My Rabbit Question Thread

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Ok, but why do I need a pair if it is outside?

So the bunny won’t be lonely, keep warmth during cold and dark nights while also minimize the risk of a depressed bunny. Also having a friend will make your bunny be happy, because they can communicate with each other and always have someone at their side. It’s something you wouldn’t be able to provide when a bunny lives outdoor and you are indoors.

For example my indoor bunny it’s active around 4:00 am, that’s when he start to binky and play on my bed to wake me up. I will just push him down and go back to sleep. But that’s also the time he wants a bit of cuddles and attention after playing. I won’t give him that, because it’s too early for me to wake up but sometimes I just give into him and let him have his cuddles.

While my outdoor bunnies get less attention from me than what my indoor bunny do. My indoor can seek attention and ask for grooming while the outdoor bunnies can’t do it if they want attention from me. It makes them extremely excited when I go out to give them attentions while the one indoor won’t be as happy seeing me. Because he can interact whenever he wants with me.
 
Winter nights can get a but below freezing on average. Summer is around... I don't know.... 65 degrees? Oh and don't worry! This rabbit will be getting LOTS of attention.

Been thinking about this... I don't know of any place in the States where the summers only get 65F but the winters only get a bit below freezing. I'm guessing your summers either get much hotter or your winters (nights) get much much colder. :confused:
 
Been thinking about this... I don't know of any place in the States where the summers only get 65F but the winters only get a bit below freezing. I'm guessing your summers either get much hotter or your winters (nights) get much much colder. :confused:

Well, maybe 70 degrees? It's not very hot where I live. Sorry if I confused you. :rolleyes:
 
Rabbits are very social and it will give the bunny a companion and keep him/her from getting lonely.
(to answer your question about why do they need to be in pairs :D @Cluckin'Bunny )
 
I got one rabbit and it was a huge mistake! He seems very lonely all the time because he is outside and I'm having a very hard time trying to convince my parents to let me get a second rabbit. They think that rabbits can be left alone and I am being ungrateful for Theo. Theo would do amazing with another rabbit, but bonding would still be difficult and possibly not cheap.
 
Thanks, I'm already learning from other peoples mistakes and this is a great learning experience! (From you! I guess I could call it that?) I'm pretty sure I will get to bonded bunnies.
 
Some risks of keeping your bunnies outside are:

1.) Harsh Weather Conditions- Even if extreme weather conditions like blizzards, hurricanes, earthquakes, or tornadoes don't happen often where you live, even cold or rain can be harmful, as rabbits have a hard time regulating their body temperatures on their own.

2.) Predators-- Rabbits can die of fright, so even if the cage is very secure, and no animals can get in, if one tries to attack your rabbit, he/she may die from fear.

3.) Bugs- Rabbits can get fleas and parasites, just like cats and dogs!

4.) Loneliness- While you may try to give your bunnies as much love and affection possible, you will be able to provide much more love and affection if your bunnies live indoors! My bun free-roams my room, and we always cuddle at night.

Of course, your bunnies may still thrive outside! Just keep those things in mind beforehand! :)

Good luck!
 
Thank you for the helpful information @BonnyTheDutchBun! :) Yes, I am aware of most of that..... but still thanks for the reminder! I'm considering...... *thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking,*

I know that rabbits can die from just seeing a dog/fox, etc. But can they die from hearing something?
 
They could if you have a rabbit that is scared to death of sounds. Make sure when you get your rabbit to ask the breeder/rescue if it should be indoor or outdoor.
 
It is possible. Sadly that is how (we think) my first little Netherland died. But some rabbits are easier to frighten then others. While Apollo will hear something really loud like a firework, maybe thump his back feet once and then carry on like normal. When you go to the shelter, they’ll probably have indoor bunnies and outdoor bunnies. The outdoor bunnies will be more used to outdoor sounds.
 
They can be startled so that they can die. But you can train them to get used with the outdoor noises. Myself find that my bunnies are calmer outdoors than indoors but my bunnies are also used with dogs. So they don’t get as scared of foxes and dogs but moose will make them thump. It’s an animal they will never get used to, when they walk into the yard drunk from eating apples from my neighbor back yard [emoji28]

But some bunnies are more fit outdoors than others. For example my outdoor bunnies will sleep like rocks outside and extremely hard to wake up, they feel extremely relaxed while my netherland dwarf would never flop outside. Took 2 years for him to flop indoors on the floor.
 
Hi,
But you can build your outdoor enclosure to protect them of most of the weather conditions and also make it safe that no other animal gets in there with the right size of wire and have a Woden board up from the ground roughly at least 20cm so when they get scared of something they won’t run into the wire fence to hurt themselves. And to have a few little hutches with two exits standing in the enclosure and also a proper hutch/ stable for the night.

When it is very hot I think they are way better off being outside rather being locked indoors.

And inside are also so many dangers like cables, plants [emoji271], food etc.

Also the amount of dirt they produce, I would not want to have that indoors even if they are litter trained.

If you build a comfortable walk in enclosure where you want to spend time they also don’t get lonely with a second Bunny to play with.

Good luck with making a decision
Eve
 
Thanks so much for the information guys! :)

Would it help the bunny not be so scared of things coming around to be outside, in a shed, in a hutch/enclosure? The shed would probably give extra cover from weather/other animals, right?
 
Outdoor housing is viewed differently in the UK probably because their weather is more suitable. Here in the US, there are many places where the weather is not suitable.

I have yet to find a rabbit rescue in the US that does not require that their adopted rabbits be kept indoors -- even when I lived in colder areas of the country.

I do not agree that they are dirty or messy as indoor pets. My dogs are far messier and require me to do much more vacuuming and cleanup than my rabbits ever did.

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Like @Blue eyes said, they are not that dirty or messy. It is up to the owner to maintain the cleanliness. My rabbit is purely indoors, and the only mess I really deal with is the hay when I have to put fresh hay in but that is expected. Nothing like a quick vacuum can't clean up - and my rabbit is used to the vacuum so it doesn't phase her when I clean. There's the occasional poop here and there for territorial markings but other than that, my rabbit is entertained enough to not destroy anything.
 

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