Bunny Garden & Shelter!

[BrittsBunny]

It has always been my dream to have a bunny-safe garden and shelter for Wrangler to roam around in!

I just have some concerns because he's an indoor rabbit and has been barely exposed to the outdoors (minus him being on my parents' back patio with my supervision).

Anyway, my boyfriend said that he wanted to build me a rabbit hutch! :biggrin: but I am also thinking about helping him build a little bunny garden as well. I was thinking of a wooden square foundation, safe soil, and planted grass on top - maybe rye? Then we would build a little bunny house. I would also love to plant some of Wrangler's favorite greens like parsley. We would then enclose it with some sort of fencing - maybe chicken wire? Or something with smaller holes (like no-climb)?

But the thing is, would Wrangler need certain shots if I was going to let him play outdoors? Also, I worry about snakes, red ants, and other bugs that tend to be quite popular here in Florida.

He wouldn't be outside for long periods of time...maybe an hour or so? Maybe less? What would y'all recommend?

I would love ideas, tips, suggestions, etc. etc. ! :big wink:

Andd if you have a bunny garden please post pics!!

 

[Watermelons]

I dont know anything about wild animals in florida, but if youre going to let your bun out in the summertime, i suggest getting him on Revolution 18mg/kg as prevention, and deworm with fenbendazole monthly, no need for shots or anything like that. Just to be on the safe side

 

[LakeCondo]

That's why I don't think Honey will be going into a yard at any point, reluctantly.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

I think every bunny should get to spend some time outdoors. The fresh air and sunshine is just as good for them as it is for us. Every region is going to have different issues with predators, insects, poisonous plants, weather, etc. So you'll need to familiarize yourself with what those dangers are and then do your best to protect your bunny from them. I'd say there are as many dangers for rabbits indoors as their are outdoors. You wouldn't think of letting your bunny free roam your house without bunnyproofing (hiding power cords and putting house plants out of reach, etc.) Really it comes down to how well you bunnyproof and how well you supervise.

Also, as Watermelons noted, a regular course of antiparasitics would be a good idea. Though I think I'd follow the horse people's regimen of twice a year for the fenbendazole.

Hope that helps!

Rue

 

[LakeCondo]

Well, there's no way to keep a pet rabbit away from the droppings of wild rabbits, opossums, etc. I'm not going to endanger Honey's health with unnecessary medications.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Not everyone is going to have wild animals frequenting their backyards. If they do, they can either create a space where the wildlife can't get to (like a run) or keep the rabbit inside.

Also, people think nothing of deworming and defleaing their cats and dogs. I don't see why it's so different for rabbits.

Anyway, I'm not suggesting that you have to put your rabbit outdoors. I was addressing the OP's question.

JMVHO

Rue

 

[ZRabbits]

As my boys are inside rabbits, we know it's a benefit and plus for their health to get them fresh air. My husband planned their run around our garden, including a little garden for them. We do have wild rabbits, skunks, ground hogs, and the illustrious North American Squirrels. But they don't go in the run. For some reason they don't go near it. Before we put our boys in the run, we do a thorough check to see if anything is in this run, like wild rabbit poops. Plus we do powder the area with an organic flea powder to keep bugs off our buns and our dogs. Bad mosqitos this year because of the moisture from the rains.

Here's our set up. I think indoor buns benefit greatly getting outside for some fresh air and a romp. Plus they love to eat what's in the garden and the azuzia grasses, dandylions, and especially clover.

Hope this helps. Look forward to seeing your set up with your bunny garden.

K

 

[lapaki]

If you are worried about snakes or other wild animals, you could make the run enclosure out of a finer mesh. Something like hardware cloth with 1/4th inch holes should be fine enough for all but insects.

For bugs you could treat the area around the outside of the run to minimize contact.

If the run is going to be too short for you to stand in, you could make a removable cover to keep other animals out when it's not in use.

I take the Zoomer over to my friend's house for bunny lawn dates with her bunn at least a couple of times a week. Really haven't had any trouble with fleas, ticks, ants and the like, even though we have a lot of them here in the tropics.

Fortunately we don't have much in the way of predatory animals in Hawaii, so I don't have to worry about snakes or raptors (we do have owls, but they are a very small variety that wouldn't go for something the size of a 4-5lb bunn).

The biggest threat around here would be the neighborhood dogs. But most of her neighbors have little rat dogs (Chihuahuas), and Zoom-zoom would kick their a** if they ever came near him. LOL! He's the sweetest bunn in the world around people, but he's not very tolerant of other animals.

 

[101Rabbits]

I agree with the others. Rabbits should be kept inside, but some time outside in the fresh air could be good for your bunny. Last year I built a strong 8ft. x 8ft. pen. Here is a picture.

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It is made out of a strong wooden frame and metal siding ( I have pictures and a video on how I made this pen, let me know if you want me to post them) On the top I have some plastic fencing I can take off if I want to go in there with them.

