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How do indoor buns adapt to going outside permantly? (in spring)

kaths101

Warren Veteran
:wave: im just considering options at the mo, but has anyone moved an indoor bun out - i understand about winter coats etc but im talking about them getting used to luxeries i.e carpet, warmth etc etc..

Im considering a shed for Sooty and oreo with attached run by cat flap, I think they would like it better - with more room and to be outside - they both LOVE the garden..

the only reason they are indoor is Sooty was too small and ill when I first got her, and by the time everyone was neutered, and bonded it was winter and too cold. Now they are a pair I think they will would prefer the room outside. I would carpet out the shed etc

Will they hate me for it, they are currently in a spare room which would then free up the entire spare room for charlie...

Has anyone else moved indoor buns out???
 
I haven't moved any indoor buns out but I do have my outdoor buns in at the moment and I know they really want to go back out. I'm sure they will love it with all the space. Obviously it will take them a little while to get used to their new surroundings. They won't hate you.
 
It depends on the buns. Some love being indoor buns, and will sulk if they are put out as outdoor buns, and there are buns who hate being indoors and prefer to be outdoors.

Best thing to do is to try it when the weather's warmer. Do a trial with them. If they didn't like it could Charlie and a doe-friend go outside?
 
I'm doing the exact same thing when it gets warmer too! Bailey has been a house bun for 3 years but since moving to my dad's he wants to give the house a big make over and doesn't want Bailey living inside. I've got a shed but it's not been built yet due to the terrible weather :( Also i am going to get Bailey a friend before i put him outside. Thinking about the day he first stays outside for the night is quite scaring me!!! :(
 
why would they hate you for it?Like you said they love the garden, maybe they will love you for it instead.
My 2 were free 2 roam how they pleased but as it got colder I decided to stop them coming inside so that they would build up a winter coat, (though they are in an attached conservatory ), because they do love the garden so much, I can't wait for the weather to get milder though.
 
Sophie was a house rabbit for a while and hated it. She is a bunny bunny. Dispite having her since 8 weeks old, socialistion etc, she just doesn't like to be handled or having human company. She will tolerate it for checks etc, but that is it. Anywa she is much happier outside with reduced contact and a bunny friend :)

Don't worry about it, with plenty of space He will be fine
 
I got Fidget in October 2008, she was originally going to be an outdoor bun but she was so tiny and it was so cold that i panicked and brought her inside :)

She went outside permanently after being bonded with Frankie in March and was fine. Seems to be coping well this winter. I think it definitely helps to have somebun to snuggle up to :)
 
when i first got my buns, toffee and harvey we didnt have a hutch or anything, so they were indoor bunnies.

it was summer when the hutch was built in the garage, so the weather was nice and warm, and everyday i would put them in the hutch, let them freerange around the garden etc getting used to it and then bring them in again when it cooled down at night, then eventually i let them spend a night out there,after being out there all day and they were fine.
 
Tinkerbell was a houserabbit when I first got her but went to live outside when she bonded with Simba as he wouldn't walk on the laminate!

She was fine and seemed to love it outside. When Simba died she became a houserabbit again but still went outside whenever she wanted.
 
i dont think bunnies care where they live as long as there are treats :lol::lol:

Pearl took a few weeks to get used to being a house bunny, so id expect a few weeks of not sure then total happiness on any switch to environment.

at the mo Alvin refuses outside, but if he lived it 24/7 i would think the opposite would happen and hed prefer outside to in. cant imagine any animal likes a change to the routine at the start but the new routine would become the norm pretty quick :D:D:D
 
thankyou everyone, you have made me feel much better - I guess I feel guilty but I really think they would have a better life and more space.. I will just give it a go and if they really dont like it move them in again..

Im still undecided on Charlie, whether to try and bond him in with my 2 to go in the shed too or get him a girl bun and they can have the spare room..??

