outdoor buns

Just wondering.

I live in Michigan and see lots of outdoor hutches for sale at the tractor supply store. My rabbits are strictly house rabbits but for those of you that live in cold weather states, how do you do it?

How do you keep your bus nice and warm when its freezing cold? or keep their water bottles/bowls from freezing?

I personally am not a big fan of cold weather and would have a hard time going out to clean/feed/ and love on my buns. But I am curious to hear how some of you do it.

I have Millie outdoors (although she comes inside for a few hours everyday), although I live in the UK where are weather is much more mild than yours and much better suited to outdoor rabbits, so keeping them outside isn't that difficult and therefore much more common.

Personally in the winter I just give Millie lots of hay and straw to snuggle into, heat up her 'snugglesafe' on cold days/nights and cover over the mesh part of her hutch at night to keep out the cold weather. I've kept rabbits outside for 6 years now so it has just become routine for me, although it's still my least favourite season!If you search 'outdoor', 'outside', 'cold weather' etc in the little search box at the top of the page you should find plenty of threads referring to people's care of outdoor rabbits.

It doesn't get that cold around here, but generally I just put a bit of extra hay in my rabbit's hutch and make sure that there isn't any wind or rain on them. If I see them shivering or suffering, I usually bring them inside.

Rachel.

Me too, I have one outdoor bun (not my choice but nothing I can do about it). It's very mild here, never too hot, never too cold.

Rabbits should not be housed outdoors where it does get very hot or cold.

Hutches you see in pet shops are rarely big enough, they should be a minimum of 2x6 foot.

But my Ebony lives in a wooden playhouse, which is around 7.5 x 3.5 foot, with a smaller upper story. So I can get right in there and close the door when it's cold. She has a box in there which I fill with hay and staw for warmth, and in winter I give her the SnuggleSafe. For water bottles not freezing, never been an issue for me, but there are Bottle Huggers available, and if you put warm water in the bowl last thing at night it should prevent the water from freezing for longer.

Here is the RO Library thread on keeping bunnies warm.

I really don't know much about keeping animals outside other than horses and cows. I grew up in Wyoming and Nebraska and know how bad winters are there. On the ranch the dogs stayed in our mud room or out in the barn. When we moved to town they became house animals but the did stay outside from time to time. We used a waterproof heater that kept water from freezing. I have seen them at feed stores for around $20 or so for the small ones. I know they work great in very cold weather.

I hope this will help youa littlebit.