Is it ok for my bunny to sleep outside (it's getting cold) and for how long?

Question

I probably should have mentioned that he is in a cage. I put him outside cause he is a little stinky when he goes to the potty.

He is also on the porch which is screened in and looks into the side of a hill, so he is pretty much protected from the elements of the weather. I just wanted to make sure that he can survive the winter. I think I will bring him in and put him in the basement.

Answer 1

Have a read of these great detailed rabbit sites -
http://www.tagyerit.com/hopline/cold.htm
http://www.rabbit.org/
http://www.houserabbit.co.uk/
http://www.muridae.com/rabbits/rabbittalk.html
http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/rabbits/a/?once=true&
http://au.geocities.com/leaswebsite/bunnyhouserabbits.html - my own site - please have a browse and hope you learn a lot.

Very best of luck to you and your bunny.

Answer 2

First you need a wooden hutch : wire on one side and wood on the other.
The best thing to put in the hutch for insulation to keep the bunny warm in the cold is hay if you don't have hay, a blanket will do, But hay is better because the Bunny Will prolly poo in the hay and you Will need to throw the hay out(unless the Bunny is litter trained)
Next you Will need to change the water a lot so it doesn't freeze
Your Rabbit will Grow more fur just make sure you don't shave him
Make sure that if you are going to make him an outside doors pet you leave him out there b/c bringing him inside and outside will make him get a cold
And remember make sure the cage is up off the ground you don't want him endanger of other pets or wild animals that might think of him as dinner
I have an example of the kind of cage you need

http://www.epetpals.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=715764291037

Check out this page and you should be okay

Answer 3

It depends how well built your bunny's hutch is, what kind of bunny you have and how cold it gets. My aunt used to raise rabbits and they stayed outside all winter in upstate NY. They had thick solid walls and overhanging roof with only the mesh door open to the weather in winter and the wind on that side was blocked by a building just a couple yards away. They were very sturdy rabbits being raised for meat; if you have dwarfs or exotics, you'll want to be more careful. Remember that in the wild rabbits are outdoors but spend most of their time in their burrows. You need to copy that concept as closely as possible if you want your bunny to stay outside.

Answer 4

No. Bring them indoors. Most bunnies (ones I've seen, anyways!) have very thin coats of fur and wouldn't probably last. If you have a small space that you can put the cage in, where it won't get in the way, then do that. Don't put it near a radiator though, you'll have a cooked bunny!

Answer 5

In my opinion rabbits should not live outside. They can freeze to death, get heat stroke, be attacked or God forbid get flystrike. It's also lonely out there. They make great house pets if you take some precautions. You shoul wrap wires in split loom cable. Since you are concerned about smell you should try and litter box train your rabbit. Most take to it very easily. You can fill the box with wood stove pellets and that absorbs a lot of the odor. You can also get your rabbit fixed, which is healthy for them. Go to this website for more information http://www.rabbit.org Don't let other people tell you its natural for rabbits to be outside. Domestic rabbit have been bred differently than wild rabbits and they are very sensitive creatures.

Answer 6

I would want my bunny inside. Just change the cage daily and it won't smell. I would not allow any pet to stay outside in the winter unless it really did prefer to, and most animals that are pets like to be near their owners. So, I don't think it is okay for your bunny outside. Just my feelings, though.

Answer 7

HI

You dont say what breed of bunny you have or if its used to being outside. You also dont say if its in an enclosure or how cold it is getting.

Sooooo

If your bunny is in a safe enclosure and is used to being outside a lot then letting is sleep out there is ok as long as the bredd of bunny you have is ok with cooler temps.

You shoudl never just let your bunny be out unsurpervised and loose in your yard unless its fenced agsint predators.

If your bunny is not used to sleeping outside or being in a hutch outside then best to keep him or her where they are used to it for now..

Also Bunnies will form a heavier winter coat if allowed to acclimate to the cooler nights... but if you take an indoor buny that only goes out in the yard to play a bit each day and suddenly toss them out into a cold night..they may not have the coat they need to keep warm.

If it were me , I would call a local VET and ask them regarding your particular breed.

Also reember Bunnies like company.. so dont just leave them alone out there forever.....
Good Luck


Wismom

Answer 8

I wouldn't let the bunny go out side in fear that other animals might hurt it.But it depends on what kind of rabbit it is not all bunnies can live in cold weather. So if I was you I well be Careful.You can kill it by accident

Answer 9

Bunnies fur keeps them warm. If it gets too too cold, I would bring him in just for the night though. But if he's on a screened-in porch, he should be safe.

Answer 10

I have a Checkered Giant, Patches. She stays outside in her cage that we built for her. She has a huge house, plus outside room to run. She is up off the ground where nothing can bother her. In the winter, I put straw (bought at Co-Op) in her hutch and she has no problems. She has been outside since she was 2 months old and I have had her for five years.

Answer 11

It is okay for your bunny to sleep outside. However, make sure you cover the cage with a blanket to prevent wind from going inside, but leave a little hole for the bunny to breathe. You need to make sure that your bunny has enough warmth inside the cage, so he won't freeze to death.

My mother-in-law has been leaving my sister-in-law's bunny outside to sleep for at least 5 years now; since my sister-in-law brought it home.