House rabbits going outside in Winter - advice please

Hi we have two house rabbits who usually run in a fenced of bit of the garden supervised for 1/2hr in the morning and evening. However it is now getting wet and dark and cold. Smudge still wants to go out howevever Binky is happy to stay inside. I always dry her off with some kitchen towel when she comes in.

Is it wrong to let her out in the winter? What about puddles, and snow? This is our first winter with a garden so any advice would be appreciated.

The extremes in temp aren't good for them. It's best in winter to leave them inside or outside but it's now too cold really to acclimatise them to outside.

Schuette said:

The extremes in temp aren't good for them. It's best in winter to leave them inside or outside but it's now too cold really to acclimatise them to outside.

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^^^ This.

If they've been inside, they won't have their winter coat and its too cold for them without it.

Sorry I wan't clear, they will always be house rabbits but with trips outside. Is it too cold for short visits?

Nicole+Alex said:

Sorry I wan't clear, they will always be house rabbits but with trips outside. Is it too cold for short visits?

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If it is just little short trips out I would have thought they would be ok, unless is was thick snow or heavy rain etc, if they can choose to come in when they want and aren't reliant on you picking them up/putting them in a carrier to get back indoors then i'd just let them out and see what happens, if they get too chilly and didn't like it, then surely they'd just come in?

I wouldn't do it personally.

It will be too much of a temperature drop as they won't have a thick winter coat to keep them warm and I've also read on here that it can cause respiratory problems as well.

Think of it as yuo going out in the cold in your pants after sitting in the living room all snuggly with a dressing gown on and the heating on :wave:

I think for short trips it's too much to be honest. It would be like us going outside without our coat on. I wouldn't fancy doing that in winter for even five minutes.

ETA. I didn't nick Gray's analogy, honest!

Louie is a houserabbit and goes out every single day no matter what the weather. I leave the conservatory door open and he comes and goes as he pleases.

The cat goes out all year round so why should a rabbit be any different? He's still got a fur coat!

Smudge seems to want to go out, and sits by the door. I always leave the door open and accompany her into the garden, so it's definitely her choice and she really seems to want it, where as Binky just waits for her!

*lily* said:

Louie is a houserabbit and goes out every single day no matter what the weather. I leave the conservatory door open and he comes and goes as he pleases.

The cat goes out all year round so why should a rabbit be any different? He's still got a fur coat!

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I agree with this. I certainly wouldn't put an indoor bun out all day long or vice versa, but weather permitting and this really does require common sense - so a warm day means an hour or so, and when it's freezing and snow this really means 10 mins quick hopping only, but yes as far as i'm concerned with a healthy and young rabbit it is fine. Basic autothermoregulation will work for a short period of time, it is only after this mechanism ceases to be effective from prolonged exposure (which depends on the temp and wind chill factor as it does with us) that hypothermia and sudden temp changes become a problem. Use your common sense, if bun sits still and does nothing then bring them back in, if bun is racing around the garden it's no different to us exercising outside in winter - their metabolism will keep them warm enough for short periods of time. Daily access to daylight - natural daylight is important for a house rabbit in order to get good amounts of Vit D3, especially those on reduced pellet rations.

I would not put an elderly or ill rabbit out even for a short period however.

This year we will have to modify how we do things with Nino's arthritis obviously being sensitive to cold and damp. In the past my buns have enjoyed a good play in the garden come sun or snow each day :wave: