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Shutting Rabbits up at night

I have always put my rabbits 'to bed' at about 10:30 and put a cover over the front of their hutch, mainly so that I know they can keep warm. Now the hot weather is here is it ok to leave the trapdoor open so they can access their run if they want to? They have worked out how to lift the wood out of the way and are usually waiting in the run for their breakfast at 7.30 anyway. Also should I stop covering them up so they get plenty of air in?
 
how secure is your hutch against foxes?

I know my garden is pretty safe and we don't seem to get many here but i would be cautious x
 
We are just building an accessible run for day time use, but I think I would be very anxious if I knew they were in it at night. My hutch is a big 6ft x 6ft x 3ft one so they have plenty of space.
I was also thinking of when to leave the doors open at night. We at the moment close them up when it gets dark, and they are opened around 5.30am when hubby goes to work, but was wondering if to just put some tarpaulin down the front of the hutch rather than shutting the doors as don't want them getting too warm but wasn't sure.
 
Mines have had access to run 24/7 for the past year. They prefer to be sitting outside! Even when it's freezing! :rolleyes:

I've also stopped covering them at night as I thought it might be like a tent under the tarpaulin in the hot weather. They don't seem to mind. As long as they have plenty of hay to snuggle in to.
 
I cover my hutch top and bottom even when it's boiling - I figure if they've coped with the heat during the day, they will be fine as it's much cooler at night, and they have concrete to lie on. you could put some ceramic tiles on the floor of their hutch for them to lie on, and just leave a small gap for airflow - I use the long runner rugs from wilkinsons, 3 in a row, and in winter have them down to the ground, but in summer leave a couple inch gap at the bottom of the wire - I don't want them getting frightened by cats, and we back onto fields so I want to confuse any foxes that may be passing through :?
 
Our outside buns live in a shed and have access to the run 24/7 we only shut it up if it is really bad weather. There is a little sheltered bit in the run and it's on wood so can't be dug into.
 
My four are all outdoors and have 24/7 access to their runs. I take the view that if it's not safe enough for night, it's not safe enough for the day either.
 
I shut mine into the playhouse at night. I have a mesh cover over the window, which I leave open, but I always put a curtain over so they can't be worried by cats.

They have a large run, which is secure but I prefer not to leave them out at night, I'm worried about some maniac hurting them.
 
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