Hi there

Well, I wouldn’t suggest she be outside. There are fleas and other bad things she could get and it can make her sick.

You mentioned she was inside one. Did you rabbit proof at all? There are many things you can use, nic grids with zip ties, cable covers, baby gates.

You can also make a cage from nic grids and keep her indoors. I think she may be lonely outside without you. I would be if I was a rabbit!

Many members have rabbits drinking from both a bowl and a bottle. Bottles are made for human convenience. Some rabbits will drink more than others will. Mine prfers the bowl.

U can also use a spray deterrent to put on the walls (won’t stain) like bitter apple. I use a stinky perfume and it makes my rabbit smell and she footflicks away from it.

We are a house rabbit forum and recommend the keeping of rabbits indoors. Your rabbit is neither acclimatized to living outdoors nor is she safe from predators or diseases that befall outside-bunnies. You can easily bunny-proof your home or build her an indoor pen so she can’t destroy things. If you look up under the green banner above ‘bunny info’ you will find tips on bunny-proofing as well as on indoor habitats.

Yes, please read about rabbit proofing. She is lonely outside.

Also she doesn’t need to be spayed until she is at least 6 months old so you have time to start saving up for this – it’s extremely important to get her spayed when she is old enough. Not being spayed means she has a very high risk of getting ovarian, mammary and uterine cancer so save up for this – it’s important.

Eliminating can make a bunny feel vulnerable. I think she is only pottying inside her hutch because that is where she feels safe. She doesn’t feel safe outside.

Like he others have said, it really is in her best interest (and yours!) to bring her back inside and set her space up in a way that is safe for her and safe for the condition of the house. Many rabbit owners do rent (either homes or apartments, myself included!) and we situate our bunnies in a way that everyone is happy and entertained and safe.

Some destructive behaviors can be decreased by spaying when she is old enough. As Sarita mentioned, this is vital for her health. Behavioral benefits are an added bonus.

Welcome!

Check out the link here on bunnyproofing.https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/BunnyProofingYourHome/tabid/61/Default.aspx

It would make most sense to just bunny proof and train her not to ruin things in your house then to keep her outside. It’s very worriesome to have a bunny outside-especially if they aren’t in a secure spot-out loose (you referred to her being out of her hutch and using the hutch as a washroom) is very scary-there are all kinds of predators that could get her-even if you have a fenced yard.
Very much agree and plead to you to bring her inside

It seems very natural she’d use the hutch as a litter box-if she was litter trained inside the house-I bet she’ll return to that state.

Welcome-and CUTE bunny!

I have always rented apartments while living with my bunnies, so I can vouch for it being able to be done without destruction. Just get a habitat that contains her when you aren’t around, and you can also cover the edges of carpeting with pieces of seagrass matte cut into strips that will act as a barrier over carpet and in front of baseboards and walls. A bunny is very smart and easily trained, and a young bunny can quickly learn that the tasty stuff is the food in her house, not the walls or carpet. Get her chew toys so she can tackle those, as well as hidey holes or boxes to play in. It distracts from the apartment as a place to be or play. She will return to being litter trained rapidly once she’s back inside, and happier with your company.

 i know everyone on this forum is big on keeping bunnies indoors and i can understand that, but i have two bunnies who live outside in a really nice mosquito proof hutch and it works just fine for me. i bring them inside when i’m home to supervise them and spend time with them though. and each morning and afternoon i let them out of the hutch to run around the garden in the sunshine. honestly, they love it so much, binkying around everywhere and laying in the grass. i love seeing them outdoors and would feel bad to confine them to a pen inside all day, and i can’t let them roam around the house free range because i can’t bunny proof everywhere

their hutch outside is very safe for them, there are no predators to get them and they seem to be very happy. even if there were predators they could run inside the hutch and be safe… but honestly in my area there aren’t any predator animals and the bunnies are always inside the hutch, locked and safe at night time anyway

Aims, I appreciate your advocacy on behalf of your outdoor bunny habitat, but it really is a House Rabbit Community (see banner above) so we prefer not to open up debate about the pros and cons of different lifestyles. You kind of start here knowing our position, so naturally we will advocate bringing your bunnies inside and assist in making adjustments to your home to do that successfully for both you and your bunnies. Please keep our suggestions in mind, and if you have any other questions regarding their health and welfare we’ll be happy to answer them. We just don’t want to initiate a running discussion that can deteriorate on the pros and cons of indoor vs. outdoor with our members. I am glad your bunnies are healthy, but your questions can be resolved as suggested. Resolutions that entail encouraging outdoor living is a bit beyond our premise. What is safe today may not be safe tomorrow.

Another thing to add to what Pam said… in some areas of the world it is more acceptable to house rabbits outdoors b/c there may truly be fewer predators and the weather is milder. While we do have many members from these areas, the bulk of the membership is from North America (Canada and the US) where there are far more dangers associated with outdoor living. ALSO, North America does not require (or offer) any vaccinations. Therefore Aims, while your rabbits may be protected against certain things, ours are not. We worry about a new member coming along, reading your reply, and coming to the conclusion that outdoor living is safe under every condition in every area regardless… So we do try to add a “disclaimer” to certain posts.

As far as the member who initiated this thread, in her first post she did say that the rabbit was housed indoors previously. This is another reason why our focus is on fixing “what went wrong” and helping her bring her VERY young, single bunny back indoors. The answer to destructive bunny behaviors or odor is not… put the bunny out. Rabbits make wonderful indoor companions, but you have to have realistic expectations and be willing to do the preparation necessary including proper housing, bunny proofing (if not of the ENTIRE home, of the main area the bunny will be), and spay/neuter.

‘The rabbit as he fits into the human household’ is the subject of this forum, therefore Binkybunny discourages 24/7 outdoor habitats for pet bunnies.

The topic of how to keep a rabbit safe and happy outdoors is a whole different can of worms, as it is different for each geographic area.

I applaud you for putting in the effort to research what things to consider and protect from in your rabbits’ habitat, and I have no doubt that your rabbits love their setup. However, rabbits do not have to live outdoors to enjoy the outdoors. Members here have indoor rabbits who go outside for exercise in bunny runs or bunny-proofed yards. The truth about outdoor rabbits who never come inside is that they may not receive attention and human interaction enough and subsequently turn shy. This is the opposite of what pet bunny lovers want in a rabbit.

Aims, you are welcome here, but we won’t have tips for issues that stem from permanent outdoor housing. There are other forums that do, though. Here is one I like that has no caveat against outdoor housing of pet rabbits:

http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/rabbits/….aspx#Sec2

i totally understand what you guys are saying about opening up the outdoor/indoor discussion and yes i see your point about a new rabbit owner coming along and reading my post and sticking their rabbits outdoors without thinking about it further, so sorry about that, i won’t bring it up again!

i just wanted to respond to the original poster because their situation sounded similar to mine (with the exception of the fact mine have always been outdoors), but yes, this is an indoor rabbit community so i understand your concerns.

I’m really glad you’ve started to find ways to live together I am very pleased for you!

I haven’t had any girlies, but I think you may not be able to get it sorted completely until she is spayed. I would block off the couches for now if you can – they may be retaining the smell and encouraging her to think she can toilet there.