house vs outdoor rabbit...

[michelle]

Hello everyone!

I'm a first time rabbit owner. I adopted my handsome Oreo from theanimal shelter last September. He's now neutered and quite well behaved!

I'm living on my own at school now, but I'll be going home for thesummer, and taking him with me (of course!). I am planning on buildinghim an outdoor hutch/run at home, because my sister is asthmatic.However, since Oreo is accustomed to cage/apartment life now, is it badto change his environment? He's proven to be quiteadaptable.When I'm at home for a short period of time, Iactually keephim in our basement shower! (Yes,mymom wasnever happy about that...).Anysuggestions on ways to reduce summerheat in the hutch?

Thanks!

Michelle

 

[Buck Jones]

Oreo should do fine in a hutch, although I wouldbe he will miss the attention he got as a house bunny, somake every effort to keep your relationship going with him.

Best suggestion I can give you to reduce summer heat in the hutch, isto place it in a shady area and use white corrugated plastic sheetingfor roofing to reflect the heat from the sun.

I installed children's bicycle wheels on our hutches, so I can wheelthem about in the yard, out of the inclement weather, hot or cold, andit doesn't allow urine/feces build-up in any one area. Inaddition, our hutch tops open up and back and can be held in ansemi-open position with a brace. I have constructed a screenthat fits on the hutch, under the semi-open roof. Thesemi-open roof still provides some shade and the screen enhances hutchair circulations

When our buns free range in the yard, they can find their owncomfortable places to avoid the hot summer sun. Anything over80-85 degrees, though, and they come into our basement. Havelost two buns in the past to heat, so we are very, very wary when thetemps reach that level.

Many people freeze water in 2 liter plastic bottles to place in thehutch to act as a heat absorber and some buns just hang all overthem. Other peoplewill freeze floor tiles ofvarious sorts and place them in the cage to function in a similarmanner.



Buck

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

If your bunny is outside and it's hot, simply puta frozen water bottle in their cage, they like the coolness and willlay beside and on top of it if they want to cool down!

 

[michelle]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I'll definitely be hanging outside with my bunny as much as possible... hehe I don't think I'd be happy without HIS attention!!

=)

 

[carrots]

Letting it live outside is ok, just aslong as the tempreture does not drop to much.

p.s. One of my ex friends had asthma and she lived fine with therabbits she had and her dog, so been asthmatic may not be a problem.Let us know what you do.