Is it OK for your bunny to be a house bun but go out all day in a run? My bunny seems to love being outside - I only have a very small run but am looking for ideas to build a large one. Is this ok for summer only? What happens in winter? Could she live inside but go out in a large protected run all year round or would the change of temperature be too much?
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Inside and Outside?
- Thread starter kayjay
- Start date
raven_guest
Mama Doe
I don't see why it would be a problem apart from drops in temp in the winter, i.e you'd have to be very careful that bunny didn't go from very warm to very cold and vice versa as it could cause a cold.
Wendy-Jane
Alpha Buck
Mango and Chutney are free range house buns, and they have a big hutch and run outside for when they want to play out 
In summer they go out on weekdays, while I'm at work, and come back indoors as soon as I get home. At a weekend, they just play out if I'm gardening or whatever - otherwise they stay in with me. In winter they do still play out, but only if the weather's nice :roll: Essentially, if it looks cold or damp, or if it's the kind of day HUMANS would rather stay inside, then they stay in, both during the week and at the weekend. Spoilt ickle bunsters :lol: :lol: :lol:
As raven_guest says, as long as you use your common sense it shouldn't be a problem, and they do love to binky out
In summer they go out on weekdays, while I'm at work, and come back indoors as soon as I get home. At a weekend, they just play out if I'm gardening or whatever - otherwise they stay in with me. In winter they do still play out, but only if the weather's nice :roll: Essentially, if it looks cold or damp, or if it's the kind of day HUMANS would rather stay inside, then they stay in, both during the week and at the weekend. Spoilt ickle bunsters :lol: :lol: :lol:
As raven_guest says, as long as you use your common sense it shouldn't be a problem, and they do love to binky out
ShivyRex
Mama Doe
I've been wondering about this but the other way around. My bunnies will be outdoor bunnies living in their hutch/run combo but I want to be able to bring the bunnies into the house (into the kitchen) in the evening for a play and a cuddle whilst I cook dinner and do the washing up and maybe even come into the sitting room and watch TV for a while (I read somewhere bunnies like to watch TV hehe). I don't think the kitchen will be a problem as the floor is tiled and is quite cool so I would imagine that will keep bunny cool when I bring them inside in the winter. Also my house isn't double glazed so probably cooler than the average modern house.
How long would it be ok to bring bunnies inside before I take them back out into their hutch for the night? I will be putting vetbeds and lots of hay in the hutch which will hopefully keep them warm (and they will have eachother) but I don't want to give them a cold. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Shiv
How long would it be ok to bring bunnies inside before I take them back out into their hutch for the night? I will be putting vetbeds and lots of hay in the hutch which will hopefully keep them warm (and they will have eachother) but I don't want to give them a cold. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Shiv
Wendy-Jane
Alpha Buck
Hi Shiv,
That's the way I worked with my very first rabbit, Tizzy. She spent all evening indoors, only going back outside when I went to bed. She had a guinea pig friend who she snuggled up to (yes I know that that's considered wrong now, but this was many years ago!) and lots of hay for bedding, and she never caught a cold or anything.
The only thing I would mention though is that she never latched onto the idea of litter training, probably cos she spent most of her time doing what she wanted where she wanted in her hutch all day, so the place got a bit of a mess! Apart from that, it was great
That's the way I worked with my very first rabbit, Tizzy. She spent all evening indoors, only going back outside when I went to bed. She had a guinea pig friend who she snuggled up to (yes I know that that's considered wrong now, but this was many years ago!) and lots of hay for bedding, and she never caught a cold or anything.
The only thing I would mention though is that she never latched onto the idea of litter training, probably cos she spent most of her time doing what she wanted where she wanted in her hutch all day, so the place got a bit of a mess! Apart from that, it was great
ShivyRex
Mama Doe
Thank you Wendy. Well I am going to give them a litter tray and have a liberal approach to litter training but as they will be primarily outside bunnies I won't be bothered if they don't take to it. If they don't take to it then they will stay in the kitchen and maybe very occasionally come into the sitting room after I have seen them do a wee hehe.
Thank you very much - thats makes me much happier as I do want to have daily cuddles with them so they see me as mummy. In summer I don't mind sitting in their run but not doing that in the winter
Thanks again - I am so excited!
Shiv
Thank you very much - thats makes me much happier as I do want to have daily cuddles with them so they see me as mummy. In summer I don't mind sitting in their run but not doing that in the winter
Thanks again - I am so excited!
Shiv
A combination can work really well. At the moment mine are indoors all day while I'm at work (my garden is not secure and on a main road). As soon as I get home they go in the run and they go binky crazy! It's lovely to see. I bring them in once I've watched big brother and they flop out on their vet bed!
and they flop out on their vet bed!
Wendy-Jane
Alpha Buck
YAY - it's very exciting, and you get so much closer to them that way
I like your approach to litter training Don't get me wrong - Tizzy didn't go around weeing everywhere - she just had an odd accident now and then, though she did poo everywhere I guess I thought of that because now I'm used to Mango and Chutney, who would NEVER wee or poo ANYWHERE other than their litter tray :no: Even when they are in their run in the garden, they go into the hutch to use their litter tray :lol: :lol: :lol:
Have fun
Wendy
I like your approach to litter training
Don't get me wrong - Tizzy didn't go around weeing everywhere - she just had an odd accident now and then, though she did poo everywhere I guess I thought of that because now I'm used to Mango and Chutney, who would NEVER wee or poo ANYWHERE other than their litter tray :no: Even when they are in their run in the garden, they go into the hutch to use their litter tray :lol: :lol: :lol: Have fun
Wendy
