Any way to make Zeus’s habitat a bit warmer?

[bunnnnnnie!]

So now that the REALLY cold temps are setting in here in Illinois (-10F windchills this morning!), my heat has been having to work extra-hard to keep things comfortable in my apartment.  And that means my electric bill has gotten considerably higher.

I’d really like to turn the heat down to 60F, or even like 56F, during the day when I’m not at home.  But I don’t want Zeus to get cold.  Is there any way I can keep just his little area warmer, or better insulated?  Here’s approximately what his setup looks like:

I’ve since expanded his pen so it’s bigger, and added a roof to the pen, but otherwise, same idea.

Any ideas, for this broke college student and her high electric bill?

[LoveChaCha]

The bottom floor of the house is cold. That is where Chacha is. She sleeps in a cardboard box during the day, and I drape a blanket over the box so it keeps her warm

So perhaps put the entire blanket around the kennel? I”m not sure if he chews or not Rabbits do see better in the dark o_O

[Deleted User]

I would not worry about it. If he is dry and free from draft, a little drop in temp. will not harm him.

[Deleted User]

Oh, I see, you want to get him MORE COMFORTABLE. I did not mea to ignore that question. How about a cozy hidey house of wood? Or a thick cardboard one? A tunnel maybe?

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Brittany on 12/06/2010 12:54 PM
The bottom floor of the house is cold. That is where Chacha is. She sleeps in a cardboard box during the day, and I drape a blanket over the box so it keeps her warm

So perhaps put the entire blanket around the kennel? I”m not sure if he chews or not Rabbits do see better in the dark o_O

Unfortunately Zeus is a hardcore “fabric eater”.  Even if it’s just draped around his cage, he’ll pull it through the wires and EAT parts of the blanket.

 

Petzy; He shreds boxes, so I don’t think one would last long as a shelter.  And I’ve yet to find a hidey house big enough for him.

[Deleted User]

I get big sheets of cardboard from furniture stores, the kind that is double-layered. They are very warm to sit on even on my cold basement concrete floor. I sit on them when I do projects. You could try something like that. Of course, he will destroy it over time but it will take a while.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Petzy on 12/06/2010 01:58 PM
I get big sheets of cardboard from furniture stores, the kind that is double-layered. They are very warm to sit on even on my cold basement concrete floor. I sit on them when I do projects. You could try something like that. Of course, he will destroy it over time but it will take a while.

 

Hm, interesting.  Do you just go to the store and ask for boxes or?

[Deleted User]

Yes, I do that at the hardware store here.. they have a big bin with boxes waiting to be crushed. The best cardboard though I get from a friend who likes to shop at IKEA in the city a lot. She saves them for me. I imagine if you ask, they will give you something. Just don’t take no for an answer. don’t ask the cashier, ask a manager or whatever it takes.

[Otti]

 You could use one of those toy bins with the lower front opening as a hidey house for him by turning it upside down. They have them at target. I used one with some holes in it as a hidey house for Sammy but you could probably find one without holes to increase insulation. 

You could also just buy a plastic bin of the cheap kind, picking the size you want, turn it upside down and cut a hole in one side as an entrance.

This is what I did for Sammy… As you can see it’s just a stackable bin turned upside-down.

[lashkay]

I don’t know if you looked at my other thread about it, but here is another nice hidey-house I think Zeus would fit in and be comfortable in on the woven grass floor. The entrance holes are huge and so is the hut, it’s entirely made of thick panels of woven dry grass so is all edible:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=6067+20028+12643&pcatid=12643

I too, keep my heat down as much as I can, and the bunnies don’t get “cold feet” on the floor of the house. Dustor lies on his all day.

[Beka27]

That plastic bin is a good idea Otti! It could also double as a perch if he hops on top.

Do you have drapes for that window?  Heavy drapes may help or if not, try attaching a blanket or towel over the window.  If your apartment is like most I’ve been in, the windows are not the best.  Or they have that heat-shrink plastic you can put over the windows to seal out drafts.

[Michelle&Lolli]

When i want to make sure Lolli’s warm enough while keeping the heat down, I will open the blinds when I leave. They are usually closed because I’m lazy and due to the position of my apartment, my apartment will warm a bit (or seem to) when the sun shines in all afternoon. I figure if *I’m* feeling warmer with the sunlight, she has to too. Maybe this is all stupid. lol But it is something to consider.

My apartment has gotten down to maybe 62 degrees in the fall when it was that whole “just cool” enough to barely make it through the night with the windows slightly open. It was getting up into the low 70’s during the day so there was seriously no use in turning on the heat and I love having the windows opened. Lolli was completely fine – all in the superman position. LOL

[Elrohwen]

Our heat goes down to 55 at night and during the day and the bunnies are fine. As long as he has an area, like Otti’s bin, a hidey house, or a maze haven, that he can use as a “den” he’ll be ok. A small space like that will allow him to warm it up with his body heat rather than sleeping out in the open.

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