Topic: Rabbit help please

[southernsteve]

Hi all.

My daughter has now got her new rabbit but I keep on getting different advice from people and would be greatfull if anybody could clear up one or two issues.

The rabbit is now around 9 weeks old and was born and kept outside in a run and hutch by it's previous owners. It will be kept outside once old enough as apposed to being a house rabbit.

Since we brought it home last Sunday it has been kept inside at night, getting loads of attention, and being put out in a run in the garden during the day. The run has a small hutch in so it can hide or shelter from the rain.

The intention was to let it out in the run during the day whilst we are at work, the run being moved around the garden on a daily basis, and then moving it to a big hutch at night.

I was told today in a pet shop that it should not be out not be allowed to eat the wet grass as it can get some stomach problem. Also to put wire on the base of the run to stop it tunneling under and escaping. I have also been told not to let it out when it's raining, even though it will have somewhere off the ground to shelter.

Bearing in mind the rabbit was brought up out doors, are any of the above correct. I can understand the tunneling, though would it be able to tunnel that quickly to get out? As for the grass it certainly appears to be more than happy with it's lot and it seems a shame for it be locked up in a hutch for a good part of the day, rather than running around it's run.

Many thanks for any help, Steve

[Lauren S]

I know nothing about keeping rabbits but I googled and found this info for you. I hope it answers some of your questions.

Lauren  :)

http://www.rabbitworld.com/rabbit-cages.html

[debster]

if its any consolation i kept rabbits for years when growing up and ours had the freedom of the run or the hutch all day and never came to any harm i always let mine out on the wet grass with no problems, wild rabbits eat wet grass, yes they do dig and they can dig very deep not sure they would get out in a day may not be worth the risk of finding out, as ours got older they had the run of the garden sorry i cant be more specific

[shirlton]

I have 2 house rabbits and I got all the help and advice I need from the Rabbits United web site. They know every thing there is  to know about rabbits. Hope it helps

[*Joanne*]

You have to be careful with young rabbits causes bloating or diarrhea. In the wild a rabbit will eat a very different diet.But most people will keep a rabbit on a dry diet a young rabbit should have veg added very slow so they say.I never did that as my rabbits had a veg hay and a little dried food diet.I must of done ok as Ollie lived  9 years .

i never had wire on the bottem of my run but then i would never have them out when i couldn't watch them anyway.We have too many cats dogs foxes in my area for them to be safe.They chewed the run wire so they could get out in the end.My rabbits in the end lived in the house in a big room i liked it that way.

[flowerofshona2007]

I agree with Joanne ! as a British rabbit council show judge for 10 years and a breeder for 15 years the problems start when rabbits are only fed a dry diet from birth ! there gut can not take fresh food and bloat and mucroid enteritis are frequent killers.
Being put on wet grass for rabbits not used to it can kill them as they have been in dry hutches and their feet and skin is just not used to coping with the damp, its like a human  being thrown outside naked on a wet night  ;D
If your rabbit is used to greens it should be fine but make sure there is a dry area they can get to.
Remember myxi  is still about and having them inoculated before August would be a good idea (the mites that carry it are more prevalent between August and first frost).