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That's it!! Happy now.....

BB Mommy

Warren Veteran
It hasn't got above -5 here today, and last night it went down to -8.

I have two poorly buns living in the house for the winter,and 8 that live in heated sheds, which left Borage and Jacinta the only outdoor buns in a hutch with no heating.

Despite their hutch being really well insulated I have had to change their water bowl 3 times today and it was solid.

Came home from work and decided to move them into the utility.
I've had to clear a 15ft, 3 tier racking system, unscrew it from the wall so I could move it out the way to get the hutch through the door,and then put it all back again, but they're inside in the warm:D:D:D

I can barely move, my back is in agony, but they now have a good 20ft of space to play in all day that is a good 10 degrees warmer than outside.:D:D:D

Mission accomplished:D
 
aaaah bless you - bet they feel warm & happy & sounds like loads of space for them....! well done for all the hard work!:wave:
 
Well done you!! The mental relief will far outweigh any pain you now feel in your back!!! :lol:

I love people who love their bunnies!!
 
I wish I had an indoor space suitable for our outdoor bunnies. :(

Anyway it sounds like your bunnies are lovely and snuggly now :)

Any pics? ;)
 
Absolutely. Just hope the little ******* don't chew everything in sight:lol:

I know I'll be much more relaxed when my two are in for the winter (roll on conservatory!) They are quite happy in their shed though - it's more for me that they are coming in next winter :roll:
 
I did the same with my outdoor bun. He had lost his wife though and after a week of waking up in the night worrying, I brought him in! It was a big sense of relief knowing he was inside in the warm. Temperatures have been down to -13 here :(
 
I know I'll be much more relaxed when my two are in for the winter (roll on conservatory!) They are quite happy in their shed though - it's more for me that they are coming in next winter :roll:

Its definately more for my peace of mind!

On the One Show tonight they had snow hares sitting in piles of freezing snow and covered in ice. Dave was like "I thought you said they don't like the cold"...

;)
 
Its definately more for my peace of mind!

On the One Show tonight they had snow hares sitting in piles of freezing snow and covered in ice. Dave was like "I thought you said they don't like the cold"...

;)

Heh heh heh!! Nicely done!!

I just went out to close the shutters on my two's run and they were sat at the wire like it was the middle of summer. Piles of hay in a shelterd corner of the run, hatch through to a shed with a hutch filled with hay, two cardboard boxes filled with hay and where do they sit?? On the bare wooden floor of the run right up against the wire!!! :roll: They'll be the death of me those two!
 
Heh heh heh!! Nicely done!!

I just went out to close the shutters on my two's run and they were sat at the wire like it was the middle of summer. Piles of hay in a shelterd corner of the run, hatch through to a shed with a hutch filled with hay, two cardboard boxes filled with hay and where do they sit?? On the bare wooden floor of the run right up against the wire!!! :roll: They'll be the death of me those two!

Mine used to do that, but now they're all middle aged, going on old, they don't even venture out in their runs for more than 10 minutes on days like these.
Think I may have spoiled them:oops:
 
Mine used to do that, but now they're all middle aged, going on old, they don't even venture out in their runs for more than 10 minutes on days like these.
Think I may have spoiled them:oops:

That's what animals are for!! Spoiling!! What age is a bunny considered 'old' at? Mine will be 2 next winter. Is that old enough for spoiling?? :p
 
Don't get too comfortable Caroline, there are 101 cold rabbits here who would all like extra bubblewrap;)

But seriously when I put them away tonight all the bottles and bowls were frozen again, and had to be changed again. It is too cold:( I'm getting quite quick at changing bottles. Its a good thing we have a full change of bottles and lots of spare bowls too now its not worth leaving them in the runs as they only freeze solid. The covers were stiff too. Most of them were out in their runs though. But then they always are when they are waiting for their supper. I am peeved that all our snow melted on Sat. It makes an extra layer of insulation, and they do love playing in it. And eating it.

At least the 4 you are fostering are nice and warm:D Tidly ickle Borage is too small to stay warm outside, and Jacinta isn't big enough to make up for it. So it is great they are inside.
 
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Don't get too comfortable Caroline, there are 101 cold rabbits here who would all like extra bubblewrap;)

But seriously when I put them away tonight all the bottles and bowls were frozen again, and had to be changed again. It is too cold:( I'm getting quite quick at changing bottles. Its a good thing we have a full change of bottles and lots of spare bowls too now its not worth leaving them in the runs as they only freeze solid. The covers were stiff too. Most of them were out in their runs though. But then they always are when they are waiting for their supper. I am peeved that all our snow melted on Sat. It makes an extra layer of insulation, and they do love playing in it. And eating it.

