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Would you say indoor bunnies are healthier than outdoor?

Julia25

Alpha Buck
Do outdoor bunnies have more or a more susceptible to illness than indoor bunnies?
If you've had any experience, i really love having small furry pets and i've had hamsters when i was quite young and loved it. Then i had rabbits but they lived outside.

I don't think i can live without a small furry in my life, i was looking at guinea pigs as i like how they make the cute squeaky noises but then i see photos of bunnies and i fall in love with them all over again!:lol::love: aha

Were moving into an apartment soon so obviously we might not be getting a garden with it. I know guinea pigs are best kept indoors as they don't cope well with the cold weather and they are sturdier healthier animals in general.
 
I'm not 100% sure but I believe that rabbits have lots more specific needs and can be harder to keep than Guinea Pigs but don't quote me on that.

In regards to being ill, I have bunnies outdoors and a bunny indoors and the ones outdoors are actually healthier than my indoor bun (although my indoor bunny was previously neglected so that can't help). Outdoor bunnies are more susceptible to worms and flystrike though and can obviously get a lot colder than indoor bunnies, which can be fatal if not protected from the weather properly.

If it were my own home (I live with my mum) then I would have all of the bunnies inside though as I just feel that you can develop a much deeper bond with them and it's lovely watching their funny little personalities and behaviours too.
 
I'm sorry if I missed something but I thought you already had a rabbit?

In regards to the question I personally wouldn't say either indoor or outdoor rabbits were healthier, obviously there's different considerations for example outdoor rabbits need extra care in winter and may then be more susceptible to illnesses but if they are taken care of well then I don't think this should make much of a difference. I've had both and although I enjoy seeing more of the rabbits when they are outdoors most of mine really enjoy being outdoors, so I'm looking for somewhere with a garden so they can have plenty of time enjoying the outdoors but then live inside where I feel safer having them warm, away from predators, noise and the people round here! I have guinea pigs too and would always keep them indoors with outdoor access when the weather is nice, unless they had somewhere heated outdoors as you've said due to the cold.
 
I've had both and I think it depends on the rabbit and their temperament. None of my outdoor rabbits were suitable for living indoors, they were very 'wild' and preferred their own company, so if I had made them live indoors they would have been very stressed.

My current rabbit, Boots, loves human attention and he spent less than a week living outside, before we realised he wanted to be with us :love: so it would have been stressful for him being outside.

Indoor rabbits don't have to deal with outside stresses like the weather though.
 
It would be interesting to do a proper study on this - maybe a student doing a dissertation could work out a survey format to properly calculate the illnesses experienced by a large number of rabbits kept in each environment.



My only feeling about it is that as rabbits often show only very slight symptoms when ill, it's a lot easier to spot these before it's too late if the rabbit is inside with you as you're spending a lot of time around them. Obviously this doesn't apply to anyone who is super dedicated and spends 8+ hours a day outside with their buns...I'm afraid I was never hardy enough to do this with mine :oops:
 
I reakon that guinea pigs make wonderful pets. Their noises and their general hardiness. I would love to have some again one day.

I have outdoor rabbits which I prefer in terms of mess, space and separateness from the dogs. I also have hamsters (awwww). Guinea pigs are good because they are up and about (often lounging about) during the day.

Good luck with your choice!
 
I've only ever kept outdoor bunnies, and they've done pretty well!
First rabbit never had any problems, lived to 11 and died of old age. He was very hardy, used to love to play and sit out in the snow!! The two lionheads (dads buns) are around 5yrs now and never had any problems with them, they again love being outdoors.
Flo is the only one I've actually had problems with (stasis, respiratory, both unknown causes) but can't tell if it's from her living outside. She would hate me forever if I kept her indoors despite the fact she is friendly and loves attention, I think she loves grass too much! So would Tubsy, her husbun. I think it's more convenient too space wise, seeing as I live in a shared house. Personally I think keeping them outside is more natural too and I think they enjoy that!
 
I have two outside and two inside. Touch wood, the two outdoors have not yet had any issues (they're a year old). Cookie who lives indoors is poorly quite regularly (we went to the vets earlier today) and my two bridge buns lived indoors too. I don't know if it makes a difference - it could be circumstantial.

I feel the indoors buns get more attention (in winter, anyway) (especially as I can sleep in their room if Cookie is feeling unwell), but my outdoor ones seem to love it outside. If the door is left open, they'll hop in to say hello and then go back out again.
 
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