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Outdoor rabbits in winter - So cold, brrrr / WIM!

TheThreeB's

Mama Doe
Hi all,

Firstly I'll say, I love my rabbits, of course, but man I'm struggling now it's winter. I guess I'm just after a yes, me too... :lol::oops:

I now have 10 rabbits outside (2 inside) and have to take care of 5 different outdoor setups (I know some of you have even more :)) It's the first winter where I've has so many, which I don't regret at all, but it can be hard going. I'm getting no help from family (my usually helpful dd will only take care of the indoor ones) and feel permanently chilled to the bone.

It's everything from the numb fingers, to the numerous trips across the garden without falling, to wrestling various tarpaulins and covers to trying to carry hay, veg and pellets. The mud, the ice, the rain... Trying to see when it's dark and I have just my head torch because I've forgotten to charge my lantern again or hauling it around when it is working.... You get the picture :(

xx
 
I feel your pain! I’ve only got the goats outside but they have a heat lamp that we put on when it’s extra cold. I take a big bucket of warm tap water for them when I feed them. And hubby put a light in there so it’s just the walk to the shed and back when I have to use a torch.
 
This is my 19th winter, and for a few years everything turned to thick mud and it was really hard to walk round for 4 or 5 hours. So I decided to have most of the garden slabbed with just areas where I lift the slabs in the Spring to put new turves down. This made it much easier. I have to put my mind to it and really be organised. It was also worse when they all had bottles which froze and I had to bring them in in relays to thaw them out. Bowls are much easier except when the ice is thick and you still have to thaw them out or get replacement bowls. All the covers have to be secure at the end of the day or else they could get blown off. I have been known to wear 2 of everything to keep warm. :D Must be mad!
 
I'm so glad I no longer have outdoor pets. My main problem was when I had ferrets... if they missed their tray... trying to scrap frozen poo from the concrete floor.. no thank you.

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This is the main reason I couldn’t have my bunnies outside, I absolutely hate the cold. I have fosters outside (1 set up, varying numbers of rabbits!) and my kids rarely help with them in winter. To be honest they don’t help a huge amount at any other time of year either but they are more inclined to spend time with them in the warmer weather.
 
Hi all,

Firstly I'll say, I love my rabbits, of course, but man I'm struggling now it's winter. I guess I'm just after a yes, me too... :lol::oops:

I now have 10 rabbits outside (2 inside) and have to take care of 5 different outdoor setups (I know some of you have even more :)) It's the first winter where I've has so many, which I don't regret at all, but it can be hard going. I'm getting no help from family (my usually helpful dd will only take care of the indoor ones) and feel permanently chilled to the bone.

It's everything from the numb fingers, to the numerous trips across the garden without falling, to wrestling various tarpaulins and covers to trying to carry hay, veg and pellets. The mud, the ice, the rain... Trying to see when it's dark and I have just my head torch because I've forgotten to charge my lantern again or hauling it around when it is working.... You get the picture :(

xx


I only keep foster rabbits and boarders outside now, so I feel your pain. Especially the bit about numb fingers and being chilled to the bone. I've managed better this year, I'm not sure why, but last year there were weeks on end when I was simply 'cold' all the time :(

A warm hug coming your way ... xx
 
I felt that way when I had Snoopy outside.. sometimes I'd end up missing a feeding or forgoing cleaning him out as it was impossible for me. I felt so guilty. I don't think I could ever cope with outdoor bunnies again, not unless I'm in a always warm climate lol.
 
Yes I hate it too! It’s having to carry everything around in the wind and wet. I have four of my own outside in two setups and then a pair and the piggies inside my lovely heated and lit shed - I always leave them til last so I can warm up a bit :)

At our next house I’m going to buy a huge log cabin, then have pens inside for my bunnies with runs outside. Then I will have everything in one place in the dry and it will all have lights. Heaven :)
 
It's always those few weeks of winter when you go out to work in the dark, come back in the dark and then have to change out of work clothes to go outside in the cold and wet to feed the bunnies. At those times, I wonder if I am completely mad. But then I see their little faces waiting for me (food I mean) and it's worth it. This year I have finally completed my final set up. I have bought a large shed, with a pen in the end for my trio, and a hutch in the other end for my pair. Both have catflaps out to a covered aviary/run. The shed has lighting in. So the first time in 7 years, I can feed them in the light and shelter - exactly as Catherine09 just said. It's really worth the 18 months it took to sort it.
Ill post pictures when I can work out how to, I'm really chuffed with it!
 
Thanks everyone :) It's so good to read about everyone's experiences / set-ups.

Tonibun, 19 years wow and is it 48 buns? I take my hat off to you :)

Yes, I'd love a huge cabin with lighting etc. At the moment I have a small section at the front of one of the sheds where I organise everything and make runs to and from the various areas.

