I'd go so far as to say that it's a really, really bad idea. Incredibly dangerous, hutches should have hay and straw in them and if these get too close to the element which would be easily done with bunnies moving around or a simple gust of wind, you could have a fire inside the hutch on your hands. Also in a hutch bunnies could get too close to the element, risking getting burnt and the temperature fluctuation would do more harm than good as heat lamp type things tend to be either on or off rather than working on a thermostat to give our a gentle heat pretty much exactly according to the temperature.
Personally I wouldn't use any kind of heat lamp in a hutch or shed, I would possibly consider using one of those greenhouse heater type things in a shed (but not a hutch) but in all honesty with decent warm, dry, draught free places to retire to, and maybe a snugglesafe on the few very bitter nights we have here in most of the UK, healthy bunnies should be warm enough with their own winter coats.
I think it's important to recognise that while we want the best for our rabbits, it's very easy to project human feeligs on to them. So often it's been cold and or rainy or even when there's been ice or snow on the ground, my rabbits have CHOSEN to sit out in the middle of it. They've got the option of shelter but frequently choose to sit out in the middle of the least hospitable weather imaginable, and it's made me think they just don't feel the cold like we do. (Clearly I'm talking about rabbits who have been acclimatised and are healthy.) I guess if we went out in an all-over fur coat we'd be a bit warmer than we realise....
I agree in the main BUT I have an old lady who's nearly 10 and she's very arthritic. She definitely enjoys sitting on the electric heat pad, which I leave on 24/7 during the winter and the tubular greenhouse heaters are really only in the sheds to stop the water freezing when it's sub-zero day and night - they only keep the sheds at about 2 degrees when it's minus 10 outside so I don't feel like I'm 'heating' their environment - certainly not enough to affect their coats or respiratory systems. But in general, I agree - bunnies don't need central heating - it's done to make the owners feel better!!
Yes, agree - if they're not physically strong they do need support. But if it's a healthy young/middle-aged bun that's put down the right fat layers by being outside through the Autumn they should be fine.... :wave:
Pod has enough fat layers to see her through the next 3 sub-zero winters :lol::lol::lol::lol: