Garden play time

[MerlinsMom]

Now I know the majority of us on here have house bunnies and we advocate keeping bunnies indoors, but what are everyone’s opinions on having a run in the garden that the buns can go in for a few hours during the day?
I’m quite keen on this for my buns once the weather gets a bit nicer, but I am torn between buying a ready made rabbit run or building one ourselves. Looking around on the Internet and local pet stores the ready made runs seem waaaaay too small for even just one rabbit, although I have seen some online of a decent size but they are very expensive. I’m thinking that we could make one of whatever size we wanted for less than it would cost to buy one.

I live in a fairly well built up area but we are lucky enough to have quite a large garden compared to some of the other houses in our street. It’s not possible at all to bunny proof the garden so our best option would be to have a secure run with a shelter and some form of weather proofing (although I would only put them out if I knew the weather was going to be nice). We don’t have foxes where we live and I have never seen cats coming into our garden so I think our buns would be completely safe to be in a secure rabbit run.
What is everyones opinions on this?

[peppypoo]

Bunny runs can be fine as long as they are secure (no flimsy walls that they can push through or squeeze under) with some sort of overhead protection as well, and best of all, supervision. An ex-pen with some kind of covering (a sheet?) could be a good temporary run structure as long as people are around to keep an eye out for anything that might happen.

[MerlinsMom]

I was thinking something more like this: http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&biw=480&bih=268&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=rabbit+runs&oq=rabbit+runs&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.12..0j0i5l3j0i24.96249.99797.0.104063.16.11.0.0.0.0.734.1038.3-1j6-1.2.0…0.0…1ac.1.aSEKtEm7qd4#i=15

With a little hut inside and some toys etc and possibly something over a section of the top to create shade/waterproofing. Again though, I’d only be putting them out when it’s nice weather.

[Elrohwen]

I think it’s fine if the run is constructed well and there’s no way for the rabbit to escape or a predator to get in.

I don’t let my bunnies out because we have a crazy tick problem and I don’t want them picking some up in the yard.

[RabbitPam]

I agree with the covered run because it’s the predators overhead that can swoop down in the blink of an eye.
Another factor to be cautious about is pesticides on the garden. If you are far from neighbors with airborne chemical sprays and do not use your own, then it’s much safer. But in a well groomed neighborhood, there’s a risk of lawn and tree sprays being in your garden where bunny may eat.
I like the xpen suggestion, but by all means build something if you are handy and creative. Then show us pix.

[MerlinsMom]

Trust me, people in my neighbourhood aren’t garden proud… We’re lucky if some of them even cut their grass ever! Not great but it’s all we could afford! Not a lot of options when you’re a first-time buyer in the UK!!
At the moment I’m leaning towards building something but neither of us have ever made anything like this before so I’m worried it wont be sturdy enough, however it shouldn’t be too complicated right?

[Bam]

I built an outdoors run for my rabbit last year, but he didn’t spend much time there because most days last summer were rainy. The netting must be weld mesh, not just ordinary chicken-netting because small predators like weasels and ferrets can easily bite through chicken-netting. And your bunny need to have shots against myxie and RHD since both diseases are common in England and very deadly, but I guess you know that.

I don’t have a picture of the run but it has netting on all sides, top and bottom as well so predators won’t get in and the rabbit won’t dig himself out.

[Author]

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