Advice re bringing rabbit inside please

Hi,

I am really hoping someone can offer some advice please.

I have a three year old mini lop who currently lives alone outside - unfortunately for various reasons I am unable to get him a friend at the moment.

He has always been allowed in the house for short periods and loves all the attention he gets, but since reading up on here I realise that this is probably not good for him. However, he is used to this now and I couldn't bear the thought of him outside all the time with no company.

I keep the hutch as warm as possible when he goes back out, blankets, loads of straw, a snugglesafe and an insulated cover and waterproof front cover at night.

I am now wondering whether it may be wise to bring him inside permanently. My head is full of questions, would he be too warm? Would he adjust?

If he did come in, he would have a penned area for when he's alone but would probably free range downstairs whenever there's someone here.

I really want whats best for him but I am unsure what this is.

I know I'm probably waffling now so will shut up and wait for some advice.

Thank you all xxx

I would say it's better to bring him in permanently than to chop and change.

When we had one of our buns inside when he was ill, I realised just how much we would need to do to our house to make it safe for a rabbits full time,
everything would need rabbit proofing, we have a lot of wiring in some places, out of sight for us, but not out of reach for a bun, our sofas are open underneath as they are all reclining, we have found many a puddle of pee under there,

We have too many buns to bring them all in, but do bring them in if we have to keep an eye on them, we also luckily have a larder that is inside, but not warm but also warmer than outside,

Is it more a case of, you dont want to spend time in the cold?

Would he be inside permanently or just until the spring?

I think if you have the space and are willing to rabbit proof everything, dont mind things getting chewed (if bun does I mean, being in 24/7 is different to the odd few hours here and there) and clearing up hay, then by all means bring him in, ive read somewhere on here about someone keeping a window cracked so rabbit could slowly adjust to the temp (I think that was here)

But again, if bun is coping with being outside, and you are doing all you can to keep him warm, I dont see why he cannot stay outside,
All ours do, we us duvets and therma wrap, they get covered if weather is bleak during the day, but we have clear scaffold sheeting and they are seem to a min of 3 times a day for hay and water and nose rubs, and are full to the brim with straw.

Good luck with your decision

I bring my two in every night for three hours - i have the heating on trickle (something like 10 degrees) just so it doesn't freeze, and leave the stairs door open (its freezing on the stairs) and my two are fine.

Bringing him in permanently and what you'd need to do really depends on the rabbit - my rupert would love to be a house bunny and i wouldn't need to do much, but tia, she likes chewing furniture wood - it really depends on the rabbit and how much you like your furniture (if he's a chewer).

we have a litter tray in the house for them when they come in, and a water bowl, and a hay basket

Thanks for your reply - it would only be for bunny's benefit not mine. He seems to cope ok outside but my real concern is that we bring him in for periods so he can have some company and I worry that this is doing him more harm than good as he then has to go back outside.

If I stop bringing him inside, he's not going to get anywhere near as much interaction as its too cold for me or my daughter to spend much time with him outside. I don't want him to become lonely, when he comes in he loves nothing more than a nose rub and cuddle.

Thanks "Rupert & Tia", he does come in now so I'm used to him having a little nibble of things here and there - he would never be left totally unsupervised, we would have a pen for when we're out.

I do think if you are able that indoors would be better for him. When they're in pairs they can snuggle and keep warm together, it's much harder for a single bunny.

Have you had a look at the indoor sticky, some ideas for bunny proofing in there.

I assume he is neutered - therefore have you considered bonding him with a spayed female? Rabbits are usually happier in pairs; she would help keep him warm and provide him with companionship.

I certainly wouldn't advise bringing him in and then putting him back outside.

ETA Sorry - just re-read your post and saw you are unable to get him a companion.

Roly Poly said:

Thanks for your reply - it would only be for bunny's benefit not mine. He seems to cope ok outside but my real concern is that we bring him in for periods so he can have some company and I worry that this is doing him more harm than good as he then has to go back outside.

If I stop bringing him inside, he's not going to get anywhere near as much interaction as its too cold for me or my daughter to spend much time with him outside. I don't want him to become lonely, when he comes in he loves nothing more than a nose rub and cuddle.

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Thats why i bring mine in too, and tia was sooo nervous when we got them, shes calmed down loads, we've done this almost every day (apart from really good weather when we're all outside in summer) since we got them (it'll be 2 yrs in february) but you do have to have the house quite cold - also, you'll be surprised how cold it is on the floor even with heating on a bit! but you do have to be careful about it, and obviously, the colder it is outside, the colder you need to have it in the house (if that makes sense - like at the mo its about 0 at night in their shed, so i have it about 10 inside -altho its not actually 10, its probably 5... but if the temp outside was -10, the rise to 10 (even 5) would be too much) my vet said a rise of no more than 8-10 degrees is acceptable.

