Garden bunnies!

[mouse_chalk]

So... as it's been amazing weather here recently, it's been perfect for putting the buns in the garden for some run time. Also, our new house has the living room (where the buns live) open right out onto the patio so it's easy to do!

This afternoon I decided to stuff the unpacking for a bit andextend their pens, as the current ones were only 12 grids long (2 high) and were a bit small, like this:

So we got some grids the other day and using the grids from Mouse and Chalk's old cage (they have a new setup now) I made bigger pens, that are now 24 grids long! :biggrin2:They now both look like this:

They all LOVED being outside for ages, especially when their pens were extended. They're never unsupervised, even for a moment. Steve works outside for a bit watching them, and if I'm out and have to pop to the toilet, Steve will stand up and watch them, but you can also just about see them from the sofa in the living room too.

To keep them cool we have a parasol, and ice pods, and frozen water bottles, plus I moved it around to get lots of shade too.

Here are some pics of them all looking super cute!

Sorry it's so picture heavy, that's actually only a small fraction of the nearly 300 pics I've taken today and yesterday! :shock:I just thought I'd share how happy they are in the garden! They were all doing binkies and running about. Chalk not as much obviously, but Mouse went crazy! And Barney just kept running round and round and round the outside doing massive jumps! :biggrin2:

Anyone else care to share/describe their garden set ups? I'm so nosey!

Jen xx

 

[Bunnicula]

We've never had the buns in the yard. But I am curious to see/hear what others do. I have often considered it. I worry about predators and fleas, though. Am I just too over-protective?

 

[XxMontanaxX]

Looks great! And so do the bunnies.

I'll post my outside setup tommorow because the weather is suppose to be better.

 

[Little Bay Poo]

Lovely pictures :hearts That's so nice that you have a yard and can let the bunnies out right through the living room! I'm sure they really enjoyed getting fresh air and being out in the sun.

I don't like messing with NIC panels so my current outdoor setup consists of two Northstate Superyard Portable Playards hooked together. It's meant for children but works great for bunnies too!

 

[juliew19673]

How Fabulous to have a yard - wish Baxter! could go play in your great setup!

It must be fun to see them romp about - can you get video of them? Would love to see it .

 

[mouse_chalk]

Thanks guys!

Mary Ellen, I worry about that too, and as it's so hot here and there's a risk of fly strike if they're out for any length of time, I regularly lift them up and check their bums lol (makes me very popular!). We don't get many cats around here in our garden, just the occasional hedgehog in the middle of the night. They are supervised constantly out there, so nothing would get chance to get them anyway. I love being outside in the nice weather so I either sit in the pen with them (each isbig enough for about 6 adults to lie in at a guess?) or sit on the patio a few feet away and read a magazine/surf RO! LOL! They just love to eat grass, bask in the sun/shade, run a LOT and just generally enjoy being outside. Barney and Snowy aren't very energetic bunnies inside, but they go crazy outside, and for 6/7lb buns, they do pretty huge binkies in the garden! It's so nice to watch them. The closest we've ever come to a 'predator' is today when a magpie (bird, not bunny! ) came and perched right next to Barney, and our neighbour came running out to tell us as she didn't realise I was watching lol... He normally just thumps at them

Little Bay Poo, your setup looks great too! Easier to move than mine lol... and Montana, I look forward to seeing yours too! :biggrin2:

Edit: Julie, I have a couple of videos, I just don't know how to upload them?? :?

 

[Maureen Las]

They look so happy outside!!

What nice pics!

I am really conflicted about "outside" for rabbits.
Part of me feels that they love it so much that they deserve to go out occasionally

..the other part of me is terrifed of bot flies, fly strike ,fleas etc.
Since I have dogs that poop in the yard I never let mine outside except once I took Rudy in the snow. he loved it!

 

[SnowyShiloh]

Both of those set ups look great! The pictures of Jen's bunnies are beautiful, I'm so glad to see Chalk looking so good. They look quite happy too The snow and ice has finally all melted here and it's in the mid 60s and sunny! So nice! And it's getting to be a little light past midnight, soon the sun won't set at all. The grass hasn't grown in yet, but in a week or so the yard should be great for bunnies to play in.

I'm going to buy a playpen like what Little Bay Poo has, I'm probably just going to get 1 though. Our yard is fenced in, but it's big enough that I wouldn't feel comfortable having the buns running around in it without a leash. A lot of cats come through the yard too because the fence is just a waist high chain link one. I plan to let them play in the play pen (supervised, of course), then put them on their harnesses and let them run around the yard (I have an extendable leash) other times.

 

[monklover]

Buddy and Roxie are free roam in my yard in the day. While I am at school, my mom watches them and if my mom is not there, my grandma does. My yard is huge and the buns love it. The whole yard is fenced up and there is no possible way to dig out.

I'll show some pictures of fun in the yard:

You can see portions of my back yard in these pictures

This is a picture of their cage a couple of months ago. It has changed a lot and we have added a little second story.

 

[polly]

Mousechalk I know you can get this over here, not so sure for you Mary Ellen but what you want is Dynamite its a liquid that you dilute and you can spray on your buns and in their hutches flies hate it and its very effective now over here I know you can get it from Avondale housing.

