Outdoor Cages... post your photo

[Mac189]

In the process of mixing up the rabbit barn habitat. Not a true outdoor setup, given that the barn is closer to an indoor enclosure than an outdoor, but I still have to keep a close eye on the elements for my fluffy companions since the space is not properly insulated. I have more toys I'm planning to add (which I have since I took the picture yesterday) and am entertaining the idea of a dig box. The upsidedown rubber dish doubles as a hide since I cut a rabbit hole in it, although it has been mostly used as a platform beyond a little exploring. The rabbits seem super happy with the new set up and the space expansion and I'm happy because it is SO much easier to keep clean.

 

[FlemishFloridians]

Here's a pic of our current set-up. We're going to expand it even larger in the future. It is currently 15 ft by 10 foot in all when both sides are open. When we expand, we plan to use the same type of blocks as the ground/base (they really like flopping on them in the heat as they stay cooler). We also have a high-powered fan with the cord well out of reach that points down into an area in the cage they can lay under if they so desire.

When we expand, we plan to use redtop fencing in conjunction with hardware mesh around the entirety, similar to the kit we have at the moment. Since we have 7 kits in the kennel, Pinto lives on the smaller side temporarily until the babies are older. We haven't decided if we will neuter him or allow him to sire another litter. He's very pretty and he's got a wonderful temperament.

 

[littlebluejay]

So nice and clean! I really like it. How perfect for your climate.

 

[Preitler]

Oh, boy, now for some antidote to that clean and nice stuff

This is my hutch setup, each picture shows one complex made up by connected hutches, this is inside the protective fence. The rabbits have to spend the night in there, but have free roam of about 200-2000m² during the day, depending on if I'm around.

Over here wire cages are a NoGo, something that spilled over from freeing laying chickens from wire cages, wire=bad now. Anyway, couldn't get proper wire floors anyway, so I use wood slat floors. I learn with every hutch I build, but I think the versions with the mortar throughs underneith are getting pretty close to optimal. Lots of details that evolved over several iterations. Hutches need to be raised since this is potential flood land anyway. There are levels and hidey houses inside the hutches, and they are connected via tunnels.

The pictures were taken way after the last cleaning, they get way more forage and hay than they can eat and they waste a lot, for weeks I just pull that out and and pile it up until it eventually goes to the vegetable plot or compost heap. No point in critisizing that shedule, no point in making things more complicated when there is no problem. I might be lucky with the local climate, coccidiosis is practically unheard of here, for example.

The darker picture are the older hutches built into the side of the barn, old design, two levels (connected) with pans underneith each. When I need to seperate those hutches there is a foldable ramp stored away at the right center of the picture, right now two 6mo old bucklings live up there and get in and out via this ramp. (My two retired, 8 and 10yo does in the lower hutch)

I reckon this doesn't look appealing to a lot of pet rabbit folk, but as been said, they spend most of the day outdoors anyway. And my rabbits definitly like their hutches.

 

[FlemishFloridians]

Oh, boy, now for some antidote to that clean and nice stuff

This is my hutch setup, each picture shows one complex made up by connected hutches, this is inside the protective fence. The rabbits have to spend the night in there, but have free roam of about 200-2000m² during the day, depending on if I'm around.

Over here wire cages are a NoGo, something that spilled over from freeing laying chickens from wire cages, wire=bad now. Anyway, couldn't get proper wire floors anyway, so I use wood slat floors. I learn with every hutch I build, but I think the versions with the mortar throughs underneith are getting pretty close to optimal. Lots of details that evolved over several iterations. Hutches need to be raised since this is potential flood land anyway. There are levels and hidey houses inside the hutches, and they are connected via tunnels.

The pictures were taken way after the last cleaning, they get way more forage and hay than they can eat and they waste a lot, for weeks I just pull that out and and pile it up until it eventually goes to the vegetable plot or compost heap. No point in critisizing that shedule, no point in making things more complicated when there is no problem. I might be lucky with the local climate, coccidiosis is practically unheard of here, for example.

