Cant bare to think of moving him outside...

We are moving house hopefully November time. Currently Liquorice is an indoor bun - when the weather is fine and dry he spends all day outside in his run while we are at work. He then comes in and out house when he pleases and sleeps in his hutch in the kitchen on a night time.

We were hoping to get him a friend but unfortunately there isnt enough room in the new house for two hutches (or one very large one)...

so we are going to buy this

http://www.focusdiy.co.uk/invt/52503

and have it outside with a run attached. Great BUT...

I cant bare the thought of him outside in the freezing winter months when he isnt used to the cold weather. He's only 5 months old and hasnt experienced winter. I have visions of waking up one cold morning and finsing him frozen!!!

So, what i was thinking was:

Not getting new bunny until weather get warmer around March, April time so then Liquorice could have his hutch in the house where he would sleep and use the playhouse as his daily place when we are at work. Then he could get used to weather but not be out there when the temp really drops during night...

Am i being to fussy???? Or is this a good idea???

I know it's only early September but I'd say autumn was the wrong time of year to move a rabbit outside if he's used to being an indoor bunny mostly.

So I agree it's best to keep to your current routine until mid/late spring (depending on how the weather goes Maybe late spring/early summer!) before moving him out full-time.

Rabbits cope better with cold than they do heat. If you're worried you could fit a green house heater which will keep it a couple of degrees above freezing.

Inside you can have a nice snuggly box just incase he wants a warmer area

Tam

I think if you move him out now, he'd have time to build up a winter coat as my rabbits are all moulting at the moment. However if you wait more than a few weeks it will be getting quite chilly at night. Normally rabbits cope perfectly well with the cold but if they haven't had time to build up a winter coat I'd keep him in until spring.

What's your indoor arrangement for him? Two rabbits shouldn't need that much more space than one as long as they get plenty of free time which yours sounds like he does. My two Pippa and MJ rarely move away from each other so don't need any extra space at all!! They have a 6x4 run with a hutch above.

You can also buy a snugglesafe and put that in his bed everynight on top of a piece of vet bed.

My buns have theirs in a snuggly bed box which I had a joiner make me.





Rabswood

I moved Jamie and Kitt outside a few weeks ago - amidst all the rain and wind and, I have to say, I thought they'd be too cold. So I bought a couple of blankets for them, and a snugglesafe... but they really don't need this.

I wouldn't have done it after this month I don't think, as they need time to grow their winter coats - Jamie and Kitt's have started to grow already I think, and they 100% love it outdoors... so much so that it's almost impossible to get them to come in on a night... :lol: