Should rabbits be housed outside?

[woahlookitsme]

BlueCamasRabbitry wrote:

Since you live in CA it shouldn't be too bad - only in the summer months and I know lots of breeders who easily keep all of their rabbits outside (in barns) and have no issue with the weather or anything.

My rabbits are outside in a shed. It is not insulated (though I wish it were!) and they do completely fine in the summer & winter. I don't socialize with them as much as I should - but it is NOT because they are not indoor rabbits. It's because I work and am hardly ever home except for on my days off. My mom feeds them and talks to/pets them, so they do get socializing.

Emily

I agree. I have a friend who has his bunny Snow, a white netherland dwarf, outside and she does fine. He lives in socal too.

I also keep my buns outside and am in the same situation. I work and have school but my mom is able to spend time with the buns and I do it whenever I can. All of our buns are sweet

 

[agnesthelion]

I agree. I have a friend who has his bunny Snow, a white netherland dwarf, outside and she does fine. He lives in socal too.

I also keep my buns outside and am in the same situation. I work and have school but my mom is able to spend time with the buns and I do it whenever I can. All of our buns are sweet

^^^her mom won't likely spend time with the bunny. It will all be on her shoulders. She is 14 years old with, I'm sure, a social life that has yet to get busier

I'm not even talking about the weather. I mean, it's a variable, but I'm more concerned with being outside enough for bunny. Especially after the "newness" wears off. Will it become more a chore to get outside and take care of bunny? I just couldn't imagine spending the time I do with Agnes if she were outside.

Hunter, is your lab an outside dog?

 

[1357rabbitlover]

Hunter when it snows and rains really bad i have a shed with my bunnies housed so i can still go out in the shed and not get wet, thats why i think a shed would be a good idea as you can go your homework out there, ect, ect.
My first bunny was a house bunny for the first 2 years of her life and i honestly think she is now happier living outside, she gets more 'free roaming' space as when she lived indoors she'd have to go into a cage when i went out bu now she has access to lots of space 24/7. When i left the back door open for her during the day she would rather sit outside all day then be inside, but people that own house rabbits don't realise this as they haven't tried it.

Agnesthelion - you asked questions like..

During school will you get up early enough every morning to feed and spend time with bunny?

Then after school are you in activities? Sports? Clubs? Etc.....

Then you have homework. Dinner. Friends. And most obvious, you will have bedtime for school the next day....

This is just the same for a bunny that inside though? What do you do with your bunny when you have activities after school/ work?

I would rather my bunnies live outside as it's closer to their natural habitat and they can dig and chew things without me getting mad that it has made my house dirty, lol

Also having a shed with a run means you can still go outside with your bunnies for hours when it's snowing, ect

Good luck, i wish people would stop thinking that outside bunnies don't get enough attention or are not loved as much as house bunnies. When i get home from school i go straight outside to greet my bunnies then go outside with my homework, then go in for some tea, then go back out until i go to bed.. i would rather spend time with my bunnies then go out with mates by far!

 

[agnesthelion]

This is just the same for a bunny that inside though? What do you do with your bunny when you have activities after school/ work?

^^^^no it's not the same for indoor bunnies. It sounds like you have an excellent setup for yours. You basically have shelter (or a place indoors, hehe) that you can go spend time with your buns.

Im not sure hunter at the age of 14 can afford or build or have the resources to get a shed built.

So, if you don't have a place to go outside like you do to provide shelter from the elements, then activities like doing her doing homework etc might need to be done inside...which is away from bunny. As well as eating meals, watching tv, bathing, reading, being on the computer on RO etc....I could go on nd on...

I do all those activities with Agnes free run while I'm doing it. It is much easier to give a rabbit, or any pet for that matter, attention if they live inside with the family. There is a reason why rescues won't adopt to people who are going to keep their buns outside. It has been proven it is not the ideal scenario.

Listen, I've made my point. I'm just pro-inside pets and have just always been passionate about that. I truly do think it is what is best for pets. Im sure that you, as well as others on here, DO provide a happy healthy life for your buns and I mean no offense. I just am trying to give Hunter, who is a young girl, some perspective to make sure she has thought it through of what it means to have a bunny outside.

 

[1357rabbitlover]

Yes i understand agnesthelion, honestly i would LOVE my bunnies to live inside with me! But i don't believe that where a bunny lives makes a difference on their personality, ect, ect
But honestly.. why does it matter where her bunny is housed? as long as it's loved, cared for, fed, watered, has shelter, has fun and is HAPPY with a lovely mummy and family! Then it shouldn't really matter

Good Luck Hunter!

 

[FallenRabbit]

agnesthelion wrote:

This is just the same for a bunny that inside though? What do you do with your bunny when you have activities after school/ work?

^^^^no it's not the same for indoor bunnies. It sounds like you have an excellent setup for yours. You basically have shelter (or a place indoors, hehe) that you can go spend time with your buns.

Im not sure hunter at the age of 14 can afford or build or have the resources to get a shed built.

So, if you don't have a place to go outside like you do to provide shelter from the elements, then activities like doing her doing homework etc might need to be done inside...which is away from bunny. As well as eating meals, watching tv, bathing, reading, being on the computer on RO etc....I could go on nd on...

I do all those activities with Agnes free run while I'm doing it. It is much easier to give a rabbit, or any pet for that matter, attention if they live inside with the family. There is a reason why rescues won't adopt to people who are going to keep their buns outside. It has been proven it is not the ideal scenario.

