Do you think house rabbits miss outdoor time?

[bunnnnnnie!]

So I know most of the buns here are house buns, and I’d guess most don’t go outside.  As the weather is turning and the days are so pleasantly cool and sunny, and finally the flies and mosquitos are gone, I wonder if Zeus would enjoy going outside.  He loves to sniff the fresh air through the windows, but does he actually want to go out?  Feel the sun on his fur, and the fresh air?  I live in a complex that treats the grass and stuff, so I wouldn’t let him in the grass, but even just a small trip out in his carrier or something?  Is this something bunnies would enjoy, are house bunnies missing out?

Zeus used to live outside 24/7, on a covered porch.  It was horrible because his cage had no hidey house, and so if it was extremely windy, cold, or raining sideways, he had nowhere to go.  Also, it was very hot obviously with no AC.  So I really don’t think outdoor living is the best for a rabbit, but I do wonder if our house buns are missing out.  I know some house buns on here go outside occasionally, but the owners are lucky enough to have covered, safe areas for them.  Is a trip outside, with no hutch/pen to go to, worth it?  Do you think YOUR bun is missing out?

I guess this is more of a ‘philosophical’ thread than anything. 

[Sarita]

I think it truly depends on the rabbit and their personality. Some rabbits enjoy it and some are terrified of the sounds and smells and are always on the alert instead of enjoying the outdoors.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Sarita on 10/04/2010 12:55 PM
I think it truly depends on the rabbit and their personality. Some rabbits enjoy it and some are terrified of the sounds and smells and are always on the alert instead of enjoying the outdoors.

I can definitely understand that.  How about your buns, specifically, and their personalities?
 

[Sarita]

They never go outdoors. Right now I have all my windows open upstairs where they are and that’s okay until the hear a dog bark and then they usually thump.

I know my Dutch pair would be terrified because they are terrified of everything. Mango would be pissed and Toffee too. Pepe thumped and was terrified when the next door neighbors little yappy dog was outside barking his head off.

My first rabbit loved it outside but he didn’t seem to miss it when he was safe inside with us – he was constantly doing flops inside.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Sarita on 10/04/2010 01:23 PM
They never go outdoors. Right now I have all my windows open upstairs where they are and that’s okay until the hear a dog bark and then they usually thump.

I know my Dutch pair would be terrified because they are terrified of everything. Mango would be pissed and Toffee too. Pepe thumped and was terrified when the next door neighbors little yappy dog was outside barking his head off.

My first rabbit loved it outside but he didn’t seem to miss it when he was safe inside with us – he was constantly doing flops inside.

 

So it sounds like you’ve kind of had the full range; buns terrified to go out, all the way to a bun who enjoyed being out.

[Andi]

Like said, it depends on the rabbit, and i believe the outdoor area you have available play a big part, will it be safe from loose dogs or cats? wild animals? is it pesticide free? and free of otehr harmful things (poisones plants, animal feces).

My rabbits get outside time in my fenced yard between my house and the neighbours when the weather allows. They love it, well all but one. Bubba is very sensative, he can enjoy outside but not as much as the other bunnies. Mine are loose in the pen, the only one loose outside the pen is PitStop when him and i are doing something and I can watch him closley, no one else i could trust like that.
I have walked a few on leashes, the % of those who actually enjoy the leash is very low.

[Michelle&Lolli]

Eddie was absolutely terrified of the open sliding door. I took him out once. I took his pen out and put him in it and he just huddle down as close to me as he could. Took him back inside after maybe a minute and promptly got thumped. It took longer to drag his pen out there and set it up. lol

Lolli loved being outside. She was scared at first, but then her curiosity got the better of her and she started exploring. I think she would like to go out more, but it’s not going to happen. lol I took her over to my mom’s and it was a PAIN to haul all her stuff – pen, litterbox, litter, food, water bottle. lol

So yes, depends on the bunny.

