I need to know if it really is ok for bunnies to be housed outdoors?

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rita1234

rita1234

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cary, , USA
I really want to rescue a rabbit, but the only way I'd be able to do that is if we kept him/her outside (not out in the wind/rain/snow/sun, but in a screened in porch away from extreme elements.

I need to know if it really is okay to house bunnies outdoors. It wouldn't be an "out of sight out of mind" thing for me. The screened in porch is perfect to let a bunny run around in for exercise andI would be very good to give it the extra care an outdoor rabbitneeds.

This is purely a post to see if it is a safety hazard to keep a bunny outdoors in general. I understand there are ways to make sure the temperature is safe (heating pads, lamps, ice, marble tiles, etc) inside the hutch. I just want to get an opinion from someone whose been doing it for a while to tell me if it works or not.

Thanks!:)
 
As long as it's weather and predator proof and your bunnies will receive as much loving care as if they were indoors, then I can't see why your bunny couldn't live on your porch.

One thing to consider, if the rabbit is from a shelter or rescue, they may only allow adoptions to indoor homes.

Hope that helps!

Rue
 
Summer heat may be more of a concern. Rabbits don't tolerate heat well. The shelter Honey came from asked if I had ac or not & summers are less sticky in Chicago than they are in NC, except in the mountains. You already know about ice & tile [it doesn't have to be marble] but maybe someone who's actually used them can comment.

If the screens on the porch could be closed, maybe you'd be able to leave open the door between the porch & the house during the hottest days. You'd need a baby gate or some such between the porch & the house. If the porch is on the north side or shaded by trees or another building, that'd help too.
 
Thanks guys!



I think that I would probably have to be flexible enough to take the bunny in on extreme days (summer, winter nights, etc) because although NC is pretty mild, there are extreme temperature changes sometimes.

I know what you mean about adoption only allowing indoor bunnies! I'd love to rescue but I can't promise I can have the cage inside all the time. Oh well.

Has anyone tried keeping a rabbit outside in a place like NC? I just really want to be sure the poor bunny won't suffer. I would definitely give it as much love as an indoor rabbit, I spoil all my pets:)
 
My partner's family have a dwarf lop they keep on their balcony for like five years in Sydney, and it's one of the happiest bunnies I've met. Don't know how hot BC is, but Sydney is sunny and hot plenty of water, shade, shelter should keep them cool. Bah NC sorry, typing on my phone.
 
No it's my parents, they won't let me keep them inside but I really want to rescue one.

I'm actually more worried about winter than summer since I can probably do more to take care of the bunnies comfort in summer.
 
I have a feeling that once you have a rabbit & he or she is litter box trained, they'll slowly let her or him inside more & more, as long as you got an xpen or some other setup like that. And the adoption place might assume it'd be an indoor situation & not ask.
 
Or he/she could be a house bunny during the day, and a porch bunny at night or while they're out. Litter training would be the key, though. But many shelters and rescues litter train to help improve the bunny's chance of adoption.

Hope that helps!

Rue
 
I don't know what sort of temperature you experience. We get around -10 oc to + 35 in the UK where outdoor bunnies are common. Obviously you need to take precautions at the extreme ends.

You'd also need to give a bun time to adjust so you can't pop an indoor bunny out mid winter as they won't have a fluffy enough coat.
 
I think you guys are right about litter training being key, I'll just try to convince them to be flexible when weather is extreme, because it does get pretty hot and cold in NC and I don't want to take any risks. Thanks for the feedback, I'm glad that I understand bunnies needs more now. I probably won't get one now unless they let me bring him/her inside, I just don't want the poor thing to suffer!
 
I guess it depends if the shelter in your area is a no-kill one or not. If not, I'd say go for one now. After all, wild rabbits live in much worse conditions than you'd have on your porch.
 
I had one on a porch in DC for about 10 years. Big ol' lop lived to be 13. The last 10 years of his life were spent on a porch in all weather and he LOVED it.
 
I don't think its ok for rabbits to be housed outdoors. They are an indoor pet. Also, domestic and wild rabbits simply can't be compared.
You might want to do some more research and you can show your parents how rabbits are more like cats or dogs in a sense, that they are inherently really clean animals. I know several people with parental "issues" who let their rabbit have full run of their room, maybe if you show you can appropriately bunny proof with your own money (xpens or NIC grids and aquarium tubing for any wiring that cant be tucked away) they wont have as much of an issue with it?
 
Its really your call, but from what I know they can live perfectly fine outdoors if you provide proper shelter, and some even prefer being outside, like my Bonkers. He DREADS being inside for long periods of time.
And I agree with OneTwoThree that wild and domestic rabbit cant be compared, but its also true that bunnies, like a lot of dogs and cats, love the outdoors just like wild bunnies as they might not me the same, but share a lot of instincs and characteristics. I dont think at all that housing rabbits outside is wrong, just depends on the type of family.
I think I said this before on another thread, but I dont think that an outside bun is automatically be a neglected bunny. Just be sure to keep him safe and give him lots of love and he should be fine :).
 
LakeCondo wrote:
OneTwoThree wrote:
I don't think its ok for rabbits to be housed outdoors. They are an indoor pet. Also, domestic and wild rabbits simply can't be compared.
Click to expand...
:what
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Domestic rabbits are an entirely different species than wild rabbits. They look similar, but can't be compared in most every instance.
 
I personally prefer my rabbits inside, but I also know of some very well loved rabbits that are outside. It depends on the people and set-ups involved. Obviously if this rabbit is on the porch they are not going to get forgotten about. I think I see more of the cute behaviors and interact more with my buns because they are bumping into my ankles as I go about my evenings, but that is a personal preference. I also have many preditors that would make out door housing very hard to make secure (we live next to a wildlife preserve and have two dogs in the neighborhood that are cat killers).

It sounds like if you do your homework and show your parents that you are going to be responsible, then the bun will probably become a frequent visitor inside. NC winters are also rather mild compared to what rabbits can tollerate, such as in Canada. I would advise making sure the porch area is fully screened/roofed and protected from preditors.

If you look around there is another thread showing a porch set up that is fabulous. Sorry I can't remember who started it.
 
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