Moving bunny outside

[Celio]

Hi everyone!
I am a new member, but old reader. I often come to this site for help, and this time I actually need a lot.

This is my bun, Turta Dulce aka Gingerbread : http://imgur.com/a/wbp0n
He is a 1 yo male.

My parents no longer want him in the house, so we need to move him to an outdoors hutch.
I already tried to convince them to let him stay inside, but they are tough to crack. They complain about the smell and about him chewing everything, and I understand where they are coming from.

The bunny is unspayed, and I am going to take care of that this spring, but I doubt my parents will change their mind, so at this point I just want to ensure that he will be as happy and comfortable as possible outside.

His outside run will be about 2m x 2m (about 6.5 ft x 6.5 ft). I was thinking making something like this : https://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/6155897/Rabbit-Hutch-with-Outdoor-Run-e860a5bc-d1e9-4d8d-9c50-34c5508e3203_600.jpg . But with a single roof, which will go all the way to one side, kind of like this : http://images.hayneedle.com/mgen/master:TXE009.jpg . We will build the entire thing, so the plan is very flexible.

I will also get him a friend so he won’t feel lonely, but that is entirely another topic.

My problem is that temperatures can get pretty extreme in summer and winter over here (as high as 35° C / 95° F and as low as -20° C/ -5° F).
Do you have any ideas for how to make sure he and his friend will be comfortable even then?

Any help, ideas or questions are very much appreciated. Thank you!

[Limit]

-20 is very extreme! I’d be inclined to suggest ditching the hutch and run idea and giving them a shed. It allows you to insulate it and add a heater when the weathers really bad?

Hopefully you’ll sort something out soon

[sarahthegemini]

2m x 2m sounds pretty small (especially for two) and those temperatures are really extreme. I think it’s very irresponsible to put a rabbit outside anyway, let alone with such drastic temperature differences. If you get him a friend, you’ll have to bond them properly which would mean supervising them 24/7 for a while. Will you be able to do that if they’re outside?

I think it’s really sad that your parents just decided they don’t want him inside anymore. Why does he smell? Rabbits aren’t smelly creatures so…? And if he chews things, take action against it. Cover things that you don’t want chewed and provide lots of chew toys. I don’t see why you need to put him outside for that…

[Vienna Blue in France]

Hi Celio and welcome.

It’s that age old problem of whose fault is it, isn’t it?
When your gorgeous boy is spayed, his pee won’t smell as much and if his inside area was bunny proofed, he wouldn’t be chewing anything he shouldn’t.
If the litter is correct and cleaned daily, the smell is reduced. Some people say they don’t have any smell at all.
So you see, with a will, there is a way.

Whatever you (your parents) decide, if he has been an indoor bunny up til now you MUST NOT put him outside until the weather is around the interior temperature. he will not have grown his winter coat and will not have ample protection. Nor can you bring him in the house during the day and put him back out in the evening. The difference in temperature will be too great. (Thermic shock)
The shed should not be in the position to receive direct weather conditions (in summer it will heat up and this is more dangerous to bunnies than the cold).
Check the prévalent winds and rain directions.

My bunnies are inside & outside bunnies because they can be here. But most of the BB members have 100% house bunnies so will deinfitely adise to try to talk your parents around finding a solution to keep him inside. They are loving and caring creatures who love to be around people and deserve to be part of the family environment. (unless you can negotiate a big shed with your parents where you can sleep in there too !!)

[Limit]

unless you can negotiate a big shed with your parents where you can sleep in there too

I’ve slept in my buns shed I won’t lie

[Vienna Blue in France]

[Celio]

Thank you for the replies!

The smell is coming from his pee, even though I change his litterbox daily. I really hope that after he gets spayed it won’t smell as bad and my parents will change their minds, but I doubt it. As for covering what shouldn’t be chewed, that’s really hard with the furniture, and he nibs at it even when he has chewing toys around. I would really love to keep him inside, but I can’t seem to convince my parents.

We won’t relocate him until at least late spring. The hutch/ shed needs to be built and he needs to bond with his new friend before we can do that. So the temperature shouldn’t be a problem by then.

I thought about a shed too, but wouldn’t that be too… gloomy? A hutch and run is airier and I think he won’t feel as alone when he can look at the world around him.

Maybe I can put some sort of portable radiator in his hutch when the weather gets too cold? Somewhere he won’t have access to, like behind a metal net, or hung from the ceiling? -20 is about as cold as it gets, and only for a few days. Most of the winter is around -5.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Celio on 3/08/2017 9:55 AM

Thank you for the replies!

The smell is coming from his pee, even though I change his litterbox daily. I really hope that after he gets spayed it won’t smell as bad and my parents will change their minds, but I doubt it. As for covering what shouldn’t be chewed, that’s really hard with the furniture, and he nibs at it even when he has chewing toys around. I would really love to keep him inside, but I can’t seem to convince my parents.

We won’t relocate him until at least late spring. The hutch/ shed needs to be built and he needs to bond with his new friend before we can do that. So the temperature shouldn’t be a problem by then.

I thought about a shed too, but wouldn’t that be too… gloomy? A hutch and run is airier and I think he won’t feel as alone when he can look at the world around him.

Maybe I can put some sort of portable radiator in his hutch when the weather gets too cold? Somewhere he won’t have access to, like behind a metal net, or hung from the ceiling? -20 is about as cold as it gets, and only for a few days. Most of the winter is around -5.

Boys pee usually smells worse if they aren’t neutered. My boy bun’s certainly did! I don’t know what to suggest regarding the furniture chewing as I was quite lucky with my rabbits but what about putting wood or cardboard next to the furniture he’s chewing. Sort of distraction technique?

[Limit]

Sheds can have windows I only suggested this as it offers better protection and more indoor room – a run can still be added to the side with a cat flap? My shed has a mesh door too which is handy in summer. I find hutches and runs not enclosed enough for my taste but it’s what you find works best.

I had a tubular or greenhouse heater in a shed, it was low in heat and takes the edge off of the freezing nights (these do need guards though). Another thing I find useful is snuggle pads that you can heat up in the microwave

About the furniture, is there a way of blocking it or spraying where he chews most with something that isn’t tasty? I think you’ll find that he won’t smell much at all after his neuter, so the outdoor accommodation might not need to happen, just thought I’d leave some tips if it’s set on happening.

[Author]

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