Moving an indoor rabbit outdoors

[samvis]

Hi Binky’s

I live in South Africa and it is currently summer here. Day time temps peak at 30 degrees C, which is about 86 degrees F, on most days. We have two Netherland dwarfs. Our male is cross Jersey wooley (about a year old) so he has some of that soft, fine hair. Our girl (8 months) is an albino. They love each other and our girl follows the boy like a shadow. 

They have both grown up as indoor buns and roam our bunny proofed apartment freely under supervision. They sleep in a cage during the day when we are not there and at night. On the weekends we take them to a small part of an isolated park to roam on leashes, so they are somewhat familiar with the outdoors and associated noises etc. 

We will be moving to a larger place with a garden in the next few months and I would like to give my buns more outdoor freedom. We are thinking of building a biggish enclosure which will be fenced off on the sides and the top, where they can run free in the day when we are not there. We will provide a fairly large hutch for them to sleep/hide in if necessary and this will be in a sheltered, shady part of the garden. We will probably bring them in at night but we want to take it as it comes. 

Finally, my questions are as such: 

• What are your suggestions in terms of acclimatising an indoor rabbit to the outdoors? Should this be done in stages? 
• Can they sleep outside at night? 
• Do you think it is ok to leave a bunnies outside in the above mentioned enclosure unsupervised (they are safe from predators)? What materials should I provide in the enclosure, over and above the normal items such as hay, water, greens (minimal) and a hutch? 
• The neighbors have dogs, which are fenced off, how do I get the buns used to their potential barking etc.? I hear rabbits can literally be frightened to death. 
• Do you have any other advice? 

Our goal here is to give our bunnies a more natural environment where they can run and binky until their hearts are content. We don’t want to put them in any danger and are looking for some good advice 

Thanks in advance for your help

[BB & Tiny]

Considering the holes I’ve seen dug at the rescue in the exercise pens outdoors, I’d be concerned they would be under that fence by the time you arrived home.

[BB & Tiny]

Considering the holes I’ve seen dug at the rescue in the exercise pens outdoors, I’d be concerned they would be under that fence by the time you arrived home.

[tobyluv]

Rabbits can and definitely will dig out from a fenced in area, so it needs to have fencing on the bottom too, covered with a few inches of dirt for their digging pleasure. Predators can dig in too, which is why a structure is not totally predator proof or rabbit escape proof unless it is covered top, bottom and sides – all connected with no gaps. Besides unfamiliar animals and sounds which could frighten the rabbits, and cause them to injure themselves, there are all matter of insects and parasites to contend with outdoors, so it’s really safer for them to be indoors.

[Angelina]

Hello,

I just acquired a Flemish Giant from my neighbors along with a nice out door, big roomy hutch that is equipped for heating. We live in the city and have a really big yard that is completely bunny proof. Our hutch is located under cover of trees and is out of the way of drafts and rain. We consider our bunny indoor/outdoor but she sleeps in her hutch outside at night, and gets run of the yard all day. In the morning and evenings she is indoor to socialize and play with us. She is really gentle and affectionate.

So it works well for us and our bunny if its any help to you.

But I do have a few questions as winter is approaching. Do you know what temperature to keep the hutch in the winter? And do you know which bulbs are best?

[Vienna Blue in France]

Hi Angelina, it sounds the same set up as I have. An indoor/outdoor rabbit and I asked the same question not long ago.
I will not heat the hutch as I’m in northern France and not northern Norway and her big heavy winter coat is now starting to come and will more than protect her from the ‘mild’ winter here. And she has all the necessary shelter and protection too.

I’m guessing if your’s is going to be indoors too, then heat the hutch at slightly lower than the house temp (not more than 10deg difference I’ve been told) and be careful to not expose her to really cold weather when transferring her from one to the other.

( Or maybe Flemish Giants have special needs which require warmth through the winter? I’ll let someone more knowlegable answer your questions…! LOL )

[Author]

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