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Cold Nights

Barney

Young Bun
Hi :wave: ,

I'm a bit unsure of where to keep the rabbits now the winter seems to have set in. I kept them in the house on the first night and then put them back out the second night and they seemed to be fine.

But at what temperature is it unsafe for them to be out as I am really scared that it will become too cold.

I was thinking about putting the hutch in the shed and purchasing a little heater.

I keep their hutch covered from top to bottom and make sure they have loads of hay and saw dust but still am unsure if this is enough to keep them warm enough thought the cold nights we have been having lately.

Thanks in advance
 
I've been wondering about mine too, hoping they're not too cold. They live in a permanent run, with hutches in. They are still sitting on top of the hutches rather than in them :? . I out a box full of hay on top of the hutch the other night for them to snuggle into, and they chucked it off :roll: . I have now come to the conclusion that they can't be cold.
They'll be able to snuggle together for heat too, but if you are worried, maybe putting them in the shed would be a good option. Have you got a run outside for the day, as if they're in the shed, it would be nice for them to have fresh air too.
 
Thanks for all the that, it has really given me some ideas of where to put them.

They don't have a run for the day they have the whole garden to run around and play in, they particularly seem to like digging a whole under the plans and lying in them lately. Or going to sit around the pond area which is like a little house.
 
hi

sounds like they have a better quality of life as outside bunnies - you don't really want to chop and change them from heated house to outside as they won't cope so well with the cold as they will if that's all they are used to.

Benny spends all day sitting on the freezing concrete under his hutch - I shut him in his hutch at night and was horrified to find his water bowl frozen solid on Thursday - so I fitted a cut off shower curtain around the hutch front and sides, and put a summer duvet on top of the hutch and part way down the front - It hasn't been frozen since then and he seems a lot happier - He just has a big litter box full of hay to nest in inside the 'bedroom' bit.

I've started giving him porridge just before it gets dark too - he loves it and really seems a lot more energetic now than last week - Just a desertspoon of porridge oats and a few extra pellets with a splash of boiling water, soaked and mashed - he's started looking forward to it! :D
 
My outside buns in hutches have upstairs filled with hay + straw and a plastic cover over the front of the hutch plus a blanket at night. Downstairs they have a fleecy cat bed and Amy also has a tent with a fleecy blanket in plus a litter tray with straw + hay in! Loadsa choices!! Oh and a Snugglesafe each for their beds :)

Pippa gets oats every night too, Pippa loves hers and it all goes straight away! Good for putting weight on and a nice coat :) Princess has some every other night as she doesn't need any added weight!! :lol:

Nicola
 
nicolar said:
My outside buns in hutches have upstairs filled with hay + straw and a plastic cover over the front of the hutch plus a blanket at night. Downstairs they have a fleecy cat bed and Amy also has a tent with a fleecy blanket in plus a litter tray with straw + hay in! Loadsa choices!! Oh and a Snugglesafe each for their beds :)

Pippa gets oats every night too, Pippa loves hers and it all goes straight away! Good for putting weight on and a nice coat :) Princess has some every other night as she doesn't need any added weight!! :lol:

Nicola
How big are your hutches :lol:
 
:lol: Well they are both double decker hutches. I'm not quite sure how big they are but big enough to fit all that in! :D Pip's must be about 5 foot double decker plus a run on the front and Amy's is smaller, more of a square shape but she has a long run!!

Re-reading my post it sounds like I fit loads in!!!!
 
Amyshouse.jpg


This is Amy's hutch.

Chillingout.jpg


And this is Pip's run attached to the hutch, u can sort of see the width. Add a double decker hutch to that and you get the idea!! (That was taken a couple of years ago)
 
Amy's hutch (the top one) is from Wyevale garden centre. They also do the same hutch but double the length - so basically double the floor space upstairs which is nice too. In hindsight I wish I had got that one cos if I get a friend for Amy I would need to add an extra hutch on as only big enough for one dwarf bun. But at the time I was thinking of money and the fact I just had one small bunster! My friend works there so I got a discount! She also has a very long run accessed by a ramp (which you can see in the pic). It must be about 6 feet long which she races up and down in!

Pippa's hutch and run is about 6 years old + came from the pet shop I used to work at. I had it custom made - wanted it nice and tall as I knew she wasn't going to be a small bun! I'll get a pic of it so u can see wot I mean.

Nicola
 
Am just downloading the pics :)

No I don't shut them in at night, I did used to with Pippa and I'm sure you could build a flap for Amy's to stop her going down, but I tend now to let them use their judgement. Their Snugglesafes are in their beds downstairs. Pip tends to stay upstairs most of the time but Amy is happy to sleep downstairs. She is a fluffy hardy little thing and seems happy outside!

Nicola
 
These are the pics of Pip's hutch - she is in there somewhere, seem to have lost her in all the hay and straw though! :lol:

DSCF1283.jpg


DSCF1281.jpg


DSCF1282.jpg


And these are of Amy's hutch, just bout to clean her out, cheeky madam is eating the garden at the mo :D

DSCF1284.jpg


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Amy has a bigger run in the summer, unfortunately it doesn't fit on the patio in the winter but she gets out nearly everyday luckily!

Nicola
 
Awww love all there bits and bobs you have!
they look like there snug at night!
Ive been covering alfies hutch with a blanket at night and putting a snuggle safe in for him but he doesnt have a run attached to his hutch,do they stay in at night or can they still get into there run?
 
Ah thanks :) Yep think they are snug at night, if they aren't then it's their own choice!lol

Yeah I cover theirs with a blanket too. They can both get into their runs at night, I let them choose where they want to sleep. I cover Pip's run with a blanket too, as she is older she gets a bit more spoilt! Little Amy has lots of places to snuggle though! :)
 
I have made jackets for the hutches out of thermawrap, and have hung bubblewrap down the front so if it is really bad they can stay down and the rabbits will still have light. Then I have covers that go over it all at night. I made the last one today - my fingers froze :?

thermawrap.jpg


Willow and Sage wondering why their nice cover is in a heap. You can see the covers on the other hutches with the bubblewrap in the other runs. The small hutches are for the guineas in the summer, they aren't in use atm so no one is freezing in them.

hutchcovers.jpg


None of the water bottles in the covered hutches froze, so I am pleased with my efforts :D Well worth the money - thanks to my sister for donating it :D
 
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