Young rabbits and the cold

Hi,:wave:

Just wondering if I should move my two 18 week old rabbits' hutch into the garage for the winter? I'm not sure if they have developed a proper winter coat - they are showing no signs of moulting unlike my 4 year old who is shedding his summer coat everywhere.

I've been reading all the other threads re: keeping buns warm. My 2 use their bedroom compartment as their toilet and so have a litter tray in there which I change morning and night. (If I don't it gets dug out and scattered around the rest of the hutch:lol: ) I put hay in there but by no means fill the bedroom compartment to the top with it. I'm worried that there is not enough hay for them to keep warm. I probably use about 5 or 6 big handfulls at night.

The rest of the hutch is bare apart from a vet bed in the living area which I don't think they use. I'm not sure where they sleep actually - the hay is never too squashed in their litter trays. Whenever I go and check they are on the bare landing right next to the wire mesh and probably in a very cold draft:roll:

I have a clear shower curtain which I pull down over the front of the hutch when it is raining. Should I be using another one to cover the sides as well? I have also bought some cheap duvets from Ikea to throw over the hutch. Do I just cover the roof or use more for the front and sides as well?

I don't really want to move them into the garage but thought maybe I should as it is their first winter. What do you think?

:wave: Re: the duvets I'd have them on the top and round the back and sides and maybe put like a plastic sheet /shower curtain on top of that to keep them dryer. And on the front to keep out the drafts but still let them see out. And make sure the bottom of the hutch is off the ground.

Then make it really snug in the hutch - maybe put a box in with lots of hay in they can snuggle up together in? I bought a little wooden house thing from ebay that is in the main living area which has lots of hay in (mine have litter tray in bedroom area too).

If the rabbits are outside now they can be outside in the winter too.
Age doesn't matter. I've known bunnies to be born outside in mid-winter and still do fine:lol:

Mine are 14 weeks old and to keep them warm this winter, I'm going to use barley straw and meadow hay mixed together to about halfway depth of their bedroom and I'm going to put vetbed down in their bedroom too. Duvet cover and plastic sheet over front of hutch.