# What could I do with the decking??



## jackandsally (Aug 2, 2009)

Hi all, my two are house rabbits although my OH has penned off the top area of our garden so they can go on the concrete when we have the door open for the warmer weather, but it is a total eyesore and we have to climb over the pen onto the decking onto a plastic chair, then climb over the decking to get into the garden! (Think we're bonkers sometimes!) So as you can imagine it's a right carry on hanging the washing out or picking their herbs and when it's wet we just don't even try!

We have a big deck which my OH's mum built years ago, but it's not made from decking per se, it's just wooden lengths of wood so there is little gaps between the boards any ideas how I could make this a bit more bunny friendly? Any suggestions of anything I could put down on top of the decking so we could let them have the decking too? The gaps on the decking aren't huge, but I'd hate them to get their feet stuck and have an accident. Anyone got any experience of buns on decking??

The deck is a bit like this, but with fencing around


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## Cami (Apr 18, 2012)

how big are the gaps? doesn't look much different to my decking which the indoor buns go out on all the time


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## jackandsally (Aug 2, 2009)

The gaps are probably a little bigger than the picture, maybe 1.5cm. I'd go and measure it, but it's just peed it down again and I don't want to hop over the wet fence haha. Dillon is a mini lop, but has HUGE feet so I think he'd actually be fine, but Rosie has really slim little feet even though she's bigger than him so it's more her I'm worried about as she's not very graceful on her feet. I'd try and take some pictures, but my camera is dead, its painted blue too, but it's rabbit safe paint and they aren't chewers so my only worry is making it safe for their feet really. Just a shame there's all this space that they can't use. Need someone to come and design my garden for me with the rabbits in mind! 

They're free range and have the whole house during day times, but I would love them to have a bit more outside space too and make it easier for the humans to get into the garden as well!


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

if its just planed wood and is a little slippy then they might not like going out on it anyway my 2 hate lino. Apart from pulling it up and reducing all the gap sizes I dont think theres anything you can do, if you tried to fill the holes with wood filler it'd take forever and the rain would have no where to go.


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## jackandsally (Aug 2, 2009)

No it's just wooden planks so not slippy at all, it's just normal wood like a shed would be made from if you see what I mean? They're indoor on wooden floors in the living room anyway and the kitchen has lino and it doesn't faze them, so I think it would be more the worry of them getting their little feet hurt. It wouldn't be permanent just for when they're out there with us, so ripping it up or filling in the gaps aren't viable options really, since it's good decking apart from being not rabbit friendly lol 

I think my best bet might be to get a large bit of cheap carpet offcut and just lay that down for when they're outside, then roll it up and put it in the shed when we all come back inside. We have a couple bits of carpet in the living room in "their areas" like this so it should work. Just need the weather to improve a bit now and I'll test it out!


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

I personaly wouldnt worry about the gaps. Rabbits are pretty smart I think  Mine have a decking square as a shelf lol. Sure there are lots of people who have decking and rabbits 

*Heidi*


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## jackandsally (Aug 2, 2009)

I might just let Rosie on to the decking and see how she handles it before I get some carpet, although it's not really a hardship to get some if it'll make it easier for them. I just think if she binkys or does her insane running she might hurt herself as the gaps aren't all the same size so some might be big enough for her feet to slip down as she's a bit clumsy! Might give it a try tomorrow if the weather is nice see how they both like it. Will be a relief to not have to do a three stage assault course to hang the washing out, will only need to climb over the one fence if it works! :rolleyes5:

They have just had their claws clipped by the rescue we got Rosie from today so I want to do something nice for them haha spoilt rabbits!


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Lol, yeh give it a try. I wouldnt have even given it a thought for mine really, and I have all sorts of sizes, so all sorts of sized feet 

Actually just noticed your name - the nightmare before christmas fan? or just cool names? 

*Heidi*


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## jackandsally (Aug 2, 2009)

I think I worry too much about her, she's not had the best start in life at all and if there's some way she can get stuck under a cabinet or in a box she will do! So I don't trust her lol. Yep a nightmare before christmas fan, should see our living room quite a few snow globes and figures, and I have a tatoo on my shoulders of them in a heart I designed a few years ago (not as awful as it sounds!) haha so a true fan or just truly daft! Then there's all the rabbit stuff too, think the mother in law worries what kind of influence I am on the other half lol.


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Lol. The strange thing about TNBC is that I love the characters but get bored of the movie 
I have a few figures I've been brought and I get the calender most years lol.
Me and my OH went as Jack and Sally to the last fancy dress party we had lol.
I did make my dog into Zero but he panicked at all the pople in costumes.

*Heidi*


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## Minion (Jan 11, 2012)

jackandsally said:


> I think I worry too much about her, she's not had the best start in life at all and if there's some way she can get stuck under a cabinet or in a box she will do! So I don't trust her lol. Yep a nightmare before christmas fan, should see our living room quite a few snow globes and figures, and I have a tatoo on my shoulders of them in a heart I designed a few years ago (not as awful as it sounds!) haha so a true fan or just truly daft! Then there's all the rabbit stuff too, think the mother in law worries what kind of influence I am on the other half lol.


My mother-in-law puts Jack on the top of her Christmas tree instead of a fairy or star


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