Whats warmer vet bed or straw?

[rabbitdan]

Hi 1st post :wave:

Ive read about using vet bed on this forum, i was wondering whats warmer vet bed or straw for an outside bunny?

 

[Hoppit!]

Hmmmm, there's a question! Probably, straw, as they can 'nest' in it if they want to (although in my experience they prefer not to!). Maybe the best solution (if slightly messy!) would be to line the hutch with vetbed, with straw on top? Maybe even a snugglesafe or 2? Lots of lovely insulation. Are they in a shed? If so you could get a heater.

Welcome to Rabbits United anyway! :wave:

 

[rabbitdan]

For the winter:

what about a snugglesafe heat pad under the vet bed?

 

[susie bun]

I've been wondering along these lines too ... my rabbit sleeps on bare wood by choice, using his bedroom only as a toilet and pushing bedding hay in the living quarters aside! :roll::roll: Maybe he'll change when it's colder.

 

[Hugo's There]

I would choose straw out of the two as they can get inside it and snuggle down. With vet bed all they can do is sit on top of it, and if they have wee'd on it, which they probably will it wouldn't be very nice for them :?

 

[rabbitdan]

my rabbits always flatten the straw anyway! :roll: would straw still be warmer? even if the vet bed had a snugglesafe under it?

 

[Santa]

I agree I would not use vetbed for an outdoor bunny. Vetbed only keeps the part in contact with the rabbit (i.e its feet and bum) nice and warm, the air above and around it will stay freezing cold, along with the rest of the rabbit. Straw provides insulation all around the rabbit so allows the whole animal to stay snug and warm. You can put some hay on top of the straw to give them something to munch on while they are all cosy as well

 

[rabbitdan]

would that still be the case even if they flatten it?

 

[Santa]

Yes - if you put enough in they will never flatten it completely, so there will always be some around their sides and they can always move it around if they want to. When it's really cold I literally fill the entire compartment to the roof and let them find ways to chew and burrow through it and snuggle into it. If they start to flatten it I just top it up, you can't do that with vetbed - the starting point is always going to be that the air around the rabbit/s will be cold.

 

[VickiP]

I would use Straw for insulation and Hay for comfort and eating/nibbling, that way even if the straw goes flat - just keep adding hay to snuggle in. Hope you enjoy the forum Rabbitdan.:wave:

 

[rabbitdan]

what about vet bed in living area and straw in bed compartment