Hi guys! So I'll be moving myself and my bunny from an apartment to a house with a HUGE backyard. He's been indoors most of the time I've owned him and I would like to make an outdoor enclosure for him to get some sunshine and fresh grass. There are several problems, however. The main issue is that there is an abundance of wild cottontail rabbits in the area where we live. He has caught mites before when I took him out to a local park in my current town and I wouldn't want to inflict him with that again. I'm also worried that they would pester him if I were to let him have outdoor playtime. Another problem is that the person that I'll be moving in with insists on people coming in to spray the yard (don't know what though). The wild rabbits seem to do okay so I don't know how harmful it would be to my bunny. I don't intend to keep him outside long anyway regardless, but is it better to just keep him inside with space to roam around the house?
Outdoor playtime questions
- Thread starter NekoOtome
- Start date
Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:
I let my rabbits out in our backyard in the summer. I put them in an exercise pen with a net on the top to keep out hawks. Luckily I've never had a problem with dogs, cats, or foxes trying to get at them, but that is something you need to be aware of and make sure the enclosure you put them in would be sturdy enough to protect them from whatever you may have coming through your backyard. I saw a wild cottontail come up to the pen once out of curiosity but it ran away pretty quickly. I use Revolution on my rabbits to protect them from fleas and ticks. I use it on them once a month for the spring and summer months that I let them out. As for the pesticide that would be sprayed on the lawn, I've read that it's not a good idea to let rabbits play on or eat grass that has been sprayed. Of course, not everyone feeds their rabbits totally organic food, so the amount and type of pesticide needs to be taken into consideration. You could talk to the company and ask them if the spray they use is safe for pets. If you can cover all the issues I've mentioned, your bunny would probably love to play outside. Mine seem to be able to get really good traction in the grass so they can run and jump to their heart's content!
Awesome! Does revolution protect against mites as well as fleas and ticks? That's what he caught from the wild rabbits
I did a little Google search on mites and found an article that said you can treat mites with selamectin, which is the main ingredient in Revolution. You have to get it from a vet anyway, so you could ask the vet to be sure.
I may be a stickler, but I don't like the idea of regularly treating my rabbits with chemicals. My rabbits spend their time almost exclusively indoors. But on occasion, I will bring them outdoors. These are my thoughts on bringing rabbits outdoors:
I avoid putting them on grass unless I am sure there are no fertilizers, weed killers or pesticides.
I use an exercise pen, but never leave them unattended. They should be supervised at all times.
Be sure that no unfamiliar leaves or plants blow into the area -- don't want them ingesting any toxic plants.
The photo shows how I've set up outdoor play time on occasion. It is a little adventure for them but they get the bulk of their exercise running around inside on carpet.
http://youtu.be/ro7_dTf2-vE
I avoid putting them on grass unless I am sure there are no fertilizers, weed killers or pesticides.
I use an exercise pen, but never leave them unattended. They should be supervised at all times.
Be sure that no unfamiliar leaves or plants blow into the area -- don't want them ingesting any toxic plants.
The photo shows how I've set up outdoor play time on occasion. It is a little adventure for them but they get the bulk of their exercise running around inside on carpet.
http://youtu.be/ro7_dTf2-vE
So I've been doing research on whatever is being sprayed in the grass. The company claims that it's fertilizer and that it takes two days to wear off. I'm still really skeptical about putting him out there even if it is after those supposed two days. I suppose that I can ask about the mite treatment, I just don't want to get my rabbit in that situation again. I'd love for him to enjoy sunshine and grass but I definitely want to be on the super safe side, and I'd rather keep him in if there's any chance of danger. I would definitely keep an eye on him no matter what, as I'd probably hang out outside as well to get some air myself if I were to ever take him out.
Last edited:
I posted about this yesterday in an online Facebook group and the consensus was that it's safer to not expose them to the chemicals (although honestly our dogs are fine). I think our solution is to fence off an area for Lola that isn't sprayed - is that something you could do? Otherwise you could put down a barrier like a towel or blanket to keep him off the grass.