Ok been and checked my fur and feather the website is www.avondaleanimalhousing.co.uk It is £7.85(about $15)for a 250ml bottle and it makes up 25 litres so will last a long time. If anyone wanted it I am sure the lady would be happy to send it to you as she gets teh P&P after she sends it OR if you want to try it I am sure I could get it for you and post it to the states no problems It is specifically for animals.

I will take a pic of it later after I get my housework done and post it up so you can see the bottle and will try and get pics of my set up outside too.

 

[mouse_chalk]

Thanks Shiloh!

And Polly, that stuff sounds great, I will definately have to get some.... I do worry about them being out in the garden and flies etc, that's why I keep such a close eye on them... So do you just spray it on the buns when they're outside?Does it cause problems if theyingest it?Obviously the rest of the time they live in the house so it's not as necessary, although we do leave the door open during the day a bit! Thanks!

I have a video of Mouse binkying in the garden that I'm trying to upload....

 

[mezeta]

WOW!!!! Lucky buns!!

Your new set up for them is wicked! I'm glad Chalk is better now! Yey Mouse I love Mouse she is one of my fave's (I love them all but Mouse looks like Jess hehe) Can't wait to see the vid if you can upload it. How are you settling into the new house? xx

 

[slavetoabunny]

I wish I could have Sparky and Scooter out in the yard more. In California, they were allowed out in the yard quite a bit. Here in Florida it is too hot most of the year and we have hawks around our house. They get out in the pen (very well supervised) about twice a year.

I love your setup - those are some happy bunnies!!

 

[polly]

mouse_chalk wrote:

Thanks Shiloh!

And Polly, that stuff sounds great, I will definately have to get some.... I do worry about them being out in the garden and flies etc, that's why I keep such a close eye on them... So do you just spray it on the buns when they're outside?Does it cause problems if theyingest it?Obviously the rest of the time they live in the house so it's not as necessary, although we do leave the door open during the day a bit! Thanks!

I have a video of Mouse binkying in the garden that I'm trying to upload....

Jen it does say its not good for them to lick to much of it off but i know a lot of peeps who use it with no problems. I spray it on the hutches and onto my buns then let it dry on as long as you dilute it well its fine. Just be like a hairdresser and stay away from eyes

 

[trailsend]

I thought I replied to this last night, but I must have fallen asleep! LOL It was one post i wanted to answer! Jen your set up looks great, and the buns are adorable and man do they look happy! I have to say I've never had any problems with any of my rabbits during outside monitored playtime in a safe area - no troubles with any fleas or anything, and we live in the forest... I put them in a clean area where the dogs don't use etc... but never had any troubles. Your guys look very happy :biggrin2:

 

[pinksalamander]

My bun has gone out in the run from day one, almost every day from May - September with no problems. He has a little box (which he likes to sit ontop of... duh) and he has a bowl of water in there. If it gets too hot i put a tile in the freezer or fridge and then i can pop it in the garden. He loves to sit on those when he gets a bit warm in the summer, and if you put them in the shade they stay cool even after the chill has worn off.

I've never had any problems with fleas or flystrike either. And he loves eating the grass and dandelions too. I'd try it... its lovely to see him hopping and sniffing around!

 

[Becca]

It has been great weather here hasn't it, well not today it rained today which i was happy about becuase i didn't have to do the 1500 metre run in P.E but i was rather annoyed becuase i bought loads of chicken wire yesterday and can now make a run as big as tghe garden which i can spilt into 3 for bun buns and thye weren't allowed out in it :grumpy:
but they had their dail;y walks around the garden!"
Love your setup!

 

[pinksalamander]

I'm so annoyed by the weather at the moment. I was cooped up on Thursday doing ICT coursework (A levls.. hooray). Cooped up on Friday doing technology, cooped up on Sunday at work, cooped up on Monday and Tuesday doing coursework and as of Wednesday the weather has been miserable! I only really got to go out on Saturday, just sat around in the park getting a tan and feeling like i was going to melt eating Twisters and Magnums.

Digressing... yeah, the bunny loved it

 

[Michaela]

Great pictures!

Ebony spends most of her time these days in her run (it's 5.5x7.5 foot, I wish it was bigger, but that's as big as dad would build for me ) but it's very secure and I can easily get in there with her. Unfortunately I am doing GCSEs right now, but my mum is at home all day and spends most of the day out in the garden with the bunnies and cats.

Maddie gets out a lot now too, I only have one run, so when Maddie is in the run Ebony gets free reign of the back garder which she just loves (constant supervision of course, but she never tries to go far, the only place she can go is my neighbours garden where her sister lives anyway. ) Maddie loves being outside too. And today my exam was in the morning (Additional Maths 2 - sooo hard!) so I was home early and got to spend the day out with my girls.

Re the indoor v outdoor thing, I have one of each, and if I'm totally honest, Ebony is probably happier (she's outside). It's not as hard to do as you'd think, twice daily bum check (bunnies love this ) and sprays, litter trays cleared daily means fly-strike isn't an issue. Ideally, I'd have both girls inside in winter, and both out in summer, I feel this would be best for them. But my mum won't let me have two in the house at the same time.

 

[Bunnicula]

Everybody's setups look so nice. I know that Capt Snow would be delirious if he could run in the grass. We do have a TON of squirrels here, though...and they are big time vectors for fleas. With 4 buns & 10 cats (one with a severe flea allergy), I really am paranoid about a flea infestation.