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Barnyard Buddies:  bunny question  |
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 04 2013 : 10:37:28 AM
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My 9 yr old daughter's Jersey Woolly rabbit just died this weekend :( He was 7 yrs old, so it was not unexpected, but he was just so beautiful, sweet, and friendly. :/
Anyhow, we're looking for another Jersey Woolly for her and have fround one that is 6 months old, but it has been in a heated barn it's whole life thus far. If we get him, he'll be in a hutch outdoors (in Vermont) which is what our other rabbits live in :)
So-- is it easy enough to transition one to outdoors?
Thanks for your info!! :)
http://troutwife.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/brooktroutwife |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2013 : 3:23:34 PM
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NO, it would be an extremly hard transition from heat to ice cold, and you would end up with a very sick bunny, consider makeing him a house rabbit, they can be litter box broke...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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laurentany
True Blue Farmgirl
3259 Posts
Laurie
Patchogue
NY
USA
3259 Posts |
Posted - Dec 06 2013 : 12:47:58 PM
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I tend to agree with Tina, although I am no expert. We have an "outdoor" hutch rabbit which we have had for almost 2 years now, and she has always been outside since birth and is fine. We winterized the hutch and make sure she has thick straw bedding etc. we then adopted another rabbit (lion head) who has never been outside this past July. We did not attempt to put him outside, just keep him as our indoor rabbit, as I felt if they were not born into being an outdoor rabbit the transition would be too much. Rabbits can handle cold better than heat, this I know, as the heat can kill them more easily than cold, but I would be very Leary of putting a rabbit that is used to heated barn, outside in Vermont, especially now that it is already winter. Perhaps if it was Spring, and it had time to adjust gradually, but now would be too tricky I think.
I hope you can find a way to replace your daughters pet, that will work for everyone. Good luck Sheila, and keep us posted.
Hugs,
~Laurie
"Little Hen House on the Island"
Farmgirl Sister#1403
View my New Blog:
http://simplesuburbanpleasures.blogspot.com
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.
~Robert Louis Stevenson |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2013 : 1:05:43 PM
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I have an indoor bunny. She lives in an indoor crate with Alpine Wood shavings and use a litter scoop to scoop the poop and out to the compost pile. She was born an indoor bunny.
However, my very good friend Susan has been raising pet rabbits for sometime, and she got tired of hers being in the house. She built them an outdoor cage where they can go "inside" to escape extreme weather or they can go to the caged part for fresh air. She took her indoor bunnies and put them outside a few months ago and they are doing fine. She has had no issues. She says rabbits are built for cold.
Hugs,
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE
Chapter Leader, Connecticut Simpler Life Sisters
Farmgirl of the Month, January 2013
Suburban Farmgirl Blogger
http://sfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org/ |
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2014 : 1:22:38 PM
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Why do I ask for advice if I'm not planning on following it?! :) oh well. Happy to say that the new rabbit, Bentley (after Snowflake Bentley the photographer) is doing great outdoors in his hutch, even in these sub-zero temps.
Thanks to everyone for your input, I like to hear how others approach the same problem/idea.
:)
http://troutwife.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/brooktroutwife |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2014 : 2:56:01 PM
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Sheila, I did a little more research after I saw your post. Bunnies are more cold hardy than hot. They can't cool themselves like other animals. In the summer, be sure to keep your bunny with lots of water. A good trick is to freeze a water bottle and put it in the cage. They like to lay next to it to keep cool and will have fun batting it around.
Farmgirl hugs,
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE
Chapter Leader, Connecticut Simpler Life Sisters
Farmgirl of the Month, January 2013
Suburban Farmgirl Blogger
http://sfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org/ |
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
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Barnyard Buddies: bunny question |
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bunny question
