that is a sticky situation. i’d prolly HAVE to say something and just search for a way to bring it up in a friendly nonjudgemental kind of way. maybe you could introduce her to this forum? mention how great the site is for learning about rabbit care? maybe think of something to say about rabbit care that you found out about and changed yourself. give her a small chance to rectify things if she just doesn’t know better. good luck!

I wouldn’t give her the shavings since you want her to learn better care for her bunnies. But you’re impulse is a good one.
Maybe you could make a little gift bag from your bunnies to hers, with some chew sticks, two treat cookies and a bit of hay at the bottom. On a note card say something like Hi Neighbor from your bunnies to hers. Just add that you are a member of a house rabbit website that you love and learned alot from, and here’s the website. That way you’ve given her the info. in passing, been neighborly, and she doesn’t need to reply.

( Edited myself here. I just had a vision of my coworker finding this website and reading my post. Old internet rule of thumb: never say anything in writing you don’t want the world to read.)

That said, You have to be prepared to disagree and drop the subject if it comes to that, but it’s hard when it’s a neighbor you can see.

Although you would hate to think of putting Dylan outside in a hutch, it is really common and not thought of as harmful generally by alot of the population. Obviously, with shelter and a run, they probably think it’s ideal. If I were you, I’d use my love of rabbits to approach them. Say you noticed they have a pair, and since you have one and absolutely love rabbits, you wanted to see if you could meet theirs. Or something like that.

You may find the subject of litter training or something may come up and you can impart some of your knowledge. They may naturally grow curious about your rabbit and set up and begin to learn about house rabbits over time. I would just be careful trying to “convert” (lol) them on first meeting, as they may take offense and shut you off. Then there’s no further opportunity to talk rabbits and help out.

If you do refer them to BB.com, just explain it’s house rabbit community and it’s pretty pro-indoor living. But it still has alot to offer about general health and care. Also, be aware that this thread about them is on here!!

This is tough. Many people I’ve talked to seem to think their buns are *so spoiled* b/c they get food everyday, and they have a *big* cage or hutch and every once in awhile they get held or allowed to play outside of the cage.

Then they see MY BUNS. And then they realize that, wow… their buns are NOT spoiled… at all.

I would go slow… just comment that you saw her buns, can you go over and meet them? And pet them if they’ll allow it, have a little chew stick or treat in your pocket. And every time you see her (or him), make a point to ask how the bunnies are doing. It’s very likely that they’re going to “forget” they have bunnies, but YOU WILL NOT forget.

The big problem with showing a lot of interest in a friend/neighbor/coworker’s bunny is that it’s ALMOST inevitable that the time comes when you are offered the bunny. Sometimes just for pet sitting that becomes permanent, sometimes they guilt you into it by taking such awful care of the bun that you feel it’s your obligation to step in and say, “hey… would you mind if I had your bun?” I’ve even seen before where the rabbit developed a medical problem and the owners REFUSED to get it taken care of… so you not only inherit a bunny, you inherit all those vet bills. These things don’t usually end well… they feel attacked or lectured or shunned… you feel taken advantage of.

I would just be aware of what you are possibly setting yourself up for.

Do you know for a fact that they are the same sex? Are they young (pre-puberty) b/c if they are, they may need to be separated later on due to hormonal fighting.

It’s possible that they just don’t know any better  Pet stores will tell them that’s how bunnies should be cared for and the books that the pet stores sell will say that as well.  A lot of people don’t think to look up information on the internet because they have a BOOK and that must be THE book and the best know how on the subject.

When we got Thumper from that horrid little shop the check out girl was telling me how I should move him and my other two outside and put them all together in a hutch and that he’d LOVE it.  I argued that no, I didn’t think they would love it..that it’d be lonely and scary and that my two are litter trained and do very well inside as members of our family should be..and she argued and argued and looked at me as if I was the one who was being “mean” or “harmful” to the bunnies well being…  So, if this person got the bunnies from a shop or from a farm..this is probably how they were told to take care of them and they probably have never even thought of bringing these “barnyard animals” into their house. 

Is the 4X4 a completely separate area from the 1.5 x 3 hutch?  If it is it doesn’t sound as if they’re all that squished…if the run is a separate amount of space and they have free access to that run at all times..although I do think that being outside is not the best environment at all and chances are this is either going to be a same sex match that’s going to fight or an opposite sex match that’s going to equal babies since I don’t think they sound like the type to know to get the bunnies speutered either…

I’d strike up a conversation and mention that there’s a lot of good bun info in the BinkyBunny site. If they start reading here, they’ll learn what they need to know. Hmmm… maybe this thread should be taken down so the neighbors won’t know we were talking about them!

I agree with what’s been said “say you love rabbits and ask to go over to see hers”. Hopefully that will strike up some bunny conversation and you can go from there.

If you do recommend she comes onto the site, we could delete the thread for you. I hope you can make some headway without seeming too “in her face”.