Prepping for winter

[Lagomorphine]

Thank you, Lagomorphine, it does help to reassure.

I suppose they prefer the freedom than the hutch? I know I sometimes have to usher mine under cover when it starts raining, but to give them their due rain is a new thing to them!

Yes, I think they prefer the freedom of the run. I have now had the experience of a total of four rabbits that I have adopted and they were all originally kept in a hutch. After I adopted them I gave them a hutch and run. Without exception this is what happened: the first week they stayed mostly in the hutch; in their new environment they were a bit scared to move about. After a few days they started exploring the run but still ran back to the hutch when they saw something scary. After about a week, they moved into the run on pretty much a permanent basis and effectively abandoned the hutch. It doesn't matter how cold it is, they don't go up any more. Maybe when something very scary happens but only then.

[Amy104]

Mine spend most of winter sat in their run despite easy access to the playhouse. The only buns I ever move into the garage are the group with an elderly bun and an arthritic bun, but its not really necessary for healthy bunnies unless the weather is extream.

[Lagomorphine]

Mine spend most of winter sat in their run despite easy access to the playhouse.

Same here. Whenever I go out to check on them during the winter months - it could be late at night, with icy wind blowing, I'm dressed like I'm going on an arctic expedition - I invariably find them sitting on the ground and they just look at me like "what's the problem, mate?". I do hope they would have the sense to hide in the hutch if they found it unbearable but so far it hasn't happened.