Outiside during winter

Question
QUESTION: Ur the only person who was available and the closest to my question. I have 13 rabbits and we keep 11 of them outside. It's fall and in the mornings when it's really chilly their bodies feel warm but their ears are so cold.They are running around and look happy but what if they are too cold? They have nice hutches with lots of hay in them. So what about winter? will they be ok? should i bring them in? should i insulate their hutches with plastic? I don't want them to be too cold.

ANSWER: Dear Morgan,

You are a good bunny mom to be concerned about your bunnies' comfort.  :)

Rabbits love cool weather, and their ears are an important thermoregulatory organ.  When it's too hot, they shunt blood to the ears to dissipate heat, and the ears will feel warm.  When the body needs to conserve heat, the blood will the shunted away from the ears so heat isn't lost to the environment, and the ears will feel cold.  This is okay, as long as it's not so cold they could get frostbite.  Once the weather gets below freezing, you'll have to take measures to make sure they have plenty of warm shelter to avoid that.

The best idea is to have everyone spayed/neutered and brought inside when it's really cold.  Please read:

www.rabbit.org/health/spay.html

If the bunnies are outside, then at least be sure the hutches are well supplied with insulation such as *clean, dry* hay/straw and are protected from the wind.  A bunny's body can heat a small space pretty well--but only if it's not drafty.  A space heater around the hutches can help keep the temperature up.  But they will be safest indoors when it gets really cold.  For information on this, please read:

http://www.rabbit.org/care/new-bunny-index.html

Hope that helps!

Dana

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QUESTION: Thank you so much, this helps ALOT it's jus that I have 13 rabbits and I miht have to bring them in and that's alot of rabbits.  I'm trying to get rid of 3 or 4 of them (very unwillingly, cause I love them so much) and I just need to know the best way to insulate hutches. My pen is on the ground they can run on the ground and the just hop up into these hutches that have a small hole for them to get in and the food and hay bedding is in there ( i keep the water outside) but the water is freezing and the ball in the tue is sticking in the mornings so i put warm water in them during mornings. Is that good? How can you tell if the hutches are "drafty" I am thinking about getting them insulated around with that plastic you put on windows during winter, but NOT on the holes I can't have them suffocating. Do you think that will keep them warm cause where I live it gets below zero (not all the time, but it does happen) will they be ok? Sorry for bothering you with so many questions it's just I'm afraid of them getting cold and dying. I would never forgive myself.

Answer
Dear Morgan,

Sorry for the delay.  Had a bit of computer down time, and am just now able to access AllExperts!  :(

Probably the best way to insulate the hutches would be with heavy felt cloth or blankets that are somewhat breathable.  Also put *warm* water bottles (wrapped in a towel and plastic bags so they don't leak!) inside the boxes so that the heat will warm up the entire hutch.  

You may have to change warm water bottles several times every few hours if it's really cold, but that will at least give the bunnies a warm refuge.

But of course the safest thing to do when it gets really cold is to bring them inside.  You'd be surprised that 13 bunnies really can fit inside.  :)

Hope that helps.

Dana