Bunny has visitors in outside hutch/Please help

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[font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular,sans-serif"]There was some good info on the NOA (Nonlethal Options forAnimals) Site.
It's more directed toward detering mice from the home, but has good ideas and tips in general:[/font]

[font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular,sans-serif"]http://www.noasavesanimals.org/mice.htm[/font]





[font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular,sans-serif"]A Practical Guide To Mouse Proofing
[/font]
[font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular,sans-serif"]If you have seen the movie “Mousehunt,” you know that mouseproofing an environment is a challenge. Mice and rats will enterbuildings through gaps in outer walls, using pipes as their roadways.They are usually attracted by food (open trash cans, dry dog or catfood in paper bags, bird seed, etc.). Mice can fit through an openingthe size of a dime. Frequently animals come inside in thebeginning of winter when they are seeking warmth. Another factor thatwill drive animals inside is nearby construction. The most effectiveanimal proofing techniques are:[/font]




  • [font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular,sans-serif"]Seal all containers with food (especially if they are nearpipes or cracks in the flooring).[/font]
  • [font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular,sans-serif"]Seal gaps and other openings where they can enter the houseusing caulk or sealant.[/font]
  • [font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular,sans-serif"]Humane traps can be used to relocate the animals.[/font]
[font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular,sans-serif"][/font]

[font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular, sans-serif"]"It isnot necessary to use poisons or any form of inhumane traps (i.e.traditional snap traps or glue traps). They are cruel, ineffective andpose a lethal danger to non-targeted animals such your pets, other wildanimals and even children. If a poisoned or injured animaldies in the walls of your home, the stench will be impossible toremove. The following items — used together — can be effective inpreventing mice or rats from entering your home:[/font]

  • [font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular, sans-serif"]Steel wool (brillo pads)[/font]
  • [font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular, sans-serif"]Camphor (moth balls)[/font]
  • [font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular,sans-serif"]Peppermint oil-soaked cotton balls.[/font]
[font="Helvetica, Geneva, Arial,SunSans-Regular, sans-serif"]Stuffing these items into wall cracksbefore sealing the crack can also be effective. Humanely trapping andrelocating mice or rats is a simple solution. Using peanut butter, birdseed, crackers or even chocolate candy as bait will quickly attract amouse or rat into your trap. You must not leave the mouse in the trapfor more than about 3-4 hours. Relocate the mouse or rat to a safeplace with shelter near a quiet protected woodpile, downed branches orcovered area away from traffic."[/font]
 
Just a thought: Have you considered havingSmokey live inside? My bun is an indoor bun (though not free-range),and many other folks here have "inside" rabbits. You'd have to do somebunny-proofing and work on litterbox training - rabbits are awfullyclean and fastidious, so the latter is something they do take to,especially if spayed/neutered.

It certainly would help elminate the mouse problem, and my guess isthat you'd find Smokey's interaction with you to be lots of fun. Notonly that, you'd be able to keep a good eye on her re. health problems.

There are lots of threads here on creating indoor habitats for buns -check on "NIC cages," for example. (My bun has an NIC house + attacheddog exercise pen, and also gets a fair amount of supervised free runtime, though mainly in "her" room - my living room.)
 
Sounds like you guys have been having loads of fun. lol. I just read through the thread and it was pretty comical. Dang mice!

I think bringing her in was a great idea. Im sure your daughter willlove having her in the home. I find its a lot easier to spend time withyour bunny when theyre indoors (One of mine snuggles with me while Iwatch tv and the other while I read at night).

As ec suggested, have you checked out the NIC cages some of our membershave built? Mine was so cheap (like 35-40 bucks) and its huge!

Heres the link if youre interested:http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=15348&forum_id=21

By the way, your baby is beautiful!

-Haley
 
Haley wrote:
Asec suggested, have you checked out the NIC cages some of our membershave built? Mine was so cheap (like 35-40 bucks) and its huge!


I saw that Targets has them on sale, too.

A six cube set of chrome finished for $14.99.
 
Yes, Smokey is gorgeous! (And on my bunny-napping list - just kidding on that part. ;))

I was able to make a nice NIC house for Nibbles for less than 50dollars, using NIC grids and zip ties. A cage that size (especiallywith more than one floor, like what I built for her) would have wellover 200 dollars.

