Oh shit. Bunny trouble!

[Squiff70]

We have two rabbits living in a purpose-built shed in the garden. One of them whom we recently adopted keeps jumping out of the pen and causing absolute havoc.

I've just gone to check on them very quickly as I'm home alone with my 2 year old DD. The new bunny has escaped again. I turned on the light and it immediately started flashing and crackling. I turned it off straight away before I started a fire - it seems said rabbit has chewed the mains cable supplying the light which it extremely dangerous.

I can't leave my daughter to go and find rabbit and try to make it safe. DP is working til 8pm.

What do I do?

Imo a bunny in the dark won't go far. Don't leave your dd.. Wait til 8.. Our little buggar used to sit hiding at the side of the conservatory..

@Santahatesbraisedcabbage she won't have gone far - she's in the shed as I could hear her but I'm terrified the explosed wires will start a fire, especially as naughty rabbit has spread hay everywhere.

Mine likes behind the shed a lot. Definitely wait until 8

Sorry I just read she’s in the shed. Would a neighbour help or look after your daughter for a bit?

Presumably the mains to the shed will have its own switch on your fuse box thingy (as they used to be called!). Can you turn it off there to make it safe?

I've already turned the power to the shed off at the fuse box inside the house. Bloody rabbit! Going to have to get an electrician to sort this out.

Yes cut the power to the shed. Then shut them in and sort it out when your oh comes home.

Wait until your DH comes home unless someone can come over and look after your daughter? I'm sure you bunny will just be behind the shed.

To be clear, both rabbits are inside the shed. The vandal rabbit has spread hay everywhere so I can't prise the door open to get in. I've cut the power and will have to wait for DP to get home. He is going to lose his shit - the rabbit was already treading on very thin ice before this. And I'm going to get the blame despite telling DP over and over that we need to find a way to stop her jumping out of the pen.

Yes the pen isn’t good enough- that’s all.

Can two year old go in a sling while you fix the situation?

I don't know how high your pen is but the rabbit welfare association say minimum height should be 1m so can you make it taller at all?

rabbitwelfare.co.uk/good-practice-code-for-the-welfare-of-rabbits/

@ShoesEverywhere there's no height limit to the pen, hence she keeps jumping out. I'm well rehersed on rabbit welfare and they have lots of space in the shed.

Power to the shed has been turned off.

Both bunnies are in the shed.

I can't see why this can't wait until you have daylight tomorrow??

Your relationship doesn't sound the greatest

Our relationship is fine, but I take responsibility for the rabbits and make sure they are healthy, safe, fed and watered. I'm just failing on the 'safe'. DP helps me clean the pen on his days off. Its unfair to assume our relationship doesn't sound great when you know absolutely not one single thing about us as a couple. If you would, you wouldn't have made that comment.

Glad the electrics are safe for now.
Well, the good news is that rabbit teeth are poor conductors of electricity so bunny will be fine! My indoor gits happily chew through the odd cable despite my best attempts to bunny proof the place.
In my rabbit shed l’ve got a full height wooden framed, welded mesh filled partition and door (bit like the aviary style outside run bit) so they can be securely bolted in there and kept away from temptation. The blighters can jump surprisingly high. My tiny 900g nethie could clear 3 foot in her heyday. I adore them though and wouldn’t swap them all for the world.

If your bunny didn't get electrocuted then I'm sure it won't start a fire. It's switched off. Try to chill for now.

@Squiff70

Our relationship is fine, but I take responsibility for the rabbits and make sure they are healthy, safe, fed and watered. I'm just failing on the 'safe'. DP helps me clean the pen on his days off. Its unfair to assume our relationship doesn't sound great when you know absolutely not one single thing about us as a couple. If you would, you wouldn't have made that comment.

He is going to lose his shit - the rabbit was already treading on very thin ice before this. And I'm going to get the blame despite telling DP over and over that we need to find a way to stop her jumping out of the pen

You posted it.

Oh no! Bunny marauder sounds like he’s sitting pretty until later, or even the morning as you’ll need the light to fix the pen.

Is your partner around tomorrow in day light to help with the diy?

Why do you have exposed electrical wires in a shed that houses rabbits? Nothing needs doing now until the morning. Do you need an electrical light in the shed? Presumably a torch would do for the odd occasion they need checking on in the dark?

Stick a bowl of water on the other side of the pen and sort it all in daylight.

Curious as the the repeated jumping of the fence. What was the bonding process like when the new one can home? Maybe their pairing has broken down and they're trying to get out of the way. (I have house bunnies so I feel your pain re the wire, though mine prefer internet cables)

@WellThisIsShit (love your username) yes he's got a day off tomorrow. We'll definitely have to sort this out ASAP. He's been putting it off but going to have to bite the bullet now!

Is the pen within the shed? Or around it or something? I’m struggling to understand what she’s escaping from if it’s purpose built and rabbit proof. (Not meaning to be horrible- I just can’t understand properly)

@Honeyroar the pen is within the shed. It is made up of puppy panels which join together with rods but it has no roof, hence the new rabbit is jumping out.

DP took it better than I thought. He reminded me that the wire is near the ceiling so she can't have reached it. He thinks water has got in somehow.

He's just getting DD to sleep then we'll go and have a quick look, as best we can in the dark with torches, and will deal with it properly in daylight tomorrow.

Update: bun hasn't chewed any of the wiring - she can't reach it. DP has had a g ood look this morning and can't see any damage to the wiring and no obvious water in the light fitting. We turned the supply bak on at the fuse box and flicked the light on - it did flash and crackle for a secord or two then it settled and has been fine since. Buns now have the outdoor pen, also made of puppy panels, over the top of the pen to stop new bun jumping out. They still have at least 3 feet above their heads so can fully stretch upwards and still run about in the 12ft shed.

Thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions yesterday!

Sorry to have missed this but v glad buns are good now @Squiff70. Sounds like a great set up. Mine live in a shed too and okay so far. Previous indoor rabbits were buggers for wires despite all bunny proofing efforts. Nice holey curtains too ...