What environment is better for a rabbit?

Question

When we started with Rabbits, we were told by some experience Rabbit owners that it was best to have your rabbits in a cage in a building and not outside. In most books, the rabbits are housed outside, which is better for a rabbit, to be enclosed in the dark, or outside with fresh air and light. I personally think they should be outside and given light and fresh air, but I was told they could get sniffles if they were outside. I was also told the sunlight would bleach a black rabbits fur. What do you think?

Answer 1

I've noticed that back at home, in Kansas, our pet rabbit grew better when it was outside. My parents sent me pictures, and oh my gosh, she is so fat now!

Answer 2

You may have partly misinterpreted what the breeders told you. Either or is ok, but each have their own advantages.

What the breeder told you about sunlight regarding black rabbits is correct. If the rabbit gets too much sunlight on their black fur it will cause their fur to turn brown. The same thing can happen with blue varieties of different breeds where the fur gets a brown tint or discoloration.

There a few things to consider for both areas:

1.) Make sure it has good ventilation to get rid of any ammonia build up. Hutches usually provide better ventilation. Barns can provide good ventilation too if designed right.
2.) It protects the rabbit from the sun's heat during the summer by being in a shady spot
3.) Make sure there are no drafts in the winter to prevent pneumonia. On a hutch that means solid walls on three of four sides during the cold months.
4.) Protection from temperatures below -10F. Rabbits should not be kept out in the cold if it gets below -10F. This is where and enclose barn can be an advantage by heating the barn.
5.) Make sure the rabbit gets enough light. If the barn doesn't have windows provide artificial light. Painting the inside of the barn white can also help.
6.) Protection from predators such as neighborhood dogs.

In some regards a hutch is better and in other regards a barn is better.

Sniffles is more caused due to genetics than the weather. Many animal breeders or farmers will tell you that an animal that tends to get sick a lot will tend to throw babies that get sick a lot. If you have a rabbit that gets sick a lot, don't use it to breed with. The bad traits that the mother and father have tend to get passed down to the babies and you don't want that if you are raising rabbits to show.

The fresh air can actually help prevent diseases. That is why you want good ventilation to prevent a buildup of ammonia.

Answer 3

Rabbits will do fine in either situation.

Outside:
This is where rabbits naturally live. However, you must take certain precautions with outside rabbits. You are correct, direct sunlight, can bleach the color of any rabbit. When its hot, a rabbit left in the sun can die from heatstroke. Put them in the shade.

In the winter they need shelter from the wind and from precipitation. They have a fur coat, so they actually do better in the winter than in the summer heat.

Inside:
Do not house them in the dark. This is not healthy for them. House them where they will get light for about 16 hours a day. This usually means some form of artificial lighting.

The truth is that most people house them inside more for their own comfort than for the comfort of the rabbit, but both will work fine.

Answer 4

Outside is COMPLETELY fine.
As long as they are sheltered from wind, rain, snow, hail etc.
Sunlight does not bleach a black rabbits fur.
I have two black rabbits and they go in the sun for AGES at a time and their fur has not bleached.
They can only get the sniffles when the are VERY cold and exposed to the things like rain, wind, hail, snow etc.

Answer 5

Well, bunnies are animals;animals naturally like the outdoors. It is good for them to have fresh air and sunlight. Just make sure that they have plenty of shelter from the sun fresh water and food. Make sure that they aren't outside in extreme hot or cold. Alot of owners like to switch it up and house their bunny in the house and then let the bunny go outside (with a fence and accompanied by owner). This allows the bunny to have the best of both worlds. Just make sure the bunny doesn't have extreme changes in temp. This could lead to shock, bunnies are very sensitive to stress.

Answer 6

I have a rabbit that stays inside, so i'm not entirely sure about the outside issue, but i would say it depends alot on your climate and the type of shelter or protection provided. rabbits have a very low tolerance to extreme temps. in the summer my rabbit has his own window a/c unit, because they overheat so easy.

Answer 7

It's great to give your bunnies time outside.
The problem is that people keep them outside year round. Pet bunnies aren't meant to stay out in the cold and they can easily overheat in the summer.
My mom has two bunnies and she has a nice hutch that she keeps on the glassed in porch when it's warmer, then moves it inside the house during the winter. She has also created a little run outside for them to hang out in on nice days (beware, they do dig a lot).
You could also just have an indoor and outdoor hutch and move them around.
I think time inside and outside is best for bunnies.

Answer 8

its not really a good idea, outside is terrible for bunnies, what if it gets too hot ? or too cold ? what if it storms ? can u imagine a bunny shivering in the cold rain ? and at night there are predators that come lurking and could scare the bunny to death or get into the cage and kill it, ive heard many stories of that happening, if i were you i would keep it inside

Answer 9

Outside is fine. put a hutch up for shelter and in winter (if it gets cold) put up tarps