Monday, January 18, 2010

How do you provide for a rabbit in the winter? What kind of rabbit houses do you use?

If you have an answer either post it, or email it to me rtony@longlines.comHow do you provide for a rabbit in the winter? What kind of rabbit houses do you use?
www.answers.com/rabbit has alot of good information on rabbits.





Here is an excerpt:





';Rabbits kept outdoors must be provided with shelter that is heated in winter and shaded in summer. Domesticated rabbits are most comfortable in temperatures between 10 to 21 degrees Celsius (50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit), and cannot endure temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). Veterinarians specializing in rabbits recommend a diet consisting of water, a small amount of commercial pellets and unlimited hay daily. Other organic vegetables, such as carrots, are recommended as dietary supplements, but light greens, such as iceberg lettuce, can cause carbon dioxide gas bubbles in their dietary tracts that can lead to their early death. Domestic rabbits should and must be checked daily as infections and illnesses can occur very quickly. Teeth should not be too long because if they are the rabbit cannot eat. Do not attempt to clip a rabbits teeth and it is more advised to seek a veterinarian. A rabbits teeth can grow to five inches a year. Eyes should be clean with no crusts around the eye area. Checking the rabbits vent area (bottom) is vital as any feces left will attract flies which will leave eggs and hatch into maggots, who eat rotten flesh causing severe pain for the animal. Ears should be clean along with any other part of the rabbit. ';








hope this helps! (:How do you provide for a rabbit in the winter? What kind of rabbit houses do you use?
erm a hutch. wot do you use in the summer?! they shud always hav a home and take it inside it will b much happier.
We have an Angora house bunny! I really don't know about outside Bunny's--she is in the house 24-7 and she is pretty good except she likes to chew the carpet!!! And of course there is the matter of her pooping ALL the time......maybe she should be an outdoor bunny!
we keep ours in the porch. we have a little hutch they can sleep in. and we put straw and hay in it too.
maybe they have a rabbit warmer at petsmart, hopefully it is in an enclosed area so rain or snow doesn't get it sick.
My rabbits live outside in a 3 sided shelter in the summer. When it gets hot I buy a small fan and tie it to their cages; they love sitting in front of the fan while its on.





In the fall I move my rabbits to the shed and stuff their cages with hay or straw and give them plenty of unfrozen water. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO GIVE THEM FRESH UNFROZEN WATER. I don't know if it helps but I put old sleeping bags over the cages to keep the air in. Of course I clean out the cages frequently too.
rabbits have a dense undercoat and a thick topcoat that allows them to survive the winter... just put some hay in their cage and they should be okay... i use all metal wire cages in a rabbit building... much like a barn... the only thing you really have to worry about is that their water bottles will freeze overnight... in the mornings you should check the bottles and thaw them out... if you don't your bunny could dehydrate
Can rabbits live outdoors year round?





Answer: Rabbits need a protective hutch for colder nights. After your rabbits are use to being outdoors and have slowly acclimated to outside temperatures, they can live in their hutches during spring, summer, and fall, or year-round in southern climates.





Acclimating an indoor rabbit to outdoor living:





The transition from indoor to outdoor housing has to be slow. The best time to begin this procedure is during the spring when the temperatures rise to about 64 degrees F (18 degrees C). By the time colder weather comes around, your rabbit will have adjusted. If the temperature drops below 59 degrees F (15 degrees C) at night, the rabbit should be brought inside the house.





This information comes from the book: RABBITS A COMPLETE PET OWNERS MANUAL.

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