Could I keep a rabbit responsibly? (Some questions!)

[kinui]

All right, y'all. There's this rabbit at my work, Squirt, who I wrote about here - http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f19/maryland-bunny-head-tilt-need-home-74163/. I adore him, and I want nothing more than to bring him home to live with me. Right now, that's just sort of a fanciful longing but I'm really trying to figure out if I can make it happen. I'm just not sure that I have the means to care for him like he should be (although, I worry about any home he goes to if he is adopted...the majority of people just don't take good care of their small animals). Anyways, I was hoping you could answer a few questions for me.

First Question: How can one responsibly keep a rabbit in an un-insulated outdoors shed? we have a small, two-story barn. The top level is a large room that we'll be turning into a sort of rec room. Ideally, I would like to section off a part in the corner and keep him there. What are good ways of keeping rabbits cool in summer and warm in winter? Although we have all manners of predatory animals in the area, the second floor would be completely predator proof once I was through with it.

Second Question: What's the recommended cage size for an average-sized rabbit (or rather two as I would get him a companion later down the road)? I'm not entirely sure what breed he is, but he's not very large, or very small, just sorta...average.

Third Question: How susceptible are rabbits to getting sick from "drafts". I live on an island where it can get quite windy much of the time. If I got him, I would like to also build him an outdoor run, and we also have a screened in porch he could be in during the day so we could easily spend time with him. Would the wind be a problem?

If anyone could answer any of these, I will be eternally grateful. I have to have my plan all worked out before pitching it to my parents. (although, they already love all the videos I've showed them of him )

Thanks!

 

[woahlookitsme]

Rabbits can be kept In sheds. Ours aren't in one just because its easier to keep them in outdoor wire cages that have poop beds below where the stools drop down. Ventilation would be the biggest problem in a shed. Also severity of weather and your location is a big factor in what kind of cage your rabbit needs to be in.

Drafts are bad. I can't really help with your other questions but the rabbit needs to be protected from sun wind/drafts rain and snow at all times

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Where do you live? There are some areas where rabbits can do better outside. For example, it can get to -30 or -40 C in the winter where I am and that really isn't good for rabbits. There can be temperature changes that amount to 20 or 30 degrees in a day, from -20C to +10C. On the other hand, there are areas that are more mild and steady that are better for rabbits. Summer temperature are also a concern as rabbits don't handle heat well. Above about 25C or 80F is getting to be hot for a rabbit and steps need to be taken to keep them from overheating.

Your barn sounds like a rabbit would be inside, but just not heated or cooled. This can work and does help provide some protection from the elements (like snow, rain, direct sunlight). You can provide straw and hay for the rabbit to nest in and even a nesting box that is more enclosed to trap heat. In the summer, frozen bottles or ceramic tiles can work well. If you are having electricity in the barn, you can use fans and such to help cool and even a portable heated (be careful about fires) if it gets really cold.

For cages, I would prefer something at least 2X3ft for one rabbit, but bigger is good too. For a pair, they will need at least double that space and preferably wit levels so they can get away from each other if they want. A dog x-pen makes a good area and is not too expensive, especially when compared to other small cages you can buy. Also look into NIC cages as they are versatile for size and shape and don't cost too much either. Bigger rabbits would need more space and might have trouble with levels, but these are usually ones that are 10 pounds or bigger with a heavier body type.

It can depend on the wind. A warm wind should be ok, but having a barrier so he can get out of the wind is a good idea. Since there are predators in your area, make sure any outdoor pen is totally secure.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

I definitely think rabbits can be responsibly kept outside (considering I have one myself who is outside right now lol) However, this lil' guy seems to me to be have some special needs, because of his chronic tilt and dizzyness. It seems it'd be better for him to be kept indoors where he can be closely monitored and in a controlled enviorment (temperature etc.). Many times with tilt they can have chronic respiratory things going on as well, and if there was a draft, it could trigger something worse or I'd worry about the head tilt getting worse/recurring back to something worse. Is there a way he could be kept indoors with you? Maybe he'd be ok though outside-after losing my head tilt girl I might just be over-into spoiling tilt buns

 

[CanucksStar17]

My rabbits live outside all year long, they aren't even in a closed in shed, I make sure that there aren't any drafts in the winter but in the summer the wind blows in and they love it leaning up against the cage sides wanting more wind to blow in

When it is to warm for them I fill up a pop bottle with cold water and put it in the cage and they can lean up against it and get cooled down.

