Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Small pets

Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Flip

Original poster

Rabbits...

11 replies

Dizzyhedgehog · 12/08/2021 09:30

Hi,
We'll be adopting a mini lop family (3 rabbits) and are currently trying to get everything ready for them.
We weren't planning on getting 3 (but don't really want to split them up), so the space we've got is only about 4m by 2m outside in the garden. We'll be given their current hutch as well. Now, we live near some woodland so have foxes, badgers and raccoons about. I was planning on putting the hutch on paving slabs to prevent anything from digging in. We then wanted to attach our slightly smaller run (1.80x1.80m) to the hutch because it is covered from all sides, including the top.
The actual space will have fencing around it but will (at least initially) be open at the top like in the picture. It'll be accessible from the smaller run but I'd want to keep the rabbits in the smaller part during the night to keep them safe. Would that be OK?
We've secured the ground with wire fencing and I was going to put some paving slabs into the ground (standing up) to secure the sides of the run.
Anything else I could do to make them feel happy in their new home?
I haven't had rabbits in years and my family usually only bred them for food, so they were the bigger kind. :)
Thanks.

OP posts:

bunnygeek · 12/08/2021 10:37

I would pave everything to be honest, any grass they're on will turn to mud in a week anyway. You can grow grass in trays and alternate them for them to play in. There's some good inspiration here:
www.thebigrabbithutch.co.uk/outdoor-ideas.html

Original poster

Dizzyhedgehog · 12/08/2021 11:30

Hm, thanks. To be fair, I hadn't thought of just paving everything. Our old rabbits had always been on grass, but I guess since the run was on wheels and moved every few days, that wasn't such an issue.
What about these paving elements that still allow the grass to grow through? Would they be an option?

OP posts:

30degreesandmeltinghere · 12/08/2021 11:32

We used to collect sticks and cones weekly and put them in the run. Rabbits loved to arrange them and have a nibble! They had no grass but picked clover etc from the field out front...

GiantCheeseMonster · 12/08/2021 11:37

Make sure if the top is open that the run sides are high enough that they can’t jump out (my mini lop could do a running jump and scale a fence over a metre high). I would say the size of the smaller run is fine for overnight. I locked my buns in their (large) hutch at night and let them free-range in the day. They were happy to put themselves to bed as that’s when they got their veggies so it was part of the routine.

If you’re in the UK there are no wild raccoons so that’s one less predator to worry about!

HangingOver · 12/08/2021 11:39

Get insurance and find a decent small animal or exotics vets

Original poster

Dizzyhedgehog · 12/08/2021 11:42

@GiantCheeseMonster Thanks. The outside fencing is about 1m high. Would that be enough?

We aren't living in the UK at the moment, so...yeah...we have raccoons. :D

OP posts:

AwkwardPaws27 · 12/08/2021 11:44

The hutch area looks rather small - it'll the weather is bad, or at night, they won't have much room. Could you look for a secondhand shed instead, or is the other hutch bigger (hutches should be 6ft long, which is about 3 bunny hops).
The RWAF recommendation for a pair is 24/7 access to an area of 60sq ft (minimum). If you want to link existing runs, check out the Runaround tunnel system too.
Rabbits are very active at dawn and in the evening so love having the space all the time.
My boys live in a secondhand aviary on slabs. It's tall enough for me to walk in, which makes cleaning much easier. They rarely go in their hutch, they mostly lounge around on top of it during the day. They are very active late into the evening.

Just a thought - when you say rabbit family, are they littermates? If not already done, they'll all need to be neutered and you may need to rebond them afterwards as the sibling bond may break down as they get hormonal.

Original poster

Dizzyhedgehog · 12/08/2021 12:06

Thanks. I'll have a look around for some more paving slabs then. :)
Their "secure" area for the night would be about 58sq ft. As I said, we didn't expect getting three and I cannot change the size at the moment. (We need to sort out cover for the rest of the space, which eventually would make it 86 sq ft in total.)

The people we are getting them from had bought them for their grandchildren and the male and one female are siblings. They got them neutered but by then it was already too late and they had unexpected additions to deal with. Two of the little ones have now moved to their grandchildren but the two older ones and one of their babies are now left over. They don't want to keep them, which is why we are taking all three of them. I wasn't sure whether it would have been good to leave one of them to move somewhere else.

We have an animal clinic in town, so I'll get in touch with them once they are here. They're already vaccinated.

OP posts:

AwkwardPaws27 · 12/08/2021 13:22

Ah, I see - sorry, I thought you meant just in the hutch/coop in the picture at night
Its great they are vaccinated already. Is the baby female?

Original poster

Dizzyhedgehog · 12/08/2021 13:38

The baby is female, yes. (Although, "baby" is pushing it...she was born in March and the two older ones are now about a year old.)

OP posts:

AwkwardPaws27 · 12/08/2021 14:15

It's lovely you are taking them on, best of luck & enjoy them! My boys are so much fun to watch.

Flip