The darker picture are the older hutches built into the side of the barn, old design, two levels (connected) with pans underneith each. When I need to seperate those hutches there is a foldable ramp stored away at the right center of the picture, right now two 6mo old bucklings live up there and get in and out via this ramp. (My two retired, 8 and 10yo does in the lower hutch)

I reckon this doesn't look appealing to a lot of pet rabbit folk, but as been said, they spend most of the day outdoors anyway. And my rabbits definitly like their hutches.

Love this!!! I would absolutely love to let our rabbits on grass, but how do you keep them from burrowing? That was the main reason we went with outdoor pavers was due to that issue (plus it was easy for us, selfishly, to clean with a pressure washer once a week, and broom/dustpan every couple days). We previously kept buns in large pens with grass (for play only,) and it ended in disaster for us .

 

[Preitler]

Love this!!! I would absolutely love to let our rabbits on grass, but how do you keep them from burrowing?

I don't stop them from digging. Normally they don't dig on the grass, but undernieth stuff - like under the huches or brushes, and along walls or close to other obstacles. My two senior does build a tunnel straight through the Topinambur plot every year, it's nice and cool down there in summer. Ruth and Chantal started several tunnels along the brook, which is actually useful since she cleans the soil she dug up from roots and weeds, I can use that in my vegetable garden. It's a great workout for them too. i just have to take care that they use the nestbox in the hutch when the time comes, digging up a nest savely is a lot of work.
If they start a tunnel where I don't want them to I just put a big rock in the pit.

Once a year, in winter or spring, I dig up and fill in the tunnels that are where I don't want them.

 

[FlemishFloridians]

I don't stop them from digging. Normally they don't dig on the grass, but undernieth stuff - like under the huches or brushes, and along walls or close to other obstacles. My two senior does build a tunnel straight through the Topinambur plot every year, it's nice and cool down there in summer. Ruth and Chantal started several tunnels along the brook, which is actually useful since she cleans the soil she dug up from roots and weeds, I can use that in my vegetable garden. It's a great workout for them too. i just have to take care that they use the nestbox in the hutch when the time comes, digging up a nest savely is a lot of work.
If they start a tunnel where I don't want them to I just put a big rock in the pit.

Once a year, in winter or spring, I dig up and fill in the tunnels that are where I don't want them.

Wow, that's amazing!

 

[Jumilli]

 

[overhear]

I don't stop them from digging. Normally they don't dig on the grass, but undernieth stuff - like under the huches or brushes, and along walls or close to other obstacles. My two senior does build a tunnel straight through the Topinambur plot every year, it's nice and cool down there in summer. Ruth and Chantal started several tunnels along the brook, which is actually useful since she cleans the soil she dug up from roots and weeds, I can use that in my vegetable garden. It's a great workout for them too. i just have to take care that they use the nestbox in the hutch when the time comes, digging up a nest savely is a lot of work.
If they start a tunnel where I don't want them to I just put a big rock in the pit.

Once a year, in winter or spring, I dig up and fill in the tunnels that are where I don't want them.

That's so cool! What lucky bunnies!!!

 

[jeannybobs]

this is my rabbits enclosure. the outside is built on concrete and the mesh is double skinned. the shed is 8 by 4 and heated. the outside picture shows birds but they are now in another aviary

 

[gerry.geddes]

Winter Predator Proofing

I have a colony of pet Flemish Giants that live outdoors with the chickens and ducks. Like the birds coops, they have a winterized predator proof bunny barn. When it was built we thought we needed to be prepared for racoons, foxes and weasels. Last week we had a fisher vistor around for 4 nights which caused me to carefully double check everything and fortify to be extra careful.

Here he is being unsuccessful.



Back in July, I caught him on camera one night behind the coops but nowhere else. The next night he started screaming from the same area (sounds like a woman being murdered) and I went out to see if I could see him, but no just the screams. So on a whim I started hollering at him like those guys on Discovery that make Bigfoot calls. That shut him up and I could hear him taking off through the forest.There has been no sign of him til last week. They say they have about a 10 square mile territory and it is hard to get pictures of them as they are pretty elusive. Here is a good clip of him on night 2. Check out the claws. All my babies are on the other side of those doors and he can smell them. Frightening.

 

[Donna Standar]

Mom and son. Millie and buddy. Millie is the smaller one