People with outdoor buns AND indoor buns

Do you feel bad for spending more time with your indoor buns?
I think I'd feel like I was neglecting the outdoor ones as Bear and Alice live the life of luxury in the house with us!
How do you make sure you spend enough time with your outdoor buns when it's cold and rainy?
I had outdoor bunnies when I was growing up but for about the last 10 only house bunnies so seems really strange or me to keep them outside :lol:

HoneyBear said:

Do you feel bad for spending more time with your indoor buns?
I think I'd feel like I was neglecting the outdoor ones as Bear and Alice live the life of luxury in the house with us!
How do you make sure you spend enough time with your outdoor buns when it's cold and rainy?
I had outdoor bunnies when I was growing up but for about the last 10 only house bunnies so seems really strange or me to keep them outside :lol:

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Don't feel bad they are animals and as such they are equipped to deal with the cold and so long as they have a dry shelter its fine you have to separate what humans class as luxury to what animals class as luxury .

I truly beleive outside is where rabbits belong experiencing the outside world and fresh air but obviuosly in rabbit luxury with a friend.

It seems that most people with indoor and outdoor buns have the outdoor buns outside because it's where those particular rabbits prefer it, so they have nothing to feel bad for.

Are you thinking about getting some more rabbits? Rabbits in general don't mind not having people around all the time, and are really well suited to living outside, so although they'd be living a different life to your rabbits, they'd be living an equally good life :thumb:

We have three types of bunnies: One housebun, we have a very strong bond, she knows her own name, is allowed all over the house and can open doors, she also tries to eat human food which is a downside. She has mild snuffles and is missing a couple of toes so she can't walk as well as other buns. She spends a lot of time just resting and taking life a slower pace. She is very affectionate and has bonded herself to us.

We have 6 garage buns whom we see every day and sit with in their runs or outdoors for free ranging. Some of them are closer to us than others. In fact I would only say 2 of them are shy or give affection on their own terms but I am used to that. Frodo for example is incredibly shy having spent years in rescue before we adopted him. He has anxiety and confidence issues but we are slowly seeing an improvement. Spending more time with him definitely helps. I always bring treats (healthy ones like fresh greens) for them and sit quietly and let them do what they like. I always try and let them know there is no threat and no obligation for them do anything other than be themselves.

Finally I have 4 garden rabbits. They live in purpose built runs which are insulated, fitted for electricity (lighting, cool air fans) so things are very cosy but still open to the fresh air (there is a roof and only the front wall is exposed). This is a slightly different situation as they were my childhood buns and now elderly and still living in childhood home (parents house). Their day to day care is from my dad who is retired so thankfully he has bags of time and he really loves them. I see them almost every day as I live just one street away so again really lucky there. Those four buns I am very close to and get licks from because we also have a strong bond but I think that one stems from the longevity of our relationship. Three of those almost a decade old and one of them has recently turned 10 so we have always known each other and there is a deep trust there.

I don't feel guilty as every bun is different and has different needs. I would feel it unfair to move my elderly buns from my parents garden as it is all they known and it's also free range paradise. They live in conditions similar to wild buns but without the dangers. My garage buns are young and able, they need their space and independence plus they are in couples so also need a bit of privacy I think. They also have lots of levels to jump on and tunnels to go through and huge boxes of hay and grass, they can binky, burrow and jump to their heart's content. The housebun needs a quieter and softer environment and she also actively sought out human companionship after her mate died. We tried getting her a new mate several times and for a time she bonded to my disabled rabbit Mona (now at the bridge). I think that was ideal for both of them as they just wanted to lie and cuddle. But now she is alone again she is shunning other rabbits. We tried a few bonds but she was very aggressive. She just seems to want us and to stay in the house. I can leave the back door open on a sunny day and she won't venture out. We created a headquarters for her food station, hay boxes and even got her a doll's bed to sleep on but she prefers to snooze under the dining table by day or walk up a ramp at night. She doesn't like to jump really but she loves her cuddles. So I think it has all worked out quite well.