What you need to do to make sure your pen is safe is:
1. Make sure no birds can get in by putting a top on top of your pen. I use fencing but you could use wire or a tarp.
2. Make sure your rabbit can't dig out. It is natural for your rabbit to dig (they dig tunnels underground in the wild) but it can be very dangurous if your rabbit dug out of the pen when you didn't know it. You can either bury something like a tarp or landscaping fabric underground or lay some mesh on top of ground and put some hay or straw on top.
3. also always supervise your rabbits while outside.

 

[mrbunny]

Wow! That is impressive!

Please do post the pictures and video on how to make this pen!

 

[ZRabbits]

101Rabbits wrote:

I agree with the others. Rabbits should be kept inside, but some time outside in the fresh air could be good for your bunny. Last year I built a strong 8ft. x 8ft. pen. Here is a picture.

[/img]

It is made out of a strong wooden frame and metal siding ( I have pictures and a video on how I made this pen, let me know if you want me to post them) On the top I have some plastic fencing I can take off if I want to go in there with them.

What you need to do to make sure your pen is safe is:
1. Make sure no birds can get in by putting a top on top of your pen. I use fencing but you could use wire or a tarp.
2. Make sure your rabbit can't dig out. It is natural for your rabbit to dig (they dig tunnels underground in the wild) but it can be very dangurous if your rabbit dug out of the pen when you didn't know it. You can either bury something like a tarp or landscaping fabric underground or lay some mesh on top of ground and put some hay or straw on top.
3. also always supervise your rabbits while outside.

Wow, very impressive. Heck I could live in there. Your bunnies must be very lucky to have you has a Dad or Mom. Mine incorporates our garden, but we are there all the time and do have places for them hide. You are so right about aerials and we have a hawk and a falcon that comes a callin. Beautiful animals but not friends of bunnies.

Excellent work. You have gone way beyond an outside run. Good for you and your bunnies.

K

 

[MiniLopHop]

That is awesome that people have found ways to make their bunnies safe outside! My neighbors have mean dogs that have been known to kill cats so I don't feel safe letting the buns out even with an enclosure. However, I also don't want to keep them inside all the time. My solution was to get a pet stroller made for dogs with mesh, then we walk in the park. The buns love the fresh air and sunshine, plus they are safe.

I know that wasn't the original question, but perhaps Honey would enjoy the outdoors that way?

Brittnay, I saw suggestions for bunny gardens in a book. You might want to consider using a wide mesh, about 1 inch squares, over some of the herbs and plants. Rabbits are known to eat plants down to the soil line so they end up dead in short order. By enclosing them in a wire box the rabbit can eat the plant as it grows beyond the wire, but can't eat it down so far as to kill it.

Good luck and please share pictures when done

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Ours stay indoors as we go from too cold to too hot in such a short time and we can't do a garden and trees here like we had when we were in CA. Miss my Koi pond too.

 

[101Rabbits]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK4Em6zIEvw]Safe Rabbit Pen Video[/ame]

Here is a step by step video on how I made it. at the end I have a few pictures of my bunnies in the pen, and then some video of them running around in it for the first time. I didn't make it "dig proof" yet because we made it in the fall and we had to take it down in a month any way. It is very easy to lift up and move to a fresh patch of grass ( if you don't make it dig proof make sure you are always watching the bunnies though.) I love it and might add some windows this summer so the bunnies can look out.

 

[ZRabbits]

Excellent production. Like the rabbits too. Thanks so much for sharing.

K

 

[LakeCondo]

Did you have trouble getting them back inside? That's the part I'm concerned about, Honey being mad when it's over.

 

[Ape337]

Oooo! You must post pics when you get them set up. I'm jealous, I can't have my bunnies in the yard in season at all - just when it gets nice enough the salt Mosquitos hatch for the dark hours, the tiger mosquitos hatch for dawn and dusk, and the no-see-ums attack all day! The only way even humans can spend time outside at my house is covered in deet. Mid-summer in the hottest part of the day we get a break, but that's not really when I want to be out anyway

Hubby and I want to move away from the tidal marsh cause we are outdoor people.....

 

[mrbunny]

Thanks for the video! I'll be attempting this!

 

[101Rabbits]

LakeCondo wrote:

Did you have trouble getting them back inside? That's the part I'm concerned about, Honey being mad when it's over.

Yeah. It is hard to get them back in the kennel when I want them to go inside. Once our new house is built I will have a pet door that goes from my room into the pen. Then they can hop in and out when they want. (the pet door has a lock, so when I can't be outside watching them i can lock it.)

 

[ZRabbits]

101Rabbits wrote:

LakeCondo wrote:

Did you have trouble getting them back inside? That's the part I'm concerned about, Honey being mad when it's over.

Yeah. It is hard to get them back in the kennel when I want them to go inside. Once our new house is built I will have a pet door that goes from my room into the pen. Then they can hop in and out when they want. (the pet door has a lock, so when I can't be outside watching them i can lock it.)

101Rabbit:

What a really neat idea with the pet door and lock at the new house. Hope you share your set up once it's up and working.

Lake:

Don't let the short time bunnies are upset to go inside stop you from setting something up really nice for Honey at your Summer Home. Yes, my boys are very reluctant sometimes to have to go in, but they do get over it after awhile. Wheat grass does wonders for their "bunny pout" attitude.

K