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How well can buns cope with minus temps

LittleEskimo

LittleEskimo

Mama Doe
Looked at the forecast as we have just had a bit of snow. It says it is going to be around -1 to -2 in the next couple of days. Rosie is a very fluffy rabbit so im hoping all that extra fur will do it's job to keep her at a nice temp. I think I might stuff more straw in her hutch too. That will do wont it. I heard rabbits don't mind the cold and will sit outside in sub zero but I do still worry lol
 
have you got a cover on the cage too, you could put an old duvet or carpet under taurpauln for extra warmth :wave:
 
Spenser is an indoor bun this winter but last year he did very well in consistent minus temperatures. His hutch is made of quite thick wood though, and we covered it with a thick plythene sheet. It now has an expensive therm hutch-hugger, and lo and behold he was ill in December so had to move inside.

Is Rosie single? Extra straw is all the more important for single buns as pairs get a lot of extra warmth from snuggling together.

Last winter Spenser also had a snugglesafe.
 
mini lop1 said:
they should be fine then with their extra bedding too, there coats adapt for winter temperatures and summer temperatures :wave:
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Yeah I just gave her a load of extra straw around the sides of the hutch to help insulate the walls a bit better. Brrrr too cold for me lol. She is pretty fluffy, a lionhead x with something, so hopefully that fur should do what it is supposed to do.

And yes Rosie is a single bun. But the new hutch arrived today and I am hoping to find her a husbun to share it with ;)
 
Been wondering about this too.....I dont cover the entire hutch as the cover needs repairing but they do have an option to come indoors into a cupboard snuggle area through a catflap and also one part of the hutch upstairs is covered and has a box with hay in it.

Then I have another single bun in a run...this has the roof and 3 sides covered and a small hutch inside where i always put a snuggle safe and more hay....

If all my buns dont snuggle together....are the above options warm enough for minus temps?

They seldom actually go and snuggle up out the wind etc....they sit out ontop of a grass tunnel all puffed up:?
 
chelle said:
They seldom actually go and snuggle up out the wind etc....they sit out ontop of a grass tunnel all puffed up:?
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I love the puffed up look - one thing I miss with Spenser being indoors. He looked like a giant pom-pom or powder-puff! Seriously, though, I think the puffing up has an insulating function.

Have to admit when the weather was at its most severe last winter Dad or I would get up through the night to change Spenser's water and snugglesafe.
 
susie bun said:
I love the puffed up look - one thing I miss with Spenser being indoors. He looked like a giant pom-pom or powder-puff! Seriously, though, I think the puffing up has an insulating function.

Have to admit when the weather was at its most severe last winter Dad or I would get up through the night to change Spenser's water and snugglesafe.
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aaaah I now....their eyes go all squinty and the look so funny - I can just imagine Spenser home made pom-pom!:lol::love:
Thats the thing....I know they are very clever....but if you all sat puffed up and trying to keep warm and the temps dropping more and more - would you think to move to where the snugglesafe is!:? Im not sure they would....esp. as the hutch in the run bedroom is so small.....I think they prefer spacious bedrooms...and they dont have that.:( and they have made a warm patch where they are sitting....:?
I often check on them at 1am and they are usually either munching hay or sleeping like pom-poms.....but I always feel bad for who ever is by themselves...:(
Well - all I can do is add loads hay and perhaps drape a fleece blanket over the hutch entrance so the whole area and no just the bedroom bit is abit more cosy....yeah...I'll do that!;)
thank you!:)
 
Well the way fur is supposed to work is by catching air pockets in the fur and then using the body heat to keep the air warm :) so maybe puffing up does keep them warm in a way.
When you are cold it is best to have layers as the warm air in between the layers of clothes is what really keeps you warm.
 
LittleEskimo said:
Well the way fur is supposed to work is by catching air pockets in the fur and then using the body heat to keep the air warm :) so maybe puffing up does keep them warm in a way.
When you are cold it is best to have layers as the warm air in between the layers of clothes is what really keeps you warm.
Click to expand...

aah thats really interesting...I didnt know that:thumb:;)
 
Mine have been well over -10oC, and have coped OK. I'm near the coldest place in the UK, and we have been OK all Winters so far. If you are worried, a pair of thick curtains draped over the hutch helps.
 
I bought an insulated hutch cover, which covers the whole hutch. I also give them a snugglesafe heat pad and provide plenty of hay. Its been below freezing here, and the water bottle hasn't frozen yet and the bunnies seem fine.
 
Mine coped fine last year when temperatures were down to about -13. They were in an insulated shed and I just gave them loads of hay and extra pellets. I have never bothered with snuggle safes or anything like that.
 
It was -4 here last night, and my two seemed very happy, bouncing around. I did give them two big fleece blankets to snuggle in in the shed, they don't tend to snuggle on hay! Very pampered bunnnies, only a fleece blanket will do!! ;)
 
Brrrrr my pond ended up freezing over last night but the water bottle seemed fine thankfully. It is meant to be even colder tonight so I think some towels over the mesh to keep any warmth in will help me sleep easy. Plus snuggle safe and piles of straw. She should be fine from what you guys say:)
 
i have mine in the shed with 4 snugglesafes(got 4 buns) and a heater that comes on if it drops below 5degress they also have fleece blankets and each other
 
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