Coping in winter

I would like to know how rabbit owners cope in the winter, with short days, wind, rain and snow and frost?
The rain where I live is terrible and because of it the rabbits are getting fed and a quick clean but I feel bad about not playing with them. Also they cant have cardboard boxes in their runs because it gets wet and soggy.
I was also wondering, what do I do to stop the water freezing up? Do rabbits get cold and should i give my rabbits extra straw and also food in winter?

To stop water freezing you can buy purpose made covers for them, some people use a sockput over the bottle to give protection.

In the cold weather give plenty of hay for them to snuggle up in, if they live in a hutch insulate the hutch and ensure you have a cover over it at night, ideally you could get some acrylic sheeting with some holes in it and hang it over the front of the hutch which provides protection from the cold winds and stops the rain being blown inside.

Runs can be protected using plastic sheeting / shower curtain, obviously ensure that they have an adequate amount of fresh air which will ensure it does not get too hot when the sun is out.

if your buns like boxes to jump on outdoors i use an old champagne box. it drys quickly too. there are shelter that are made of plastic you ca put outside too if your buns like to hid in the boxes.

Do you have a shed at all that you could move them into?????

In the winter i put bubble wrap around the water bottles to help them from freezing and i put old towels and rugs around their cages to stop the cold getting in and i awlays have loads of hay for them to snuggle up in. This year i'm going to get some plastic sheeting for them and put it round there hutchover the blankets and towels

Thanks for your replies, they have been a big help. I am going to the pet shop to find some waterproof toys.

I always cover my hutches well at night, as well as having shower curtain stapled over the hutch bit (hutch over run) which is fun when the rugs are soaking :roll: and some days (like today) I leave them on all day just lift one or 2 rugs up for some light.

I don't give mine any extra bedding as they already have a big, plastic underbed box with lots of hay in to snuggle down into, and so long as they are out of draughts they are fine with cold - it's better than being too hot in summer.

I have water in dishes not bottles - the danger with bottles is the metal ball freezes so even if there's water in the bottle, they can't get it out (plus who wants to suck a piece of metal on a cold day?) In the morning and evening in really cold weather I make my bunnies a 'cuppa' which they love - just a splash of boiling water from the kettle in their bowl full of cold fresh water so it's lukewarm - they really love it

elve said:

In the morning and evening in really cold weather I make my bunnies a 'cuppa' which they love - just a splash of boiling water from the kettle in their bowl full of cold fresh water so it's lukewarm - they really love it

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That's a good idea, I'll try that when the cold weather comes

You can buy heatpads which microwave up to put in their sleeping compartment but tbh rabbits cope quite well with the cold

I'm not sure I do though!!

My lot live in a playhouse which is warmer for them but doesn't stop me getting soaked!

I give my lot water in bowls too. It stays fresher and they're easier to refill.

I give my lot a heatpad when it's really cold but in general in the winter they just snuggle out of the draft and seem quite happy.

I'm planning to put mine in the uninsulated/unheated greenhouse from November through to about early March, if I can get the hutch in. It's more for me than the rabbits though - to keep the rain and wind out when I'm cleaning them!