Hi I’m new

[Bette]

Hi there,

I am new and I’m not sure if I am posting this in the correct place, sorry in advance if not.

Anyhow, I have 3 bunnies:

Tam – neutered male, mini rex, 1 1/2 years old.

Noelle – female, black/white dutch, 2 years old.

Billie Gene – male, mixed (his parents are listed above-accidential litter), 1 year old.

I have 2 of my bunnies living together in an outdoor dog run. It has a cedar roof, concrete flooring although I put hay down and fleece, and a hutch raised above the ground fully enclosed except for one opening.

Then Bill lives in our workshop. He is litter trained and has the run of the place. I also have 4 guinea pigs in there (in cages), so I have heating and electricity and it was 2 windows. Bill has blankets and soft chairs to sit on as well as he watches the guinea pigs.

In the summer all the rabbits have a chance to go out in the yard. I have harnesses and leads that attach to our clothesline. I never leave them unattended though. They love running around the garden and eating dandelions.

A bit about myself..I am 32 years old, married and live on Vancouver Island. I also have 3 turtles and an elderly cat.

well, I guess taht is all for now.

Bette

[Beka27]

welcome!  do you have any pics of your buns?  we love cute bunny pics!!!

[MooBunnay]

Hello! Welcome to BinkyBunny!

In some of your reading on this site you may notice that lots of people house their bunnies indoors, they are a great indoor companion, so feel free to ask any questions about that as well I’d imagine in Vancouver it can get a bit chilly in the winter! Both mini rexes and dutches are such cute bunnies, they must be a lot of fun. What does the mix look like? A dutch with soft fur?

[Bette]

Hi there,

How I wish I could have my rabbits inside I have allergies though, not to mention a jealous cat. I have tried so many times to bring them inside only to have asthma attacks and sinus congestion, itchy eyes, etc. I’m considering trying AllerPet wipes. I’m already taking 20mg of Reactine everyday because of allergies to my cat and flonaze, a steroid nasal spray.

I am still plotting how I can get them inside though…any ideas? My bun that is in the workshop has heating so I’m not as worried about him. It’s quite a large area as well for him to run and play. It’s the ones in the pen that I wish I could bring inside.

Their baby turned out looking like Peter rabbit, heheh. I will have to shrink my pics to get them to view.

Thanks,

Bette

[Bette]

http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd175/ednabette/

 

Here is a link to my gpigs.

Hmmmm have to figure out the bunny one.

one minute.

[Bette]

hmmm i can’t seem to shrink my pics. I’ll try again later.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Welcome Bette! It’s great to have you here!

[Gravehearted]

welcome Bette! hope the pics will shrink so we can see them 🙂

I hear your woes about allergies, my husband and I both have them too. We just keep the bunnies out of our bedroom and make sure to wash our hands after petting them. But, it sounds like yours might be more severe than mine. I haven’t tried the allerpet wipes though.

Is Noelle spayed yet? We always worry about uterine cancer in unspayed girls.

[BinkyBunny]

Welcome! I’m sorry you can’t have them inside. Bummer. How come in the workshop you don’t get a reaction? Also, are you allergic to the hay too? I know some people are allergic to hay and that can be a real pain.
How cold does it get there in the winter? Will this be their first winter in the dog run?

[Bette]

Posted By BinkyBunny on 11/04/2007 9:08 PM
Welcome! I’m sorry you can’t have them inside. Bummer. How come in the workshop you don’t get a reaction? Also, are you allergic to the hay too? I know some people are allergic to hay and that can be a real pain.
How cold does it get there in the winter? Will this be their first winter in the dog run?

 

Hi BinkyBunny,

I meant to write sooner but I have tendonitis and have to take breaks.

In the workshop I do have reactions but only after about an hour and at that point I leave. Somedays are better than others. I believe I am allergic to hay as well. At least to the dust, I think it is an irritant. When I had allergy tests it did not show I was allergic to any plants or pollen  but I do think the hay dust makes me sneeze and can cause flare up’s in my asthma.

The coldest it can get is -5 degrees celcius. Usually it hovers between 2-8 degrees celcius in the winter. Right now it’s about 6 degrees celcius at night and 10-15 degrees in the day. I have packed their hutch that is inside the dogrun full of hay. Also have put hay on the floor for them to sit on. And a fleece blanket.

This will be their 1st winter outside, but they have been outside since May. Last year they were in the workshop thru the winter.

I tried to bring Bill inside and I again had asthma and sinus problems. ARugh! Very frustrating.

Bette

[BinkyBunny]

Okay, so for us who are used to Fahrenheit, the coldest Bette’s bunnies would be in is 23 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average winter is around 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

I will have to research this because being in California, I never have to worry about this (I’m sure people in Tahoe and other higher elevations do) and also because we promote indoor so much, I really don’t have answers for outdoor living in colder climates. So let me check around to see what I can find, and come back and if anyone else has advice to help make sure these bunnies stay safe and warm, post away.

