With the natural love for outdoors borne out of their nature, rabbits need to be brought out of the house for sunlight and for exercise. To cope with this particular need of your rabbit a fox proof rabbit run could be the best way to deal with it. Alternatives are large rabbit hutches.

Fox proof rabbit runs

Rabbits are prey animals. Because of this, they are subject to attack by their predators. It does not matter whether they are in the city or in the country.

In the city, there are the dogs and some untamed or strayed cats. When a rabbit is attacked by any of them, if they are not killed, they may have broken bones or other injuries.

In the country, aside from dogs, feral cats, opossum, weasel. Birds of prey like eagles and hawks or even owls, raccoons and coyotes, and foxes could lurking just near by looking for a prey. The rabbit can be an easy target of their attack.

Because need for outdoor exercises and of course sunlight and a little freedom, you may have in your backyard one of those large rabbit hutches where they can be placed for the purpose. However, many prefer the fox proof rabbit run because they are supposed to provide even bigger space to run and offer the needed protection for the rabbit against would-be predators.

However, with a determined fox or dog, the wire protection if not of sufficient strength may be destroyed by the predator. Or even if the fox or dog does not succeed in getting the rabbit, the rabbit might react in panic.

When it does go into panic, it may run wildly back and forth inside the run; it may twist and bump and so on. In the process, it might get injured, breaks her back or even have a heart attack. This could result in its death.

Because of this possible eventuality, the effectiveness of a fox proof rabbit run comes into question. If there are no known predators in the place you are living, then even a fox proof rabbit run might not be necessary. However, in the country, there is always that probability that one of those predators could attack your rabbit.

One of the precautions that can be taken is do not leave the run unattended or left without anybody in the house who can hear or detect if something unusual or untoward is transpiring. Without anybody there, even the sight of the supposed attacker can cause panic in the rabbit and result in injury.

Inclement weather is also an enemy of rabbits. The rabbit however provides sufficient shelter from rain because of a house into which it can enter and stay.

Another problem that may encountered and which could expose your pet to danger is their inherent habit of burrowing into the ground. Should the rabbit run not have a wire mesh flat on the ground, and if the one supposed to take care or watch the rabbit while there in the yard, it might make a burrow that leads out of the fox proof rabbit run.

If this happens, you rabbit will be exposed to other dangers that may be present in your yard like poisonous plants; grasses or plants that have been sprayed with herbicide or fertilizer on the ground; and/or places within the yard infested with fleas that could cause anemia in your pet rabbit.

Another hazard is the presence of the deadly virus called myxomatosis which can be transmitted to the rabbit by insect bites.

Is there really fox proof rabbit run?

If physical contact with a fox and other predators are concerned, a fox proof rabbit run can really be fox proof. But because of the presence of the fox growling and attempting to bite the rabbit which is inside the run, the rabbit may panic and so cause injury or even heart attack on the rabbit, then no run can really be fox proof.

An alternative is the installation of a detector that will trigger the sprinkling of water or anything that can create a surprise on the attacker and cause it to scamper away.

However, real fox proofing is a combination of the physical things that you can do to make the run impregnable against any physical attack even by other predators for that matter and the presence and supervision of one of the members of the household of the pet owner. Any approach of any predator or whatever inimical things transpiring against the rabbit is detected earlier and prevented or stopped immediately.

And it is all worth it

Having a pet rabbit can take much of your time and effort and of course come money. However, if you love having a pet and the rabbit is your choice, everything you expend for the sake of your pet will actually come back to you in terms of the affectionate behavior toward you and the members of your family. It is therefore wise to invest in a fireproof rabbit run.