At least the 4 you are fostering are nice and warm:D Tidly ickle Borage is too small to stay warm outside, and Jacinta isn't big enough to make up for it. So it is great they are inside.

Are any of your sanctuary bunnies indoors?

14 of our 37 are inside which means we still have some very elderly and severe special needs bunnies outside that I am worried sick about :( We have bought in all the ones that we know would appreciate it but the ones left really wouldn't cope with a move indoors. The worst of them are in hutches in an insulated shed and have snugglesafes every night and seem quite happy, doesn;t stop me having sleepless nights about them!

I don;t know how you cope with so many in this awful weather. I am so tired doing bowls and heatpads for our little group, so you must be completely exhausted :(
 
Are any of your sanctuary bunnies indoors?

14 of our 37 are inside which means we still have some very elderly and severe special needs bunnies outside that I am worried sick about :( We have bought in all the ones that we know would appreciate it but the ones left really wouldn't cope with a move indoors. The worst of them are in hutches in an insulated shed and have snugglesafes every night and seem quite happy, doesn;t stop me having sleepless nights about them!

I don;t know how you cope with so many in this awful weather. I am so tired doing bowls and heatpads for our little group, so you must be completely exhausted :(

For the first time ever nobun is inside. Not the best timing really:? The snottiest rabbits are in the barn in stables with open hutches in them. And all the guinea pigs are in there too. But the space is too large to heat:( And the condensation drips from the roof (when it isn't frozen:roll:) So it isn't ideal. The water in there hardly ever freezes though so it is warmer than outside.

We only use inside as temporary housing as I am fanatical about rabbits having enough space. I can't bear locking them up even to keep them warmer. Caroline has bubblewrapped all the hutches and they all have covers and they are stuffed with plenty of hay. And of course they all have thier wonderful fur coats, and their companions. I do worry about the ones who are particularly ill, but their access to normal life is important to them. Once they get moved inside their life is basicly over. Of course if their condition was curable this wouldn't be the case, I am talking about the chronic conditions so common with rabbits. So much of a rabbit's enjoyment of life is about moving around and seeing and smelling what is going on around them. About nibbling the leaves that blow into their run and about arguing with the neighbours. About choosing where to sleep, about following the sun around, about chasing or being chased by their companions. And at this time of year if they come inside, they won't be able to move back outside until spring. As quite a few of our residents are unlikely to still be here in the spring whether they are inside or outside it would be a permanent choice. That choice would also mean that their companions would also have to be restricted or that they would have to be separated. Neither of these options are ideal. So my choice is to leave them outside to be rabbits. That is the gift I give them. None of them choose not to come out when their doors are opened so I don't think they really mind the cold that much. Even the sickest ones huddle down outside where they can watch the world go by for at least part of the day. I actually feel guilty about the ones in the stables in the barn as they look so bored with only bare walls to look at.

I could really do without the extra work of covers and bottle changes and bowl thawing and without every day being a race to finish before dark. I am concerned that this winter is going to be very very long. But I don't intend to bring anyone in if I am not forced into it. It isn't as if the conservatory is very warm anyway:? I doubt even the oil radiator would make much impression at the moment. This isn't my house so the rest of it is off limits to rabbits anyway.
 
I completely understand, it is so hard to know what aspect of their life to concentrate on sometimes, and there always has to be compromise in certain areas to make sure the other parts of their lives are perfect.

We have proritised bringing in the ones that I know will love being in the house and enjoying home comforts, and where there is still enough space for them all to free range in the house for part of the day. We have more empty cages etc inside but we wouldn't be able to give them the exercise they need so it wouldn't be fair on them, plus those left out would probably hate it anyway. Most of those inside unfortunately wont see spring,so are happy enjoying their winter taking it in turns to flop out on the sofa or bed, with 24 hour heating ( I'm not complaining about that either :lol:)

It must be so hard for you to keep all those bowls and bottles defrosted, I don't envy you there. My main worry is Sinbad outside who is in kidney failure and drinks so much, that I am checking his bowl around the clock to make sure it isn't frozen. But due to his severe neurological problems he would never cope with a move indoors, he likes the peace and quite of his hutch and the outside world :)

Fingers crossed the winter is not as bad as we fear, so all the bunnies and owners can have an easier time of it :)
 
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