Also, what about wind and rain/snow? Are the sides of the hutch protected?   Oh, another thought – can you bring them into the workshop?  Is it big enough to have two separate pen areas so that the bunnies are separate, but not able to get to each other.

Can you take any medications that will supress your allergies?

[MooBunnay]

Ah, thank you for the fahrenheit conversions I never remember how to do that calculation. I would recommend keeping them in the workshop if you can, I would be concerned about the bunnies getting too cold at night. I know that some of the rescues even in Southern California get really concerned for any animals that are outdoors when it gets cold there (and cold for SoCal being around 50!) It sounds like they have a nice set-up, but I would still recommend trying to get them inside for the winter, especially because if they get wet at all and then cold they could definitely be susceptible to getting some respiratory issues.

[Bette]

Unfortunately there’s not enough room in the workshop for all the rabbits unless there in small cages. Their hutch is covered and all the sides are covered except for a hole in the front where they can jump into and the hutch is off the ground. The dog pen has a cedar roof and there are trees around them and a fence on two sides that block the wind. There is a tarp underneath the roof so no rain can get in. If it snows I will bring them in and put them in cages in the work shed but I feel bad because they won’t have much space.

When I lived in Vancouver as child we had rabbits that stayed outside all year round and lived nine years. Back then we did not know any better but they even played in the snow and and they binkied when they went for a run. Rabbits do prefer cold more than two hot but I would feel too guilty if I left them out when it snowed.

Im taking medication for allergies all ready. I’m taking an allergy pill and a nose spray because I’m allergic to my cat as well. So medication won’t help in this situation. Sorry for the typos I’m using a voice recognition software instead of typing.

I just had an idea may be I can set up a heat lamp in their pen for those cold nights and they can sit underneath it. I can get an infrared light so we will not disrupt their sleep pattern. What do you think of my idea? Thanks again for the post. Take care

[Bette]

Hi everyone,

 

We are having a windstorm and it’s pretty bad so I moved the bunnies into the work shed. They are now in a hutch but it is pretty small for two rabbits. At least they’re out of the wind and rain now. I didn’t think that they would get rained on but the rain went sideways and it’s so windy. So I guess this is a small taste of what winter will be like and I’m going to have to figure out a way to fit all rabbits into the work shed. One of the problems is that Bill is not fixed and he is going to start spraying everywhere. he is already honking like crazy.

 

Anyhow, i’m going to figure this out somehow. i wish i could just split the workshed down the middle with a guinea pig fence i have but it is too low. Plus the boys would fight thru the bars. I guess on nice days they can still go in their dog run but I can’t leave them out there all winter it makes me feel too guilty and worried.

Maybe when my husband comes home he can build some type of fencing to split it down the middle and have it high enough so they can’t jump over and hurt each other. Silly bunnies. I just can’t have them sitting in small cages all winter, that is not fair. Anyway i’m just venting and babbling.

Bette

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I know that in Britain it is fairly common to keep rabbits outside in hutches, although they do seem to still get spoiled and loved of course! Some things I’ve heard they do is get a hutch cover, like a barbeque cover, it allows air circulation, but would prevent them from getting rained on. I also know I saw a bunny heating pad on ebay the other day…

http://cgi.ebay.com/K-H-Small-Animal-Heated-Heating-Pad-Rabbit-Ferret-Bed_W0QQitemZ160178016171QQihZ006QQcategoryZ121853QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

(But as with anything electric -like heat lamps, blankies etc-they could be a fire hazard so be VERY CAREFUL and also make sure the bunny can move away if it is too hot!)

You are correct about it being better that a rabbit is cold then hot, and the Vancouver winter wouldn’t be too bad (I am from Edmonton, so you KNOW I am jealous of your winter!! hehe) Extra bedding like straw can help keep them warm too. Also, the british get this stuff called “Vetbed’ and it’s bedding that is washable and wicks moisture away from the bunny so they can stay dry even if it gets wet, or they pee etc. I am not sure where to get it, but you could check on google or ebay I am sure

You must be quite the animal lover to have so many pets and suffer through allergies! Good on ya!

[Bette]

http://s214.photobucket.com/albums/cc273/BetteNeNe/

here is a link to my pets, most being my bunnies!!!

 

I think you have to copy and paste the link into the toolbar for it to work.

[Bette]

I have my neutered male inside now just to see what happens with allergies. He is a mini rex and I’m hoping with the shorter hair I’ll be better. He is laying on the spare bed right now all stretched out and its’ so cute!!!
He looks hot though I’m going to open the window. Poor little man. teehee.

[BinkyBunny]

Anytime you bring a bunny from an hot to cold or cold to hot, you need to do so gradually. It can be a shock to their system and it takes a bit for their bodies to adjust.  (so that is why you may be seeing him feeling hot –  if you read this post in time,  and he’s still hot, dampen his ears a bit or put him in a cooler room until he cools down.  (hopefully opening the window will help)

So next time you bring him into your house from outside cold weather, put him in the coldest place of your house first  – like a foyer, garage, or even the EMPTY bathtub. Same things goes when you take him out again, get him used to cool before you put him in the outside cold weather.

