Question
My happy bunnies
Hello,
I live in Essex in England and we have been experiencing one of the coldest winters i have known in a long long time. Last week over three days we had nearly 14 inches of snow. It hardly ever snows here and i am not sure what to do re exercise for my two lovely outdoor rabbits.
My rabbits are a buck and a doe. They are three years old and are neutered. They live outside in a hutch which is 6 foot by 4 foot and 3 foot high. I had it specially made for them and it is insulated and has a protective rain cover. They normally stay outside all year round.
Normally they have full access to my entire garden every day for a couple of hours. They are clever little soles and have mastered the art of climbing through my cat flap, when the back door is open and often come into the house, where they are watched and monitored inside as well.
However, with all the snow lately (more is expected) I am worried that it will be bad for them to run about in, as someone told me that their feet will not dry properly. I have also been told that taking them from the cold outside and letting them come into the warm house for a while could be detrimental to their health when they go back outside.
I do not have the facilities to keep them inside the house all day and when i moved them into an indoor hutch before I had to keep them in the garage, they really did not appear as happy and have since left them outside the last two winters, letting them out everyday as long as it isn't too wet! I am just worried about the snow and the increasing cold.... I'm hoping i am just worrying needlessly and it will be fine to let them out.
Please let me know ASAP as I don't want to let them out until i have a positive answer.
Thanks very much,
Kelly (and Dibley and Doodle)
AnswerDear Kelly,
I'm probably not the best person to answer this, since I think the bunnies would be safest indoors where they can be warm and dry all the time.
I think it would be absolutely fine to let them play and exercise in the snow for a while, as long as they can come indoors to dry off, and then be placed in the hutch--if absolutely necessary--that has been pre-warmed with warm blankets in the dryer or other such warmies that will help them make the transition back outside.
The main thing is to be sure they can be warm and dry no matter where they are. So their hutch needs a shelter box with dry, fresh straw and you can also provide hot water bottles (as long as you are sure they won't leak!) wrapped in towels to warm the place up for them to snuggle.
I hope this helps.
Dana
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