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Rabbit indoors or out this time of year

  • 02-12-2011 1:02am
    #1
    neris
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,056 ✭✭✭✭


    Should a rabbit be inside now or would they still be ok outdoors? We brought our rabbit in last winter during snow and recently during rain when the back garden was about to flood. Weve let her out again but taken het back in ad it got colder. Shes good space to wander outside but in her hutch shes into eating the hay/straw we leave for bedding and worry she,ll freeze outside if shes eaten her bedding


Comments

  • #2
    mymo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,553 ✭✭✭mymo


    If you're worried bring her in.
    A friend of mine keeps rabbits but has to have them outside as one of the kids has really bad asthma, they put the house inside a shed up high, wrapped it in 2 old duvets to warmth.
    They also have a run and outdoor place for daytime, but come 4 or so in the evening they Bunnies go inside again, they had a heat lamp in the snow and survived the snow and seemed quite cosy, I know the day I stuck my hand in the bedroom part it was warm with buns.


  • #3
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,222 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    i only brought in mine in the depts of winter last year.

    As long as you give them cover and provide insulation and its not -10 they should be fine outside.


  • #4
    Sigma Force
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,132 ✭✭✭Sigma Force


    They shouldn't be in a hutch in the garden at this time of year, their hutch needs to go into a warm shed and it needs to be draught free.

    I know a lot of people aren't and they are keeping their rabbits in a hutch in a sheltered area of the garden but it's not enough. Pet rabbits cannot burrow into the ground and make tunnels and change their own bedding like wild rabbits do. Pet rabbits need warmth to avoid respiratory issues which is very common in rabbits.

    Hutch huggers can help but if there's any sign of their water bottle freezin then the area they are in is not warm enough. Damp even slightly damp hay will feel cold and the rabbits can't keep warm esp. if they are housed alone.

    Straw is pointless they can't eat it and it doesn't hold the heat in as well as hay does. Snuggle safe heat pads can help but in this weather..severe frost last night..they cool down too quickly.


  • #5
    planetX
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,441 ✭✭✭planetX


    especially one rabbit on his own - he has no one to snuggle up to:mad:


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