I will make the shed very comfy - im already planning what im going to do - and really want a shed so I can go and sit in there with them - beacuse they do enjoy the hour I sit with them every night - I will still do that - will just need some thermals!!!
 
Well my two moved themselves outside. :roll:

I think Samus initiated it but Grim follows her wherever she goes. I really have to coax now her if I want her to come inside whereas Grim will come in for about an hour each night.

I think if you do up the shed and let them have about a week playing in it you might find they actually prefer to be in there. :)
 
Austin lived outside when i forst got him, but he was only 8 weeks old. He has lived inside ever since, and he hates it if i take him outside, he shakes and when i put him down he runs back inside! Just give it a try, you will soon know if they like it or not ;)
 
I must admit, i think Benjy gets depressed being indoors. I dont know wether its because he misses hes hutch or Widget. Even tho the boys lived in seperate hutches they would have contact thru the bars when one was out in the garden. Ben will go out when its warmer and when he is bonded. (im hoping they will snuggle together to help with heat loss):D
 
yeah well I think they will be ok, if they hear the back door open they are there like a shot begging to go out, sooty did live outside on her own for a few weeks then when she was spayed i felt so guilty i let her back in :oops::lol: - and i hated her being out there on her own - now I know she has oreo as bodyguard I feel better about it :D
 
I moved my two house bunnies Daisy & Ben outside in August 09. They LOVE it !! They used to hate the laminate floor and not move off the rug :shock: Now they have a 7ft x 4ft pen with a 2 tier hutch (never locked) in my garage with a catflap to a 10ft x 4ft run, so sounds similar to what you are doing.

I insulated the floor and then put carpet down, however with the cold weather I put chipboard on top of the carpet and filled the pen with hay. They have more room, can make a mess if they want, go outside when they want.... its perfect!

So in short, don't feel guilty, they will probably love it. It was me that felt bad - I missed them !! But seeing how happy they were couldn't bring them back in!! :lol::lol:

I also did a similar thing with Nushka - Bungle was already an outdoor bun when I got him ans Nush was solo house bun at the time.... moved them both to new outdoor pad.... would never ever bring them inside they love it outdoors!!

Just get the timing right with the weather and you will be fine :wave:
 
Thankyou so much... I think mine will love it too - I can see them now leaoing about!!
What is the right time - weather wise??


I moved my two house bunnies Daisy & Ben outside in August 09. They LOVE it !! They used to hate the laminate floor and not move off the rug :shock: Now they have a 7ft x 4ft pen with a 2 tier hutch (never locked) in my garage with a catflap to a 10ft x 4ft run, so sounds similar to what you are doing.

I insulated the floor and then put carpet down, however with the cold weather I put chipboard on top of the carpet and filled the pen with hay. They have more room, can make a mess if they want, go outside when they want.... its perfect!

So in short, don't feel guilty, they will probably love it. It was me that felt bad - I missed them !! But seeing how happy they were couldn't bring them back in!! :lol::lol:

I also did a similar thing with Nushka - Bungle was already an outdoor bun when I got him ans Nush was solo house bun at the time.... moved them both to new outdoor pad.... would never ever bring them inside they love it outdoors!!

Just get the timing right with the weather and you will be fine :wave:
 
Thankyou so much... I think mine will love it too - I can see them now leaoing about!!
What is the right time - weather wise??

Awww bless :D Well with mine, I did Nushka in Spring and Daisy & Ben in late summer. I aimed for as near as house temp as possible outside and when weather was looking stable.

I'd suggest when it gets warmer, let your house get cooler - heating down etc, lots of time outside for them, getting longer ( I put Daisy & Ben in the run for a few hours building up to a whole day, then just leave them out all night once you are happy. I must admit I sat in the pen with them until about 12.30am the first night :lol::lol:
 
ok, my bunny room is quite cool anyway as i have no radiator on in there - so the transition shouldnt be too bad - thanks for your help..
(I also will be sat outside in the freezing cold for the first night worried about them!) :lol::roll:
 
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