[Monkeybun]

Moosie greatly dislikes the Outdoors. He was a rescue, dumped ina field where dogs chased him. He really doesn’t liek it if he cant hide somewhere. Smudgie isn’t too fond of it either, she was housed in a cage on someones back porch where they ahd a dog charging her cage allt he time. Poor baby. She much prefers snuggling in her pen inside. Monkey could care less, as long as she gets food

[AbbyGirl]

I had been wondering about this too. Hugo was let outside on a dog leash and run line everyday at lunch. I was told he loved to eat the grass and dig in the dirt. My concern was more about fleas and other bugs that he could be exposed to. I’m still iffy on it.

[Queensbun]

My bun gets to go out on my balcony where I try to grow rabbit-safe plants to make it as green and jungle-like as possible. Even though I live in an urban area and there’s some street noise below, he seems to enjoy going outside if only for a few minutes a day. When he is out on the balcony, more often than not he’s hanging out under the wicker sofa.

[jennyrabbit]

depends on the rabbit I think,Jenny and Peepers never go outside, but Kari used to, she didnt have a special area, she was a farly large rabbit and I let her run around my back yard(supervised obviously), I also took her out to the front yard on a leash and harness all the time, she loved it, no matter the season, she went out in the winter too and enjoyed playing in the snow. Jenny though HATES the harness and she is half tjhe size Kari was, too small to allow to run the back yard without a harness, I tried taking her out on harness but she hated it. I would be to scared to let Peepers out, even on a leash and harness, she is simpley way too small and likley will never get bigger then 2lbs, too small to go outside without a proper set up I think.

[jennyrabbit]

should mention that there is a difference between Jenny, Peepers and Kari in that Kari was picked up stray, she actually lived outside for a while, Jenny was surrenders and Peepers is from a breeder so they have never been outside types.

[Nibbles_NZ]

My buns love outside.

[LoveChaCha]

Nope.

I tried to during the summer time, with a harness. THe noises scared little Chacha to death and there were birds nearby. She hid under my dad’s BBQ pit. So, I said “okay, we’re going in now!”

I swear, our children think our homes are their natural habitat

[Elrohwen]

I think it depends on the rabbit. I’ve tried to take mine outside, on a safe porch – they would probably prefer a shady grassy area, but I don’t have my own yard and I’m sure the condo complex fertilizes, so porch it must be. Otto *hates* it out there. I have to drag him kicking and screaming and then he runs inside or in his maze and glares at me. I think he feels very unsafe outside.

Hannah sort of enjoys the porch – she’s obviously not very comfortable out there, but she’s comfortable enough that she’ll hop around and explore a bit. Still, if I leave the door open she won’t go out on her own – I have to drag her out.

So sure, some rabbits might enjoy it, but I also think most rabbits are comfortable in the location they know and any change to that scares them a bit, so it’s not surprising that such a big change as going from inside to outside would scare them. Both of mine have lived exclusively indoors (except maybe the first 8 weeks of their lives), so the great outdoors is quite a scary place.

[BinkyBunny]

I also ditto — depends on the bunny. I have had bunnies that LOVE it and others that don’t seem to be all that excited. I haven’t had one that was outright terrified, however, with Jack, I can tell, isn’t a big fan of it — but maybe he knows he’s a big white bunny and stands out like a sore thumb.

[jerseygirl]

Kari the sled bunny. ^^^ Looks like she’s pulling you!

I triple, quadruple ditto “depends on the bunny”. Absolutely! Mine like to go out and I try allow them that everyday. I think Rumball pretty much lived outdoors at his former home. They mentioned he’d find a fave spot under a tree and stay there all day.

My rabbits area has the backdoor to the yard. I often find they have dragged the heavy draught stopper away from the door. I’ll often find Rumball sitting there staring at the gap of light under the door. Like he’s willing it to open.

