Flemish Giant & New Zealand in bad enviorment?

[cinnybun2015]

So, I was at a place called Creature Conservancy. They have lots of rescued animals, like from former pets and animals that have been bred at zoos but can’t be kept anymore. There were two rabbits, a Flemish Giant and a New Zealand. They were kept in an outdoor pen. There was ample space- however, there was only a small wood house for shelter… and no pelleted food I could see, only wet hay on the ground? Didn’t look like Timothy hay, but I could be mistaken. The buns were so sweet, the New Zealand binkied when petted on the head. There were chickens in a pen near the rabbits. One chicken flew into the rabbit pen… which just didn’t seem safe. I can’t go back and make a complaint, because the rescue is in a different state and I was merely there for Thanksgiving break, visiting family… Wondering what to do? Should I write a letter? 

[Mimsy]

If the shelter as large enough for both bunnies and is protected from the weather then it’s probably good. Pellets I don’t believe are necessary for rabbits as long as they have unlimited hay and fresh greens. Free feeding pellets is not so hot anyways, so it’s possible they do feed them once or twice daily. From what you’ve described, the only real concern I have of the chicken flying in is that that means there is no barrier wire on the top of the pen to keep predators out.

I keep my bunnies indoors, so I understand that for most of us it seems not so hot to see an outside bunny. I had a neighbor several years ago who had two bunnies in an outside run with their 5 chickens. They had a large enclosed yard with a large tree type house for all. There was stairs going up into it. I’d see the chickens and bunnies laying next to each other out there. There is probably a risk of someone getting hurt, but I never saw any kind of aggression between my neighbors rabbits and chickens. I definately would not of called it abuse. It was a very lovely yard for the animals, with lots to do. There was a small shallow pond, stepping stones, with thyme growing between them and the rest was mostly grass. There was a large tub of sand. They would go out and feed a ton a greens to the chickens and rabbits daily, mostly turnip and carrot tops, as well as a few other greens. If I was a rabbit I can’t say I’d complain about such a nice place.

[cinnybun2015]

Thank you, Mimsy, for your detailed response. The only concern that I had was, like you, that there was not much protection to the space. There was wire and fence so that the rabbit couldn’t jump out, but there was nothing on the top to protect against hawks, chickens, predators, etc. Also, the hay seemed wet from the recent slushy rain. I used to keep my rabbit outdoors until I found out how it wasn’t good for her and brought her in. Whenever she was given kale, our free-range chickens would run towards it and steal it… there were no veggies for the rabbit, either, and I understand that free-feeding isn’t healthy. But pelleted food is an important part of a well-rounded adult diet… I am drafting a letter currently for the rescue center. Thank you again.

[tobyluv]

I think it would be good for you to draft a polite letter to the rescue, listing your concerns.

Any rabbits outside should be in a totally predator proof enclosure, which means enclosed on all sides, including the top. You don’t want hawks flying in or any other predators climbing or jumping over the fence. I doubt that the rescue would build such a structure, but they should definitely have a large enough wooden shelter for them, and they should have a place to put their food where it stays dry. I have always heard that chickens should not be kept near rabbits because chicken poop is liable to draw flies, and no one wants the rabbits to suffer fly strike.

[Author]

Messages