Please don't hate me

[CHEE65]

Since the weather is really nice here duringthis time of year we have decided to let Rachet and Plank have freeroam of the yard. At first it was just during the day timebecause they just love it outside but then i noticed that they wereharder and harder to catch. They just seem like they arehaving so much fun. So we decided to leave Plank out for thenight. Actually we couldn't catch her and because she isblack we couldn't see her anymore because it was gettingdark. So we left her outside. I was worried atfirst so I checked on her frequently 2:00 a.m., 4:00a.m. etc.Needless to say I got very little sleep. By the next morningshe was fine and seemingly to have the time of her life.Rachet who spent the night in her cage was so fidgety she kept bitingat the wires of her cage. I just feel like they were goingcrazy in their cages. Digging out their litter boxesetc. Now they just seem so happy. Of course I checkon their water and make sure to feed them still at night. My yard isn'tthat big and it has a 6 foot block wall with great footings all aroundit. They do try to dig out but the footings are too deep forthem. We also have a very small shed that they dug under andhide under when they are frightened by something. So I feelthat they are safe. I do check daily to make sure that theyard is secure. Plus we have a dog that keep everything thatdoesn't belong away. It's so much fun to go out late at nightand feed them bananas, carrots or whatever they just eat right out ofmy hand now that they know that I'm not going to pick them up and putthem in a cage. Now when warmer weather comes I will have toput them back in the cage unless I can figure out a way to keep themcool. I did cancel our monthly exterminator because ofthis. Sorry I just wrote a book but I wanted to share thiswith you guys.

 

[Kricket]

Hey CHEE! I am in Tucsontoo! I have a friend that gives her bunny free run heretoo. She has a brick wall that is 6 feet tall. Shehas had that bunny (outside with free run) for 7 years! He isvery happy and best friends with the dog. The bunny even eatsthe dog's food (EEK!) But happy, healthy and wellexcercised. He has a four or five foot burrow that is SOcool! HE goes in it to keep warm or cool. He isn'tfrightened very easily.

Actually, they had a repairman come to do some work, he left the gateopen, the dog and rabbit got out. My friend, Renee FREAKEDout! She got a call from a neighbor: "Uh...I think your dogand rabbit are out, in my front yard." They didn't go far andthey never leave each other's side. Sweet!


By the way, Renee leaves her bunny out all year. In thesummer, she makes sure that the burrow is damp all the time.In the hottest months (June, July & August) she leaves hugefrozen water bottles for him. When we do get an unusualfrost, she occasionally brings him in and houses him in a large midwesthome for pets. He is good in a cage too. A realdream bunny

 

[AnnaS]

wow, that sounds so great for bunnies.

 

[dyky71]

Just a word of caution.
I am not sure what birds of prey are in your area.
I would not let rabbits free range in my yard.
A couple of days ago a Hawk had a good size wild rabbit up in a tree in our yard.
A fence won't protect from that.
I am sure your bunny is enjoying itself. Just be aware of prey birds/animals in your area.

 

[CorkysMom]

Why would anyone hate you? You love your bunniesand they sure seem to like their new setup! Sounds like you have reallymade sure its rabbit safe....good luck, hope it continues to go wellfor you!

 

[CHEE65]

Kricket,

That sounds great about your friend's bunny. Mine get alongwith the dog too. Tracie (my dog) seems to almostguard them at times specially in the day time.At night thoughshe sleeps in my bed but is very alert when something is going onoutside. I hope that my bunnies do as well as your friend's.They really are sweet and very bouncy. You should see thebinkies they do. Thanksfor theencouragement.

dyky71,

I don't believe we have any big prey birds around in my area.There are a few owls but they aren't very big. I think thatthey are more interested in the pack rats that are in thedesert. I think that because my yard isn't very big and Ihave my back porch light on at night they don't come around.Plus like I said my dog pretty much deters them.

PuterGeekGirl,

I really like this group very supportive. Thankyou. I really do want what's best for my bunnies. I guess Ijust wasn't sure how everyone felt about it.

 

[user 1981]

That so cute that they hop around youryard. I would love to let my bunnies have free range, but myother animals will probably kill them. Good luck with them.

