balti Posted September 24, 2010 Share Posted September 24, 2010 Hi. Im assuming when the winter/bad weather comes - both rabbits will take themselves off inside the eglu to keep warm? Mine only go in there to wee and grab there food, even then they run into the run to eat it. I have been reading up on another topic saying not to shut them in!!? So how to you keep them in there in the warm when the snow and ice comes? thanks for any ideas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriabunny Posted September 24, 2010 Share Posted September 24, 2010 You don't, is the short answer. Rabbits don't take themselves to bed in the same way as chickens or guinea pigs do. They will prefer to sit in the run all year round - especially if as many do, they use the house as a littertray - they won't want to sleep where they poo and forcing them to do so will distress them. This is a flaw with the eglu for rabbits in my opinion as most seem to instinctively use it as a toilet, and won't therefore use it as a house even in bad weather but there isn't anywhere else sheltered for them to sleep (in a conventional hutch, they can at least pick a corner for toileting in and take shelter in another area). You mustn't shut them in the house as it is far too small - rabbits must not be enclosed in a space less than 5 feet by 2 feet. So your options are either let them stay out all night - they will probably choose this even in a blizzard if the house is their littertray - and make the run as sheltered as possible for them (put a shower curtain over it, and you could try giving them a covered box or something in the run but they may not use it) or get them a hutch at least 5 feet long to shut them in at night, before transferring them to the eglu in the morning. When I had mine in an eglu they always chose to sit outside, even in the rain, because the house was their toilet. When I switched them to a hutch, they had a littertray in the corner and would sleep on the opposite side as far away as possible. I propped the hutch door open in the day so they could come and go as they pleased - they always chose to go in during the rain which suggests they don't like sitting in it, but they hate sitting in their toilet (ie the eglu) even more. Personally I wouldn't keep rabbits in an eglu again for that reason - in effect it forces them to sit outside as they won't sleep in their toilet, and getting them to use a different area to toilet in is very difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 Well thats good news - what a waste of money then. We are quite open so they are going to get cold in winter unless they use the house,and im sure your right, they dont show any interest in being in the house at all. Surely im not the only person with this problem? IF this is a common problem then they should stop selling them as rabbit houses as they are not cheap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagesguineas Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Hi I have exactly the same problem with my two rabbits, in their old hutch they were immaculately toilet trained however since I bought them the Eglu they have abandoned their old habits and instinctively go to the toilet in the Eglu. This didn't matter so much in the summer as they would stay in the run all night -it is warmer and they have a winter shade in-case it rained. However I've been getting steadily more and more worried about them as it gets colder so today I went and bought a large hutch that I am going to fit to the door end of the Eglu to give them somewhere to rest in when it's cold. I know it will be a pain to get into the Eglu from the run end now as I'll have to move the hutch but I see no other way of giving them the space of the run but the cosiness of a hutch that the Eglu just doesn't provide. Eglu's are great for summer but this issue makes them unsubstantial in the winter months in my opinion. Hope you find a solution! Catherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted September 28, 2010 Author Share Posted September 28, 2010 Sorry gonna have a rant now. Came home today and both rabbits were running around garden. This is the second time they have tunneled out. Eglu's may be fox proof but not rabbit proof. I know there is wire i can buy to spread alongthe ground to stop them digging - but its gonna be a pain when moving the eglu around garden, and now with them not going into the eglu other than to go to the toliet, Im wondering if its all worth it. The original wooden hutch i bought was 120 pounds now the eglu was 220 i pounds i think, bought second hand. Will have to think now of an alternative...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 hi balti, I've had the digging out problem too, and also find that my bunnies only use the rablu as a toilet. we are in the process of building a 12' square WIR for the chooks, and the rabbits are going to live in this with them, plus freeranging (electric fence in place) all day. the original plan was to attach the rablu to the WIR, but I am now thinking of not bothering, and simply giving them a nice cosy box/hutch inside the WIR to sleep in if they choose. but you can always sell your eglu, they do go for good prices on ebay etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasbadboy Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 We have this problem. They spend all night outside and the eglu is just a toilet. I guess it will be difficult to change this habbit now. I might try and keep them in the tunnel for a few days with the eglu door shut. This way i could introduce another litter tray inside the tunnel. Once they start using this i could open the eglu door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted October 7, 2010 Author Share Posted October 7, 2010 Hello. well we tried that. On sunday moved the eglu to another part of garden - cleaned out sleeping compartment and shut the door - Left both rabbits in run for 4 days so they would learn to wee and poo outside. I put stacks of clean bedding and straw in the house, opened it up. They shot in, mooched about...... Today i looked and they have wee'ed and poo'ed in it - and both sitting in their run...... Somebody who replied before you (sorry i dont have the name now, said they had same prob and are building a WIR for their chicks. They are gonna put their rabbits in with the chicks. I thought chicks will peck the rabbits as they have shiney eyes and catch the attention of the chicks.. they say not to mix... I also have both and sometimes the chickens try to peck the rabbits through the mesh.. Anyway - I really dont think the eglu's work for rabbits - wish i knew before i bought one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasbadboy Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Ok so it looks like that idea may not work. I may design a section that fits onto the end of the run when you open the door? This would provide the Rabbits warmth in the winter and would be removed in the summer. If i come up with anything decent i will put up some pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 it is me that is putting the rabbits in with the chooks. I have heard that they dont mix, but we have done it with no problem for years now, and I think as long as there is enough space and escape routes/hidey holes for everyone it is fine. still cant make up my mind whether to continue using the rablu though!! what do people who keep their bunnies in traditional hutches find, do they use the sleeping compartment as a toilet? its so long since I've had rabbits in a hutch that I cant remember! