For those of you who have rabbits outside ...

[Julie_in_PA]

How do you keep the rabbit's water from freezing in winter ??

My rabbits will be in a hutch inside my barn for winter, and although they'll be indoors - and draft free, the water still freezes in my buckets and such that are in the barn. So I know that the rabbit's water will freeze. So what do you all do to keep the water from freezing ?? Plus I don't want my water bottles to bust. What can I do to prepare for winter ?

 

[Hayley411]

I don't have outside rabbits but I am a catalog junkie, in the drs foster and smith small animal catalog they have a heated water bottle:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=6067+10382+18379&pcatid=18379

It is a little pricey But it would do the job. We have a heated dog bucket and it never freezes during the winter. I hope this helps.

~Hayley

 

[Becca]

Also you can get little bottle "coats" from most pet shops that you put on the bottle and it keeps it snuggly and stops it freezing.

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

Use bowls instead.I've had rabbits outside in the winter for 7 years now and believe me bowls are far superior and make things much easier.I also use a rule of thumb that if a bowlof waterfreezes then it's too cold and you need to add more insulation, bedding, etc.

 

[Julie_in_PA]

I don't have outside rabbits but I am a catalog junkie, in the drs foster and smith small animal catalog they have a heated water bottle:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=6067+10382+18379&pcatid=18379

It is a little pricey But it would do the job. We have a heated dog bucket and it never freezes during the winter. I hope this helps.

That's awesome !! I think I'm gonna buy that. Thanks !!

Also you can get little bottle "coats" from most pet shops that you put on the bottle and it keeps it snuggly and stops it freezing.

Really ? It would be enough to keep it from freezing ? Well perhaps I do this with another water bottle and see how it works here, then I can have the heated water bottle, but also additional water bottles hooked up.

Use bowls instead.I've had rabbits outside in the winter for 7 years now and believe me bowls are far superior and make things much easier.I also use a rule of thumb that if a bowlof waterfreezes then it's too cold and you need to add more insulation, bedding, etc.

I'll try a bowl, but the water freezes in my buckets here, so I'm not sure how well a bowl would work for me. But I'm gonna try all this stuff and see what suits me and the buns the best



THANKS !!:bunny19

 

[tamsin]

You can insulate bottles by wrapping them in bubble wrap and then putting a old thick sock over the top.

It depends how cold your weather gets if that will be enough.

Moving water won't ice over so putting water in a bowl and putting something in eg a ping pong ball that moves about can help stop ice forming.

It's a good idea to haveduplicate bottles so you have an empty one to swap over and you can leave the frozen ones to defrost gradually. Saves time and reduces cracking where you try to defrost too quick.

Tam

 

[Julie_in_PA]

Ok, Well I am definately going to try these "tricks of the trade" and see what works for us ! We're in Southern PA, so it does get COLD here, but not as bad as alot of places obviously.

Our average temps in winter are usually around approx 20-30 degrees F

I have a farm, and have goats, a pony, dogs, cats, etc. and so they all have water buckets. The TOP "layer" of water always freezes in the buckets and I have to chop it up and get it out frequently. SOMETIMES (more rare though) the water will freeze almost solid in the buckets, but that's not very often.

I will try the ping pong ball thing ... that's interesting to me ... a neat idea that I would've never thought of ! And I'll try all the other ideas as well ! But I am going to purchase the heated water bottle also. And I currently have 3 other water bottles on hand to.

I need to make a comfy nest box for my bunny. Well actually, I guess I need to make two nest boxes, or one big enough for both of them since I'll have two rabbits soon ... possibly together if all goes well with bonding. I can really insulate the nesting boxes good so it stays warm inside. Maybe I'll even wrap a blanket or something around the outside of the hutch. Anyway, I'm gonna try all these ideas for the water bottles, and I'm sure I'll have tons more questions about preparing for winter ! hahaha ! (brrrrr .... I can almost see the snow winter's comming so fast !)