Thanks for the warm hug, MM. I survived this evening, just got a good soaking lol.

Would love to see your photos CL x
 
Thanks everyone :) It's so good to read about everyone's experiences / set-ups.

Tonibun, 19 years wow and is it 48 buns? I take my hat off to you :)

Yes, I'd love a huge cabin with lighting etc. At the moment I have a small section at the front of one of the sheds where I organise everything and make runs to and from the various areas.

Thanks for the warm hug, MM. I survived this evening, just got a good soaking lol.

Would love to see your photos CL x


I know exactly how you feel,TheThreeB's. We had a torrential downpour this evening with thunder and lightning, so I ran out there to check that my babies were okay. Most mornings after cleaning out the hutch, feeding them and changing the water bowls, I have to run my hands under a hot tap afterwards because they're so numb. In the mornings I tend to go out with my dressing gown on and coat on top. Still too cold!

Despite the efforts we've put into making their amazing home, I'm trying to think of an alternative so I can spend more time with them at this time of year. It sucks that it gets dark so early and the weather is constantly rotten :(
 
Coming back to this thread - I have 5 sections in my garden so I do each section at a time. I also have 2 bases for when it's raining so I work from one base to do one half of the garden, bringing the litter trays to the base so that the fresh bedding doesn't get wet. Then move to Base No 2 for the other half. One of the best things I did was to have a tap fitted in the garden as before I had to keep coming indoors for water and as I don't have a backdoor it's not all that easy to get from the garden to the house.
 
I haven't had outdoor rabbits in years but I have other outdoor pets. Winter is definitely the hardest season to take care of them and I live in a subtropical climate where it's fairly warm, hardly rains in the winter and we have more hours of daylight :lol: I must be a wimp! I can't even imagine how difficult it must be in colder climates - reading this I'm like wow I never have to worry about frozen poop or that water bowls/bottles are iced over etc (the rare times I've seen a thin covering of ice in something I run and show my brother & parents as it's an amazing sight!).

I don't like the cold and it doesn't help that I often don't wear appropriate clothing. Sometimes just out of laziness lol but I'm also confused on how to wear long sleeves and pants without getting them wet with the garden hose...e.g. I was washing some pet stuff with the hose the other day and it was chilly and breezy and I got myself all wet with the spray from the hose, but as I was wearing shorts and a t shirt at least I didn't have to dry my clothes afterwards (mainly my legs/feet/arms were wet). That was my only comfort to standing there freezing the whole time lol.

What helps though is our temps are super variable so I'll like plan ahead by looking at the forecast for the week and be like 'ok, so Saturday is a high of 62F, that's not too bad so I'll do xyz, BUT Sunday is a high of 75 so I'll do a whole lot of extra stuff on that day and get all the cages cleaned out well etc so it doesn't have to be done on a cold day instead'. I actually just checked out the forecast for the next 10 days and it's highs in the 70s and 80s for every single day and nighttime lows are only 60s/high 50s :shock: So I'll be outside as much as possible this week!
 
I get everything ready inside, hay, food, litter trays then do one at a time so im constantly in and out, that way I don't get too cold, and I make a big pot of tea and refill every time I come in!!!
 
I haven't had outdoor rabbits in years but I have other outdoor pets. Winter is definitely the hardest season to take care of them and I live in a subtropical climate where it's fairly warm, hardly rains in the winter and we have more hours of daylight :lol: I must be a wimp! I can't even imagine how difficult it must be in colder climates - reading this I'm like wow I never have to worry about frozen poop or that water bowls/bottles are iced over etc (the rare times I've seen a thin covering of ice in something I run and show my brother & parents as it's an amazing sight!).

I don't like the cold and it doesn't help that I often don't wear appropriate clothing. Sometimes just out of laziness lol but I'm also confused on how to wear long sleeves and pants without getting them wet with the garden hose...e.g. I was washing some pet stuff with the hose the other day and it was chilly and breezy and I got myself all wet with the spray from the hose, but as I was wearing shorts and a t shirt at least I didn't have to dry my clothes afterwards (mainly my legs/feet/arms were wet). That was my only comfort to standing there freezing the whole time lol.

What helps though is our temps are super variable so I'll like plan ahead by looking at the forecast for the week and be like 'ok, so Saturday is a high of 62F, that's not too bad so I'll do xyz, BUT Sunday is a high of 75 so I'll do a whole lot of extra stuff on that day and get all the cages cleaned out well etc so it doesn't have to be done on a cold day instead'. I actually just checked out the forecast for the next 10 days and it's highs in the 70s and 80s for every single day and nighttime lows are only 60s/high 50s :shock: So I'll be outside as much as possible this week!

I think I'll start packing! :D
 
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