My parents visited this week & unfortunately Dad went around spraying the perimeter of the yard.   (Parents are our landlords).  They keep saying the product is safe for animals but I’m being cautious. So buns are getting a double pen area to go in. They’re actually enjoying the novelty of that!

[MimzMum]

Mimzy was found outdoors and had his own home there in our back yard for a few months before snow hit. I very earnestly convinced the hubby that no amount of insulation would keep him safe out there in the dark with the -40 F and the predators, so in he came. (not to mention our noisy hail/thunderstorms during rainy season) But I think he would like to venture forth from time to time during the warmer months. Problem is, I just don’t have anywhere I feel is really safe for him to be out there.

Pip and Fiver are happy in the house. Although Fiver has never been (except to go to the vet in his carrier, which doesn’t count). There was one time I took Pip though. She hid in the carrier at the other end of Mimzy’s “Bun-Galow” yard until I relented and brought her back in, and my daughter verbally thrashed me for being so stupid. (at the time, Pip was still her bunny) Mimz couldn’t understand what she was so worked up about-he was binkying all over the place himself. (In fact, come to think of it, that’s the only place I’ve ever seen him really do full-on binkys is outdoors. He won’t do them in the house. Weird.)

[Lintini]

Bagheera won’t even leave the litterbox when we’re in the living room lol…I can’t see him loving the outdoors! Yet his brother Lion is much more outgoing and loves exploring!

I don’t take my rabbits outdoors because the dogs pee/poo out there (yea we clean up the poo regularly but still…), plus I am sure there are fleas out there and I know ticks are. It’s not worth it for them to get fleas or ticks. I love seeing videos of rabbits outside in safe environments where they are enjoying themselves. Unfortunately I really don’t have the backyard for that since I have cats and dogs that I haven’t introduced to the rabbits and pee grass. I do hope that sometime next year after graduation to have some sort of setup where I can have a safe outdoor area for them. My parents have spoken for the past few years of moving out closer to my grandparents and giving our house to my brother and I….which means…dogs go with them, and the backyard is MINE!!

[Balefulregards]

Coco loves it and I bring her out into her enclosure when it isn’t too hot….or too cold. Jackson? You would think we were water boarding him. He went out once and never again. I thought that having Coco with him in the enclosure would soothe him, as he often follows her lead, but NO WAY.

So she goes out when the temps are mid range, and he just waits inside for her to come back.

[MimzMum]

I’m curious Lin. How long do you think it will take for the yard to ‘recover’ from the dogs’ influence? My sitch is similar, many places I can’t take the buns in good weather because we had dogs there. (Lots of places the cars have sat too that grow the nicest dandelions you can imagine, and I can’t use them!) But it’s just Jenna now and she takes her messes to the street. I know buns aren’t supposed to eat/play/eliminate where dogs have been due to the danger of parasites and such. But knowing how much mess our huskies could make, I wonder how long it takes for Mother Nature to take back her own and make it clean again?

Once again…only in a bunny forum can we discuss pet waste and have it be a topic that doesn’t get slammed shut! lol!

[Lintini]

I don’t know, I would probably just water it a lot and give it a few months? They are small dogs so the backyard still is nice, I just wouldn’t want them eating any grass right now. I really don’t know what my future holds after graduation, I might be moving out to the midwest for a better teaching career since marching band is bigger out there. Wherever it is, the buns come too.

[allegrabunny]

If they are anything like horses, the parasites shouldn’t last much more than four weeks in warm dry conditions, picking up poop and treating dogs for heartworm, etc, also helps.

As a side note, DO NOT MOVE TO THE MIDWEST! STAY IN CALIFORNIA!!! IT SNOWS HERE AND IS COLDDDD!!!!

[rabbitlover]

I feel all rabbits should have time everyday to go outside and explore. My rabbit spends most of her time outside. Ill bring her in now and then but rabbits are natually drawn to the out doors and shouldnt be confined to be inside its not natural.

[Sarita]

Rabbitlover, again, please do not respond to old threads. We are a house rabbit forum…

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