cold bunnies

[sheridan]

Ok, I realise with all my recent posts I probably sound like a neurotic paranoid bunny owner.

Today I was cleaning out the bunnies hutch so I put them in their runand closed it, to stop them from getting under my feet and gettinghurt. After about 15 mins, I noticed that both started shivering alot!!It broke my heart!! I quickly cleaned the rest of the hutch and letthem back into the hutch.

I have had them outside since July to let them get used to being outside.

They have the snuggle hutch warmer, rain cover, the upstairs area incarpeted(double layered from today thanks to my dad) and I also bougtthem that heat pad for bunnies. When I go to touch them, they feelcolder than they used to.

They are eating normally, pooping normally and still run about in the garden but less than normal.

I live in Scotland so the temp has now reached 0C.

Should I be worried? I feel really sad about this

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Let's put it this way, my bunnies have beenoutside in -30*C and this year they have been outsie in -18*C weatherand I have NEVER seen them shiver, I've never even heard of a rabbitshivering before so it is definitely not something they should bedoing. Has the weather suddenly gotten colder or has it been a gradualchange?

One possibility is that you are keeping their hutch TOO warm and theyare not growing a sufficient coat making them shiver when they areoutside of it where it's colder. I know that I let mine run in the snowfor 2 hours and they still don't shiver.

 

[sheridan]

I thought that they shouldnt be shiveringeither. But what about when I touch them and they feel colder than theyused to and thats in the hutch. Is that normal? I didnt think theyshould be shivering. My only other thought was that the run didnt letthem run about so they were pretty much just sitting there, meaning noactivity and therefore no warmth?

My 2 are rexes if that makes any difference?

Ive seen tham shiver twice before, once just after they were spayed and once on the first day I put them outside.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Personally, I'd never in my life own a rex withintentions of housing them outside, they just do not have enough fur tosuffice, even if it doesn't get very cold where you are.

But as for feeling colder, that's normal. It's just the air that makes their coat and ears feel cool.

And yes, lack of activity will make a bunny cooler and a cool bunny is not likely to be very active.

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

I've had my two out in snow and all sorts andI've never seen them shiver so that is strange.:?I doubt ithas to do with them being rexes though, rexes have very dense coatswhich act as great insulators. This is my rexes 5th winter outside andthey've never had any problems. The only thing I can suggest is givingthem somewhere warm to shelter such as a carrier filled with straw/hayand making sure they have enough space to run around so they keepactive.

 

[Michaela]

It's fine to keep rexes outside, this is Berri'sthird winter outside:shock:gosh, where has the time gone?MBB, the UK really does not get nearly as cold as canada, we hardlyever even get snow.

I give my rabbits loads of hay for sleeping in to keep warm, but theydont sleep in it, Pebble and Ebony sleep on the top floor on theircarpet, and Berri sleeps on her carpet downstairs, I assume if the werevery cold they would move where it's warmer

Michaela and the girls:brownbunny:brownbunny:brownbunny

 

[sheridan]

I was checking through the window and the 2 werejust cuddled up on the upper level in the open bit of the hutch. Iguess you are right, if they are cold they would go into the shelteredarea of the hutch?

When I saw them shivering, they had nowhere to run and were on the cold floor. I guess that can be the cause of their shivering?

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Michaela wrote:

MBB, the UK really does not get nearly as cold as canada, wehardly ever even get snow.

I know that, but I don't judge my opinions based on our winters, I baseit on the fact that if it feels cold to YOU compared to the normal,then your bunnies also feel the same about it. Here -20 is normal and Idon't worry about it at all because it is not too cold for my bunnieswhile -5 is just an awesome temperature for my bunnies but that is justbased on how they aclimatized so 0*C to your bunnies may feel the sameas -25 to my bunnies. It has nothing to do with the actual temperatureitself, just the perception of it. I still think there is somethingwrong and that the rabbits have not grown a good enough coat if theyare shivering. Rex's may have dense coats, (as do my bunnies -- Spice'sis so thick that despite being over an inch long, it still standsstraight out like a rex's does) but the longer the hair, the more heatthat is trapped in it for warmth.

 

[sheridan]

It is a fair point but I really really hope andpray you are wrong about their coats as I have nowhere to put theminside and I dont want to give them away.

So far when they are in their hutch I havent noticed and shaking and ona few occassions I have seen them doing a half bunny flop against theother, much to the annoyance of the other bunny.

I just really hope that you are wrong as I am sooo attached to them now:?

 

[Flopsy]

I completly agree with MyBabyBunnies since to meand everyone else I know if FL, 70 drgrees F is freezing to us and yousthink we're crazy !

 

[missyscove]

Flopsy wrote:

Icompletly agree with MyBabyBunnies since to me and everyone else I knowif FL, 70 drgrees F is freezing to us and yous think we're crazy !

I know what you mean, under 100 F is comfortable, under, say 65 F is just unbearably cold. lol

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

sheridan wrote:

It is a fair point but I really really hope and pray you arewrong about their coats as I have nowhere to put them inside and I dontwant to give them away.

So far when they are in their hutch I havent noticed and shaking and ona few occassions I have seen them doing a half bunny flop against theother, much to the annoyance of the other bunny.

I just really hope that you are wrong as I am sooo attached to them now:?

Please don't worry about their coats being an issue. I know several rexrabbit owners (myself included) who keep their rabbits outside with noproblems. From my own experience after owning Ruby and Millie 5 yearsrexes have no problems whatsoever living outside and my two much preferit. I even had a discussion with a few rex owners a few weeks ago aboutthe pros of keeping them outside because of their problems with sorehocks, being on natural ground is much better for a rabbit prone tosore hocks than being on carpet or such, however every home and everyrabbit differs to what they prefer and what isbest fortheowner.In the winter Ruby andMillie'scoats get very thick and woolly and are so dense Ican't even begin to reach their skin, they will happily play outsideeven when it's snowing and I'm trying to get them into shelter!:shock:I'm sureyour rabbitswill cope just fine thiswinter and their shivering was probably just a one off.

 

[Michaela]

:yeahthat:sunshine:

 

[sheridan]

thanks for the reassurance guys! It was needed.I think I can say that the bunnies are doing ok as they are thinking ofany way to escape their play area and get to my dads expensiveflowers....which really arent doing too well at the mo.:foreheadsmack: