Free Roaming Rabbits

[CarrotzMom]

I have a FLemish giant who is very nicely litter trained. He is around maybe 3/4 months. I am going to nueter him when he is rdy. I have a large litter box in a corner and a food/water bowl also a bed in another part of the room. Is there anything I should know about keeping a rabbit free roaming in a room? does anyone else do this?

 

[okiron]

If something isn't bunny proofed already, he'll let you know haha.

 

[Torchster]

Here is something to start with...

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/rabbit-proofing.html

I hope the link works. There are a lot of things to think about in having a free roaming rabbit. There are so many things that they can get into. They are a) very smart critters and b) can be VERY VERY determinded once they set their mind to something.

Just because he is always a good boy when you around, doesn't mean that he won't eat the couch while you are gone for the day. And since you have a flemish, they can do some real damage in a very short period of time.

I just have some small breeds, but they can be very destructive. Despite the fact that I have grass mats, hard baby plastic toys (no small parts that they could choke on), wicker balls, wicker baskets, special little bunny mobiles with all kinds of stuff to chew on, wooden cubes, apple sticks, pine cones, boxes...My baby girl Petunia has decided that she wants to see what is under the carpet in every room. I've tried to tell her its just plywood, but she doesn't believe me. Some day when I have new carpet installed, the people won't have much to remove.

Many people on the forum have free roaming rabbits, but its just something you have plan for.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

we always considered all the furniture to be sacificial. Though we had everything bunny proof but fould out we didn't several times till we finally got it right. Trial and error finally worked. Always remember to tuck the chair back in at the computer desk or --sound system cables and printer cable once.

 

[tonyshuman]

Make sure ALL cords are out of reach. Even if they don't chew cords today, you may come home tomorrow and find that they're all destroyed. Rabbits also love to eat rubber so make sure that's out of the way. Other things you wouldn't think about are the bottom of a box spring--bunnies like to chew a hole in the fabric that covers the bottom and then jump up into the box spring itself.

 

[okiron]

tonyshuman wrote:

Make sure ALL cords are out of reach. Even if they don't chew cords today, you may come home tomorrow and find that they're all destroyed. Rabbits also love to eat rubber so make sure that's out of the way. Other things you wouldn't think about are the bottom of a box spring--bunnies like to chew a hole in the fabric that covers the bottom and then jump up into the box spring itself.

My buns made a hole through the side of the box spring lol.

 

[fuzz16]

bunny proof best you can, off limit some places that you cant. baby gates if needed. make sure to have stuff to entertain so he doesnt turn to tearing up carpet or walls.

flemish are super lazy buns and mine sleeps all day under the dining room table...he free roams all night and most of the evening when i am home.

 

[elrohwen]

My opinion is that some bunnies are free range candidates and some aren't. Some bunnies will always be good and not destroy your things, and other will spend all day getting into everything you thought you bunny proofed. You just have to figure out which type of bunny you have! Out of my two rabbits, one would make a perfect free range bunny - he doesn't destroy things and it's very easy to block him off from cords and books (he never jumps over barriers). My other rabbit is hell on wheels and no matter how much I bunny proof she always surprises me by figuring out a new way past it. I would never trust her as a free range rabbit unless it was in a bare room where there was nothing to get into. Hopefully your guy is more like my first bun.

The easiest way to free range in one room is to pick a room with nothing he can destroy like a bathroom, empty spare room, kitchen, etc. Any room with a lot of books or wires is probably a bad idea if you have a curious bunny.

 

[butsy]

butsy used to be free range. if you decide to do so, make SURE your bun has A LOT of toys and chew stuff. butsy started chewing on the bottom of my walls. the wooden part. my landlord was not happy lol

 

[mattimeo]

My buns are cage free. They do have a cage, but it is their washroom.

They have destroyed a fair bit of stuff over the years. We refer to things as having been "bunnied".

A little movable fence keeps them away from the end of the living/dining room that has the TV amd lamp cords. They are not supposed to visit the kitchen, but Immy, my netherland dawrf girl, pops in for visits and to reeducate the cats. Her husband Shasta prefers his part of the house.

They are very involved in family life. They love to sit with us when we read or watch TV, and they really enjoy helping me sew, with mixed results.



I'm sure you will enjoy an underfoot bun

 

[AquaticRex]

my bunny chewed a hole in the wall, so i don't free range any more except in the day time. and even then i have restricted to only the living room. I'd say the kitchen cause i have bunny proofed the area, but he don't go in there, i don't think he likes it too much lol

 

[jujub793]

my bunnies free range everyday all day except at nite while we're sleeping and that is mainly so the cat doesn't get terrorized and can get some rest.:devil

 

[AquaticRex]

lol i'd have thought it would have been the other way around jujub lol. i'm wondering whats gonna happen with my cat down south, since she's afraid of everything lol she has almost a human instinct, where if she feels like she's being followed she darts, and that causes a problem between her and the dogs. if she don't run then they leave her along... but she runs >.< lol