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Outdoor Rabbits
- Thread starter Alicia
- Start date
I have two buns who live outdoors all year. They don't come into the house unless they are ill.
Rabbits in general can handle cold temperatures as long as they are acclimatised to the weather and have grown a thick winter coat, have plenty of bedding and a dry hutch and have enough food to give them a bit of fat for insulation.
During the recent winter here, we experienced temperatures as low as -18 and the buns were just fine. That was the second very cold winter they have been through and I have had outdoor rabbits for five years.
Rabbits in general can handle cold temperatures as long as they are acclimatised to the weather and have grown a thick winter coat, have plenty of bedding and a dry hutch and have enough food to give them a bit of fat for insulation.
During the recent winter here, we experienced temperatures as low as -18 and the buns were just fine. That was the second very cold winter they have been through and I have had outdoor rabbits for five years.
puppyjess12345
Mama Doe
Mine are out all year and as for as I know are fine with it. I think its important they've got a friend to cuddle up with and some sort of den with lots of hay in winter though :wave:
happysaz133
Wise Old Thumper
Yes its fine, long as you make sure they don't get lonely, and they have plenty hay and straw in the winter to keep them warm.
Hi, Yes it is fine as long as you give them the required shelter during the summer months and insulation during the winter months. Also they need protecting from other things like foxes, etc and must be put away at night.
Our bun lives in her hutch and has the run of the garden every day without fail. She always goes out, even in the snow she pops out for a quick bounce.
If your bun is out in your garden, just make sure they don't eat any plants you want to protect or might be bad for them.
In the winter months we use a hutch cover to keep the cold wind and rain/snow out of her hutch and we add a blanket and an extra layer of straw in her bedding. Plus her litter tray is emptied more often as she is in the hutch more and we give her new boxes with things hidden in side for fun while she is no going out.
Our bun lives in her hutch and has the run of the garden every day without fail. She always goes out, even in the snow she pops out for a quick bounce.
If your bun is out in your garden, just make sure they don't eat any plants you want to protect or might be bad for them.
In the winter months we use a hutch cover to keep the cold wind and rain/snow out of her hutch and we add a blanket and an extra layer of straw in her bedding. Plus her litter tray is emptied more often as she is in the hutch more and we give her new boxes with things hidden in side for fun while she is no going out.
YES my 4 year old has been a outside rabbit since he was 12 weeks old. Just keep a check on the weather hope this helps
Mischief and Tinker's Mum
Wise Old Thumper
Yes :wave:
alisont
Mama Doe
My Leo has lived outside all his life and is 14 this year! He has extra hay, waterproof covers, old carpet etc over the hutch in winter. He is near the house with a tall fence behind the hutch so well sheltered.
If ever he gets ill I'd bring him in.
He use to spend all day in his run over summer as long as not too hot, but over winter I do limit run time as I'd worry age wise about him, he enjoys a couple of hours a day in the run and that has a cover.
If ever he gets ill I'd bring him in.
He use to spend all day in his run over summer as long as not too hot, but over winter I do limit run time as I'd worry age wise about him, he enjoys a couple of hours a day in the run and that has a cover.
:wave: Yes. I have a pair of 4 year old buns who live outside all year. They have a two storey hutch with run attached on the patio as their permenant base & have another run which I only add when I'm at home as it's on the grass & one of them digs for England :roll:
Their permanent run has a waterproof cover on. The hutch is insulated & also has a waterproof cover on it.
Their permanent run has a waterproof cover on. The hutch is insulated & also has a waterproof cover on it.
Thank youI'm getting my rabbit in April and the hutch I'm getting him doesn't have a hutch cover but I could cover it with carpet, blankets and tarpaulin and put lots of hay in the hutch to keep him warm.
There are lots of things you can do to make a permanent cover. Buy some bubble wrap and staple it on to the hutch and then cover with a waterproof cover and it doesnt cost a lot. To keep costs down you can get a value shower cover for this which should do most of the hutch and some of the run.
You can make a 'blind' for the front by using a piece of shower curtain and attatching a batton of wood to the bottom which is used at night to protect the hutch from cold wind and rain and also give the rabbbit a more protected area if predators visit the garden overnight.
