Winter Housing

I have 4 bunnies that have been living outdoors since May, originally they were out during the day and in at night (apart from in the cold weather when they were in all the time) so it's my first year having them out in the winter. Two live in a hutch with a run attached and Two live in a great long run in between two garages with a hutch inside. Both hutches are currently covered in Green Tarp to stop rain getting in.

I have plans for further weather proofing and have today built a platform for both Hutches so they are completely off the floor but my main concerns are
a) the lack of light due the the dark tarp on one of the hutches it would prove very difficult to remove as it is a self built hutch the other i could replace with clear but wondered what the consensus was regaring access to light during the winter and i suspect most wild bunnies would be tucked up in a dark burrow for the duration of the winter.
b) the lack of outdoor time due to the poor weather. Today we have had not stop drizzle and although the temperatures are not too harsh at the moment im worried that as the temparature drops their outdoor time will become more and more limited as i dont want them out getting wet. Again any thougths would be good maybe im just been over concerned as its the first time they will be out.

Any advice would bemuch appreciated x

For my outdoor four, I stuff tons of straw [with hay on top] to keep them warm if they want to be, but mostly they sit out in the run!:shock:

I only tarp the run over at night, in the day its 'open' - Could you roll it back during the day to give maximum light??

have a look at this thread http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?312704-Winter-care&highlight=winter+care

rabbitdan said:

have a look at this thread http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?312704-Winter-care&highlight=winter+care

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I found this thread very helpful, also this one:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?314658-With-winter-just-round-the-corner-........&highlight=winter+corner

I have 2 huge pieces of material (super cheap from an offcut bin outside a brilliant material shop), and an 8ftx6ft tarpaulin from ebay to go over the hutch, plus a snugglesafe and loads of straw and hay for inside. I also have some clear plastic sheeting that I've got over the mesh on the front (can be rolled up and pegged), and some extra to cover the run - probably just the end closest to the hutch to give a bit of snow cover.

Get thanks for the help, think im just been over protective as it's the first winter outdoors

steph1981 said:

Get thanks for the help, think im just been over protective as it's the first winter outdoors

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It's the first winter outdoors for mine too and I worry just as much! :wave:

As long as your buns are healthy and have the option of somewhere warn I woven worry too much. Mine push their snuggle safes off their shelf and chose to sit outside in the snow a lot of last winter

rabbitdan said:

Please please wrap your bunnies up warm this winter! especially young ones!

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Do you think mine will be ok with the covers and things I posted about further up the thread? :? Finx is 1year 3 months and Tango was estimated at a few months older than her by the rescue, so not babies!

sierra*323 said:

Do you think mine will be ok with the covers and things I posted about further up the thread? :? Finx is 1year 3 months and Tango was estimated at a few months older than her by the rescue, so not babies!

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My two were out in a hutch last winter with a hutch cover over them. I lined their sleeping area with newspaper and stuffed it to the gills with hay. I had cardboard boxes in their downstairs area filled with hay too. I covered them over with tarp as well in the snow and they were snug and fine. My only battle was with their water bottles. I had covers for them and they still froze a lot.

Joanne Jenkinson said:

My two were out in a hutch last winter with a hutch cover over them. I lined their sleeping area with newspaper and stuffed it to the gills with hay. I had cardboard boxes in their downstairs area filled with hay too. I covered them over with tarp as well in the snow and they were snug and fine. My only battle was with their water bottles. I had covers for them and they still froze a lot.

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Thanks, hopefully they will be ok. I have a bowl rather than a bottle, another member suggested maybe getting another snugglesafe and standing the bowl on it. Might help I thought about pinning a towel or something to the floor under their sleeping area - it's a moveable wooden box with no floor, so they're just on the upstairs hutch floor. I filled it with hay but they pushed it out!