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Bringing outdoor buns in

J&R

Mama Doe
Since sadly losing my cat I have been pondering whether to bring my two outdoor buns to live inside.

I can switch the heating off in the conservatory and put them in there whilst the weathers cold but I'm just worried, I'm pretty sure Rosie would really like being inside but suspect Fiver would not be so keen. He's such a rabbity rabbit, he loves his free range garden time and digging burrows etc.
What would I do if he hated being indoors? Especially if Rosie enjoyed it?
Has anyone brought their outdoor buns in and found they didn't adjust well?
 
I have had our newest bunny indoors during the nights this last week since he was neutered a week ago. He was found as a stray and doesn't seem to have grown a winter coat like my other 2, plus he has nobody to cosy up to. Today he has been inside all day, free ranging in my living room, with one radiator turned off to keep one side of the room cooler and his hutch is against the window incase he finds it too warm. He seems to not mind being indoors or outdoors. Biscuit and Brie live in a playhouse in the garden, both have grown in a thick winter coat and have each other to snuggle up to. Brie would probably settle well indoors but Biscuit would hate it and at his age is very set in his ways, so I have kept them outside and have done as much as I can to keep their home warm - lots of straw, multiple levels to keep them off the cold floor level, a snuggle safe when really cold.
 
They're both perfectly happy outdoors, even with snugglesafes and straw in their house they prefer to sit out in their run in the cold snuggled up to each other.

I just see photos of other people's inside buns being all cuddled up with them and think it looks nice, I suppose that's more about what I'd like rather than Fiver and Rosie though. Although I would guarantee Rosie would enjoy being inside, getting up to mischief.
 
Even those who I've thought would hate being inside, have thrived, even my wildie rabbit. They have all absolutely lovely it, however, I have found that some do have a preferred place due to things like heat tolerance, age, respiratory effort (even in healthy rabbits), everything like that. But I've never had a rabbit who emotionally preferred being outside.
 
You could try them in the unheated conservatory and still allow them freerange time in the garden.

I loved having Louie indoors and he still freeranged outside everyday :)
 
Boots was an outdoor bun. However, he is such a snugglebun and when we got him in the summer, he was outside for about a week, in that time he spent a lot of time in the house and was clearly happier indoors, so I brought him in. He loves it indoors. I thought Dandy and Beano would hate it indoors as they are very rabbity rabbits, however, when I had them indoors for a few days last summer bonding them into a quad, they did settle quite nicely. I couldn't have them indoors as they are terrible chewers though :shock:
 
I do like the way everyone knew what I meant by a rabbity rabbit :lol:
I'm quite sure if I said that anywhere but here, everyone would not know what I was going on about!

I've been thinking about it a bit more and wondering what if I decided to get another cat, the conservatory is huge so they could stay shut in there whilst I'm at work although it gets very hot in there in the summer so maybe the conservatory and living room. Then future cat could have the rest of the house, plus it would already be their territory by that time, whereas Sheba had claimed the conservatory as hers when I got the buns so I couldn't bring them in before now.

It just feels like such a big decision, I'm sure it isn't really and I'm as usual worrying for no reason!
 
Another thing, it is lovely to be able to have such a close relationship with them when you have a house bun :love:
 
Since bringing Lopsy in he's been much less rabbity, a lot more personable! He's been requesting noserubs left, right and centre! And he can flop for Nottingham (not quite England or even the county yet, but give him a few more days!). That could be the endless handling for meds though :S THAT'S certainly easier than it would be in the cold, dark and wet!
 
Mine are outdoor buns but I am considering bringing them in as I am worried about the cold. They have been inside once before, when they were spayed, and they were both desperate to get back outside... so I don't know.
 
So I think the only change I'd need to make is getting rugs down on the laminate flooring, machine washable ones as I know they will pee everywhere to start because it won't smell of them and they insist on weeing over every fleece that goes in their house.

And I could give it a week and if they don't settle put them back out I suppose? I've already switched the heater off in the conservatory and its blinking cold in there, if not the -1 it is outside, they still won't boil in their winter coats.

Oh and cover the odd bit of wiring and move all plants and breakable things I expect!
 
Mine went from outdoor to indoor buns after six or seven years living outside - both of them took to it better than I ever could've hoped. Neither was unhappy living outside but given the choice, they would definitely prefer to be inside I'm absolutely sure of it. And it's lovely to see them warm and cosy zonked out on the rug all comfortable!
 
I find Boots copes very well with the laminate flooring, he has it in his room. I've noticed the only time he skids on it a bit is when his claws need clipping.
 
Mine went from outdoor to indoor buns after six or seven years living outside - both of them took to it better than I ever could've hoped. Neither was unhappy living outside but given the choice, they would definitely prefer to be inside I'm absolutely sure of it. And it's lovely to see them warm and cosy zonked out on the rug all comfortable!

:love:
 
I'm now in the process of bringing my trio inside, but they won't be house buns the way Peach is.

After a couple of issues thanks to high winds, I've brought their hutch into my outdoor laundry area....kind of (it's not where I want it permanently) so they're closer to us, and easier to keep an eye on, won't be boiling hot, but won't be invading Princess peach and her territory.
Once I have time I'll fix up the back door, and let them have free run of those 3 small rooms to begin with.

We have laminate and I find they only slip when it's been a while since they've been in. Peach slips as she's still growing and hasn't entirely found her feet yet.

Good luck bringing yours in :)
 
Boey loves the laminate floor he sptints and does controlled slides now! Ours live outside but love inside
 
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