Bunnies and cold weather

salski

Hiya all - I have 2 bunnies that live outside - usually during the very cold weather I bring them in. They roam free in our garden, however I put them in a hutch in the house over the very cold weather periods.

Is this OK for me to do? Am I doing more harm by changing their temperature? Their water bottle was frozen last week so could only think that bringing them in would help - however do you think it would?

Advice much appreciated!!

Salski x

woohoo

I am not an expert, but I think if the water is frozen they need to come in- and it has been SOOOO cold lately. I did the same with my guinea pig - glad to get him back out yesterday though - smelly thing!!

gizmodo_2

The dramatic change in temperature from bringing them from outside to indoors with central heating is not good and could cause them to overheat.

The rabbits will have grown a nice thick coat of fur to deal with the cold weather. If you feel you want to make them cosier, you can get a hutch hugger, or put bubble wrap/carpet over the roof/sides so it acts as a bit of insulation.

Here's a bit of info on moving rabbits from indoors/outdoors http://www.bunnyhugga.com/moving-rabbits.html

For the water bottle put a sock or 2 over the bottle to help it stop freezing and just keep an eye on it regularly. You can also buy insulation type things for water bottles like this: http://rabbitaccessories.co.uk/rabbitthermalwaterbottlecover/

Waterfalls

we wrap a large layer of newspaper around ours, works really well

Rummer

Do not move them in and out it really puts their health at risk. If you are keeping them out then insulate and cover the hutch and make sure it is packed full of hay.

salski

Thanks guys - I already have bubble wrapped the cage and newspapered the bottom, and as they roam free in the garden they never blummin slep in there anyway! But thanks again - it seems I gotta keep em in for the winter now

SpammyTheSpammer

My bunnies live outside and are out during the day but I always put them away in their outside hutch before it gets dark.

I make sure that their bedrooms are almost completely stuffed with hay -that way they have plenty of insulation and actually seem to enjoy pushing into it and making 'nests'. Also, of course, they eat it so I have to top it up every day or two.

The few times that I have had to bring them in (when they have been unwell) they have seemed unhappy inside and always look glad to be "back home" in their own hutch.

HTH!

wilykit

I brought my giant rabbit in a few weeks ago because it was so cold and i was worrying. i have done it before and it has never caused him any harm. the upstairs of my house isn't particularly warm and we don't have central heating so the change in temperature isn't so dramatic - it just takes the sharp chill off