 

[LuvaBun]

It sounds like you have two veryhappy bunnies there.I agree, keep a watch out for predators,and I would check them daily to make sure they are healthy (nowounds,mites etc). Other than that, enjoy them, enjoying themselves

Jan

 

[brimmhere]

wow! sounds like you have some very happybunnies that would be a great idea other than the fact wehave stray cats around here that hunt the wild bunnies. id beto afraid to leave mine out alone. but so very neatthat you are able to do it and hope it all works out well for them

 

[slavetoabunny]

I'd love to let my girls have outside time, butwe do have a couple of large hawks here. Not to mention thealligator that lives in my lake! You have some lucky buns!

 

[Carolyn]

dyky71 wrote:

Just a word of caution.
I am not sure what birds of prey are in your area.
I would not let rabbits free range in my yard.
A couple of days ago a Hawk had a good size wild rabbit up in a tree in our yard.
A fence won't protect from that.
I am sure your bunny is enjoying itself. Just be aware of prey birds/animals in your area.

I thought of the same thing, dyky71.

-Carolyn

 

[CHEE65]

Yes, they do seem to be very happy.And yes I do check on them frequently. I change their watertwice a day and add a little vanilla to theirwater. I also make sure that they have food out. Idon't think that mites will be a problem here as the weather is prettydry. My dog doesn't have any fleas or other pests so I thinkthey're okay. I also sit out for a little while at night andfeed them treats (small portions of course). Tonight Inoticed that Plank was eating a golden pepper off of one of my pepperplants. It's a very sweet pepper. She seemed to bereally enjoying it. I also try to take notice of their poopsso far they seem pretty normal. And they are eatinggreat. I do have to say that it is a bit of a challengelooking for bunny poop in grass.

Thank you very much for the wonderful responses and concerns.

 

[ariel]

CHEE, I say different strokes fordifferent folks, if you are comfy with your bunnies being outside thenso be it, but I do agree to watch for any predators up high.

 

[LuvaBun]

CHEE65 wrote:

Yes, they do seem to be very happy. And yes I docheck on them frequently. I change their water twice a dayand add a little vanilla to their water. I alsomake sure that they have food out. I don't think that miteswill be a problem here as the weather is pretty dry. My dogdoesn't have any fleas or other pests so I think they'reokay. I also sit out for a little while at night and feedthem treats (small portions of course). Tonight I noticedthat Plank was eating a golden pepper off of one of my pepperplants. It's a very sweet pepper. She seemed to bereally enjoying it. I also try to take notice of their poopsso far they seem pretty normal. And they are eatinggreat. I do have to say that it is a bit of a challengelooking for bunny poop in grass.

Thank you very much for the wonderful responses and concerns.

Sounds like you are doing a great job! And yes, trying to find poop in the grass takes a real skill

Jan

 

[slavetoabunny]

When we lived in California and my girls couldplay in the yard, I noticed the grass was considerable greener in theareas that they pooped in. You have your own fertilizerfactories!

 

[CHEE65]

Very true about the fertilizer. I hearthat bunny poop is an excellent fertilizer. However I do mybest to pickup their poop, at least the ones that I can see.So everyday I do a daily poop pickup, I used to do this anyways for mydog. I just have to look a little closer now. Goodthing they seem to poop in bunches so I can see them but I'm sure Imissed some. I noticed today that their poops seem to begetting bigger. I wonder if it's because of all of the fiberthey are getting now. Besides the hay they also love to eatthe leaves that drop from my trees. Don't worry as far as Iknow they are not poisonous. And of course the bermudagrass.

It was so funny this morning when I went outside to check onthem. At first I couldn't find them, my heartstopped. Then all of a sudden Rachet comes from I don't knowwhere and just starts running really fast by me then comesPlank. It's like they were playing hide and seek and thenwanted to play tag. They are so comical. It's somuch fun to watch them dig in the garden, it's like one works very harddigging, then plop, she lays down then the other one picks updigging. They are tag teaming it. I know I'mbabbling but they are so much fun to watch.

 

[ariel]

CHEE65 wrote:

I know I'm babbling but they are so much fun to watch.

Here there is no such thing as babbling when it comes to bunny talk.