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Rabbits live only 1 year if kept outside?!

T

Tempest

Warren Scout
I just read this on a website.

The lifespan of an outdoor rabbit is 1 year (and it is an unhappy and lonely life), the lifespan of an indoor house rabbit is 8-10 years or more (and it is a happy life)

I can understand them getting lonely, which is why they should be kept in groups or you have to spend alot of time with them and always give bunnies things to play with and do. But only live for one year? Where does that come from? All my rabbits have lived outside and apart from one poor little boy that got statis, they all lived to be at least 8. Has anyone else heard this? The website does pretty much say they are biased about keeping rabbits indoors but surely theres no need to lie about a rabbits quality of life and length of live if kept outside?

I should point out that the website is actually really good in other aspects as well. It even rehomes rabbits :)
 
Last edited:
Did they mean wild bunnies?
I agree that outside buns should generally not be lone buns. My outside bunnies are all at least 3 years old, one is 6.
 
Tempest said:
I just read this on a website.

The lifespan of an outdoor rabbit is 1 year (and it is an unhappy and lonely life), the lifespan of an indoor house rabbit is 8-10 years or more (and it is a happy life)
Click to expand...

THATS RUBBISH my eldest girl i had was nine a dwarf lop called Big Muma she lived outside on her own all the time she was my absolute fav until the stinking fox came :evil: :evil: so she still would be here if it wasnt for him:evil: :evil: i got my own back on him anyway as he kept coming back and upsetting my other outside buns:p :p :?
 
HS said:
Did they mean wild bunnies?
I agree that outside buns should generally not be lone buns. My outside bunnies are all at least 3 years old, one is 6.
Click to expand...

No they were talking about keeping them outside as pets, I just noticed the website also says that rabbiots kept outside get forgotten and have health problems that go unnoticed and mistrust their owners because they don't have much contact with them!! They obviously don't know anyone from here! :?
 
My two lone childhood outdoor bunnies lived to 5 and 8.

They were fed on a mix and hay, no fresh veg, not vaccinated or wormed and I knew little about their needs or health.

TBH even in terms of average lifespan I would say its more like 3 years :?
 
Hmm, it's starting to seem to me that they are just trying to almost scare people into keeping rabbits indoors :?

Before I just thought they were miss informed, but now I'm not sure. I may email them about thism they are passing themselves off as a place for rabbit information, although they state they advocate house rabbits thats no excuse.
 
The oldest rabbit I've ever known was a 10-year old outdoor rabbit:roll: (He had been living alone since he was 8, when his brother died)
My outdoor rabbit Zakura is 3 years old, she doesn't get along with my other doe and I can't keep her with Sasuke because he's got only one thing on his mind, but she seems happy with just seeing and smelling the other rabbits:D
Sasuke is almost 2 now, he's lived outside his whole life but now he lives indoor, frankly he seems even more lonely now than he did when he was outside with the girls:roll: Bet he can't wait till the new shed is ready.
 
That does sound like a bit of a scare tactic to me and will make people who have outdoor rabbits feel guilty. I'd love to have mine indoors especially now Charlie seems to forgotten about his 'sofa' project when he comes in but Poppy doesn't like the floor and Charlie needs constant supervision so it wouldn't be fair on them or us.

Maybe you could get some testimonies from people on here who keep rabbits outdoors and send them to them.

I remember reading somewhere that house rabbits live longer but it wasn't that extreme.
 
Mine are over 5 now and have lived outside all their lives. I got them when they were 4.
They're doing well too :)
 
Well I blo*dy well hope not cos my buns are both outside:shock: Im assuming its referring to some poor unfortunate bunnies who are left in a hutch and forgotten about maybe:(
 
Is it a US website? That may be true for some US states because of the very bitter winters/very hot summers? I know some rescue places in the states will only home to indoor homes for that reason.
 
This is my first post :wave:
I am not sure about buns living outside, my rabbits have lived longer indoors then out. But I think 1 year is a mistake.
The oldest rabbit I have ever heard about is Toby who was brought up by Emma from Golden Bunnies, and just lately passed away at the age of 17 years (http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=109351 ). He was a single rabbit and is believed to have been really happy.
 
nonsense, poppy is three and she has always lived otuside. obviously if neglected they will die sooner but the same is true of a house rabbit. while i'm all for keeping rabbits indoors i don't think people should be bullied into it, some rabbits don't take to indoor life.
 
I agree with Alison A. This website could be based in an English speaking foreign country (U.S.A., Canada, etc). I would imagine the hot summers are the main cause. And don't forget that in some countries rabbits are kept outdoors in those wire mesh cages which offer no protection from the elements.

Amy
 
Don't let my Vinnie who reached 11 or most of my my girlie buns who reached 8 - 9 over the years :shock:

Seriously though, I think Alison may have the answer there :D
 
I live in Norway, and we do get extreme summers and winters occasionally. :? (Heck last year "I" lost 3 baby bunnies to the heat...I hadn't really gotten them yet, I had reserved them from a breeder but they died before coming to me, so I got Aroma instead from another breeder).
We don't keep rabbits in wire cages though. The only cage that is recommended as an all-year cage is a secure hutch with a "house" and off the ground.
Grazing cages are only recommended in the summer (heck if they were to be kept in them now they would drown in the snow:roll: On my way to school the buss passes a house with 2 such grazing cages in the yard and they are half-filled with snow:lol: There are no rabbits in there now as far as I can see, so they're probably indoors or something).
 
Thats rubbish! When we were little my dad was a rabbit breeder and we had loads of rabbits that ALL lived as outdoor pets and not one of them died under the age of 5! They didnt really get ill either come to that and all of them lived with other rabbits and had a lot of human contact and were more than happy and perfectly healthy!!!
 
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