To much of a draft are bad for them! But a bit of a draft won't hurt them! I disagree with what woahlookitsme about you have to protect them from sun wind/drafts rain and snow at all times, rabbits LOVE sun I mean what would rabbits do out in the wild? They would be out in the sun 90% of the time. Just my opinion though

 

[Pipsqueak]

Rabbits grow winter coats so that's not such a problem, but you can put in hay and straw if you want to, for them to burrow down into in summer I take pop bottles or juice bottles and freeze water in them, they can lay against them if it's hot out and keep cool that way. 2X3 is probably good for one rabbit but if you're getting two then you'll obviously want to double it so they have enough space. I don't think the draft would be too much trouble, if it's extremely drafty then maybe so. I hope this helped.

 

[RabbitGuru]

Hi There! Hope this helps:
First Question: Rabbits is the wild live in a variety of conditions so are very adaptable to weather changes. the only thing I would really be worried about is if it gets really hot in your area, in which case, you can also freeze water bottles and add them to the cage every day so your bunny has a "cooler". Cold weather is not a problem for adult rabbits (they grow nice winter coats), just make sure you cover his cage so he's out of drafts/ direct wind.

Second Question: What's the recommended cage size for an average-sized rabbit? Depends on the weight of your bunny, if he's 4.5 to 9 pounds than 3 Square Feet is the min. size (found a website with a graph guide so if he's bigger or smaller you can look that up here: http://www.everythingrabbit.com/?page_id=196

Third Question: How susceptible are rabbits to getting sick from "drafts"? You can build a cage that will keep your rabbit nice and warm/ free from drafts. One of the best designs I've seen for this is a cage that has a "box" on one side (with a small doorway) that the rabbit can hide in and get away from wind or cold.

If you need more info just let me know & Good luck!

 

[woahlookitsme]

They may love sun sparingly but direct sunlight throughout the day with no way to get out of it is definitely not good for anyone. . .And out in the sun about 90%? I don't agree with that especially since rabbits are crepsucular and are most active during dusk and dawn.

 

[kinui]

Thanks for all your responses!

"Island" may have been misleading. It is an island, but just in Maryland, not some exotic part of the world :3 Right on the bay. It's sort of "countryside" ish, farms and horses and the like.

As for the weather, there's usually a couple snowfalls in the winter, but I would say it's rare for it to drop below 20 F. Summer is usually has highs in the 80s, average in the 70s, although due to humidity it's possible it gets to 90s. There wouldn't be any drafts in the room I'm keeping him in, I was just wondering for when I bring him outside. Also, can they like, have a fan directed towards them for when it's hot? I wouldn't do that for my guinea pigs as they're very sensitive to drafts like that, but I don't know about rabbits.

I would love to have him inside, it's just that there's no space for him currently. He couldn't be a "house rabbit" as we have cats and a dog. I have a large 9 ft x 10ft closet in my room that would be perfect, although the problem with that is that I also keep guinea pigs. They're in my room, and one already has a weakened immune system, and as rabbits can carry pastuerella I wouldn't want to risk keeping them so close. I live in an attic room connected to the room below by a small staircase. My sister currently has that room, but she's trying to find a better job right now so she can move out. Once she moves out, it's possible that I could move Squirt into a cage in that room, but there's just no telling how long it will be till it's open. Hopefully that'll become an option down the road.

Korr_and_Sophie, I can't use a NIC condo as Squirt doesn't do well with anything off the ground due to his head tilt. I would be keeping him on a flat surface with nothing he can jump onto. I know he would love to climb but he would just tumble right off. Thanks for suggesting the x-pen though! That's what I'll be using

The head tilt doesn't really effect him at all unless he's in a small space (like the cage he's in now). If he has to make sharp turns, he'll tumble onto his side and roll. But if he's in a large area, he rarely has a problem. He loves to run around and play. 2 x 3 actually seems really small to me, as I keep my pair of guinea pigs in a two level cage with each level 2 x 4. I would give him much more room than that, but it's good to know.

Also, any tips for keeping dust out of the cage? Such as some sort of mesh screen or something I could cover it with?

Here are pictures of the barn:

his is the room I would keep him in (in an enclosure in a corner):

The room is going to be a sort of hobby room for my mother and I, so it will be a place that is actually used and cleaned regularly, as opposed to some musty shed that no one ever goes to. It has electricity, so I could easily place fans or a heater as need be.

I'm planning on putting down a sheet of lino for the floor.

What do y'all think?

 

[Pipsqueak]

Yes I think a fan would be fine, it sounds like a good setup. Is dust going to be a real problem? If so I would say maybe some window screen over the top. Once you get it all set up I'm sure a lot of us would like to see pictures, Squirt sounds like a real sweetie.