rabbit question for Patti

[Aspen]

Hello! I have a question about your "rabbit tractors" that you use on your raised beds. They look comfortable for the rabbits. I would like to create the same system at my place, but I do have one concern. What do you do in the winter? Are the bunnies OK in the tractor all winter? Do you have hutches that are more sheltered? I know it gets cold in the Boston area in the winter, possible colder than we get here in Indiana. Thanks so much.

BTW, I love the site and show your DVDs to anyone that will sit still long enough!

[gardengirl72]

You can give them more protection. I tarp part of it and have also added wood and built a little shelter for them. I also use a hearted waterer so that their water never freezes.

Thanks for your support!

[Aspen]

That makes sense! I would just like to have about six bunnies of some kind of miniature breed for my tractor. I love bunnies and have had so much fun with my one mini Rex and two Angoras.

I recently visited a friend in Oklahoma who I met on the Simple Living Network forum. We have corresponded for years. She loved your DVDs and we spent a lot of my visit watching them.

The best part is the inspiration, to use your techniques as a sound base and just run with it!

[gardengirl72]

I've got 4 rabbits in mine right now. All female by the way. I haven't breed mine for a couple of years. Thanks so much for watching my dvd and keep us posted.

[Karen]

I've just recently found your site and all the great info on chicken and rabbit tractors. Since 1 of my kids really wants rabbits, and 1 really wants chickens, and I want both, this looks great for us! However, I already have 3 raised vegetable beds I'd want to use them on, and they are 4'x4', not 4x8 like Patti's. (not nearly as tall either - just 10 inch boards)

What's the maximum # of rabbits I could put in that size tractor? These would only be pets, not meat rabbits, and we may get them from a rescue group, etc. so I don't know what size we'd get but don't have a big preference. Would 2 medium to large breeds be OK in 4x4?

I'll be adding more beds, but most will still probably be only 4x4, as dh doesn't want large beds taking over the lawn.:(

Oh, one more thing. We have a TON of wild rabbits around here - I live in a suburban neighborhood and there are not many predators, and the rabbits have really taken over - on an average walk around the block I'll see 10-15 rabbits just hanging out in front yards! i have dogs which keep them mostly out of our fenced backyard but they aren't outside all the time. so anyway, would it be risky for my pet rabbits' tractor to be on the grass, where wild rabbits have probably been at one time or another?
thanks!

[marlaynaisbell]

hi- i just saw your post from 7/09 & was wondering if you ended up building 4 x 4 rabbit tractors? if so, how did you do it? did they work? any predator problems? how many bunnies can you keep in a 4 x 4 tractor? i thinik patti has 4 in a 4x 8 tractor- any comments would be greatly apprecaited-

thanks-
MI

[East of Eden]

I'm kind of a lurker here (not a troll, a lurker:)), but wanted to post to this thread. We designed a similar idea we call a "Rabbit Ranger". They work like a charm. It has a covered nesting and resting area, and open section for grazing and fertilizing and even has handles for easy moving. We have totally solved the digging issue and haven't had a single escape with this design. For those interested, you can read about it (and see pictures) HERE (http://eastofedenfarms.wordpress.com/2010/10/10/now-on-display-the-rabbit-ranger-2-0/).