is no cage at all, ok?

[tristaw.]

I'm sorry if this has been talked about before. I've spent the last little while loving this forum and reading as much as I can but I feel a bit inept. When I was a child I had a bunny who was kept outside in this pitiful hutch. I was so sad everytime I went out there. My parents insisted that was where rabbits belonged. It wasn't long before an animal got through the chicken wire and my heart was completely broken. I was 11.

About ten years ago, I got a holland lop named Simon. He was THE most laid back rabbit ever. he slept at my feet, watched tv with me, loved the cat, chewed nothing except one end table that was very old and I just let it be his.

He never had a cage, he was completely free to do as he pleased.
he died 5.5 years ago. again, heartbreaking but I felt he had had the best life. I had nicknamed him my bunnydog because he fetched and everything.

Now, I have two rabbits. Both are not in cages anymore. Since the incident when I was a child, I can't stand the thought of them being closed in. BunBun has his spot under the computer desk where he goes when he is fed up with us and wants alone time and Tahli goes under my dresser in the bedroom for the same get away time. She is confined to that one room though which is bothering me.

Am I doing something wrong by having no cage at all?
Neither one of them are chewers and my place is completely bunny proofed.

 

[AquaticRex]

if there is nothing that they can get into that would hurt them, then there should be no problem at all with free ranged bunnies. i would if i could, except that there are now wires all over the place and my house mates are being stupid and wont let me bunny proof them, and Dante has found a way to chew into a wall, so no more free range for him (though i try to make his penn big enough for 3 buns lol and he's out almost all day) but yea, free range is the best way to go as long as everything is completely bunny proofed and they get along.

 

[tristaw.]

Thank you! That makes me feel better

 

[HerbyBear]

Your bunnies are so lucky!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

ours all have hutches and get to roam as they will. Bambi would stay in her Hutch all the time, so we close her door so she will stay out and play.

 

[elrohwen]

Nothing wrong at all! Free range bunnies are great if you have bunnies with the right temperament who won't get into trouble.
Your bunnies are very lucky to live with you!

Have you thought about bonding them so that they can live in the same space together?

 

[tristaw.]

BunBun goes in to be neutered next Thursday. I briefly had them meet and there was no aggression. I'm hoping that will last. I very much want them to be bonded. I hate that they are separated from each other. I may need some advice on the bonding after BunBun's operation.

 

[JadeIcing]

Sounds like they have an awesome life.

 

[AquaticRex]

if they were both already bonded i'd have said to bring them both in together, but i guess once bun is healed up it would be just like a normal bonding. you'll need a large space, and a lot of patients and something to seperate them (a towel or thick long gloves) in case they do start to scrap it out

 

[tristaw.]

They have been laying side by side with the baby gate separating them. Is that a good sign? or would it change the minute I took down the gate? I was scared BunBun would spray but he hasn't. Since the other bun is a baby, does that make a difference with bonding being easier?

 

[AquaticRex]

when max was here, i had their cages side by side for a while. they didnt bite at each other, but they layed near each other, when i went to see if they would get along, the fur flew and i had to seperate them. but then i've also heard that some rabbits would get along when displaying the same behaviour. it all depends on the buns. are they both the dominant type? gender? both fixed?