I being kept busy with all the house-buying - things are moving forward slowly but surely and I think we're nearly there now. Hopefully we will be moved in by mid-August or so

Hope everyone else is getting on ok and enjoying the hot weather... How do the rabbits fare in this heat?

xx

[jan]

Mine like to sit in the shade.

Apparently buns cope better with cold than they do with heat (quote me if i'm wrong)

As for the hutch go for the biggest.

[proudmummy]

Hi Sprite, this is the hutch we bought. Expensive but well worth it.

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/rodents/cages/rabbit_hutches/natura/53359

Johns has free reign of garden during day and goes in at night (well when I can get him in). He chases most of the cats away and so they don't bother coming in our garden anymore. However it was a good 3 months before we let him have free reign after bringing him home. We bought him at P@H and he was the runt of the litter, with bits nibbled out of his ears but he is such a funny thing with character that we love him to bits!

[Sprite]

Thanks for the imput jan and proudmummy.

proud mummy we did look at those types of hutch but we thought you're paying a lot for the "run" bit that is attached, and we will be having seperately outside, so we thought we'd go for just a big hutch and then let them out each day...

We have also talked about having a "free reign" but don't think that would really be suitable due to the garden at the house we are moving into and also the number of cats etc that are lurking in the area. I'd be constantly worried about them! However the OH is planning to build a good sized run so hopefully they will have plenty of exercise. =)

We should be receiving a move date very shortly, which will give us an idea of the time-scale for getting everything set up for the bunnies We were hoping to get them over the summer so that they can settle in to their new home while it's still warmer weather!

[NickieM]

My buns are in a Lavendar Lodge and it is a big hutch. It is sited inside a big compound and they are free between 8.00 am and dusk.

[Sprite]

Hi all,

Well I haven't been around lately as we are STILL not in our house *sigh* so no bunnies as yet.

However we are now getting very close to a move-date and as we saw one of the two hutches we were deciding between on offer we decided to get it in advance.

http://www.petsathome.com/find/keyword-is-hutch/product-is-22474/pgs-is-15 This is the one we have decided on - it's 152 x 122 x 61cm so hopefully plenty big enough. We are taking delivery of it at the weekend, then DH will get the fun of trying to put it together!

Nice to be purchasing their house I saw two bunnies in particular when we were in Pets at Home which I could've easily adopted but as DH pointed out that would have been a bit previous

Hope all the other rabbits and their owners are doing ok!

[Sprite]

Hi everybody,

I haven't been on here since last summer when we were about to move into our house and were looking into getting the rabbits...

Well we moved in in September and by the time we were sorted, the weather was cold and we thought it was best to wait until the spring to look at getting our bunnies. (I've had to be very patient!!!)

So we were hoping to get our two when the weather got warmer, maybe around Easter. We were looking at having their hutch in the garden, then by next winter we should have sorted out the garage so that there's room for their hutch in there.

After reading around this forum we were planning on one male one female, then having them both spayed/neutered.

BUT... the situation is this. One of my friends has a lop-earred rabbit she can't keep. He was born last July and she tells me he has a very good temperament. She is looking for a new home, and wants to know if we can have him as she knew we were planning on getting two.

So my question is this... if we were to take him on, and a short while later to get a new companion for him, would they be likely to get along? He is not fixed so we'd be looking to get that done and also get his new (female) partner done so that they are good-natured together.

Obviously I'd like to take him for her but need to know that this will not prove problematic. I don't want to take him and keep just him alone as we have bought a big cage which would be wasted and also I don't feel it's fair to keep him without company, having read around the subject a bit.

Advice/comments please??

Any help appreciated thanks x

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