Taking him Outside

[JessL]

I have a huge run out in my garden for Chief, but I was wondering what would be the best way to get him out there? I was thinking If i carried him out there he might start panicking about the change of surroundings.

Should I let him get used to the rest of the house first? (he has yet to venture out of my room, even though my door is open).

[babybunsmum]

good question.  i’m interested to hear what others experiences are.  my bun Baby has a whole spare bedroom to herself and has the freedom to roam most of the time.  i only close the door when i’m not home… since i work from home she has most of the day with an open door.  she only very rarely left her room before & i thought it was just her nature & left it up to her. 

since she has recovered from her surgery she has been so affectionate that i want to spend more time with her & i began carrying her into the living room to hang out with me & the dog during tv time.  she loves it.  the first couple of times she stayed 15-30 min. and then hopped back to her room.  now she stays until i put her back in her room.  she has even ventured out to the living room on her own a couple of times.  now i need to invest in another litter!

i guess what i’m trying to say is, i think it depends on your bun just how far they’ll explore on their own.  it seems to me a good idea to give them a nice solid chance to know where their own area is (tho i’m not sure how long a time this would be)  and after that i don’t think it’ll hurt to introduce different areas for supervised visits.  as for outside time… sounds like fun!  i believe there’s a link to info about outside buns which suggests some precautions that was informative.  if i find it i’ll let you know (or maybe some one else knows?)

[JessL]

Thanks

I might start sitting in the hallway and see if he will come take a look around. It’s pretty much summer here and would love him to be able to sit in the garden with him next to me!

[Scarlet_Rose]

Cuppycake, babybunsmum gave you some stellar advice!  As for outside, well there are those for and against it as it can be risky.  I am one that is for it, so long as it is a penned-in area with a top (predator prevention) and always supervised and passes muster with this handy-dandy guide from the HRS Rabbits Outdoors and Outdoor Hazards.  Definatley do not forget about keeping your rabbit out of the sun and not exposing them to a temperature higher than 80 degrees farenheit.  Here is an article on Summer and Winter Dangers from the CO HRS chapter. Be sure that your rabbit will not come in contact with any pesticide or fertilizer and any leaves or plants within reach are bunny-safe (we just had a discussion about oak leaves which are toxic). Fleas and ticks can be a hazard as well.

[babybunsmum]

ahh yes… thanks Scarlet_Rose!  those are the links i saw here before but couldn’t find

[JessL]

Thanks scarlet! It’s actually a custom built one, big enough for me to sit in with him, so he can stand up and has plenty of room above his ears, and can hop a good length without crashing into anything. It has a large part enclosed and covered which is completely waterproof. I’m never going to leave him there overnight or all day unsupervised. I just thought he would enjoy the fresh air while I’m out there too. By the time he gets to the rest of the house it will probably be winter anyway lol
Thanks for the links too I have them in my favorites

[babybunsmum]

wow Chief sure is a lucky bun!  sounds like a great set-up

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

One thing, see if Myxi is a problem in your area…If it is make sure your rabbit is vaccinated against it (and has been long enough for him to be immune) before taking him out.

I’ve taken mine outside on occasion…Kokanee was on a leash that I let dangle behind her and Kahlua was loose (too small for a harness), me and my boyfriend supervised them in a fenced in garden in a fenced in back yard. They loved it (the garden is full of vegetables that they can eat-carrots, beat tops, kale etc.) and it was fun watching them think they were feroscious wild rabbits who forge and look after themselves heheh

[Scarlet_Rose]

You’re welcome cuppycake and babybunsmum! I think I’ll place this dicussion in with the FAQ’s, so just in case you ever need to find it, it will be there.

[JessL]

Posted By Kokaneeandkahlua on 11/30/2007 2:33 PM
One thing, see if Myxi is a problem in your area…If it is make sure your rabbit is vaccinated against it (and has been long enough for him to be immune) before taking him out.

 

 

Thanks for that, I’ll ask my vet now actually.

 

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