Diaper Swappers

zacifer · 04-06-2012, 11:21 PM

We have a SMALL urban homestead. I love that our rabbit has a lot of room to run, but with so little land, I just look at it and want to plant it!!

So I'm wondering if there's anything I actually COULD plant in there that the rabbit won't bother. Garlic? Onions? Maybe my lavendar? I thought about doing my potato tower in there but remembered the leaves are harmful if consumed. Any suggestions?

On another note, the neighbor's cat keeps crapping in my veggie beds!!!! UGH! Tried and true cat repel suggestions welcomed!

Here's our rabbit run.

DH guesses its 12 feet by 15 feet ish. I hope to add another fruit tree in there. We have an apple in one corner already.

~happy2Bamommy~ · 04-07-2012, 12:05 AM

This may not be what you want to do but I'd just pen up the rabbit or really shrink the run

Ours are pets but we actually keep them in pens other than when we are petting them. It is so they are kept safe here (lots of critters will prey on them) and also so that their poo is piled under their cage for us to use!

3lilbubs · 04-07-2012, 12:21 AM

Is it only the one rabbit? I think one could do with less than half that space! I would also cover it over, hawks and owls don't wait, they'll take him in broad daylight even if you're just a foot away. We had one (mean) rabbit growing up and she'd eat anything so I wouldn't think anything could be saved from gnawing. I had wild rabbits take all my garlic and daffodils one year too. Normally dogs are good to keep cats out of the yard, but I'm guessing seeing as how yours is nuzzling the bunny he's not much good for that, huh?

zacifer · 04-07-2012, 02:06 AM

Well, I guess I could downsize her run. I HATE caging animals so I have to say that I just can't keep her pinned up in her hutch. I love that she is free all day. She has made a burrow and I just like that she is doing/behaving how she was intended to. Still, she relatively only poops in one spot, under her hutch. So gathering her droppings for fertilizer is no problem at all. Yes, only the one bunny for now. We started off with 3 but one died right away (she was the runt), and one ran away before we got used to the magicians that rabbits can be. The kids want a few more so once life calms down, we'll get "Butterfly" some friends. Bummer....wish there was something I could plant.

~happy2Bamommy~ · 04-07-2012, 07:11 AM

Maybe you could still plant. I was thinking on this last night.You have a really cute spot there. You could find an old table or two or even a picnic table and cover it with planters. Maybe even create a planting box that covers the top of the table? It would give you not only another use for the space, it would offer bunny a bit of protection from birds of prey and a nice shady spot too. If you used a picnic table top and the benches to house plants/planters, it just might end up looking like a tiny plant covered house once established?

Maybe just make her pen smaller?

I do think your bunny is very blessed.

cdwelton · 04-07-2012, 08:03 AM

You could plant in different spots and then just do a little circle of rabbit wire around the base to stop it from eating the plants or maybe do a raised garden. Whatever you do the rabbit will loose space but also it will enjoy the left overs from the garden. I think the table idea is a great one you just need to really watch from the dirt drying out in the summer. You could also funnel the extra water into a dish for the rabbit.

mebl0901 · 04-07-2012, 08:11 AM

I don't have any tips for you because I don't know much about rabbits but I just wanted to ask about that wooden fence. Did you build it yourself? Very nice!

zacifer · 04-07-2012, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~happy2Bamommy~

Maybe you could still plant. I was thinking on this last night.You have a really cute spot there. You could find an old table or two or even a picnic table and cover it with planters. Maybe even create a planting box that covers the top of the table? It would give you not only another use for the space, it would offer bunny a bit of protection from birds of prey and a nice shady spot too. If you used a picnic table top and the benches to house plants/planters, it just might end up looking like a tiny plant covered house once established?

Maybe just make her pen smaller?

I do think your bunny is very blessed.

This is a GREAT idea!!!! Thank you!!! I love that the bunny wouldn't lose any room but also gain a little hide out. By the way, she has a little burrow out there too. She's too cute. We DO get pretty hot here so small containers are tricky as they dry out, but my DH is handy and I'm excited as I envision him basically adding sides to the benches and top and making them into 3 raised beds. Does that makes sense. Those will dry out less fast than just putting plants in multiple pots up there. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm now on the look out for someone's old rotting out picnic table that they'd like us to haul away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mebl0901

I don't have any tips for you because I don't know much about rabbits but I just wanted to ask about that wooden fence. Did you build it yourself? Very nice!

