Is my shed ok?

[wynn42]

I bought my bunnies two weeks ago. When I bought them, they were in hutches outside and the owner said she has kept bunnies outside all the time. I however have been keeping my buns inside. The landlord just found out and told me that I have two options: either house them in the shed or get them gone. Obviously I would be heartbroken to give up my bunnies, so they are in the shed. Tonight is their first night out there, and I am so worried about them! It is a pretty big metal shed. I gave them lots of bedding, blankets, and hay to snuggle in, but is that enough? I have to keep the door cracked for ventalation, and I have a fence blocking it to keep predators away, but I am afraid that the winter weather (which ranges from fifties to zero) will kill them. I don’t want to be that well intentioned bunny owner that does the wrong thing. I dont know what to do, because half the sites i read say that bunnies are fine in the snow, and others say that they need to be super protected…..please help so I dont go crazy!!!!!!!!!!

[drwil]

It would be nice if you could convert the shed doors to screen doors with both heavy and fine screen for predator and insect protection respectively. Then they could have the entire shed as a territory.
Do not worry too much about cold if they have a protected, insulated enclosed area with straw bedding. Summer heat could kill them though so an investment in strong fans at minimum is necessary. Heat kills more bunnies than cold–they are native to northern Europe and resist cold reasonably well except when very young or sick. But you cannot leave them in snow continuously–they naturally wander into snow looking for food but then go to the relatively warm burrow to rest and raise young.
If you are up north where it gets really cold heat up bricks in the oven and wrap them in towels. Put them in their “hidey hole” area they will stay warm overnight.

[LongEaredLions]

Could you provide pictures of the shed? That would make it easier for us to suggest how you can best house them in the shed.
You will need to insulate the shed and fix the door so it can be closed fully (to keep out predators).
Bunnies usually do well in the cold but with temperatures that low you will need to fix up the shed to accommodate them.
I am sorry this happened to you.

[kbun]

I just bought the Snuggle Safe heatpad, haven’t tested it yet, but perhaps that would be a good investment as well?
http://www.amazon.com/Snuggle-Safe-Pet-Microwave-Heating/dp/B00008AJH9

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