Bugz, Anya and Rufus and the great move of 2011

[angelicvampyre]

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

 

[MimzMum]

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!

[angelicvampyre]

Thanks, I like that in the end bunnies like to run pretty much in a striaght line, I know when any of mine go outside the do a zoom right down the middle of the back yard so long stright pens have a lot going for them.

Cheers

G

[brittbritt]

I’m so glad everyone seems to be happy again. It can be so hard when the same species can’t stand another of their kind. I’m glad a happy medium occured. I love Rufus in the window. What a gorgeous bun.

[angelicvampyre]

Thanks, bugs chinned me tonight while having dinner and I had to stop myself from squealing out loud. It is great that everyone is getting on with just being happy.

[jerseygirl]

I’m sorry to read things got rough there for a while. It’s great that you’ve found a simple but very effective solution though! Hooray for harmony!

Bugz must have felt really threatened having Rufus nearby. Looking at that pic of Rufus it’s hard to believe. He’s too cute!

“They are down from 4 litter trays to one.” *jealous*

[Beka27]

That looks awesome! It reminds me of my set-up. You also could construct a wooden platform at one end for a little bit of vertical space later on! (And the nice thing is if life gets crazy and they don’t get out one day for exercise, it’s not the end of the world because they’re not cooped up in a tiny space!)

[angelicvampyre]

Yeah beka that is the plan, each pay check they are going to get some form of adition or new play items for the next 6 months (that’s 12 additions or extras) so hopefully i can switch things around for them. Bugz peed in EVERY corner last night but i cleaned it up and we back back to just stray poop today so hoping it was just a marking thing.

[Beka27]

Lol… he just wanted you to know that it’s HIS pen! That was a smart idea doing linoleum flooring. You’ll be able to just open the pen and sweep it out.

[angelicvampyre]

Or stick the vaccum over the top and suck it up! neither of my guys car about the vaccum, I have to be careful as I have sucked Bugz up once when he got to close!

[MimzMum]

Hogeeze, poor Bugz! 0_o I have a time with my cats as it is when it comes to vacuuming. I would feel terrible if I caught one of the buns with it!

I have yet to find the perfect vacuum…good suction (especially for animal messes) and as little noise as possible (for animal sanity).

[SamC]

That looks like a fun cage. I just had to comment when I saw that pic of Rufus on the bean bag chair. I used to have a bunny that LOVED bean bag chairs. I don’t know why, but he would spent all day at the tip top headrest part and just look out over his domain. So funny and so very very cute.

[Queensbun]

*sigh* I love a happy ending! You may wish to consider donating the extra litter pans to your local shelter. And have you considered selling the custom built hutch?

[angelicvampyre]

What I have done with the extra litter trays is cleaned them all and stacked them so i just switch out the litter trays every day and only have to clean trays once a week! Hutch will be going on e-bay.

Also left money with my friends boyfriend who will be doing improvements like building a shelf and also stablizing around the edges during this week. Also found a company that supplies the cotton lodge cardboard houses so going to order one of them today for the other then so that it gives them something more to play with.

Bugz has stopped peeing as long as Rufus does not enter his domain so that is a good thing, however for some reason they made a mess of the hay last night so I looked at that and just know what i will be cleaning up tonight!

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