New with a question

[gale]

Hi. We don't have any rabbits yet but I have a few questions. We're going to keep them in a large dog kennel with hutches inside. My husband got a kennel (6 x 10) and I know we need to cover the top and bottom with some kind of fencing and the bottom part of the sides plus cover any gaps like where the gate is. Do we need to cover all of the sides? Our plan is to get two from the same litter and if they end up fighting, we can put a divider in the kennel. Also I'm looking for plans-my dd and I are going to build the hutches (that'll be a comedy of errors). thanks

 

[gale]

umm... :tears2: Any idea where else I can go to ask questions?

 

[Flashy]

Hi Gale,

I'm sorry no one responded to your question. It might be helpful to have a picture of what you have because it can be hard to visualise sometimes.

 

[DazyDaizee]

Chicken wire would probably be easy to cover the top with. Maybe with a wooden frame so you can secure it in the shape you need and easily lift it off of the kennel if needed.

I would use linoleum or something to cover the bottom, then add blankets for them to sit on and a litter box with hay. This should protect your floors and make cleanup easy. Just make sure that the edges aren't easily accessible for them to chew on.

A picture would be helpful as I'm only guessing what the setup actually looks like. Also, about the littermates. You should definitely spay/neuter for health as well as behavioral reasons, and to prevent unwanted litters. Often times rabbits are difficult to sex when they are young, so you may end up with a male and female whether you expected to or not.

I don't know where you're located, but there are a lot of rabbit rescue groups out there, and another option for you might be to adopt a bonded pair. They are often more difficult to find homes for as most people adopt single rabbits. If you already know you want a pair, this would be perfect and many rescues spay/neuter before adopting rabbits out. You also know the rabbits personalities and that they get along. Baby rabbits change quite a bit as they get comfortable with you, once they hit the teenage stage, ect. So I see adult rabbits as more of a guarantee.. you sort of know what you're in for, which is great for a first time rabbit owner, especially.

 

[werecatrising]

I have a similiar set up. I covered part way up to keep the buns from poking their heads through.

 

[sephira]

If you decide not to adopt a bonded pair, getting a pair of littermates would probably be best. As Daisy said, it can be hard to tell the sex of babies, so try to get them as old as possible so you can be reasonably sure.

My two girls are littermates, Mika and Sasha. I've had them since they were four weeks old (long story) and I'm still pretty sure they're both girls. They seem to be doing ok with puberty setting in and are not fighting or anything like that. I've read that boys can be a little more troublesome, with spraying and all, but it's just a preference.

Let us know how it turns out!!!

 

[gale]

Thanks everyone. My daughter is really bugging us about getting the rabbits but I want to learn as much as possible before we do. Ok the setup-I don't have a picture as my husband is sill putting the thing together but it'll be like the one pictured above, only I thought I'd have to put a hutch inside for the bunnies to go in. It will be outside which is why I wasn't sure if I need to cover the whole thing. My husband thinks there isn't any predators that could get through the chain link holes but I don't want to take any chances.

I checked petfinder and there's nothing within a few hours of me-we live in a pretty rural area. I am in touch with the local rescue on a regular basis and she has promised me that she'll let me know if they get any rabbits but so far she has not called. I talked to her just a week or so ago (she also works at the vet and I have been calling to ask about rabbit stuff). I do plan to get them spayed/neutered also. I thought our best hope of them getting along would be a male/female pair but the challenge will be finding them the right age to neuter or having to keep them separated until we do. I don't want any accidental litters.

 

[DazyDaizee]

Outdoor rabbits tend to live much shorter lives than indoor bunnies. I recently read a House Rabbit Society poster that estimated the lifespan of an indoor pet rabbit at 8-12 years and an outdoor pet rabbit at 2 years. It can be more difficult to notice signs of illness (especially since rabbits, as prey animals, are so good at hiding their symptoms) when they're not around you so often. Also most rabbits don't tolerate extremes in temperature well and can die from heat exhaustion very quickly, even if given adequate shade. I don't know where you live, but most areas are intolerable in the dead of winter and the heat of summer for outdoor rabbits. Not to mention the fact that rabbits stress extremely easily and can actually die as a result. There are many stresses outside that a caged rabbit cannot escape from, such as animals outside of the rabbits' enclosure, dogs barking in the neighbor's yard, planes, loud trucks, ect. I recently read of two rabbits who contracted rabies after a raccoon attacked them through their wire enclosure. And I saw another at the vet who was killed and decapitated by a wild animal, taken from an enclosure that was supposed to be safe.

