space needs for outdoor buns?

We keep our two bunnies in a medium-sized two-story(with ramp) cage that accesses a small (3ftx3ft square, 2ft high covered) fenced "yard", that we re-position around our backyard. They come in the house daily for visits, kept up on our modular-type couch, and sometimes Malia takes them up to her room.

Just wondering, are they maybe not getting enough exercise?

They scamper up and down the ramp, and play in and with the plastic tunnel in their yard, but they seem kinda hyper whenever we bring them out, prefering to explore back and forth and up the back (and jumping down from!) the couch - not wanting to be held much!

Behavior-wise they are not aggressive, just really curious and alert, and not content to just sit and be petted for long, and they do settle down together eventually on arm of couch...thoughts?

My rabbit won't stay on a piece of furniture at all. Always exploring. I think it's pretty normal.

Totally normal for them to be that active and curious. The more space, the better. For years I had 2 rabbits (now just one) in a 40 sq ft shed and 80 sq ft outdoor enclosure. In warm seasons, I also let them "free range" with my chickens for several hours a day in a 1/3 acre fenced in yard. The two rabbits used it all, hopping, exploring, and feeding. They can survive in a very small space, but like anyone else, they use and appreciate more space.

Bringing them in for exercise is better than limiting them to that 3' square area that is outside. But it rather sounded like they are mostly confined to the couch when inside. You also mentioned that "sometimes" they are allowed in Malia's room. Being in Malia's room would actually be a much more suitable size place for them to exercise. Perhaps that would be the better solution for providing that needed exercise more regularly.

I know mine do enjoy having the space to do their "bunny 500." That is when they run full speed around a room. They run so fast, it's hard to track them with your eyes. They often combine that with a series of binkies. They need lots of space to do all that.

The more opportunity for exercise and running, the better.

Oh... I forgot. I wanted to add a video of someone's outdoor setup in the UK:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXKe5tuw47A&list=UUd6pSPaouhX84B33rdAP_LA&index=8[/ame]

We keep rabbits outside much more commonly in the UK, here the minimum guidelines are 6'x2' for the cage/hutch/living space, plus 6'x8' for the exercise area. Ideally the two should be linked so they can move between but otherwise around six hours of exercise a day.

I would definitely make their run/yard bigger. Rabbits are really active and curious so they need space to stretch their legs and room for toys and things to play with.

Another thing I will add is that you really can't appreciate how intelligent, curious, and active they are, unless you give them the space and opportunity to express all of that. People look at rabbits kept in cages and think that because they are not doing much, they are happy doing nothing but eating and pooping. But that is not true at all. They're not doing much because there is nothing much to do in a little cage or enclosure. Let them run around a yard with trees and shrubs, and they'll explore everything, they'll dig and dust bathe, nibble on this and that, and in my case, harass the chickens!

thanks to all for the feedback! - we've started giving them free reign in living room during their daily indoor visit - they're loving it! and have plans to make larger outdoor run space :rabbithop

tamsin said:

We keep rabbits outside much more commonly in the UK, here the minimum guidelines are 6'x2' for the cage/hutch/living space, plus 6'x8' for the exercise area. Ideally the two should be linked so they can move between but otherwise around six hours of exercise a day.

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I love the UK and wish I could live there. They're so much kinder to animals than we are in the US. What you describe as "minimum" standards is so much better than what almost anyone I know provides for rabbits around here. Most people I know keep them in little cages with no opportunity for exercise, indoors or out. I hope your generous standards for animals someday spread to the US.

It´s true, the standards that the RSPCA require for adopting bunnies is so tough compared to what we would expect anywhere else. I know that living in Spain, the standards here are negligible and I only know one other person here who has bunnies. They´re not really pet friendly with anything; dogs, cats, etc. I hate the culture here re pets and much prefer the Uk where I´m from, they do so make sure pets are well cared for and legislation is much stricter.