victoriabunny Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Hi all, I'm a newcomer to this forum but want some advice from you eglu-experts...my two buns are currently house-rabbits but need to become outdoor rabbits as they are very sweet but incredibly destructive and soon I won't have any house left! I ordered an eglu as I didn't want a huge hutch and run to take over my tiny garden, and I liked the look of it. It's arrived today and to be honest I feel a bit disappointed...it's smaller than I thought it would be and I'm worried my buns (mini lops) won't have enough room to doze comfortably in. I don't know whether to keep it or send it back and buy a hutch/run combo (which would also be cheaper!). What do you guys think - are you all really happy with your eglus? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 You'll be fien Victoria, I have two (rather large) mini-lops and they love their pink rablu. They spend all their time out in the run, which I have covered with a shower curtain to keep them dry. They refuse to sleep in the rablu (bunnies are very active at night and don't appreciate being shut in), and prefer to have their litter tray in there. Theyrace around the run at the rate of knots, have a snooze in the day, then race aroound again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriabunny Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 Thanks for that reassurance Claret. I suppose I'm just worried because up until now my buns have led a cosseted existence in the house with no exposure to the elements! So you don't have a hutch for yours, they just live in the eglu all year round? I saw on another thread that you got your two from Ross rabbits...so did I, so ours are probably cousins of some sort! My two (Albert and Victoria) were from Jinty's litter (black otter butterfly bun). Karen is so lovely, I want to do the right thing for two of her precious babies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriabunny Posted July 27, 2007 Author Share Posted July 27, 2007 Well...after it's been in its packaging for two days, I have finally set my eglu and run up today...and it's not great news I'm afraid. I still don't like it - it was a pain in the neck to set up (the person I spoke to on the phone when I was making enquiries about the eglu told me two things which have turned out to be completely untrue - one was that the internal dimensions are 2 feet 8, when it's actually less than two feet, and the other was that it's easy to take apart and transport. No way!) Anyway, Albert and Victoria have moved in and just look miserable to be honest. They're just sitting in the run and not moving. Perhaps it's because they're used to being allowed supervised, free range access to the garden and don't understand why they're now penned in, I don't know. I still think the house is very small indeed - my two could just lie down comfortably in there. I don't see how you could keep "three medium-sized rabbits" in there as Omlet claim...so I think I shall be phoning them and asking them to come and pick it up - I've seen a 6x4 hutch on ebay with attached run which is cheaper and would give them more space. It will be harder to clean and won't look as nice in my garden (the eglu does look lovely, I admit) but I think it will make my rabbits happier.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasperrabbit Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 we have four rabbits in our eglu - they spend a lot of time in the garden as well, and they are more than happy in the run and Eglu and cuddle up together every night and share food bowl and water. We had a fox in the garden when we had two rabbits in a hutch and two in the eglu and when we scared the fox off, all four rabbits bolted into the eglu and have lived there ever since.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 Thanks for that reassurance Claret. I suppose I'm just worried because up until now my buns have led a cosseted existence in the house with no exposure to the elements! So you don't have a hutch for yours, they just live in the eglu all year round? I saw on another thread that you got your two from Ross rabbits...so did I, so ours are probably cousins of some sort! My two (Albert and Victoria) were from Jinty's litter (black otter butterfly bun). Karen is so lovely, I want to do the right thing for two of her precious babies! Karen is lovely, isn't she? My two girls are from a litter by Iona and Joey, so one is fawn with a white tum and the other is a harlequin; fawn with blue/grey markings. They love their rablu and enjoy the freedom of being on the grass. Bunnies don't tend to do much during the day, unless they're in new territory, when they will explore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lottie Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 My two bunns are both in the eglu and i think personaly they have plenty of room. I thought it was small when i first got it but you will grow to like it just like I did Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyLizzie Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 I bought an eglu off ebay - I'm really pleased with it. I had a little wobble at first (about the amount of cash, do the rabbits like it. I could get a much cheaper hutch and run.etc.etc.) but now I'm really pleased - the bunnies are really happy and do great big happy jumps while tearing around in the run. They also love to stretch out on the grass on warm days and sleep. They have more space than in a conventional hutch (which they also have and which I HATE cleaning out) and they love being outside in all weathers. They did take cover in the eglu bit today during the major downpour, though. I just need to put some wire under the run so I can leave them in there all night - at the moment I put them back into their hutch - they are bound to try and escape at night otherwise! It is a lot of money but I have less cleaning out to do now as they use the far end of the run to poo in and after 6 years of wooden hutches I am sick of the s"Ooops, word censored!"ing and scrubbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Have you thought about putting a clear waterproof cover over the eglu run? I use an IKEA shower curtain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyLizzie Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Yes - I've seen this mentioned before - just haven't got round to it yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Know what you mean. My girls were thankful of it with the downpours we've had this afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy-Mama Posted September 26, 2007 Share Posted September 26, 2007 I like the rablu too, I was a bit worried when I first got it as I was worried it would be cold with the door open but Benji seems fine (got him a snuggle safe heat pad just in case) and like Clairet's bunnies he sleeps during the day and runs about at night. He does a circuit in the rablu out the rablu jumps over his log cabin (in his run) runs through his tunnel then back into the rablu, very cute. and seems to have plenty of room. He also uses the far corner of the run for his toilet but last week I got him a litter tray and he is now litter trained (I'm very proud of him ) so that saves the grass too as it was going a bit yellow. Anyway I think it's a good thums up for the rablu in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 26, 2007 Share Posted September 26, 2007 Well done with the litter training Jen Not you, the bunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunniesrus Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 We also have two buns (ned dwarf & polish dwarf) in a rablu - they didnt have much room to run around & the standard rablu pen is less than RSPCA advised space for a run. Have now bought an EXTENSION. Much better - buns can pick up some speed before turning round & chasing back - suggest you do the same. Oh... and make sure youve got 2 buns ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy-Mama Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 Hello bunnierus, I didn't realise the run didn't meet RSPCA standards for size can you post what the recommended size should be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 ...Look Here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 I have two rather large mini lop buns in an eglu run and they are fine - they get loads of exercise chasing around it and are far happier in there than in their luxury duplex wooden hutch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyLizzie Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 I have 2 dutch rabbits in an eglu and they prefer it to their wooden hutch. The sleeping areas on the RSPCA site seem v.large - my bunnies always snuggle in corners, and quite often outside - even in the winter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 Same here, I have a small and medium sized bunnies they love their rablu, I have the converter, which makes the run well over 9ft, so you could consider this, if space allows and may put your mind at rest! Mine like many bunnies dont sleep int he rablu, so I bought them a plastic dog bed they love it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 I must admit that the rabbits my children had when they were small never had hutches with dimensions as lavish as they recommend. They had plenty of room and were well looked after though. If I had a penny for the number of pet rabbits I have seen confined to inadequate hutches, with no run at all I'd be well off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy-Mama Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 Thanks for the link. I guess according to that the Rablu is too small too but Benji does seem happy in it. It's maddening how much advise I got and books I read before getting a rabbit (even phoned and emailed Omlet) and still missed the dimensions bit. Though i think he is happy, he never tries to run away and if i open the run door and sit back a bit he will jump onto my knee but never runs off just goes back to his run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicki9 Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 Our rabbits are far happier in the rablu, even more so now we've got the converter. They love the length and the height. The eglu is far bigger than the sleeping area in their old hutch, (which was RSPCA approved) This is because the hutch was divided into two and half of it had a big hole in the floor to get down to the run area. The rablu is a much better use of space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
