Indoor to outdoor

So, Ashley and Bailey are both house rabbits. We've had Bailey for about 2 months now and when we just had Ashley it was ok, a bit of sweeping round, but now we need to hoover/sweep up multiple times a day because whilst they are mostly litter trained, they are not 100%, and I'm constantly having to clean the rug and flooring, etc. As well as that obviously hay and litter gets everywhere. I feel like we are living in a rabbit hutch.

We only have a small house so they live in our living room, there is no other room in which they can go in. The entire downstairs is open plan too and would be very difficult to adapt round/gate off certain parts. As it's small we also have a space issue for our things too.

So considering moving them outdoors - I know I can't do this until next spring/summer anyway just curious if anyone else had done the same thing.

Ashley will be 5 years old next year and has lived inside most of her life, I just feel horrendously guilty at the thought of putting her outside. However obviously they will be together, and we have a very large run and a shed we could adapt.

Thoughts? Please don't judge me

They would probably be fine outside as a bonded pair. I can't see a problem if you can adapt your shed and attach the run. Unfortunately, as you say, it is a bit late now - but it does give you time to sort out their outdoor housing by next spring.

There shouldn't be a problem putting them outside in spring. I put two of my bunnies outside last year and they prefer being outside in a summerhouse/shed set up. My girl is coming up for 8 or 9 years old, we don't know her exact age, so she was 7 or 8 years old when I put her outside. She had lived inside for about 2 years but her and her partner don't like being handled, so they enjoy having their own accommodation outside.

I brought them in for 2 nights when we had the storms and they didn't like being back inside.

I still have an indoor bunny and he will always be an indoor bunny.

I have two buns that i put outside this spring, when they were 3yrs old and they had always been house buns before (the one was even born as a house bun). We had moved house and had a son, there was no space for a pen around their cage anymore and i found free range time was near impossible with my son and his toys (previously theyd always had a double 4x2 cage always open with an attached pen and freeranged when we were in).

I was really, really worried about putting them outside. The first week was quite worrying and Poppy (the one who had been a house bun from birth), was quite nervous in her new outdoor home. BUT after that first week, they were both both so relaxed and whilst, they had always been happy inside, i think they are actually happier outside.

As you say its too late in the year now, but i really dont think you should feel bad about moving them outside next spring.

thanks everyone for the replies :wave: I feel a lot better now, OH doesn't want to put them outside and thinks we might be able to get them 100% litter trained but i'm not sure it's possible, there will always be a few strays around!

Confused_bun said:

I have two buns that i put outside this spring, when they were 3yrs old and they had always been house buns before (the one was even born as a house bun). We had moved house and had a son, there was no space for a pen around their cage anymore and i found free range time was near impossible with my son and his toys (previously theyd always had a double 4x2 cage always open with an attached pen and freeranged when we were in).

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have to say I have thought about this as well, we want to have our first child in the next few years and I just don't think having a crawling toddler with bunny poops on the carpet is feasible obviously that's a long way off though.