- Jun 6, 2013
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Well, not quite 'suddenly'. I've had A female rabbit who I've let free-range for the last 3 years. Her territory is a few acres in size, all the neighbors love her (especially the horses!). She usually over winters in the brush pile.
Then Mr. Bunny showed up. Not sure what kind. Someone must've dumped him off. I've only known about him for about 4 weeks now, but some neighbors claim he's been around for at least 2 months.
So I caught both rabbits today. Been trying for quite awhile. They're stuffed together in your standard tiny wire rabbit hutch, shut in the dark pump house to keep them calm until I know where to put them. I know they'll survive the night in their if they have to, but I want to get this figured out fast.
I started setting up an outdoor pen. It's fenced on 2 sides with 4' 2"x4" welded wire fencing, and on the other 2 sides 3' high, same fencing. I tied all the corners in together, tied in 1" chicken wire 6-8" from the ground up to sides of the fencing, and from the sides inward, I tied in a combination of 1" chicken wire (closed to the edges of the pen), 2" chicken wire, and more welded wire fencing until the entire bottom was wired off. This includes a 2'x2'x18" 'hole' that's also fully lined with wire. I plan on covering it with a pallet, the pallet with a tarp, and that with brush and branches so they have a 'safe hole' to hang out in. I brought in a bit of dirt and tried to get the wire good and covered up to prevent foot-pokes. The whole pen is about 10x10, give or take, with a slim wire make-shift gate that's got 1" chicken wire all around it and large river rocks right in front to block any gap at the bottom.
*deep breath*
So! I just threw this together with scraps I had laying around. I abhor the thought of keeping rabbits in hutches. Yes, I realize it's easier, I realize there's a REASON people do it, but call me a stubborn pioneer. Before I release them into their little pen, are there any thoughts on weaknesses in the plan? The female is a black rex rabbit. The male is tan/brown/gold, smaller in body size but has a big blocky over-sized head. Both are short silky furred. I doubt they're able to fit through 2" wire gaps, but that's worry #1. Worry #2 is how high can they jump or climb? I am not sure the 3' fencing is high enough- they're awfully tall standing on those back legs! I'm toying with the idea of doubling-up fencing and bowing it inwards over the pen, like a dome, but it seems a bit over-kill if they can't get up 3' high.
And has anyone else successfully kept rabbits outdoors?
Then Mr. Bunny showed up. Not sure what kind. Someone must've dumped him off. I've only known about him for about 4 weeks now, but some neighbors claim he's been around for at least 2 months.
So I caught both rabbits today. Been trying for quite awhile. They're stuffed together in your standard tiny wire rabbit hutch, shut in the dark pump house to keep them calm until I know where to put them. I know they'll survive the night in their if they have to, but I want to get this figured out fast.
I started setting up an outdoor pen. It's fenced on 2 sides with 4' 2"x4" welded wire fencing, and on the other 2 sides 3' high, same fencing. I tied all the corners in together, tied in 1" chicken wire 6-8" from the ground up to sides of the fencing, and from the sides inward, I tied in a combination of 1" chicken wire (closed to the edges of the pen), 2" chicken wire, and more welded wire fencing until the entire bottom was wired off. This includes a 2'x2'x18" 'hole' that's also fully lined with wire. I plan on covering it with a pallet, the pallet with a tarp, and that with brush and branches so they have a 'safe hole' to hang out in. I brought in a bit of dirt and tried to get the wire good and covered up to prevent foot-pokes. The whole pen is about 10x10, give or take, with a slim wire make-shift gate that's got 1" chicken wire all around it and large river rocks right in front to block any gap at the bottom.
*deep breath*
So! I just threw this together with scraps I had laying around. I abhor the thought of keeping rabbits in hutches. Yes, I realize it's easier, I realize there's a REASON people do it, but call me a stubborn pioneer. Before I release them into their little pen, are there any thoughts on weaknesses in the plan? The female is a black rex rabbit. The male is tan/brown/gold, smaller in body size but has a big blocky over-sized head. Both are short silky furred. I doubt they're able to fit through 2" wire gaps, but that's worry #1. Worry #2 is how high can they jump or climb? I am not sure the 3' fencing is high enough- they're awfully tall standing on those back legs! I'm toying with the idea of doubling-up fencing and bowing it inwards over the pen, like a dome, but it seems a bit over-kill if they can't get up 3' high.
And has anyone else successfully kept rabbits outdoors?
