[andrewprouse]

We have a 1yr old lop eared bunny that is a cross between a house and outside rabbit. We've had her since Summer and every night she comes in the house for a few hours. The question is: now that the nights are getting cold, is it still safe to bring her in the house for a few hours then put her back outside? I know that rabbits are OK to live outside if they stay outside, just not sure if it's safe to keep bringing her in for a few hours each day. Just so that you know, her hutch has a Hutch Hugger that stops the wind and rain and we keep her bottle wrapped in bubble-wrap and a sock to stop it freezing. Cheers, Andy.

[andrewprouse]

Sorry... one other thing also... I am trying to find ways to keep the Hutch a bit warmer during the cold winter months (in addition to the Hutch Hugger), any ideas?

Heat cables or and little Hutch Heater or something?

We have no garage / shed / lean-to to put the hutch in.

Cheers, Andy

[shazamataz]

I used to have outdoor rabbits until we had a bit of an accident involving our neighbours dog jumping our fence...

They did fine outside but our temperatures where I live only get to just below freezing, we do not get snow or anything.

As for bringing her inside overnight or for a few hours I think it's a great idea. Bunnies love interaction and I'm sure she would welcome to company inside.
We actually have a permanent inside rabbit run, it's similar to an outdoor hutch but it is on legs so it sits like a table above the ground.

A good insulation for outdoor bunnies is shredded newspaper, we used to use that in their boxes on one side and hay on the other.

[Alty]

I will never be able to advise leaving a rabbit outdoors, especially in the winter months.

There are many reasons, not the least of which are cold weather, predators, lack of bonding, being lonely. Wild rabbits live in burrows. Dig underground, lots of insulation, the warmth of their burrow mates, it makes sense. Domesticated bunnies don't have the luxury of burrowing, and seeing as your bunny is a lone bunny it's even worse.

I would really suggest getting your bunny indoors permanently. It's great to have an outdoor hutch for the summer months, bringing bunny indoors at night, but the winter months, if your winters are cold, are just to harsh for a rabbit.

If you are determined to keep your bunnies outdoors then please do not buy a heater unless it is safe for rabbits. Rabbits are notorious chewers and any cord that is left within reach will be chewed and zap, dead bunny.

There are heaters for water bottles that prevent the water from freezing. Also, like Shaz suggested, newspaper is a wonderful insulator, as are telephone books, which not only insulate but relieve stress.

Something to keep in mind. The life span of a outdoor bunny is considerably lower then that of an indoor bunny. Just fyi.

Good luck with your bunny friend. :)

[ohsohappy]

Hmmm. Is the bunny actually outside in the elements or is it on a sheltered portch.

My cousin as/had on on a portch that had "walls" if you will, but it wasn't heated.

My boyfriend's little sister has one on a portch like that too. I think your bunny would be better in one of those, rather than just outside!

[Alty]

Ohso;

Just so that you know, her hutch has a Hutch Hugger that stops the wind and rain and we keep her bottle wrapped in bubble-wrap and a sock to stop it freezing

The bunny is in a hutch. Doesn't matter though, it's still not recommended and I cannot get behind it. I know all too well what happens to bunnies kept outdoors.

[andrewprouse]

The bunny had a friend (a guineapig) in the same hutch so they keep each other company. The hutch is in the corner of the garden by the house (so protected from the elements) and also has a hutch hugger to keep some of the warmth in (and wind out).

My question here is just regarding bringing the bunny in for a few hours each night; is it too much of a shock to her system with the contrasting temperatures going from out to in then in to out every day?

I'm trying to find alternatives to keeping her inside because quite frankly I don't want the house to smell like a rabbit hutch. Any ideas on how to keep the hutch warm during winter? I was thinking of some Heat Cables attatched to the outside of the hutch on the underside to pass some heat through to their living area.

Cheers, andy

[andrewprouse]

** the bunny HAS a friend (typo)

[Alty]

The heating cables aren't a terrible idea but like I said before, make sure it's bunny safe. Also make sure that bunny can't get burnt from the heater.

As for bringing bunny inside then out during the winter months, I have mixed feelings about this. A bunny will develop a winter coat, if you bring bunny in and out then that winter coat may not grow as thick because bunnies body will acclimate to the warmer conditions. Also, bunny may be too hot because of the winter coat and then start molting.

The other side of me wants to say "yes, bring bunny inside, let bunny and piggy be warm for a few hours".

It's not a judgment call I'm prepared to make with absolute certainty.

[ohsohappy]

Maybe for about an hour, or a half hour. But if things happen the way Alty says they might, with the winter coat and the molting, then I wouldn't go over that.

[muppet243]

I have a bunny for the first time this year and have decided to keep her outside as she has been since April and should have her winter coat, I have made big changes to her hutch though - she has a double 4ft hutch with a well stuffed top area full of hay and straw, I have built an extra 6ft by 6ft wrap around run for her with extra height in some areas and steps to climb so she can run and stand up, for winter I have added a tarpaulin to the whole hutch and roof area with a hutch hugger underneath and added bubble wrap to the top and wrapped it all around 3 sides to keep out drafts and keep her dry so she still has a large viewing gallery! One side is full to the top with a LOT of hay and straw to burrow in and a plastic dog bed to keep it extra dry. She has an old wicker basket full of paper and straw so she can squeeze in and a toilet area that she uses so I only have to disturb a small area - apart from all of this she is allowed access to mine and my neighbours secure gardens all day and comes back in when I get her in the dark, as cold as it seems she is out playing more often than she wants to be inside! She does also come in the house through my dog flaps which is really funny to watch but I don't let her stay inside for more than 10 minutes - I don't want her to get used to the heat and then go back to the cold and again most of the time she stays out even when she can come in.
My response is to use common sense imagine you were out there and what you would like, I only get annoyed when rabbits have no room to stretch their legs and run around apart from that there are ways of making sure they are safe and warm, wouldn't you rather be out and warm with a view than stuck in a garage in the dark and still cold!! (even with all this I do sometimes wonder about bringing her in but then she would have less freedom and still want to go out! - what to do)

[Alty]

Muppet. It sounds like your bunny has a wonderful home. The question I have is how much time do you spend with her? They're social creatures, they need companionship. A view is great, so is room to hop around, but the isolation isn't.

My rabbits are all inside my house. They have a rabbit hop around area, so the dogs can't get them. It's a dog enclosure. I call it the bunny binky room. Picture below.



I have 4 rabbits and they get a lot of attention and lots of time to run around and play.

I also live in Canada. - 30C is not weather that's fit for living outdoors, no matter how warm the hutch is. It can get colder then that as well.

I do let them outdoors during the summer, supervised.

I am against keeping rabbits outdoors year round, but I do agree that it's the owners choice. I do think your bunny would benefit from a friend.