Free range rabbits?

My bunnies are superbly lucky that I am off work awaiting a redundancy decision! They've been free range indoors and out throughout this superhot weather and I honestly can't imagine how they would have coped trapped inside this week.

This throws up an interesting conundrum - I can't currently afford to build the extension to get them out of the house, but I do have a catflap for the conservatory door. Do I just let them come and go as they please?

It's risky, but they've been fine all week. It's risky to keep them in.

Of course I'm not cruel and please don't think I'd ever leave them to just melt in this heat. If I really had to, I'd just let them go free range in the house so they could get to the cooler rooms. Yes they will chew the table and pee on the carpet, but that's preferable to me than them dying of heat exhaustion!

But I have seen people who just let their bunnies come and go as they choose. How are they getting away with it? Surely anything a rabbit can get in a cat can follow so hiding places are not enough?

I'd love for mine to be able to go in and out as they please, but they can only do it when I'm here unfortunately as OH won't let me put holes (or cat flaps!) in the walls!

Having said that - I would want them to have a secure outdoor area that they could access - someone on here has a great setup with a tunnel going from a hutch/run setup into the house through a wall and sideboard (can't remember who though)!
Could you fix a secure run to the outside where the catflap is so they had somewhere safe to go?

I know a lot of people on here give their buns wrapped up frozen bottles of water to lie against too to keep cool. I've tried it with mine too but they just ignore it - might be worth a try though?

Or could you set up a pen in one of the cooler rooms for them so they could go there without destroying your house?

eta - it's chelle who has the amazing setup: http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...6-(23-11-11)-Our-new-setup.......Check-it-out!

Letting them outdoors without someone their to watch them is not a good idea. There are too many unknown risks and cats / dogs / foxes / magpies / whatever out there.

Mine are Indoors most of the time, probs 99%, only outside now and again when I am in the garden, but they don't love it!

Mine are similar to Kermit. They come out when it's not too cold, not too hot and we're around outside to keep watch. Too many predators around to not watch them constantly. Also have to use a pen as too easy for them to run off or hurt themselves on something. My lops love it, Smudge doesn't mind it and sometimes enjoys it, Nutmeg quite dislikes it and spends a lot of the time washing :lol:. I'm outside right now with N+S. Nutmeg has discovered today that grass in the run is the same taste as that long stuff the human brings back from the allotment :roll: and has been having some nibbles.