New outdoor housing - advice please

Hi everyone,

I have two indoor bunnies who free-range, and a 5 month old currently hidden away from the bigger ones (!) in a puppy pen attached to a indoor cage. Next week we are collecting a 5 month old doe who lives outdoors, and we are ordering a 7ft chicken coop for both little ones to live outside in. I am a little concerned about the timing of the move - but short of not getting him a mate it's unavoidable. He is only lightly moulting and spends a lot of time outside anyway - he much prefers that to his current set-up!

I have a few questions - the coop will be going onto stone slabs - I'm worried the floor will get cold/wet - what do people use to put down underneath (if anything?)
Does anyone use any sort of lights they use that don't need plugging in? On dark days I will hate the thought of them in the dark! I currently have those rechargeable Phillips candles for indoors when we sleep - I know I'm being silly!
Is there anything else I need to take into account? Absolutely no risk of foxes where I am! Have read about snugglesafes - should I be investing in some?! Had thought of getting a little patio heater but no plug outside and wouldn't want any buns jumping into burning wood/hot coal!

Any thoughts appreciated.

They will be fine on stone slabs, they are actually quite good because they tend to be cool in the hot summer days and slightly warm during cold winter nights. You could give them something wooden to sit on too so they have a choice. I wouldn't worry about lights, rabbits have very good low light vision. They usually come out at dawn and dusk in the wild. You can get solar shed lights if you want something so that you can see. You don't need a heater, the best thing is to draft proof the hutch and make sure they have a dry sheltered area where you can stuff lots of hay. Snugglesafes might be useful for extreme weather, but aren't needed for most winter nights.

And everywhere is at risk of foxes.

Kate123 said:

Hi everyone,

I have two indoor bunnies who free-range, and a 5 month old currently hidden away from the bigger ones (!) in a puppy pen attached to a indoor cage. Next week we are collecting a 5 month old doe who lives outdoors, and we are ordering a 7ft chicken coop for both little ones to live outside in. I am a little concerned about the timing of the move - but short of not getting him a mate it's unavoidable. He is only lightly moulting and spends a lot of time outside anyway - he much prefers that to his current set-up!

I have a few questions - the coop will be going onto stone slabs - I'm worried the floor will get cold/wet - what do people use to put down underneath (if anything?)
Does anyone use any sort of lights they use that don't need plugging in? On dark days I will hate the thought of them in the dark! I currently have those rechargeable Phillips candles for indoors when we sleep - I know I'm being silly!
Is there anything else I need to take into account? Absolutely no risk of foxes where I am! Have read about snugglesafes - should I be investing in some?! Had thought of getting a little patio heater but no plug outside and wouldn't want any buns jumping into burning wood/hot coal!

Any thoughts appreciated.

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Everywhere is at risk of foxes... do not be lulled into a false sense of security. I didnt see a fox anywhere near my garden for over five years ... until last year... now I know they lurk..

I put straw down on the slabs so it is softer to lay on and warmer in winter. I also put plastic sheeting on top of the run so the straw stays dry. I use snugglesafes when really cold, and no lights!!!

Thanks to both of you, and also thanks for not laughing at me, I must sound like a total loon worrying about lights and cold floors. I'd seriously hope there are no foxes where I am - 5th floor flat, we just have a good sized balcony!!

The top part of the coop is closed in (it's like those cocoon ones but bigger) so will fill that right up with hay/straw, but I also may get a little wooden house for the downstairs too - I have one of those trixie houses but all the buns like to play in that so will leave it out of the run part.

I will make sure it's very draft proofed as it seems that's going to be my main problem!

Quick edit - fluffiebunnie, your little ones are lovely!

That all sounds fine, if you like you can find more outdoor winter housing advice on this thread: http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?312704-Winter-care&highlight=winter+care

The only thing I would worry about is the temp change from outdoor to indoor and back if you bring them in for play. Not sure how big your balcony is though, it may be big enough to have them out there permenantly, if the 7ft balcony was square (7ft wide) that would give them 49sqft, if its 6ft wide that gives them 42sqft. The RWA reccommended minimum is 44sqft, so I reckon both would be okay to be out there all the time, but most balconies arent that wide. But if its not that wide you may have to bring them indoors to exercise, so you may have to turn off the heating to minimise the temperature change for them, as it can be harmful.

Thanks nessar, the balcony's 8ft by 9ft so should be plenty of space, there are some chairs out there but they're just hurdles to them aren't they?! I wouldn't be bringing them indoors unless I absolutely had to as last time the boys ended up having a fight when little one snuck in past my feet from outside. Thankfully neither were hurt (just me getting bitten seperating them!) but they have no interest in meeting again. I will have a nose through the thread tomorrow when I have some time, just wanted to get anything I needed planned so I can go shopping in the morning!

Kate123 said:

Thanks nessar, the balcony's 8ft by 9ft so should be plenty of space, there are some chairs out there but they're just hurdles to them aren't they?! I wouldn't be bringing them indoors unless I absolutely had to as last time the boys ended up having a fight when little one snuck in past my feet from outside. Thankfully neither were hurt (just me getting bitten seperating them!) but they have no interest in meeting again. I will have a nose through the thread tomorrow when I have some time, just wanted to get anything I needed planned so I can go shopping in the morning!

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That sounds great! Gosh that's a massive balcony! Only other thing I can think of is to make sure they cant jump off, my buns will jump 3ft, other members bunnies on here have done higher! And if there are chairs they could use them as a good 2ft leg up.

I agree with all advice so far. The only thing I have that's different is foam mats over the slabs because one of my buns gets sore feet. It has the advantage that any rainwater lying on the ground doesn't cover the whole bottom of the hutch because it goes under the mats and then where they sit is lovely and dry.