Outdoor bunny and city foxes - any advice on how to keep the two apart?

[PacificDogwood]

We are considering to aquire a rabbit for DSs (I am well aware it will be me looking after it ).
I grew up with rabbits, my granddad bred them, and DH had a rabbit as a child too.

It, or possible they (if we can find a bonded pair at the local rescue centre) would have to stay outside - I am looking at hutches and runs etc.

Problem is we live in a semiurban area, I see foxes very reguarly in our garden, usually in the evening, but they can be heard any time of the night.

Much as I am keen to the kids to get an idea about looking after another living thing and the responsibility that goes with that, I was not wanting this to turn into a lesson on how to deal with death if I can at all help it.

So, any hutch/hutch manufacturers recommendations? Would a hutch on timber decking be better than on grass? I have never seen a fox during daylight hours and would obviously not leave a rabbit in a run unattended, but how secure can a hutch relly be?
Bunny in shed is not really an option as shed v small, full of crap precious possessions. Garage full of cars. House bunny is out due to DH allergy. Should we just forget the rabbit idea? Nothing has been mentioned to DSs yet so no hearts would be broken apart from mine.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

We have neighbourhood foxes so I got a rabbit eglu with a foxproof run. We put bunny in with the door shut at night and let him out into the run all day.
He's a very happy bunny.

We have a rabbit eglu too, we've tried all the timber hutch and runs, always in a big pen to give them plenty of running around space but the eglu is easy to clean, well insulated and very safe. We did find the run a bit tricky to put together but now it's made I wouldn't go back to a timber house.

Also when the rabbits eventually go to the big rabbit warren in the sky you can buy a conversion kit and keep chickens

@ 'keep chickens' - I can just about imagine DH's face at that suggestion ...

So, that's 2 votes FOR the eglu so far, thanks!
But, the price

I should imagine they're quite easy to sell on as they don't seem to wear at all.

They don't get good review on this rabbit rehoming forum - am not a member but was looking into fox-proof rabbit hutches myself

forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=105269

Yes, scared, I saw that too - however would of course bow to the superior experience of MNers .

There seem to be cheap(er) hutches made of plywood which appear to give no protection against foxes at all, but also more substantial ones like this one (ROFL @ name!) which look good... Catch would need to be changed to a proper securable metal one, but otherwise?? Is this kind of thing an option or am I just setting us all up for a bereavement?

There is always a risk of bereavement when you take on a pet anyway. Liked the look of 'Molly's Mansion'. Just remember that foxes and bunnies (especially females) like to dig, so if they are in the run unsupervised they may dig out (or a determined fox could dig in at night).

I don't want to rain on your parade, but 4 bunnies, 3 years and 1 extremely determined fox later and we have decided there is no way to keep the two apart.
My heart is broken I have seen too many dismembered bunnies strewn across my lawn to have any more.

We have 2 bunnies (had 13 at one time- they breed, you know!) in an outdoor hutch- think it was from somewhere called the hutch company (not very much help!) I see and hear foxy loxy creeping around the periphery of our garden every night and he's never gotten in- him or his wife!!

Some idiot over the back of us has a rottweiler, a staffie x and a japanese akita which came into our garden one night and made a concerted attempt to get our poor bunnies- the hutch was chewed but unpenetrated!

we fenced off our garden after that! But the rabbits are uneaten, despite us living right next to the woods. urban foxes are so bloody well fed nowadays (don't get me started!) I would think they could hardly be arsed to eat something they had to actually chase!

Lizcat, so sorry for your bunnies and you . I will have to hide your post from DH because that scenario is his main objection to the whole rabbit idea..

Fernie, oh, I know there is a risk of bereavement having attended several furry friends funerals over the years; I'd just rather they died of Old Age or some inevitable disease rather than me presenting them to Mr Fox as a convenient dinner.

Jooly, see, now that sounds more promising... but I still don't know

Thanks for all of your replies

ive had rabbits outside for years ,we do have some foxs that come round ,but my cages have fox proof wire on and two locks on each cage ,and cover them up well at night ,no probs so far

I've had mine in his eglu for four years and, although we've found muddy foxy paw marks around the hutch door in the mornings, we've not had a problem. We do put him to bed every night though.

Shockers - "we do put him to bed every night"! I have this image of you tucking him up with a hot water bottle and reading him a story.

Don't you do that with yours Fernie??

He prefers "Guess How Much I Love You" to Beatrix Potter!

I always read mine "Peter Rabbit" as a warning when she's naughty.

I ask a perfectily sensible question, just toddle off for a day or 2 to have a baby and this very serious thread descends into silliness ?

I now have visions of bunnies in babygros ....

There's a Rabbit Eglu on Ebay for 160odd pounds at the mo.... still has another few days to go though

You've just had a baby?? Congratulations!! What flavour... pink or blue?

Had a blue one - well, he arrived nice and pink but with tackle .

DS4 arrived on DS2's 6th birthday - thankfully DS2 is smitten

I am beginning to think that bunnies and hutch will take a backseat for a little while

But thanks for everybody's input - I will revisit this once I can sit think straight again. The last few contributions made me giggle.

Hi,
I've had rabbits since I was 10 (that's a whole ahem...27 years of bunny owning) I have been desperate for an Omlet Eglu for my chickens, however they are living in rabbit hutches and run. So when I found a bargain Eglu, I decided to use it for my bunnies. I thought it was great, easy to clean and feed them....there's one major flaw...the floor slops down to door opening and all bedding falls out or they scrape it out into the run making a huge mess on the lawn :(
I'd say stick to a very large traditional hutch.