Bunnies in the rain!

I let my bunnies out all day, every day to run about my big garden- at night tho i put them in their hutch which has a run attached- y do they sit in their run in the rain Abd wind when they coukd easily go into the wee warm bit full of nice hay? I'm worried sick about them every time it rains

caramac said:

I let my bunnies out all day, every day to run about my big garden- at night tho i put them in their hutch which has a run attached- y do they sit in their run in the rain Abd wind when they coukd easily go into the wee warm bit full of nice hay? I'm worried sick about them every time it rains

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I used to be ever so mean and keep my boys locked in teh bunny shed when it rained! Actually you often see wildies out in the rain. I think maybe they feel safer, maybe because they're harder for predators to spot, or maybe because foxes etc stay snuggled in the dry when it's raining! Mind you I've no idea if that's true, just a thought!

Hoppit! said:

I used to be ever so mean and keep my boys locked in teh bunny shed when it rained! Actually you often see wildies out in the rain. I think maybe they feel safer, maybe because they're harder for predators to spot, or maybe because foxes etc stay snuggled in the dry when it's raining! Mind you I've no idea if that's true, just a thought!

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Yeah I know what u mean but like tonight it's pretty stormy, rain hammering down Abd super windy yet they r sitting in the area that has only coverage on one side instead of being in their wee warm area!?
Thinking on nights like this should I b locking them in theyr bed for the night to keep them dry and warm?

caramac said:

Yeah I know what u mean but like tonight it's pretty stormy, rain hammering down Abd super windy yet they r sitting in the area that has only coverage on one side instead of being in their wee warm area!?
Thinking on nights like this should I b locking them in theyr bed for the night to keep them dry and warm?

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If it bothered them they wouldn't do it

tashp90 said:

If it bothered them they wouldn't do it

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exactly. leave them to it.

They are pretty waterproof, if you stick your fingers in their fur after they've been sat in the rain you should find the skin is dry and it's just the surface fur that's damp.

I was giving the litter tray and run a clean out this morning (bedroom & upstairs was done yesterday), I thought the buns would stay upstairs in the dry but nope, they were desperate to get out and go for a hop! Mind you they did then find the nooks & crannies behind the run/cage to lurk!

They looked very soggy when they hopped back into their clean run for their nibbles, I hate being wet & damp so think they feel the same but I'm guessing not :lol:

Heather

I have too admit that I too don't like my young Buns being out in the rain, so I stopped them doing it, with winter coming on.

Then they got really angry / upset with me...so I've put 'see thru plastic corrugated roofing' on top of their outdoor area, and I have dismantled a 'clear cheap pvc plastic tomato greenhouse' thingy ( the type you can buy rolled up ) to line the outside of the side of their runs, that gets the wind blown rain.
I've also used the pvc carpet protectors / hall runners in the past ( well sturdy if fitted on well) ... on the wind / rain sides only, with the Lee / gentle side left unlined...with plenty of views available to see birds and skies and garden. They go out and snuffle about in the grass...get damp and wet, but they never get drenched.

I couldn't keep mine in their shed permanently, no matter the weather... they'd eat it! or me :roll:

As to their 'total free range garden time'...I only do it with them when I can handle it too.

Oh thank goodness for this thread! First day of using the (work in progress) new big run and the tarps I used are rubbish and bunnies were wet :-( They don't seem to have used their hideout wooden house at all and I found them wet but perky. Really reassured me anyway, thanks all x

Came home last night to discover inside Lopsy's hutch was damp The roof fix is fine, but the rain had blown in through the mesh. Hastily erected a transparent plastic box lid with bungee doors which left and airgap and should keep the worst out! I couldn't blame it all on him dragging it in on his fur ;P

Ours run about in the rain, doesn't seem to bother them,

louise200 said:

Oh thank goodness for this thread! First day of using the (work in progress) new big run and the tarps I used are rubbish and bunnies were wet :-( They don't seem to have used their hideout wooden house at all and I found them wet but perky. Really reassured me anyway, thanks all x

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Mine hav'nt used theirs either (except for sitting on top of it, even tho the inside is full of hay )...but I've been assured that they surely will when they want to / need to. Yes, great thread.

It's them having a warm, dry ,draught free home to come into that counts isn't it....plenty fresh, dry bedding, no draughts...checking for draughts, and damp inside their bedroom areas a lot, every morning and definitely before dark.

I've just been sat chuckling away at my two girls!

Monday and yesterday it was a bit drizzly & damp, the girls were happy to bimble around the garden, chomping on grass and not worrying about getting damp! Toffee (double lop) and dark splodges on the bottoms of her ears where they were dragging in the grass.

Today however they were quite happy in the garden, it started to get a bit drizzly as I was finishing up putting fresh hay & treats into their run, so they popped in for a snack............ 10 minutes later it was chucking it down and funnily enough when I went to check on them, they were upstairs in their hutch, lazing in hay & straw and probably wishing it would stop raining! No desire what so ever to run out of the open door to play in the rain :lol:

Heather

Bunny Magics said:

Mine hav'nt used theirs either (except for sitting on top of it, even tho the inside is full of hay )...but I've been assured that they surely will when they want to / need to. Yes, great thread.

It's them having a warm, dry ,draught free home to come into that counts isn't it....plenty fresh, dry bedding, no draughts...checking for draughts, and damp inside their bedroom areas a lot, every morning and definitely before dark.

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That's it, but I still worry lol! But the cardboard box filled with hay and newspaper went down very well. Some destroying too, is that ok? They aren't eating the cardboard and it's plain, clean with no logos or ink etc.

Family_Moose said:

I've just been sat chuckling away at my two girls!

Today however they were quite happy in the garden, it started to get a bit drizzly as I was finishing up putting fresh hay & treats into their run, so they popped in for a snack............ 10 minutes later it was chucking it down and funnily enough when I went to check on them, they were upstairs in their hutch, lazing in hay & straw and probably wishing it would stop raining! No desire what so ever to run out of the open door to play in the rain :lol:

Heather

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Fab! Glad they know where their warm places are Perry and Basil need to figure this out! hehe

louise200 said:

That's it, but I still worry lol! But the cardboard box filled with hay and newspaper went down very well. Some destroying too, is that ok? They aren't eating the cardboard and it's plain, clean with no logos or ink etc.

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Yes, as long as they don't ingest lots it's fine, shredding it half the fun, gotta get it adjusted just right