Indoor bunnies moving outside - advice please

Hi everyone

I'm looking for some advice regarding moving my two bunnies outside.(they have been house bunnies for 2 years)
I have read that the best time to do this is in spring.
As of spring this year they have been going outside in a hutch/ run in the daytime, then coming in once it gets dark. Each day they get put out and brought back in. (they are in a room with no central heating)
They seem to hate coming back inside and love the great outdoors. They just seem so much happier in the garden, so we want to make this a permanent set up.
We went on holiday at the end of October for 2 weeks. The bunnies came inside permanently as my friend was caring for them. They are now still inside and look pretty bored.
I wanted advice on moving them outside permanently now?
Will it just be to cold for them, as I'm not sure that they have their winter coats? How can I tell if they do?
Would it be okay to move them outside now if we insulted the hutch and brought the hutch and run onto the patio rather then down the garden on the grass (quite open to the elements down there).

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

Lou
: )

Hi

Your best bet is to wait until spring. If they've been indoors for 2 years it won't hurt them to wait until april. They can't go out at the moment as it's very cold and they won't have their winter coats to keep them warm.

Do they live free range indoors? If so it's a good idea to try and give them as much space as possible outdoors too. You may want to check out this thread http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?311878-Outdoor-Housing for some housing ideas for when you make the move.

Hi. I know what you mean about them loving being outside. I took mine into the summerhouse last month to protect them in the winter but its been so mild and I thought it was such a shame to keep them in that I put them out again. They've got their fenced off bit of garden and they seem so much happy out there binkying around. I dont know how I'll feel about them being out there if it gets alot colder but I suppose they've got each other to cuddle up to and they are in the bike shed so have a bit of protection.
I think it probably is abit late to put them out if they've been used to being in the house.

I think you should put them outside. As long as they have plenty of straw and a cover im sure they will be fine. They sound like they will be happier outside.

We have put Twinkle out just over 2wk ago and shes fluffed up already. The new boy Ozzy came yesterday from the rescue. Hes been kept in for 3wks at the rescue, but he was in the shed last night and has played out all day, they are in an insulated shed with a box full of straw, so as we have had mild nights fingers crossed he develops a nice thick coat asap.

I made the mistake last year with my old buns of bringing them in and taking them out, not realising they get thermal stress. So this year the new pair are staying out, they love it out there.

It is still quite mild though. We havnt had any frosty nights yet. How long does it take for their winter coat to grow through?

ChristyRose said:

It is still quite mild though. We havnt had any frosty nights yet. How long does it take for their winter coat to grow through?

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Mine are still molting after the october heat!

Thanks for your advice everyone. its started snowing now so we will wait till the weather isn't so nasty to put them out. I like the idea of an insulated shed. I would feel happier knowing they had a bit more protection from the elements and predators.

You can't put them out now. Wait until the indoor temperature and outdoor temperature are similar.

Stator said:

You can't put them out now. Wait until the indoor temperature and outdoor temperature are similar.

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I think what Tim means is, he advises you don't put them out now. They're your rabbits and you can do what you want with them and what you think is best. I think it's a good idea to heed advice from seasoned rabbit owners, but at the same time you don't have to obey them.

Ok let me put it this way:

If you put them outside now you are committing an act of animal cruelty and shouldn't own any pets.

Better?

Im afraid you have left it to let now , there is no way you can put them out this year. The best time to put them out is march or april when the temperature is around 10-15 degrees :wave:

Stator said:

Ok let me put it this way:

If you put them outside now you are committing an act of animal cruelty and shouldn't own any pets.

Better?

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Oh well.....another new member probably frightened off the forum :roll:

No it will take more than that to scare me off : )
I'll re-word my previous post.
They won't be going out until the spring when its warmed up outside.
I'll probably build them a shed with outside run so they can have the best of both worlds.
If we had thought about it sooner we could have done it this year.
I'm sure that everyone on this forum is an animal lover and only wants the best for their and others bunnies : )
Thanks again for your help guys, have a lovely Christmas

Loubun-e said:

No it will take more than that to scare me off : )
I'll re-word my previous post.
They won't be going out until the spring when its warmed up outside.
I'll probably build them a shed with outside run so they can have the best of both worlds.
If we had thought about it sooner we could have done it this year.
I'm sure that everyone on this forum is an animal lover and only wants the best for their and others bunnies : )
Thanks again for your help guys, have a lovely Christmas

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Thats great and you will have loads of time to plan their shed too. There are some great pics of sheds in the housing section on here

I'm doing the same with my bunny come the spring - already got the run and the 6x2x2 hutch outside all set up, just waiting now for the milder weather.
I think you're making the right decision to move them outside if they seem happier, but everyone's right about waiting until the milder spring weather - say around late april/may - as they won't have their winter coats and won't grow one properly now & it's too bitter for a rabbit without one to be outside.
Give them plenty of snuggly bedding in the spring and they'll be fine, good luck.