Yes, we built it. We try to live pretty frugally and when it came to building our fenced off areas (we have the same fence around our front yard) we came up with this idea. Its basically a branch picket fence. DH sunk the corner supports in, which are not branches. My mom needed her property cleared of the Alanthus that was taking over. Basically, they're a tree that's a weed and was engulfing her shop fast. But they grow straight up with very few branches. Perfect for a project like this as the tall ones made great horizontals for the fence. They have rotted some over time, but mainly the small vertical ones which we replace with the branches we trim in our yard or at my mom's house. We love it. Thanks for asking. Oh, and with a bit of labor, we got two fences for the price of a few corner support posts and some concrete. Cheap!

zacifer · 04-08-2012, 01:34 AM

Oh! I just thought of something! Aloe! I bet she won't eat that! Not that I'm going to plant loads of it, but I'll plant what I want to in there with her even before we do the table top thingy.

AmberP · 04-11-2012, 11:49 AM

ITA About covering. My grandma had a rabbit run on her patio in Los Osos and a hawk got it after a couple weeks while we were sitting right there.

04-06-2012, 11:21 PM	#1
zacifer Registered Users Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California's Beautiful Central Coast Posts: 1,289 My Mood:	Planting IN the rabbit run? We have a SMALL urban homestead. I love that our rabbit has a lot of room to run, but with so little land, I just look at it and want to plant it!! So I'm wondering if there's anything I actually COULD plant in there that the rabbit won't bother. Garlic? Onions? Maybe my lavendar? I thought about doing my potato tower in there but remembered the leaves are harmful if consumed. Any suggestions? On another note, the neighbor's cat keeps crapping in my veggie beds!!!! UGH! Tried and true cat repel suggestions welcomed! Here's our rabbit run. DH guesses its 12 feet by 15 feet ish. I hope to add another fruit tree in there. We have an apple in one corner already.

04-07-2012, 12:05 AM	#2
~happy2Bamommy~ Four things come not back: The spoken word; the sped arrow; the past life; and the neglected opportunity. Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 21,741 Ratings: 407 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Planting IN the rabbit run? This may not be what you want to do but I'd just pen up the rabbit or really shrink the run Ours are pets but we actually keep them in pens other than when we are petting them. It is so they are kept safe here (lots of critters will prey on them) and also so that their poo is piled under their cage for us to use! __________________ The Gift of an Ordinary Day As of 4/8, I am stepping down as an Administrator. It has been an honor to serve the ladies of this site. Carpe Diem my friends!

04-07-2012, 12:21 AM	#3
3lilbubs Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: California Posts: 18,224 Ratings: 312 Feedback: 100%	Re: Planting IN the rabbit run? Is it only the one rabbit? I think one could do with less than half that space! I would also cover it over, hawks and owls don't wait, they'll take him in broad daylight even if you're just a foot away. We had one (mean) rabbit growing up and she'd eat anything so I wouldn't think anything could be saved from gnawing. I had wild rabbits take all my garlic and daffodils one year too. Normally dogs are good to keep cats out of the yard, but I'm guessing seeing as how yours is nuzzling the bunny he's not much good for that, huh? __________________ Liz - mama to four boys * Connor 11/16/02 * Riley 11/14/03 * Danny 8/23/06 * Wyatt 5/24/10*

04-07-2012, 02:06 AM	#4
zacifer Registered Users Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California's Beautiful Central Coast Posts: 1,289 My Mood:	Re: Planting IN the rabbit run? Well, I guess I could downsize her run. I HATE caging animals so I have to say that I just can't keep her pinned up in her hutch. I love that she is free all day. She has made a burrow and I just like that she is doing/behaving how she was intended to. Still, she relatively only poops in one spot, under her hutch. So gathering her droppings for fertilizer is no problem at all. Yes, only the one bunny for now. We started off with 3 but one died right away (she was the runt), and one ran away before we got used to the magicians that rabbits can be. The kids want a few more so once life calms down, we'll get "Butterfly" some friends. Bummer....wish there was something I could plant.

04-07-2012, 07:11 AM	#5
~happy2Bamommy~ Four things come not back: The spoken word; the sped arrow; the past life; and the neglected opportunity. Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 21,741 Ratings: 407 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Planting IN the rabbit run? Maybe you could still plant. I was thinking on this last night.You have a really cute spot there. You could find an old table or two or even a picnic table and cover it with planters. Maybe even create a planting box that covers the top of the table? It would give you not only another use for the space, it would offer bunny a bit of protection from birds of prey and a nice shady spot too. If you used a picnic table top and the benches to house plants/planters, it just might end up looking like a tiny plant covered house once established? Maybe just make her pen smaller? I do think your bunny is very blessed. __________________ The Gift of an Ordinary Day As of 4/8, I am stepping down as an Administrator. It has been an honor to serve the ladies of this site. Carpe Diem my friends!