BattleKat said:

It seems that most people with indoor and outdoor buns have the outdoor buns outside because it's where those particular rabbits prefer it, so they have nothing to feel bad for.

Are you thinking about getting some more rabbits? Rabbits in general don't mind not having people around all the time, and are really well suited to living outside, so although they'd be living a different life to your rabbits, they'd be living an equally good life :thumb:

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This is basically what I was trying to say but its much shorter and more succinct compared to my essay. But I would say it does boil down to a rabbit's needs and preferences. It can take a while to find out sometimes though.

i actually feel liek i spend more time with the outdoor buns i do feel bad for it. jasper seems happy enough but i'd like to get him a friend, we just can't at the moment.

I dont feel bad, Harvey has the hall and upstairs all day and will soon have the kit hen too, at the moment hes a lone bun as hes ew to us but I hope to bond him soon but at the moment him and the kitten are best of friends. As for the outside buns tgey probably get more of my attention as im an outside person Nd spend a lot of time outside eitger in the greenhouse where they sneak in to or cleani g them out a d just being with them, in the winter I spend just as mu h time outdoors either with them or pottering round the garden. They are all very friendly and almost trip me up bouncing round my feet wanting strokes so I dont feel bad. They hop around the garden all day and I think this is more of a luxury to a bun than being indoors as outside is their Natural home.

I think when the weather is nice and i am off work, i spend more time with Daisy and Digby outside. On a normal working day, they probably all get similar. I have 2 single buns indoors, Molly upstairs and Olly downstairs. They all get about 35 mins in the morning. In the evening, Molly probably gets about an hour in total (feel awful about this as she is lonely )
Daisy and Digby probably get an hour too, and Olly is in the lounge so has a couple of hours company. Olly seems happy most of the time. It's just Molly i feel guilty about

I don't feel bad. Two of my outside rabbits are giants so they have more space outside and the other two are rescues who hate human company. We tend to just do minimal checks and leave them alone. The two giants have free run of the yard and often wander into the kitchen for treats. They are no less ' tame' than my two house rabbits. V is only in the house because of his snuffles and of course he then needed company hence we got meg.

I think I've got it in my head that rabbits need human comforts stupidly :lol:
Bear and Alice sit in front of the fire and cuddle up on the sofa, there very humanised! But yeah I guess that wouldn't suit everybun!

In the last couple of weeks since Tulip has been alone, I've been making a real effort to spend time outside in case he's lonely. Picture me sat on a blanket on the patio at dusk, huddled under another blanket as it's getting cooler, trying to read with a headtorch as it's getting darker......Tulip spends the whole time hopping around eating the grass totally ignoring me. I don't feel bad because I really don't think he rates my company very highly! He will hopefully be getting a new bunny friend this week!

esupi said:

In the last couple of weeks since Tulip has been alone, I've been making a real effort to spend time outside in case he's lonely. Picture me sat on a blanket on the patio at dusk, huddled under another blanket as it's getting cooler, trying to read with a headtorch as it's getting darker......Tulip spends the whole time hopping around eating the grass totally ignoring me. I don't feel bad because I really don't think he rates my company very highly! He will hopefully be getting a new bunny friend this week!

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Awww that's so sweet.

I would love a garden for my buns but I think I'd be tempted to keep them as housebuns if I ever moved somewhere with a garden. I just love seeing them and watching them play while I hang out with them.

No, my outdoor rabbits prefer their own company! My indoor rabbits like human company, but that is because of their personalities. Donny and Lola hate being indoors, I've never seen 2 rabbits so unhappy before.

Poppy was outdoors but when she was brought inside, she changed into an even happier rabbit. When we moved Charlie outside she changed into a different, happier rabbit so it just depends on them.

Yes sometimes I do but poppy doesn't do well inside and clover doesn't do well outside I wish I could have one or the other. Clover may get slightly more attention but poppy gets slightly better things, better housing, hay and treats I fell like I'm making up for it then lol