Listen, I've made my point. I'm just pro-inside pets and have just always been passionate about that. I truly do think it is what is best for pets. Im sure that you, as well as others on here, DO provide a happy healthy life for your buns and I mean no offense. I just am trying to give Hunter, who is a young girl, some perspective to make sure she has thought it through of what it means to have a bunny outside.

Young boy. Boy. lol
My dog does both inside and out. During the day (at school) she stays outside, when I get home I let her in. She can go in/out after that if she wants. At night we let her inside because of her hips and because she doesn't like sleeping outside.

 

[agnesthelion]

Young boy. Boy. lol

^^^my apologies Hunter! I shouldn't have assumed!!

 

[FallenRabbit]

agnesthelion wrote:

Young boy. Boy. lol

^^^my apologies Hunter! I shouldn't have assumed!!

Haha. I was thinking of putting it on my profile, but I didn't know where.

 

[agnesthelion]

FallenRabbit wrote:

agnesthelion wrote:

Young boy. Boy. lol

^^^my apologies Hunter! I shouldn't have assumed!!

Haha. I was thinking of putting it on my profile, but I didn't know where.

Yeah, it's kinda awkward to have to put Hunter 14 year old boy by your name...hahahaha...but that would work. If you put it under your details under your profile people won't always click to see...

You could think of an interesting or funny way to describe yourself under your name by your avatar maybe...

But anyway, sorry again for the mistake!

 

[FallenRabbit]

It is fine.

 

[Bonnie Lee]

1357rabbitlover wrote:

but people that own house rabbits don't realise this as they haven't tried it.


This is just the same for a bunny that inside though? What do you do with your bunny when you have activities after school/ work?

I completely agree with Charlotte.

My bunnies are indoor and get runs outside but you wouldn't believe how cranky with me they get when it's getting dark and it's time to come inside. it's like a stampede of thumps lol and I do honestly believe rabbits would be a lot happier closer to their natural environment than being spoken for by people that haven't given them the choice to come in or out as they please.

Hunter I think if you really think hard about it and you are prepared to save all your money to go towards a bunny and you create a hutch and run that's spacey and comfortable and in a nice dry place for the bun I don't think you would have an unhappy bunny at all. But it's really up to you to think hard about how much you are going to commit to a bunny. its a 10+ years commitment and you have to consider if your social life will be more important in a few years.

 

[FallenRabbit]

Bonnie Lee wrote:

1357rabbitlover wrote:

but people that own house rabbits don't realise this as they haven't tried it.


This is just the same for a bunny that inside though? What do you do with your bunny when you have activities after school/ work?

I completely agree with Charlotte.

My bunnies are indoor and get runs outside but you wouldn't believe how cranky with me they get when it's getting dark and it's time to come inside. it's like a stampede of thumps lol and I do honestly believe rabbits would be a lot happier closer to their natural environment than being spoken for by people that haven't given them the choice to come in or out as they please.

Hunter I think if you really think hard about it and you are prepared to save all your money to go towards a bunny and you create a hutch and run that's spacey and comfortable and in a nice dry place for the bun I don't think you would have an unhappy bunny at all. But it's really up to you to think hard about how much you are going to commit to a bunny. its a 10+ years commitment and you have to consider if your social life will be more important in a few years.

I have quite a bit of money saved up that I can take out at any time. I am thinking about everything. I am leaving for vacation ( Wont be on for a while/ couple weeks) So I will think about a rabbit over that amount of time.

 

[bunnychild]

Personally I keep my rabbits outdoors. It is a little more work to keep them cool in the summer but you don't have to do much in the winter except keep them from getting wet. It also makes it easier to show them at fairs or outdoor shows because they are already pretty use to the weather. Easier to keep cages clean too. But I do bring them indoors for some play time.

 

[caustin4]

I have some that live inside and some that live outside. During the day they all go in large runs/roam the yard outside and can interact. I truly believe they are happy. I also spend the majority of my time outdoors, and when I come inside I bring a few bunnies in to run around the house with me (currently there is one hopping around my feet while I'm on the couch). At night the outdoor ones are well shielded and protected (it's more of a garage carport type area with only 1 side facing outdoors) in hutches that I built. My bunnies get plenty of attention. It's important to be able to bring your bunnies inside if it gets too hot though. I live in NorCal, which means we turn on out heater about 4 times a year and our air conditioning 2. So weather is never a problem for me, but on the 2 days this summer it got hot enough to turn on the air conditioning I brought all my bunnies inside for the day. Especially in sd you'll want to make sure youre able to bring a rabbit inside on a hot day. Weather aside, I think they enjoy the outdoors and grazing on grass. Is very important to spend time with the rabbit either way though.

 

[Dulmit]

Outside housing can be done very well and indoor housing can be done poorly.
I say that it is less about location (indoor/outdoor) and more about the animals comfort. As long as your bun gets safety, sustenance, and socialization they should be fine.

 

[nochoramet]

My rabbit Beau lives outside. He's not allowed to live inside because my father is weird about having animals in the house. However, he has a roomy home with lots of toys. He's in the shade and stays cool. He gets love and attention and care. I see nothing wrong with them living outside as long as you take care of them properly. But then again I'm from the country where inside animals of any kind are a rarity and most people think you're crazy if you have them inside. So all my previous pets besides my snake were outside animals.

 

[1357rabbitlover]

Yeah, here in the UK it is very rare to house bunnies inside, every person i know with bunnies houses them outdoors, you'd be seen as a bit weird if you housed your bunnies indoors here too.