Converting my outdoor hutch

[Miyavp]

So I found this bunny, most likley an abandoned easter bunny. Him and his sister were ditched in a box outside my house. I took the boy while my friend took the girl. My dad half built him an outdoor hutch. Its starting to get colder and I bring him inside to play every day. I read that if your planning on keeping your bunny outdoors for the winter its not good to do that. Its killing me everyday putting him back outside it makes me so sad because its cold. But if I keep him outside I cant bring him in to play everyday, and if I bring him outside in the grass to play he’ll get fleas again.

So I need some help converting this hutch into an intdoor hutch. I’m sorry I cant post photos tonight but would you guys help me with it? And bunny proofing my bedroom?? I have a limited budget, 30$ for now. I should be getting a job very soon but until then thats what I have to work with. I’m actually getting a job so I can afford to take care of this bunny, get him neutured and vacinated and such. I’ll upload photos tommorow or when its day light. I’m actually still awake because I dont want to have to put him back outside its rainy and cold.

[Miyavp]

Oh and maybe a little help winning my dad over to the idea of an indoor rabbit? He wanted to put him on craigslist but I talked him into keeping him. He thinks I’m a weirdo covering his hutch with towels and blankets and stuff lol.

[MoveDiagonally]

It’ll be easier to give you suggestions with a picture. How big is the hutch and how much space do you have in your room for the bunny?

What are your dad’s issues/concerns with having an indoor rabbit? Knowing his objections will help people give you solutions.

[Miyavp]

Money, money are his objections. I made a space in my bedroom. Its 21 wide by 41 long. Idk how tall. I cant get a photo its dark but I could probubly recreate it on paint its not very complex.

[Miyavp]

Heres what his cage looks like. I need to make a roof and either build it a stand so the poop and fall through the wire onto something or cover the wire with some sort of bunny chew proof material (is this even possible?).

[Miyavp]

Would coroplast be a good alternative to the wire on the bottom of the cage?? for 30$ I can buy a sheet of coroplast I think, and if I can do that then I think I can bring him inside for the time being. Is that safe for bunnies??

[Tessie]

Well done for rescuing a beautiful bunny and giving him a better life! Congrats!
It’s great that you want to keep you bunny inside!

Why does your dad think a bun indoors would cost more than keeping one outdoors?
To persuade him, tell him that he can be litter trained so he won’t be messy. You could also try telling him that rabbits when housed indoors display fantastic personalities, much like a dog would!

For the cage, a wire floor isn’t good for the buns feet, it can damage their hocks making them red and sore. So for covering the floor, I’d suggest you find a sheet of plastic or maybe some plywood? If you use wood make sure it’s untreated in case bunny chews it and ingests harmful chemicals.
Also, how big is your bun? A cage needs to be 4 times his size

Can’t wait to see pictures!

[Miyavp]

My mom isnt feeling the indoor cage thing either. And its big enough for him right now and I think later on. He’s pretty tiny right now. I cover the wire with newspaper which I think kinda annoys my dad cause he built it so the poop would fall through. My parents are pretty traditional when it comes to keeping pets. I’m a fish enthusiest, goldfish particularly. And my parents thought I was INSANE when I wanted a 37 gal goldfish tank. For three fish. My dad just told me to put them in a bowl. I’ve always kept my pets better than my parents think they need. I’m really hoping I can talk them into the indoor cage thing. I think their worried about the mess which is why I want to get the coroplast. That stuff looks like it works great I’m working on uploading photos now

[Miyavp]

[Miyavp]

I read it was really bad to continue bringing him inside to play during the day because his winter coat wont develop properly and then when I bring him indoors from the cold he’ll get temperature shock, do you know if this is true or not?

[Tessie]

What are the measurements of the hutch?

It’s definitely a good idea to cover the floor with newspaper as like I said, the wire is bad for their feet

It’s tricky to suggest what might persuade parents. Might they be open to keeping him indoors for a trail period? So that they can see that he is clean and he isn’t a problem inside the house? Is he in a garage or something? (That would be better than nothing)

[Miyavp]

He’s under our porch. He protected from the wind and rain. But I don’t want to be bringing him inside to play all day because it might mess with him growing his long winter coat. But I don’t want to play with him in our yard because he just got done having fleas. I just thought bringing him inside might be an ideal solution.

Btw my bunny sneezes but only when he has his face in a bowl of alfalfa. Could it be that he’s getting the loose alfalfa in his nose?

[Rufus]

If you are able to bring it inside could you turn it upside down? That way the wire would be on the roof (you said you were going to build a roof anyway) and you could you plywood for the floor. if you’ve already got enough plywood for the floor you could use your money to buy some vinyl to cover the plywood on the floor (easy to clean, won’t stain) and a fleece blanket to give him a soft spot.

[Miyavp]

I might be able to do that, I was still wondering about coroplast. I’ve seen so many great videos on it and was wondering if anybody on here ever used it.I’ll probably buy a few shower curtains to lay under the hutch.

[miakosel]

Or another idea you could do is get a x-pen. You can get them pretty cheap from amazon and get free shipping. You can make them many different sizes so it would be able to fit where ever you want! And they are very easy to use. Here is my x-pen set up! 

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