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Do any of you bring your outdoor bunnies inside for winter?

Bitzy

Mama Doe
I'm really worried about my two sitting out in the aviary in all weathers, its covered so they don't get wet, but they must surely be cold ... it was '-1' y'day morning when I was on my way to work and they'd been out all night - God knows how cold it was in the night!! :shock: They just won't go in the hutch!!

I'm going to bring them in for bonfire night and plan to put them in the spare bedroom with the radiator switched off and this started me thinking that this could be a good solution to my weather worries .... bringing them in for the winter!!

However, they've just got their winter coats, I know they love being outdoors and the indoor space would be smaller than they're used to so I'm not sure if it would be mean of me to bring them in or not!!

They'd be in the little spare bedroom (its a box room) and I thought I could maybe put a baby gate at the door when I'm at work but give them the landing to play on too (putting the baby gate at top of stairs) when I'm home!

The box room is probably about 7ft x 6ft and currently has a futon in there .... which I'm not bothered about so they can play and destroy it if they like, the carpets due for replacing so if they wee/chew that it doesn't really matter and the whole room is being decorated next year so if they chew the wallpaper, they'd probably be helping! :lol:

What do you think??

(Obviously need to get OH to agree to this which may be tricky, especially as he's just gone to all the trouble of building the aviary so that I don't get wet in winter when I go out to see them etc .... but thought it might be worth a shot)!
 
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I've been concerned about the drop in temperature as Lucky was a house rabbit until he went into the outhouse in the summer but after speaking to lots of bunny experts, they all agree that bunnies tend to cope really well in the cold but it's the heat that you have to be more concerned about.

there's often discussion on here about how bunnies wont use their lovely cosy hutches at night but will sit out in their runs! :lol:

I have got a couple of snuggle safes and put them unheated in their home but will only heat them when it gets toooo cold.
 
It's completely up to you but they won't be cold out in the aviary if they have somewhere to go if they want to then they will.

Their coats will just get thicker and thicker. Many people on here have said time and again about their rabbits sitting out on cold frosty night and even in the snow.

I also think you need to way up what would suit your rabbits rather than what's best for you, there's no point bringing them in if they are then going to be miserable for the whole of the winter months. Also bear in mind that once they're in they will have to stay in, you've said yourself that they are already getting winter coats. You don't want them shedding them only to realize that it's not going to be in their best interests and they're going to have to grow new ones if they have to go back outside.

Good luck in what you decide.:)
 
I haven't got too much experience with rabbits, but I really think you're rabbits will be fine outside. Last winter was my first with rabbits and I was really worried about Ralph, but he was fine, ever when it dropped to -15! :shock:

So now that he got through the coldest winter in 30 years, I'm a bit more chilled this year.

Just remeber that every square centimeter of them is covered in a nice thick layer of fur - from the tips of their noses to the soles of their feet!

Kind of wish i could find some pj's that would cover me up that well and keep me nice and warm :lol:
 
Thanks, yeah I'm worried that they won't be as happy indoors and that maybe its more for my sake than theirs ........ I just worry about them so much!!

I think I need convincing that they're not daft enough to just sit out even when they're cold!!

Could they get like the bunny equivalent of hypothermia and not realise how cold they are and not move inside????

I've ordered them a snuggle safe - but if they don't go in the hutch its gonna be useless!! Also ordered them a snuggle igloo but its a fleecy one and now I'm worried that if it freezes outside, it will get damp and even if they use it they'll be sat in the cold and damp!!

I've asked OH to ask his mate who works at a carpet shop to get some offcuts so they have something nice and warm to sit on in the run (other than the paving and grass)!

I think I'm just worried in general!
 
i agree with rngpwelfare on this one Jo.

Bunnies are designed to live outside, their coats keep them warm and they'll go hide in their hutches if its too cold for them.

Wildie buns don't have any spare bedroom they can go kip in and think of the encrichment they get in that wonderful new aviary your OH and you have built for them.

Just remember, they won't be able to go back out until March/April if you do bring them in :)
 
The only rabbits I bring in over the winter are those that I feel would not physically cope being outside, so, for mine this year, that means Wish and her two friends. I currently have 10 outside who will stay outside unless some bunny gets ill and vulnerable and then we will find a way to get them inside too.
 
I must say, I was watching them this morning and they were flying up one ramp then down the other and doing the most amazing binkies - they wouldn't be able to do that indoors! :(

Can we be sure that they will go inside the hutch if they're cold??

I've started putting their treats hidden in the hay in the bedroom, trying to tempt them in it so they'll think - 'oooh good place to be when its cold this' but I'm not sure they even like being in there! They're straight in, find the treats, straight out again!

Maybe I'll see how they get on when OH has built them a wooden 'box' for the aviary - they do seem to like to play in their hay filled cardboard one but thought if I put some carpet down and they had a proper wooden one with hay in they might use that at night!

Blimey, I wonder if they have any idea how much we worry about them! lol
 
I brought mine in for the winter, but it's as much for me as it is for them :oops:

They have the conservatory with the heating off so its a bit warmer than outside, but not too warm for them. They have loads of space -it's a massive conservatory and there's nothing else in it really. When it rains they just sit in their hutch anyways so here they can run around whatever the weather.

It also stops my garden from getting muddy and means I can actually see them in the light. At this time of year its dark when I leave for work and dark when I get back.
 
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