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House rabbits moving outside?

Rhianie

Young Bun
Hi everyone,

I need some advice please! We got a couple of rabbits in November last year, they started off living outside however they became house rabbits and have since lived indoors with us. The problem is I have become very allergic to them :( so we really need to put them back outdoors. We have a hutch/safe outdoor run for them, but will they be too cold outside now? We have put their warm bedding and lots of hay in the hutch, but I am worried they will be shocked with the temp change. What does everyone think?

Many thanks, Rhian
 
Treat 'em like bedding plants: wait until after the frosts :)
(I don't mean plant them in the soil obviously...)
 
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By the way are you sure it's them you are allergic to and not the hay?
If it is them there is a product called petalcleanse which may help :)
 
By the way are you sure it's them you are allergic to and not the hay?
If it is them there is a product called petalcleanse which may help :)


I had a test done its definitely them :( although I haven't heard of that so it's worth a try! I am worried about them being outside, but I can't leave them inside any longer either :(
 
That will depend where you live. For us in the "sunny South" its usually sometime in May. I imagine in Yorkshire it could be later.
 
I'm sure its not ideal but if they have to go out then all you can do is compensate for the lack of heating and their lack of winter coat.

Could you provide a cardboard box inside the hutch that would provide extra insulation, I lined my bedrooms with corrugated card when I had to separated them, plenty of bedding as you said, a snugglesafe (?), and cover up at night (I use a pvc backed "quilted type" picnic blanket if its cold, I know some people were using a cheap/old quilt to cover their hutch and then some plastic for waterproofing when we had that really cold weather last month. Leave some ventilation of course!

Hope this helps - other than that I can only think its them in the house and you in the hutch!
 
I'm sure its not ideal but if they have to go out then all you can do is compensate for the lack of heating and their lack of winter coat.

Could you provide a cardboard box inside the hutch that would provide extra insulation, I lined my bedrooms with corrugated card when I had to separated them, plenty of bedding as you said, a snugglesafe (?), and cover up at night (I use a pvc backed "quilted type" picnic blanket if its cold, I know some people were using a cheap/old quilt to cover their hutch and then some plastic for waterproofing when we had that really cold weather last month. Leave some ventilation of course!

Hope this helps - other than that I can only think its them in the house and you in the hutch!

thanks for your help :) i think them in the house and me outside is probably the best thing to do!
 
its okay

its fine if they have alot of hay! it keeps them warm,but as it gets colder add more hay..so im winter.fill the whole thing (his bed) with hay..it may sound stupid,and look silly,but they burrow them self into it! x:p
 
just make sure they are well insulated cos bunnys cant regulate there temperatures like we can, so if they been indoors and suddenely get put outside and the temperature drops like it has been they could well get cold hun do you have any snugglesafes to put in there last thing at night to keep them extra snuggly :)
 
I have a house bun and only ever leave her outside all day wen its definately gonna be a nice warm day, otherwise I keep her indoor and let her out free running when Im home.
 
I am backing the Snugglesafe option :) Even in the 'Sunny South' *cough* we are still having frost on a morning and it is quite nippy during evenings most nights so go for the extra warmth and plenty of extra hay. I also think additional newspapers (or whatever you use as hutch lining) cannot be a bad thing in the bedding box either.

It may help to put them outside for a couple hours a day when you're at home prior to putting them out for the night so they can get used to it a little beforehand.

Good luck and I hope it all goes well!
 
I took the decision to move our guinea pigs kind of outside yesterday. They are in our garage so sheltered from wind/rain and have a custom built cover which is insulated, could you get one of these for your hutch as I think they really help (there was a man on ebay who makes them to your requirement). They also have 2 snugglesafes and fleeces/vetbed, the works at the moment! Do you have an outhouse/shed you could put the hutch in as I wouldn't feel happy putting our furries proper outside yet as it is still quite cold here, and we are right in the south. I hope you get something sorted x
 
Pickle was a house bunny and went outside once he'd built his winter coat up.
I put them out in their kennel and run during the day and put them in at night with no heating and then the garage etc. Now he has a lovely winter coat, but is moulting it all off now!
 
Thanks for your help & advice everyone :) we have started putting the buns outside during the day but they have been coming in at night still, we did try them outside last night with an old quilt over the hutch (and lots of hay and blankets inside the hutch) and they were fine this morning :) they actually seem to like it better outside, I am sure the fresh air is making them even more excited than normal! I do miss having my bunny friends indoors with me though but they seem just as happy which is the main thing :)
 
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