Albert
Well-known member
This is just our experience of keeping our rabbits in tractors but it might be useful if you're considering it for your own set up.
The Good
Plenty of exercise space which we think has helped a lot with behaviour.
If your tractors are in an area that you spend time in you can keep an eye on what's going on with your rabbits without having to make a purposed visit.
We use virtually no hay throughout the year even though its always available if they want it.
Housing clean up is next to nothing. They have been cleaned twice since last August because we wanted to freshen it up, not because it was soiled.
The kits have figured this out as well and we have done two clean ups in six weeks.
Pellet consumption is pretty low because of the grass available even in the winter.
They get the option of placing themselves indoors, in shade, in sun and quite often in light rain if they fancy it.
We've never seen the kits pursue their Mom for milk might be a fluke might be the habitat?
Your lawn gets mowed for free!
Not Sure
Since having her Kits Pixie has pretty much lived outside of the hutch. She goes in for feed and to feed the babies but we're pretty sure she's spent some pretty cold nights outside under the roof section. Obviously that's up to her but when it snowed we placed a cover over the whole tractor to give her some extra protection. The summer will be fine but we are re-thinking for next winter.
The Bad
Our tractors are a bit heavy and it takes two of us to move them every two days.
Wild rabbits have visited and sprayed our buck.
If you feed with a trough babies will dig in it and we've found pellets outside on the grass which are a bugger to pick up.
They are an enormous time waster and we spend far too much time just sitting watching them.
Everyone has grassed stained feet so probably not good for fibre or show rabbits.
You may have personal relationship problems because my wife's new phrase is " Oh you're picking flowers for your girlfriend again!" because I can't resist picking dandelions for Pixie and her kits
The Good
Plenty of exercise space which we think has helped a lot with behaviour.
If your tractors are in an area that you spend time in you can keep an eye on what's going on with your rabbits without having to make a purposed visit.
We use virtually no hay throughout the year even though its always available if they want it.
Housing clean up is next to nothing. They have been cleaned twice since last August because we wanted to freshen it up, not because it was soiled.
The kits have figured this out as well and we have done two clean ups in six weeks.
Pellet consumption is pretty low because of the grass available even in the winter.
They get the option of placing themselves indoors, in shade, in sun and quite often in light rain if they fancy it.
We've never seen the kits pursue their Mom for milk might be a fluke might be the habitat?
Your lawn gets mowed for free!
Not Sure
Since having her Kits Pixie has pretty much lived outside of the hutch. She goes in for feed and to feed the babies but we're pretty sure she's spent some pretty cold nights outside under the roof section. Obviously that's up to her but when it snowed we placed a cover over the whole tractor to give her some extra protection. The summer will be fine but we are re-thinking for next winter.
The Bad
Our tractors are a bit heavy and it takes two of us to move them every two days.
Wild rabbits have visited and sprayed our buck.
If you feed with a trough babies will dig in it and we've found pellets outside on the grass which are a bugger to pick up.
They are an enormous time waster and we spend far too much time just sitting watching them.
Everyone has grassed stained feet so probably not good for fibre or show rabbits.
You may have personal relationship problems because my wife's new phrase is " Oh you're picking flowers for your girlfriend again!" because I can't resist picking dandelions for Pixie and her kits