I don't mean to come of as rude, I just wanted to share some facts from what I've read and seen personally. I hope that you'd consider keeping them indoors. Clearly you're doing your research and trying to offer a great home, and that's so extremely important before bringing an animal into your life. I wanted to share the information so you can make an informed decision when you opt to keep them indoors or out.

 

[gale]

Thanks for the info-yep I've done tons of research but indoors is not an option for us. My husband has allergies and is also adamant about not having animals in the house. My daughter had been asking for rabbits for years only to be told no every time. She checked out books at the library, some of which were about keeping rabbits outside, and convinced my husband to get one-he finally said yes so this is how we can do it. We have barns we can put them in during the winter and we live out in the middle of nowhere (no neighbors, barely any traffic, etc). I read a lot here at this forum first to find out if others had outdoor bunnies because I know people can be very passionate about this issue and it seemed like there were some that were regulars but then I've been reading a LOT of forums so maybe I had it mixed up with another site. Anyway I am pretty confident they will get plenty of attention and proper care. My kids are homeschooled so they are not gone a big part of the day like kids in public schools and they are already outside playing for most of the day. They work on lessons for only 3 or at most 4 hours each day. So anyway I thank everyone for the info.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

DazyDaizee wrote:

Outdoor rabbits tend to live much shorter lives than indoor bunnies. I recently read a House Rabbit Society poster that estimated the lifespan of an indoor pet rabbit at 8-12 years and an outdoor pet rabbit at 2 years.

I have to disagree with this. I have several rabbits who are well past the age of 3, one is even almost 5. They've been outside rabbits all their lives (except for one who was an indoor rabbit before we got her). I don't see how the HRS poster could be correct.

Living outdoors or indoors doesn't really have anything to do with how long your rabbit lives. It's how well you take care of them properly, and how to make them comfortable in their enviroment - whether it be indoors or outdors.


My rabbits are in a shed, in their hutches, but I still consider them outdoor bunnies, because the building isn't temperature controlled (we have to have heaters and fans during the cold and warm months, but not an actual, set system. )

Emily

 

[Lolpigs]

Yeah I do believe when quoting that the poster would have to have been thinking of rabbits in metal hutches in the elements.

 

[DazyDaizee]

Yeah, I would consider a shed (and a barn in the winter as gale plans to do) is considered more shelter than an "outdoor rabbit". Though it's not temperature controlled, it offers protection from the elements and other animals. The 2 years is also an average, as is the 8-12 (I've seen indoor rabbits live to be 14, it's just an average).

I'm not saying living outdoors can never be done and that rabbits won't be taken care of, but in many cases if the owner isn't committed enough they can suffer more outdoors than indoors.
Gale, I'm glad that you've done your research and do have a shelter for them when outdoors alone becomes too severe for them. And the hutches would be great to help them escape the elements when they are not in the barn. Also with the kids being homeschooled, it sounds like they'll have a lot more time to spend with the rabbits, which is great.

One concern I'd have, and I don't know because I've never had an outdoor rabbit... but after surgery for spaying/neutering, where is the safest place to keep a rabbit? Are maggots possible as they can be with urine scald or other wounds?

 

[gale]

DazyDaizee wrote:

where is the safest place to keep a rabbit? Are maggots possible as they can be with urine scald or other wounds?

You know that's a good point. We have not gotten our bunnies yet-dh is building the kennel and I have plans all ready for the hutches. Are males less likely to have problems like that after neutering? I could keep them crated after for a while I guess...

 

[KimberlilyKC]

Just wanted to throw in a quick correction here, as people seem to be under the impression that the reference to HRS was about someone saying something on a forum. The House Rabbit Society is an educational and rescue organization, and its site is a source of valuable expertise. I referred someone to their site just this morning. So just to clear that up: it's not just someone's opinion on a forum that rabbits should be kept inside, it is the opinion of an organization that consists of rabbit experts. I think if you do your research you'll find that most experts say they should be kept indoors.

From reading posts on this forum, I've learned about some pretty interesting arrangements people have come up with, such as having a little door, leading from the outdoor hutch into the house so the rabbits can come inside whenever they want to. A set-up where a rabbit can get inside a building of some sort, like a rabbit-proof shed or baby barn, seems the next best thing to being in the house with you, though I wouldn't do that myself. Even in a set-up that is secure enough to keep out predators, your bunnies could still be terrified by one trying to get in. If the rabbits can hear, see, or smell their predator, they're no doubt going to be terrified; you have to figure out some kind of set up that won't allow this to happen.