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Everyone might remember that last year i saved up and got a custom built indoor hutch for Bugz and Anya and this hutch was the hutch to end all hutches, it was to be the greatest hutch in all the land and in fact it was a massive FAIL. What started out being a $300 custom built job turned into a $650 job very quickly and was in fact not what I wanted, it did not fit where I wanted it to fit and it was not what I had envisioned. Instead of being this fun light bright airy hutch it ended up being the dark smelling hutch from hell. The longer this went on the worse it got and I started feeling sick to my guts about leaving my two rabbits in there, to make matters worse because Rufus was in his hutch just outside of theirs Bugz took to peeing EVERYWHERE so the smell became horrible, no matter what I tired, no matter how many litter trays they had the pee wars where on. It did not matter that Rufus played no part in these wars it was all out war fare for Bugz. I tried everything and I even thought about having to re home Bugz and Anya but could not bring myself to do it. So I started to think outside the hutch, wondering if they would be happier outside away from me as they both seemed to hate me. I was at a loss with what to do.
After much soul searching I decided to switch things around and with the help of a friend I moved Rufus into the living room away from the other two. I then created a bones of what will be their new run using the Storage Cubes that I found at Bunning’s the other week. Their new run is just on 3 meters long and just under a meter wide. It needs a lot more work – getting a cardboard house to put in one end and going to build a second and maybe third level down the other, also looking at putting a border around the outside to stabilize it a bit more and also protect the wall.The change in my house has been amazing! Not only have the pee wars stopped (thank the bunny gods) but Rufus seems more settled, instead of being stuck in the corner of the office while I am at work, he is now in the central hub where all the other animals hang out (granted he is in his hutch but he can watch them all) he also has a view of the TV which I leave on the music channels a throw back to when I had birds in that room, you have to remember that Rufus does not believe that he is a rabbit, he in fact HATES with a passion all other rabbits so not being around other rabbits suits him just fine! I should have taken a picture but last night he managed to climb the cat scratching post and then he wants off he does a batman leap to the couch as he can’t climb down the post and he is in love with my cat so maybe he thinks he is a cat? When I am home he has run of the house and garden to do as he likes and if he is a good boy he sometimes gets to be in bed with me ( with the two dogs and two cats as he gets on with the cats and dogs unlike Bugz who tries to beat the crap out of them for looking at Anya).Bugz has had a complete 360 turn around, no longer is he lunging at me his aggression in his eyes, I am more about to socialise with them and in the morning and at night open their pen and sit in the door way while feeding them their veggie dinner (they will eventually have run of the room once bunny proofed under supervision). Today Bugz dragged his veggies across to me and sat on my lap while he ate which a month ago I would have been luck to be able to pat him without getting bitten. Anya still hates me but we are back to being happy to take a treat from my hand as long as I don’t try and touch her, which is the best I ever got before the move to the hutch from hell. They are down from 4 litter trays to one (oh how nice that is! But what to do with all my spare litter trays!) They binkyed for the first time that I know of for a year and I cannot tell you how much nicer the room smells!Add to this because it is one long pen and not and up down pen they can really run around more, I did not realise just how confined they where until I made this change. So yeah this post is to sort of get everyone up to date with how things have been going. I have been a bit awol as there was my confusion on what to do, I lost my job and was struggling with money but have since found a new one and am enjoying and finally have a solution that seems to work for everyone.Anyway if you managed to get this far then yeah and hope you enjoy the crappy camera phone pictures of the new run.Bugz checking out his new digs
Long Shot A
Long Shot B
Litter Tray End
Nom Nom Station
And so Rufus does not feel left out some free range shots of him
How much is that Rufus in the window?
MY Bean Bag! Aka the bean bag loaf
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That’s pretty darned cool and I wouldn’t have thought that a single level bun run would be all that interesting to a rabbit, but you’ve given me new hope for when I revamp my own bunnies’ habitats.
Nice job! And d’aww…how cute is Rufus?! ^_^
Love the pic of him in the window. Too precious!
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