I have a house rabbit which I have had for a year and half. Iv been thinking lately that I would love to get her a big hutch outside with a run so she can have more room to play. Maybe have her outside all the time or i could bring her back into the house at night. Do rabbits like it outside? Would she be ok with this change? I need some advice before I do anything. It would be very helpful.thankyou
2006-06-30 02:37:36 · 28 answers · asked by mipmip22 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
rabbits CAN live outside, but i would suggest to have her live inside because of the bugs and predators that would find some way to probably eat or injure her. i know that drawf rabbits can stand temperatures from 47- 82 degrees because i have one. i keep mine in my bedroom and it has a very big cage to provide exercise. if you got a big cage and put it in the basement or some other room with out a draft it would be fine. if u choose to put your rabbit outside, make sure it has a good temperature(not to hot or cold), and make sure its not by a draft. choose wisely!
2006-06-30 04:23:41 · answer #1 · answered by elizabeth 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Keeping rabbits outside is fine, and most like it, especially when they have access to grazing. There are a few things you need to remember, though.
Rabbits can dig! I would recommend keeping them somewhere dig proof at night.
If you use pesticides or weed/insect killer on your lawn and your rabbit ingests it or come in contact with it, it could go crazy/die of poisoning- this is especially true if you have your lawn treated by Chemlawn or such. Keep pets off the lawn while treating, and at least 24 hours after for rabbits.
Rabbits can climb and jump! Unless your pen is five feet high, have a top on it.
Some animals eat rabbits. At night especially, keep bunny where fox, coyotes, coons, stray cats or dogs, and owls cannot get her- a good hutch latch is important. This depends on where you live, of course, but most neighborhoods/areas have stray cats. Bringing back in at night is a good idea.
Long haired rabbits might get mats or burrs. Just keep the run/pen area free from problem plants. Also, some plants are poisonous. Don't let bunny out where she can get them. This link has a list http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/health/poisonous.html
Depending on where you live, it may be too cold to have the rabbit outside in the winter.
Good luck!
2006-06-30 02:53:42 · answer #2 · answered by aeiou12 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you put her outside in the day and in at night, she'll probably love it once she gets used to it. She can have a big run on the lawn but she needs cover and a hutch to hide from danger. If she's not used to being outside keep the visits short at first so as not to stress her.
Birds flying overhead, dogs barking or coming up to the wire, even a paper bag flying along on the wind will scare her if she's never seen anything like that before. As well as a covered hutch up one end, peg a blanket or something over tha cage to make a big covered area, she'll have somewhere safe to run.
Wild rabbits live outside but are born there, yours is used to a different lifestyle, but will love having fresh grass and sunshine.
Remember if you use hay she must have her vaccinationd; wild rabbits drop fleas in the grass and they can end up in the hay.
Also if you have wild rabbits in your garden they carry myxymatosis and coccidiosis. Birds can also spread coccidiosis, especially poultry like hens and ducks.
2006-06-30 06:02:42 · answer #3 · answered by sarah c 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rabbits love the outside! I take my house rabbit outside on walks, or just do jump in the garden, and he LOVES it! He doesn't want to come back inside. I would also like to put my rabbit outside in a bigger cage than I have now, but I can't. My neighbour has a rabbit. It started out in a cage in the house, then in the winter the rabbit was moved into a big hutch and was put in the barn to protect her from the snow, but in the spring ,she was moved outside, and she's doing just fine. She handelled the change perfectly! I would really support you moving your rabbit outside! HOpe I helped
2006-06-30 02:47:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It may not be used to the sound of crows and maybe even dogs since it was an indoor bunny. If you do build a hutch face it the the east or where the sun rises and don't have your bunny out when the temp outside goes over 85 degrees/ Below 45 degrees.
2006-06-30 04:38:18 · answer #5 · answered by Marj 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes! Mine do but have a sheter to go when it rains and have some hay so they can keep warm. Stress plays a big roll on bunnies and if you keep inside locked in a cage it is so stressful! Let your bunny play outside! Also first leave the bunny outside a little bit at first than you can start taking the out more and more beacuse if they eat to much grass that they are not used to they can get sick so like in a few weeks he can live outsidse but make sure no animals can get in and the bunny cant get out remeber that they can dig that is how one of my bunnnies escaped so yeah. Good Luck!
2006-06-30 05:13:17 · answer #6 · answered by Horse Woman 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would recommend you putting the Rabbit outside and make a Play pen out of Chicken Wire.
The Play pen Has To be Prism shaped and you need to make it a yard long!
Rabbits Love the outdoors because Thats where they are found so rabbits can live outdoors.
2006-06-30 03:05:36 · answer #7 · answered by Rabbit23girl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes your rabbit can be kept outside, if you intend to keep your rabbit in winter outside make sure that you have a winter warmer to put over the hutch or bring the hutch into a shed for winter, to keep her warmer get her/him a companion.
I have guinea pigs and they live indoors but they are out during the day, but soon they will be moving outdoors permanantly as I am converting my shed into a home for them.
2006-06-30 02:47:03 · answer #8 · answered by Free Range Human 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just be careful in the winter, if she's not used to the cold I'd bring her back indoors. You may want to think about protecting the front of the hutch from the rain. Just make sure everything is secure from prowling animals.
Summer would be the best time to make the change in my opinion.
Good luck
2006-06-30 02:46:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, but make sure that the local wild life doesn't eat them. We used to let our rabbits have the run of our back garden (in East London) and a few babies disappeared once.
The only other problem is that they are good at leaping over fences.
2006-06-30 02:43:27 · answer #10 · answered by Stammerman! 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Should be no problem as long as hutch is well waterproofed.Make sure there is plenty of hay etc to keep her warm.Used to let my rabbit run round the garden and he loved it.Make sure there are no holes in any fences etc,reason being for animals getting in as well as out.
2006-06-30 02:45:37 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