Whats you opinion on this?

Question

do you think rabbits should be kept inside or outside. I personally think they are ment for the outdoors but I've always kept mine inside, because theres too many cats around my neiborhood.

Answer 1

Rabbits are better off indoors. No hutch is 100% secure from racoons or dogs. Besides wire mesh is not good for your bun. It can cause sores on your bun's feet. Often when a rabbit is put outside in a hutch, it is easily forgotten about and is not a member of your family like an indoor rabbit is. Beside the weather is unpredictible. It is either too hot or too cold for your bun.

Rabbits make excellent indoor pets. I keep my bun in this enclosure: http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441781990&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302035803&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&bmUID=1180396479629&itemNo=4&In=Dog&N=2035803&Ne=2

I keep him on a piece of linoleum in the corner of the family room. I let him out as soon as I get home and he is out until I go to bed. Just make sure you "bunny proof" areas they will be in freely. Cords wrapped in heavy plastic tubing and such. They do like to chew anything and everything and are quite distructive. My bun just pulled every piece of tissue out of a Klenex box, just for the fun of it. I let him do it, because I was entertained.

Always make sure they have more than enough room to move around when in their cage. Enclosures are better. They have more room. My bun is litter box trained just like a cat, so it makes for an easy clean up.

Answer 2

In the wild rabbits are outside. Humans have this idea that animals have the same thoughts and feelings that humans do, when in actuallity, they don't. Back in the "olden days" People used to raise rabbits for the soal purpose of eating (actually not too long ago, and i beleive people still do it) The rabbits were not pets, and they were kept outside. If it was not healthy for the rabbits to be outside, then people wouldnt eat the sick rabbits. Therefore, it's perfectly healthy for the rabbits to dwell outside. If there is a cat problem really all that is needed is a sturdy built hutch off the ground. It IS possible to make a rabbit proof hutch. (We built a hutch this spring, and it and the rabbits have survived several attacks from hurgry stray dogs. These dogs did do significant damage to the outside of the cage, but nothing we really had to repair.) Most cats would rather go find a rat who's not in a cage than bother trying to get passed wire and wood, to get to a rabbit who will already put up a good fight. It's just too much work, and most cats are smarter than that. If it's a matter of heat in the summer, we simiply freeze a 2 liter full of water and put it in with the rabbits, this way they can nuzzle up close to it if they get hot, or go away if they get too cool. In the winter the rabbits should be fine, They have nice coats, plus they grow a winter coat in the winter for the soal purpose of keeping warm. As long as they can get out of the wind they are fine. The only thing about keeping a rabbit in side the house, is the lack of sunlight. All living things need to be outside somtimes.
EDIT: If all youhave is a small hutch, or you keep them inside, you can make a "run" or a "corral" for them. Simply get some chicken wire and make a circle out of it, making sure to secure the ends to eachother. The rabbits can go out there and mow your lawn, they love fresh grass. When the grass there is eaten you just pick up the circle and move it to a different spot. This is great because the rabbits can be outside, but they cannot run away. Outside play time should be supervised though, especially if you have cats,dogs, or even hawks.

Answer 3

If the hutch is nice and you live in the country then yes i'd say its very appropriate to leave them outside if under the proper circumstances elimintaing the fact if you live somewhere with extreme temperatures. But in a situation where you live ina small neiborhodd with cats then yes keeping them inside should be the matter!

Answer 4

I think it's nicer for them to be inside. Yes, being outside is more natural for them but when people keep rabbits outside they tend to keep them in fairly small hutches which in no way mimicks their natural lifestyle. Inside they get to be in contact with others, and be social is very important for these animals. I think living inside with access to the outside is best for rabbits, they get much more stimulation.

Chalice

Answer 5

Well all rabbits are different. If you have cats, than obviously it is not safe outside, but if you are like me and have a big fence around your yard, then you are good. If so you have to make sure that they can't climb over. You are true, rabbits natural habbitat is outside, but if there are cats forget about it. You could make your rabbit a nice cage, so it feels like he is outside.

Answer 6

If you have a nice hutch outside in a warm climate then they benifit from the fresh air, but if you live somewhere that it is cold or have predators (cats/dogs) that are loose in the area, probably inside would be better.

Answer 7

They are probably safer indoors but my rabbit has been outdoors in a cage for the past five and a half years. If it is a really hot day i put her in the garage and in winter I put a blanket over her cage at night.

Answer 8

personally my rabbits are generally kept outside, we have a large dog kennel 20 x 20, with dog fencing placed around tightly to prevent animals intruding, and their escaping. a very large hutch inside of that all covered with a large tarp, strapped down with bungee cords, and a PVC pipe with tee connector and small lengths of pvc at 90 degree angles for water to run off. they LOVE it.

Answer 9

when i was 10 my dad built a hutch and mine lived outside.

Answer 10

inside is much safer. but make sure to take them outside for sunshine