If your husband is handy, maybe he could make a bigger place for them. There is another member here – have to find the thread that had a grand outdoor enclosure.

OH, I linked your photos for you. Next time all you have to do is click on the the little icon of a mountain and sun (not availave with the "Quick Reply) then just paste the url and click okay – forget all about the other options.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hi there Bette.  Pretty much all of us here keep our rabbits indoors.  However, with a rabbit being outdoors, in winter it is highly recommended that an indoor space, even a garage or shed be provided.  If they are to be exposed to cold, you need to provide them with a nesting box, basically a box with a hole in the side large enough for them to fit through and tall enough for them to sit upright in and stuff it with hay or straw, it acts as insulation. Offer a little more pellets than usual for the calories and staying warm and the most important thing is to make sure they have access to water that is not frozen solid. I really and truly hope that something can be accomodated for your furry fellows. It can be hard for not just the rabbit to be outside in the snow and such but for the human too to have to trek outside every day for feeding and checking the water.

[BinkyBunny]

I did find the threads with the two people that had their bunnies in elaborate outdoor runs. 

https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=54&forumid=6&tpage=1&view=topic&postid=10669

https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=54&forumid=6&tpage=1&view=topic&postid=8600 (though this one looks like they weren’t fully finished or at least the picture doesn’t show the more enclosed hutch area well.

Of course, since I also am an advocate for bunnies living indoors as part of the family, I am keeping keeping my fingers crossed that your latest attempt to bring a bunny in won’t cause your allergies to flare up.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Bette, do you have a HEPA air filter?  I have several in the house and it really helps my allergies to the hay. I also use a vacuum that has a HEPA filter and I use an Arm & Hammer pet deoderizer and it also helps release the static cling of the fur to the carpet. 

[Bette]

Hi everyone,
well, i had an asthma attack and my sinus’s went crazy having Tamago inside just for that hour or so. I ended up taking Reactine and Benadryl together, not something I recommend, and I fell asleep. But before that I put him back outside but not in the dogpen, in the workshop instead. I had to temporarily split up him from NeNe, his friend, because he was bullying her, as the cage was too small for 2 rabbits. So I have Nene in the hutch in the workshop, Tamago in a store bought cage above her, and their son is still running free in the rest of the shed. I think Tamago got upset because he could hear, see and smell his son and that is why he was bullying Nene as well. As soon as I separated him from Nene she laid down and was relaxing and then started to clean herself. I think she really needed a break from him. Tamago also has settled down although when Bill honks or stamps his foot he gets all hyper again and starts throwing things around, like a little basket I gave him to play with.

I’m so glad my husband is home in a week now so that we can figure something better for them. It’s always so hard in winter. Spring and summer are always so much fun for the bunnies but then the rain comes and last year I ended up having them in the workshed too but Tamago had the run of the place as opposed to Bill.

I saw the links of the setups for the outside bunnies and those are gorgeous! it gives me an idea…
If I could move the dogpen next to our workshop and have a catdoor then they could come and go of their own accord. The only problem is I have one bunny who would be left out – Bill.

Oh, Scarlet Rose, I meant to say, yes I have a HEPA air filter, in fact, I have one in my bedroom all the time and a huge one in the spare room. I have spent so much money on them. lol. But they do help.
This house has helped a lot wtih my allergies as it is all hardwood flooring throughout. I bought the filiters before when we lived in carpeted houses and apartments.

Eventually, what I would love to do for the rabbits is enclose our deck. It is huge and my husband wants to make a sunroom. Then I would have the bunnies in there as I could shut the backdoor to prevent the dander from coming in the house for the most part.

well, thank u for all the suggestions I should go now.
it’s supposed to rain all week but today might be sunny so I will let the rabbits out for a run on their leashes and harnesses.
Bette

[Bette]

Hi again,

I set up a heater in the workshed and it is a safe type. Basically, if it overheats, falls over, etc. it will automatically shut off. I have tested it myself. I also set up a baby monitor so I can hear what is going on. I can hear when the heater comes on and off and I can hear my guinea pigs. It’s pretty cute actually hearing them wheeking and playing. The heater is sitting on a very high shelf away from all cage, hay, and the cord is impossible for Bill to chew as it is so high up. I have it set up so that when the temps drop to 10 degrees celcius it will automatically turn on and go no higher than 13 degrees.

My bunnies are sleepy today. Tamago has significantly calmed down now that he cannot see Bill very well as his cage is higher up.

[Scarlet_Rose]

That’s a great and creative solution Bette! I’m so glad that there was something you could do while you are by your lonesome.  Oh my gosh, I am so sorry about the asthma attack, I hope that you are doing O.K. and breathing fine and the HEPA filters I agree are a god send. Please do take care of yourself, especially whie you are alone, you made me worry when I read about the asthma attack!  

[Author]

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