It's so much fun to watch bunnies running and playing inside - minesnuggles, too, though usually I have to get down on the floor for herto do it. I thought I would mind that, as I've got slightly creakyknees, but it's something I'm happy to seek out. :) Also, many bunswill get bold enough to walk, hop and sit on you once you've earnedtheir trust - which is really fun!
 
I wouldn't give her a bath...might stress herout. I just noticed you are from New Jersey...nice warmweather for this winter...probably why the mice are out andabout. I wouldn't worry too much about her catchingsomething...just keep an eye on her.

Sharon
 
I just wanted to say that it sure is a neat cagethat your bunny has. If you are wanting to allow her back into heroutside cage it looks like you are going to have to make someadjustments to her current set up. Right now, no matter how long youallow the cage to set empty- the rodents will come back as soon as youstart feeding your rabbit out there again.

I'd recommend using hardware cloth to cover your current wire (place iton the outside of the old wire). That way she will still get airflow,but mice won't fit through. You might also have to check that the micedon't chew any new openings, as it appears to be constructed of wood.

Good luck!
 
Starlight Rabbitry wrote:
I wouldn't give her a bath...might stress her out.

I agree.

Unless you wanted to give her a dry bath.
Or you could use some wipes to freshen her up a little (baby wipes, unscented, NO ALOE!!).
 
We have a pond and the frogs/toads hop aroundare patio when it's wet catching the slugs n' snails. I've found acouple in the rabbits run before (they must have had quite a squeeze toget in) and the rabbits don't seem to take any notice.

We also have a family of voles/mice that live under a bush a few feetfrom the rabbits enclosure and I've seen them visit occationally:

vole2.jpg


Again the rabbits don't seem to mind.

I'm not sure what actual diseases mice carry that are contagious torabbits. It's difficult to find anything more specific than 'they carrydiseases'.

To be honest I'd be more worried about flies, mosqitos, fleas and otherrabbits. Yes, discourage them so you don't end up with a giantpopulation but it's not something I would panic over.

Tam
 
My daughter did give her a bath and she was finewith it. She had a bath once or twice before. My daughter bundles herup in a big towel. It is so cute. She looked so fluffy and clean. Wehave her in her indoor cage and we are keeping her inside now. We dohave a full basement we could put her in, but for now we are keepingher in my daughters bedroom. She is such a lovable bunny. I am alsogoing to get her some Timothy Hay food pellets and I am also going toget some containers to put the food in. Gotta be more careful. Thanksfor all of your help.
 
How long would you keep your rabbit out of heroutdoor cage after the rodents were in there? I have her in the greenindoor cage see below in my daughters room. We let her playin her playpen under supervision too. Isn't she cute?
rebeccapartymore187.jpg

rebeccapartymore184.jpg

 
I once had a mouse that kept getting into mybunny's cage... I got totally freaked out one day when I went outsideto get her, put my hand into her box to coax her out and had somethingsmall and dark dart out past me! I didn't get to see what it was, itwas so quick.

Then the next day, it happened again... then the day after, I went out,and the poor little thing was stuck (dead) in the 1cm square chickenwire that was the front of the cage :( It had been squeezing in and outof a space that small.

Another time, I was down on the beach and found a mouse trapped into aglass bottle that was filled with water. It was still alive, so I tookit home, made a little nest for it out of hay etc in an old birdcage(again, with 1cm square chicken wire), and the next day it had escaped.

When we moved house, we had loads of stray cats that my mum used tofeed, and they slept on top of the rabbit hutch - it was bye-bye mice,hello fleas then. At least the fleas could be taken care of by fleacollars and flea powder (we even managed to get collars on most of thecats when they became tame enough).
 
My guinea pigs cage is inside Bangbangs avairy, I was taking it out oneday to clean it.... I lifted it up and out AND THEN...
underneath was about 5-6mice, they had stolen my guinea pigs bedding and made themselves a nest!
If that wasnt bad enough they freak out andstarted runningeverywhere, i was screaming and then Bangbang did something i nevercounted on a rabbit doing...
She THUMPED one of the mice, killing it instantly and was trying to get the rest... she HATES mice:shock:
 

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