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A WWYD Fully out vs half and half?

TheThreeB's

Mama Doe
Hi all,

My family and I can't decide what's best, so I thought I'd ask the wise ru'ers :)

Both our Dottie and Ziggy came to live with us in winter time and have been living inside since then. For those that don't know, they have full run of my daughters bedroom, she has a cabin bed with a desk underneath so no floor space is lost. It exceeds guidelines.

We have, due to the nice weather, started putting them in our outdoor run during the day and they come back inside when it gets dark.

My dh now thinks that we should move them outside full time. We have recently acquired an additional playhouse and plan to connect it to the run via a tunnel and possibly extend to give them even more space.

He doesn't think it's fair that the rabbits have taken over her room, although she doesn't mind and I can't pretend they aren't very messy. But I have kind of got used to them being inside where I can keep an eye on them.

We do have all our other five rabbits living outside full time.

Any thoughts? Thank you x
 
That's a toughie. I think it bears upon so many things - Boo is far too people orientated & special needs (eyes n ears) to go outside but I think my other two might like it if they had a huge enriched space (which I know you'll provide). What does your daughter prefer & how old is she? (ie is she approaching an age where she might want to play loud music, have sleep overs etc). I have to say I'd miss mine far too much if moved them outside but thats mainly about me not them. If you end up with 7 outside bunnies having access to indoor re-cooperation space to access only when necessary might be useful but that might be attainable somewhere else in your house. Sorry I'm not much use. It appears my thoughts are rambling ones
 
As said, where do they seem happiest?
One of mine loves outdoors and one loves indoors. We've decided they live indoors with access outside when its nice. We came to that decision based on my own health, and what would be easier for me to manage.

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For me personally I like having my rabbits indoors, I get to spend more time with them than I would if they were outside and I find it easier in general for feeding, cleaning and noticing changes in their behaviour/ signs of illness. I also know my kids wouldn't spend much time with them especially in winter if they were outside. My house would be tidier though :lol: I think as mentioned above I would consider what the rabbits seem to prefer as well as your daughters opinion as it's her room they are staying in - would she prefer them to be outside or would she miss spending time with them?
 
Idk really, they seem pretty happy indoors or out, I guess because they are currently enjoying the best of both worlds.

My dd is 12, she doesn't seem to mind either way, but it can't be easy having to clamber over things and have them crashing around in the night. My dh pointed out that she spends a lot of time in the lounge or our bedroom because she can't really sit in hers to do anything x
 
For me personally I like having my rabbits indoors, I get to spend more time with them than I would if they were outside and I find it easier in general for feeding, cleaning and noticing changes in their behaviour/ signs of illness. I also know my kids wouldn't spend much time with them especially in winter if they were outside. My house would be tidier though :lol: I think as mentioned above I would consider what the rabbits seem to prefer as well as your daughters opinion as it's her room they are staying in - would she prefer them to be outside or would she miss spending time with them?

Thanks Casco (we cross posted).

Yeah she said she doesn't mind. I must admit I do like being able to see what they are up to more regularly and observe the relationship between them more than if they were outside.

Perhaps half and half is the way to go x
 
Another point is they maybe fine outside in the daytime but could be quite scared at night with the different noises.

Half and half is fine this weather but, come wintertime, they would need to be either in or out all the time.
 
I have a similar dilemma as Dennis and Betty have been living indoors since they lost their respective partners during the winter and I tried them living together. I love having them inside (despite the mess!) and they've seemed very settled inside but, now that the warmer weather is here, they both make a break for outside every time I leave the back door open. They obviously love it outside but I don't think either of them will cope outside in a hutch/run over winter even with insulation on the hutch and covers on the run so I'm loathe to put them outside full time again. It's a toughie, I'm wondering about insulating my 10ft shed and adding a run for them but it's my only outside storage space in this house as we don't have a garage and it's currently my potting shed/ tool storage shed. As others have said half and half only works in summer.
 
Yes, we would have to decide one way or the other once the winter / cold weather arrived.

So perhaps while we can we could carry on as we are and then make the final decision when the time comes. I do think they probably benefit from having time outside but then being all safe and cosy inside.

I don't know if it would become annoying for them to keep being moved around though. They're not really keen on being picked up x
 
I adore having mine outside :) They've lived out all their lives (Aboleth may have been inside before the rescue I got her from though), they listen to the birds (it helps them tell if there's a cat about :lol:), have a good run through their tubes and prance around their run and I don't have to worry about acclimatising them if I want to give them the run of the lawn. They have very distinct moults, and Aboleth especially looks so different in her winter coat (I prefer her Winter look :)). Natural daylight, proper ventilation, sun, the chance to play in the rain, and dirty toys (digging boxes, greasy pinecones, grass and hay and brambles and forage everywhere). Also their run is a great way to feed them and enrich them by forcing them to stand on their back legs for brambles, carrot peeling, dandelion flowers...! It's just the 'right' height that at full wobbly tippy-toe they can just reach the top of the bars with their teeth :thumb: Aboleth also flat-binkies in it: they save their bouncy binkies for the lawn. I have a run frame which is bigger and that will become 24/7 lawn access but it'll have to wait until after 30th September this year (my thesis deadline). I find it much easier to 'force' them to do exercise when they're outside!

For me especially, I can spend as much or as little (within reason!) time with them which is very important to me, as I have too much research work to be doing to spend much time with them at the moment :S We have had bunnies inside and if things took a turn for the bad I could house them inside, but it doesn't suit either group of us very well. When Lopsy was inside, he was a singlebun and he adored when I came to see him and loved having headrubs and interacting with me. Now he has Aboleth they're both bunny-bunnies, it's all cupboard love! :lol:
 
For transporting them you could offer a carry case or box for them to hop into. They will soon learn to associate it with a change of scenery.

My hamsters do this no trouble and the guinea pigs are starting to get the idea as well.

I would carry on as you are. Perhaps once it gets warmer they could spend the odd night out there. It would give your daughter an idea of what a rabbit free room feels like.
 
Thank you both.

Yes there is definitely things that outside offers than inside can't.

We usually transport them in their carrier and then leave it inside the run as a 'house' and then carry them in again. They always try and hide in the far corner away from us though.

Good idea about the room tulsi x
 
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