I personally think if he's alone he shouldn't be outside. If he's going to get the most attention and interaction by being inside, bring him in.

Thanks Elena, yes I've been reading lots on here, think I know how we could fit him in, just need to decide if it is the best thing for him xx

Roly Poly said:

Thanks Elena, yes I've been reading lots on here, think I know how we could fit him in, just need to decide if it is the best thing for him xx

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I'm sure he would love being inside having company and things to keep him occupied, by either sight, sound, smell and or activities. Do you have a cooler room he could have access to? This would be better than one with the heating on alot and feeling more tropical.

Just imagine outside, safe and snug, but with nothing else to do other than snuggle down for many hours during these long winter nights.

I do worry about single bunnies being alone, in the dark without any other bunny friend to snuggle to. Bonded bunnies have each other. Lucky them.


I hope everything works out well for your bunny.

Mrs. Bunnykins said:

I'm sure he would love being inside having company and things to keep him occupied, by either sight, sound, smell and or activities. Do you have a cooler room he could have access to? This would be better than one with the heating on alot and feeling more tropical.

Just imagine outside, safe and snug, but with nothing else to do other than snuggle down for many hours during these long winter nights.

I do worry about single bunnies being alone, in the dark without any other bunny friend to snuggle to. Bonded bunnies have each other. Lucky them.


I hope everything works out well for your bunny.

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Thank you, we would have him in the corner of our lounge, obviously it is heated but he wouldn't be near the radiator, he would also have access to the kitchen which is cooler.

Having said that when we allow him in, he does tend to make a dash behind the tv and lies against the radiator pipes!!!

Still pondering over this, wouldn't be able to sort anything out before Christmas as we would need to get everything to build the pen.

Still a bit worried that the change would upset him, he can be quite tempremental sometimes! I've also read that the change could bring about snuffles, I really don't want to do anything that may harm him.

it is tricky- ive decided to bring my pair in today for the winter as their shed was getting damp and freezing over at the windows. they have snuffles already so it doesnt make a difference that way. if he seems calm and confident in the house when you bring him in i dont see why you shouldnt. bunnies are very nosey and love the extra attention. mine are sleeping in the klitchen at night as its cooler then freerange the hallway, stairs, landing and my bedroom where the wires are hiden and safe during the day. the lounge is bunny free zone as they would reck it too much!:lol:

When I first decided to keep rabbits indoors I kept them in the kitchen dining room, seems the easiest room to rabbit proof

All I've had to do is cover the wires, Louie isn't a chewer or destroyer!

Does anyone know whether now is the right time to bring him in? Would he have already grown his winter coat and therefore be too hot?

As I've said previously, he does come inside a bit so he's used to the house.

I'm really in a dilemma about this, I want to do what's right for him and I would love him to be inside with us all the time.

Sorry I know I'm going on a bit but any more advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks xx

Just giving this a bump to see if anyone has any advice about the timing issues, thanks xx

well mine have thick winter coats but ive brought them in. as long as they have somewhere relatively cool to go to they should be fine

He would be fine and love being a house bunny I'm sure. I've got 4 and they are all very happy buns. The one that was very aggressive no longer is because he gets so much attention and just thrives on it. I think he was just unhappy, bored and cross before. I am taking on another 2 buns this week, all have been outside but will now be house buns, because they are actually very poorly and mega traumatised. 1 coming from rspca and 1 from a rescue. Bringing him inside won't give him snuffles, but in and out and dramatic temperature changes would not be good for him. I have 3 bunny rooms in my house and the radiators are turned off, that's all, but my buns and the 2 new ones this week, will not go out at all until next march. If you have him in a pen I'm sure he would be fine. I never have cables about but none of my buns have ever chewed things, and I wondered if it is because they have such a good selection of toys, and Dipsy loves ripping the yellow pages up and the envelopes from the post, digging in some old towels, and I got a box from the supermarket and filled it with shredded paper and they all get a turn in that each day and love digging in it. I could well be wrong but I think that if bunnies start to indulge in DIY that kind of thing, it's because they are not being mentally stimulated enough, and get into trouble through boredom. I really would bring your bunny in though but just leave him in until the spring and give him things that are ok to rip up etc, and I am sure he will love it, but I really think you are more likely to make him unwell doing what you are doing now, by bringing him in and him being warm and then taking him back out when it is so cold, and he's got no-one to cuddle up to. Best christmas present you could give him.