Rabbit run.

Crossy · 10 Jan 2008 at 19:48

Hi, ok we are going to be having a Rabbit run built for our rabbit for the following reasons:

- Cats, neighbor has a few and she often turns up with Scratches in the morning.

-She has earned the nick name Houdini as she can find her way out the garden very easily.

- Birds of prey etc.

She has always had her hutch in the shed but we bring her out in the garden summer time but she always runs around the whole garden, 24/7 expect when the weather is bad.

I need to know what size of run we should have made as she's used to a lot of space. We were looking at around 12ftx12ftx2-3ft (LxWxH) hopefully. Does this sound enough?

Also to stop her digging out i was thinking of taking a layer of grass off the surface and putting chicken wire underneath so if she decides to dig she will just hit the wire.

This sound ok?

Ryan

benjo plz. · 10 Jan 2008 at 19:53

You'll probably need to move the run weekly if not more for fresh grass/ground.

Mr Joshua · 10 Jan 2008 at 19:55

Can't help you with the size of it but are you planning on building in a section where it can hide?

One of my brothers mates built a hutch for my sisters rabbit years ago with a partition and a smallish hole in it so the rabbit could take cover if it got stressed. A friend of the family brought a dog into the backyard once and it was having a good look at the rabbit. The rabbit jumped into its hide and the look on the dogs face as it was expecting it to appear in the yard was priceless!

Crossy · 10 Jan 2008 at 19:56

Phnom_Penh said:
You'll probably need to move the run weekly if not more for fresh grass/ground.

Of course she'd be let out "under supervision" but its just during the night etc she'd be put in the run.

Crossy · 10 Jan 2008 at 19:57

Mr Joshua said:
Can't help you with the size of it but are you planning on building in a section where it can hide?

One of my brothers mates built a hutch for my sisters rabbit years ago with a partition and a smallish hole in it so the rabbit could take cover if it got stressed. A friend of the family brought a dog into the backyard once and it was having a good look at the rabbit. The rabbit jumped into its hide and the look on the dogs face as it was expecting it to appear in the yard was priceless!

Yes, the hutch will also be in the run and there will also be space underneath for her to hide. I could properly build around the bottom with an entrance for her to hide.

knip · 10 Jan 2008 at 22:38

Chicken wire on the bottom will stop the digging, used to suit mine when they went outside.

And if you want to waterproof it really well, go to a hardware store and ask for Yacht paint (yes for boats) its great, and really makes things very waterproof. Put a couple of coats of that on it. Makes the wood last a whole lot longer.

Crossy · 10 Jan 2008 at 22:47

knip said:
Chicken wire on the bottom will stop the digging, used to suit mine when they went outside.

And if you want to waterproof it really well, go to a hardware store and ask for Yacht paint (yes for boats) its great, and really makes things very waterproof. Put a couple of coats of that on it. Makes the wood last a whole lot longer.

Would i be able to take the top layer of the grass up and say 4 inches down lay the chicken wire. As i dont want her getting her feet caught etc.

knip · 10 Jan 2008 at 22:52

Crossy said:
Would i be able to take the top layer of the grass up and say 4 inches down lay the chicken wire. As i dont want her getting her feet caught etc.

You're better off letting her mow the lawn for you, she wont hurt her feet, as long as its the narrow type of chicken wire, and its fitted tightly over the base she will be fine. Same type that goes over the front of her hutch.
If you dig up the lawn and keep the run in one place it will soon fill up with droppings etc, and become a big muddy mess. Id keep it on the lawn as it is, and just move it around. Her feet will be fine promise.

Crossy · 10 Jan 2008 at 22:55

knip said:
You're better off letting her mow the lawn for you, she wont hurt her feet, as long as its the narrow type of chicken wire, and its fitted tightly over the base she will be fine. Same type that goes over the front of her hutch.
If you dig up the lawn and keep the run in one place it will soon fill up with droppings etc, and become a big muddy mess. Id keep it on the lawn as it is, and just move it around. Her feet will be fine promise.

Ok cool. So its best to move the hutch and Run around? How often should i move it. Just as it starts to get over run with dropping etc?

knip · 10 Jan 2008 at 23:02

Crossy said:
Ok cool. So its best to move the hutch and Run around? How often should i move it. Just as it starts to get over run with dropping etc?

Your lawn is going to love you, its going to get lovely natural fertiliser for free!!!

I'd move it maybe once a fortnight to start with, maybe pick it up once a week and check the grass isnt dying too much. You will need to move it fairly regularly because the lawn needs sunshine and air (and water)

When its very hot if you have somewhere shaded you could put it that would be fab, just make sure if its under a tree that the tree isnt poisonous to the bunny if anything should fall off it.

Crossy · 10 Jan 2008 at 23:08

No tree's in my garden

Only problem i may have is the end of my garden is at a slight decline. So the Run may not sit flat. Im sure ill work around it. Thanks for the help Knip.

knip · 10 Jan 2008 at 23:10

Crossy said:
No tree's in my garden Only problem i may have is the end of my garden is at a slight decline. So the Run may not sit flat. Im sure ill work around it. Thanks for the help Knip.

No worries, shout if you think of anything else. Bunny veteran here, now I live up 2 flights of stairs mine run about inside the house because carrying them up all the stairs just became too risky! :eek:

Crossy · 10 Jan 2008 at 23:12

knip said:
No worries, shout if you think of anything else. Bunny veteran here, now I live up 2 flights of stairs mine run about inside the house because carrying them up all the stairs just became too risky!

lol nice. Mine once got out and she ended up in my Nans street at one of my nans old friends. Little did we know they kept rabbits and there back garden was amazing. They had 2 large sheds lines with hutches. Like 4 up all with ramps going to each level. And they had about 20 rabbits to accommodate them.

knip · 10 Jan 2008 at 23:14

Crossy said:
lol nice. Mine once got out and she ended up in my Nans street at one of my nans old friends. Little did we know they kept rabbits and there back garden was amazing. They had 2 large sheds lines with hutches. Like 4 up all with ramps going to each level. And they had about 20 rabbits to accommodate them.

Ive got two, not sure I could keep up with 20 but it sounds fun!!!