Leaving a rabbit to run free overnight is a bad idea for the following reasons: Rabbits chew everything in sight. Electrical cables are a favorite delicacy. Unsupervised rabbit could electrocute themselves or even start a fire.
Rabbits can be kept outdoors all year round but ideally their resting area should be brought into a shed or unused garage with natural light and ventilation for the winter months or else protected with tarpaulin from bad weather.
Your rabbit does not need a cage. However, an untrained rabbit probably should be kept in a home-base of some kind, like an exercise pen (x-pen), a large cage, or some other protected housing, while you're not home to supervise and at night when you sleep.
Rabbits are amazing pets that can be great companions if we let them. They can race around our homes and spend time with us as they show their unique personalities. Letting your rabbit roam free in your home is an excellent way to make them a part of your family and an integral part of your life.
Outdoor housing for rabbits
Rabbits need protection from predators at all times. When housed outside, they need a large hutch which is safe from predators (cats, dogs, foxes). This should be insect (mosquito) proof and protect rabbits from extreme weather.
Rabbits like to play and need plenty of exercise to stay healthy and happy. Ideally you want to provide them with up to 4 hours daily of supervised time out of their cage. Rabbits are subject to depression and poor health if they're not provided with daily interaction and mental stimulation.
Your rabbits need deep bedding of shavings or Megazorb under their bed of plenty of straw. Straw is warmer than hay because it's hollow and provides more insulation. Buy good-quality soft straw that's not spiky or dusty, such as barley straw.
Rabbits can handle the cold very well as they usually have thick fur and pads on their feet, but strong winds and damp environments can make them very uncomfortable. Their hutch should be dry and warm, and there are many things you can do to ensure this.
Bunnies don't sleep at night and stay up during the day like humans do, either. They are crepuscular. Yup, there's that word again! It means they're most active at dusk and dawn.
The perfect sleeping area for rabbits is a place which approximates a burrow i.e. a roof over their heads and an entrance and exit route. Therefore, house rabbits tend to like sleeping behind sofas or under tables or beds.
Normal rabbit body temperature is between 101-103°F. If their temperature drops below 100°F, they are at the beginning stages of hypothermia. If your rabbits has hypothermia and can't keep their body temperature up, wrap them in a towel to keep them warm.
If your rabbits' indoor area is very warm putting them straight out in the cold can cause them harm. Try to balance the temperature indoors and outdoors as much as possible, by keeping them in an unheated area such as a conservatory or hallway for example.
Because rabbits are social animals, they require daily interaction and attention. They aren't happy languishing in a cage day after day. For several hours daily, they need time outside the cage, to socialize, exercise and explore. To be comfortable with their people, they need frequent, gentle interaction.
Is it better to keep my rabbits indoors or outdoors? Both indoor and outdoor rabbits can have happy, healthy lives so it's up to you and your bunny pals to decide whether inside or outside is best for them (or maybe even a combination of both!).
Temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit may be too cold even for healthy adult rabbits. Remember that the temperature inside the hutch may be warmer due to your rabbit's body heat, so check both the environmental temperature and the ambient temperature inside the hutch.
It's important to ensure your rabbit hutch is free from draughts, but at the same time well ventilated. Placing the hutch in an area sheltered from the elements is the best way to keep your rabbits warm and safe. You should also insulate the hutch with newspaper and hay and remember to change this regularly.
If keeping your rabbit outside you must be mindful of these dangers: Predators – pet bunnies aren't as good at protecting themselves from predators as their wild ancestors. Rabbits are prey animals and are in danger of being attacked by a variety of animals such as cats, dogs, hawks or foxes.
Although your rabbits may be perfectly happy to hop around your garden and explore and eat, you should still make sure they have lots to keep them occupied. A bored bunny may look for escape routes, so the more you can give them to do the better!
A temperature of between 10-20°C is recommended as ideal for domestic rabbits, though they can cope with lower temperatures, but tend to suffer from too much heat. If the temperature starts to reach freezing, you may wish to consider moving your rabbits' home indoors or into an outhouse, shed or unused garage.
Bunnies are super-soft, and many will love cuddling with you as much as you love cuddling with them. Once a bunny is comfortable in their new home, they may claim you as their own by rubbing their chin on you to mark their territory. They might even groom you with little bunny licks to show you love!
They will have mucus coming from the nostrils. They may also have runny eyes. There will be breathing problems, possibly some wheezing, coughing and sneezing, and your rabbit will feel poorly. Appetite will be reduced because it's hard to breath and swallow with a blocked nose.
A good place to start is to look at your rabbit's ears. If they're close together, facing upwards and pointing outwards, your rabbit is likely to be relaxed and happy. If they're worried, their ears will be flattened against their back.
As a general rule, clean your rabbit's hutch or cage thoroughly at least once every two weeks. 1 However, your rabbit's cage might need deep cleaning more often, depending on the size of the cage and how well your rabbit is litter-trained. If you have more than one rabbit, it will need to be cleaned more often.
Rabbits usually sleep deeply around noon and during the middle of the night.