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 well today we moved the bunnies into the WIR - they are the first occupants! they seem to love having 12 sq ft to bound around in, which probably makes up for the lack of digging opportunities in the short term at least. needed to move them in there today, because a) the tunnelling was getting excessive and b) I needed to put one lot of quail into the rablu/run set up. so for tonight, they have a flowerpot on its side, plus a tunnel, and ACRES of space! I am kind of wondering what to put in there in the longterm for sleeping - should they want to. I think possibly our old rabbit ark might be the best option - they can both get in, they can both stretch out, and hopefully they wont choose to use it as their toilet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted October 10, 2010 Author Share Posted October 10, 2010 Sounds great. We used to have a WIR in our last house. Chickens loved it - since moving 1 year ago they are not so happy even though they have extention on cube and are let out every day. I made the big mistake of not cleaning/ changing the chips in run enough and It really irritated them - loss of feathers and a red burn - i believe from the build up of wee. I just thought they were pecking each other - live and learn - i now use horse bedding. - the big flakes - works better as much easier to move around - but the a couple of the chickens have never really recovered. In the WIR this was never a problem Rabbits are still a worry - we not sure what we are gonna do with them in the winter. We have put a plastic mesh under their run but they have already chewed a hole - next step is metal but didnt want to use that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted October 10, 2010 Share Posted October 10, 2010 yeah, I've got aubiose on order for the WIR. Sapphire and Lily are happy as larry in the WIR, and I have had fun this morning adding chicken entertainment!! which seems to make the bunnies happy too. however I will need to give them some kind of sleeping area once the girls move in, just hoping they wont simply poo and wee in it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted October 11, 2010 Author Share Posted October 11, 2010 What is aubiose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 it's a kind of horse bedding, I've never used it before but people on here swear by it. there are other cheaper alternatives now I think, but there's not that much difference in price (although delivery charge is another matter). until I'm ready to put the chooks into the WIR the bunnies are fine with what they have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted October 11, 2010 Author Share Posted October 11, 2010 well good luck with your venture! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted October 13, 2010 Author Share Posted October 13, 2010 well the rabbits got through the mesh and both spent a evening and night out fending for themselves. Just could not catch them - especially in the dark as they are both black. This morning I spent time dragging out old wooden hutch and nailed thick metal mesh to the bottom - and managed to catch them as they both luckily went into the cube run and i locked them in. They are now both in their original house - cramped but safer and warmer now for the winter. I will change the eglu back to a chicken one and try and use it to introduce 2 new chickens over the winter whilst buying a bigger wooden, more secure house for the rabbits as a permanent home. Watch out as my eglu will be up for sale in the spring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 well the rabbits got through the mesh and both spent a evening and night out fending for themselves. Just couldnot catch them - especially in the dark as they are both black. This morning I spent time dragging out old wooden hutch and nailed thick metal mesh to the bottom - and managed to catch them as they both luckily went into the cube run and i locked them in. They are now both in their original house - cramped but safer and warmer now for the winter. I will change the eglu back to a chicken one and try and use it to introduce 2 new chickens over the winter whilst buying a bigger wooden, more secure house for the rabbits as a permanent home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagesguineas Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Hi, I posted earlier on in this thread. We had exactly the same problem and last weekend we went and bought a wooden hutch and run secondhand, costing £50. The hutch is huge and has a lovely sleeping area, and the run is about the same size as the eglu run. I was initially fearful of them toileting in the bed part but I went down Monday morning and they had been angels and gone in their litter tray. We are now thinking of using a piece of old carpet to put inside the hutch (now we know they wont mess on it) under the straw to keep them extra warm. We are also insulating the outside of the hutch and overall I am so much happier leaving them outside in the colder weather than I ever was in the Eglu. Therefore Eglu is now for sale! I think for some rabbits they are excellent, but for buns who just see the plastic litter tray as a toilet they are not useful at all! If I had a WIR I'd definitely go for a wooden hutch and have a cat litter tray worth £4 for toileting business, rather than the buns using the Eglu - worth £300plus - as a toilet. Catherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 Hi Catherine Thanks for that. We have them in the old hutch and will be looking for a bigger one plus run. Glad you have found a large one for such a good price. With our rabbits using eglu as a toliet and constantly digging out, even with a mesh on the floor - I will be looking for one sturdy run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasbadboy Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 We have cracked it.... After my bunnies refused to sleep in the eglu i tried this and it worked... 1. Removed the hay and water bottle holder from inside the eglu and placed it on the back of the door at the end of the run. 2. I purchased a litter tray and placed it at the end of the run. 3. I have covered the end of the run with artificial grass to make that section waterproof . This keep the food and litter tray dry. 4. Inside the eglu i removed the bottom tray to create more space inside. 5. I then fitted the largest box i could find inside the eglu. Filled it with bedding and cut a small entrance hole in the front. The last two night my bunnies have slept inside the box inside the eglu...nice and snug. My plan is to eventually remove the box and keep the same bedding in the eglu and finally return the water bottle holder. I will post some photos soon.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted October 18, 2010 Author Share Posted October 18, 2010 blimey you are imaginative. Welldone. We have since moved them out of the eglu - we had another issue of constant digging too - and i cant bear the agro of catching them again. Pleased you have found a way to work the eglu! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasbadboy Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 We have no trouble with the rabbits digging out of the run because we have them on artificial grass. My initial concern was they would try and eat it but i guess it didn’t taste good. It looks like the genuine item and every couple of weeks we remove the eglu and just sweep the grass...good as new again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
