Eglu Review Part Three – The First Few Days, and Conclusion

It’s the final part of my massive look at the Eglu Go and Walk-In run. Please do take a look at Part 1 and Part 2 to see how we got to this point, and read on to see how the bunnies and I like their new home.

How Easy Is It To Clean An Eglu

I have not had a hutch with permanent access to a run before (I always used to carry the bunnies from the hutch and back again). One thing to bear in mind is with free access, you must must must check your rabbits twice a day for flystrike and make sure they are in good health.

To stop escapees, you need to encourage your bunnies into the run, and then close the door of the Eglu to allow you to open it without them getting out. The door is able to be swivelled open from the outside meaning you don’t have to go into the run to close it, which makes things a little easier. Once your bunnies are in the run and the door to the Eglu closed, the back of the Eglu can be unlocked and the door lifts off, allowing access inside.

The floor is a smooth plastic tray that can slide out which means no crawling around, trying to get to the soiled bedding! With traditional rabbit hutches, I always lined the hutch with lino to protect the wood, but there is no need for that with the Eglu as it is all easy to wipe down. I am planning to get a pressure washer to help with the cleaning and don’t forget to use a pet-safe disinfectant after removing soiled bedding.

A worry I have is the rabbits ruining the grass and ending up with a muddy run and I am also concerned about keeping the area clean and hygienic. At the moment, we move our free-standing rabbit runs every few days to allow the grass to rest and to clean up the poops they leave behind. I am hoping the grass won’t die from constant use, however, if it does, the Eglu and run can be moved between two people. As my rabbits are litter tray trained, I am planning to put a litter tray in the run in the hopes they will favour going there meaning I can change the litter tray daily.

Putting Food and Water into an Eglu Go

The Eglu comes with a large metal bowl, a hay rack and a water bottle. I am not going to use the bowl provided as although it is metal, there is a rubber anti-slide ring which I am worried little bunnies may nibble. It’s also quite light, and I think a rabbit would be able to fling it if they wanted to. Ceramic bowls are safer and heavier, so I will purchase one.

The water bottle is a standard 600ml and the bottle fits into the hay rack. I like that the bottle is inside because it will protect it from the sun which makes them go green, and it shouldn’t freeze in the winter. The downside is you can’t see how full the bottle is without removing the back, but a second (or third!) bottle could be put on the run just like you would with any other rabbit run or hutch if you are worried about water access. This would be a good idea for the summer to ensure your rabbits do not become dehydrated.

After using it for a week, I have added another water bottle to the outside of the run. I like the idea of the bottle inside, but I like to check it throughout the day to make sure it’s working ok and full of water. I always change the water at least once a day and use a bottle brush to remove any algae, so it’s not a big deal for me to have it outside. I also find the bedding I have put in the Eglu pressed against the bottle (I have used straw) and it makes a damp patch which I found a bit annoying. I will get a bottle cover for the winter for the bottle on the run to stop it from freezing.

I have also ditched the hay rack. Rabbit’s need constant access to hay and the hay rack simply isn’t big enough. I like to put the hay straight in the Eglu so they can access it easily and I not worrying about them running out. You could use the hay rack for higher quality hay, such as Timothy hay and put their normal hay in the Eglu, but it’s a personal preference.

The Plastic Eglu

I have caught my baby rabbits nibbling the plastic a couple of times, however, they haven’t marked it and as the plastic is tough, I am hoping they will lose interest quickly. That being said, they probably would chew a wooden hutch too if given the chance, but they would have to gnaw for a long time before they could get out (I hope).

A Double Door

Omlet does offer a double door system to prevent and escapees when you open the door to access them. I wish I ordered one when I ordered because the bunnies rush over to greet me when I go to see them and I do worry that they could nip out if I am not careful enough. I didn’t think it was necessary at the time of order, and perhaps if everything was cheaper I would have ordered one without thinking. It is definitely worth thinking about, especially if more than one person wants to go in the run with the rabbits.

Lack Of Litter Tray Room

The one thing I didn’t really think too much about before ordering was where the litter tray will go. My rabbits all use their litter tray, which is great however as the Eglu part is small, I didn’t want to put a litter tray in there as it will take up room if they all wanted to stretch out and lie down. I also didn’t want to encourage the rabbits to use the Eglu as a litter tray because I don’t want them sleeping on their mess.

I have put the litter box in the corner of the run and whilst it’s ok for now in the Spring, I am a little concerned for winter as I don’t want the litter tray to get wet with rain. I do have the covers for the sides of the run in the winter and I am hoping this will be enough to keep everything dry.

Enrichment

I love that there is so much space to add enrichment and toys for your rabbits. The sides are great to hang things off and there is plenty of space to offer tunnels, willow toys and even cardboard boxes with room to spare for them to charge around.

The Final Verdict

So far, I am happy with my purchase. Although it was a significant outlay, I am hoping it will last many years, and I like the fact I can add to it to make it larger over time. It’s strong and I feel like my rabbits are safe outside, I love the wire skirt to stop anyone digging in.

The best bit is I can walk in the run and sit with my rabbits, rather than crouching down in a small run and worrying the bunnies will jump out. I could sit out there with them for hours, it’s really lovely to enjoy their company and bond with them.

It could defiantly be improved, however. It would be so much nicer if the actual Eglu was bigger so the rabbits could have more indoor room. I also wish they sold more solid sides for the winter, rather than just plastic.

I have written a blog about how the Eglu holds up in a cold snap.

Toby loves the extra attention!

Read my blog on if free ranging rabbits is safe.

6 thoughts on “Eglu Review Part Three – The First Few Days, and Conclusion”

  1. Hi Anna, I’ve read the 3 reviews/blogs on the eglu rabbit hutch and run. I am considering purchasing. May I ask how you are finding it now? Regards, Kim

    1. Hi Kim

      Thanks for your comment. Overall I am happy, but we have made some changes. The run is too big and heavy to move around the garden often on to fresh grass and the rabbits have turned the grass into a mud pile, so we have now put paving slabs over it, which makes the underwire redundant. The underwire was very hard to keep clean – the poops get stuck under and I really struggled to brush them out. The only way I could do it was to pick the poops out and it took forever. Personally, I would put it on a solid base and just pick grass for them.

      Also, they can get quite wet in the heavy rain, even in the eglu so I have to check it whenever it rained. The clear sides help, but we have used tarpaulin as well as the sides are expensive! We have the tarp around the back and the clear ones at the front when needed. Its all pretty easy to take on and off (we used bungee cords for the tarp and they work well). We also had to put the water bottle on the outside, rather than the in the eglu as the bedding pushed up against it and it leaked. Other than that, I am happy. I feel it’s very secure and will last us a long time. Hope this helps but if you have any more questions, just let me know. Thanks, Anna

  2. Kathryn E Harris

    Hi, I was wondering if you have an update after your first winter? I am looking to buy an updated rabbit setup and appreciated your reviews and follow up comments from Post #3.

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