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Do you shut your bunnies in at night?

Casco

Casco

Mama Doe
Last night was the first night I left my foster buns hutch open - have just finished making a run & attached to the hutch. I looked out a few times and he was sitting in the run at the furthest point from the hutch. It was literally freezing last night, and I have tried to make the hutch cosy for him but he chose to sit in the cold so I'm wondering if it would be better to shut him in the hutch? I know 24/7 access to the run is recommended but I would hate for him to get ill from the cold (esp as he's not actually my rabbit), just wondering what everyone else does?

I'm torn between rabbits not being stupid and going in for warmth when they need it, or them being stupid and not knowing when / how to seek warmth :lol:
 
When I had rabbits as a kid they lived outside & we would shut them in at night (they had their 6ft x 2ft hutch) but the only reason we done that was because we had a fox den in the garden next door & the run wasn't overly strong back then. (when I was around 6yrs old)

Now if mine were outside I'd give them 24/7 access to their run & ensure it was secure enough. I'd trust they'd know when they need to get into the warmth but if you've very worried could you add a small wooden box full of straw into the run that has a snuggle safe or something in it?
 
My four rabbits seem to be out all night in their enclosure despite having a cosy shed stuffed to the gunnels with straw. They don't seem to feel the cold and have very thick fur. They are my bad books today as they have been the garden since 9am and it took me well over an hour to herd them into their enclosure tonight. So naughty and so clever!
 
Mine have access to their three fully enclosed areas 24/7, and access to their open topped pen for a couple of hours each night at the moment (from when we get home until about 7pm). We've trained them* to come back in all the way to the playhouse when we shake pellets in a dish, in case we need them in for a reason, and we can shut a door in the playhouse if we need them to stay in.

* Well, Aboleth sometimes has to physically go and get Lopsy but that's good enough for us!
 
My bunnies have permanent access to their run at all time of day as they are most active during dusk and dawn and so that is when they are most likely to want to run around and stuff. The run does have a big waterproof cover over the top and this protects them from some of the rain/snow and also helps to stop getting as cold as it would be in there without it. Do you have a cover on your run?
 
My four have 24/7access to a run with a shelter in it. They are active at night and enjoy the space. I can see why you are considering shutting them in but I reakon running space is more important for them at night. As long as they have acceess to a warm dry space there shouldn't be a problem.
 
tulsi said:
My four have 24/7access to a run with a shelter in it. They are active at night and enjoy the space. I can see why you are considering shutting them in but I reakon running space is more important for them at night. As long as they have acceess to a warm dry space there shouldn't be a problem.
Click to expand...

this
 
Totally agree with Tulsi. My boys have 24/7 access to their run and are often sitting out there in the worst of weathers when they could be in their nice cosy (double glazed and insulated!) shed. :roll: Rabbits really don't mind the cold. :)
 
That's good, my preference is for him to have 24/7 access to the run so I'll keep it like that �� It is covered by tarpaulin although there is a gap of a couple of inches at one end that it doesn't cover (the end that he mostly sits at!) and I have put a cardboard box in there for shelter until the hide I've ordered arrives but he rarely uses it. I always think how lonely he looks out there on his own, I hope someone adopts him soon so he can have a wee bunny friend to keep him warm!
 
BossHogg said:
Mine have access to the garden during daylight hours. They are shut in their big hutch overnight.
Click to expand...

Mine too.

The main reason is that if I leave open the tunnel which gives them access to the run it puts them in a dreadful draught at night. Rabbits can cope with cold, but not draughts and especially not freezing cold draughts like we personally have been experiencing lately.

So it's up to you really.

Safety from night time predators and whether or not they will be in a draught, are the main things you have to consider.
 
In my current set up they all have to be shut in their hutches at night time, but from tomorrow one set of bunnies will have access to their run 24/7. My other two I'm going to move and they'll be still shut in their hutch at night - mainly because they are so tiny and this is their first winter and I just couldn't sleep knowing they could possibly be so cold (although I'm sure they are probably very happy and fine!). But in summer they'll move into their own shed and have access to a run 24/7 from then. They can probably survive much worse conditions than we give them credit for, but I would worry so much!
 
Casco said:
That's good, my preference is for him to have 24/7 access to the run so I'll keep it like that �� It is covered by tarpaulin although there is a gap of a couple of inches at one end that it doesn't cover (the end that he mostly sits at!) and I have put a cardboard box in there for shelter until the hide I've ordered arrives but he rarely uses it. I always think how lonely he looks out there on his own, I hope someone adopts him soon so he can have a wee bunny friend to keep him warm!
Click to expand...

Is he advertised on here, or on Rabbit Rehome?

Just wondered what he looked like :D
 
I have house rabbits but I do keep them in their cages at night as there's lots of things that could happen to them at night.
 
MightyMax said:
Is he advertised on here, or on Rabbit Rehome?

Just wondered what he looked like :D
Click to expand...

He's on the rescue website / Facebook page - he looks like this.....





He's so friendly, I would keep him myself if I thought he would bond with my own 2!
 
Bunnys are most active during the evening, I can always hear my little monsters causing trouble in the early hours, as long as it is safe I would leave them with full run access :)
 
My two have a large 15ft x 10ft aviary style set up with their hutch inside ...... they very rarely go in the hutch at night and prefer to sit out in their run .... I put snugglesafes in for them if the temperature drops below zero but they don't even sit near them!!

I check their bunnycams every morning and they're often bombing round the run at 5.30am so I wouldn't want to shut them in the hutch and stop them from being able to do this.
 
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