Moving Theo Inside because of Freezing Temps

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Mariam+Theo

Mariam+Theo

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Hello! I live in West TN and we never get much cold weather so I don't have many weatherproofing supplies. But, last night we got a lot of ice. Turns out that the temperature is going to be below freezing until Friday. Theo is still acting normal, he has a heating mat so he stays warm, but his water keeps freezing. Last night his water froze and he didn't have water all night. Today, I have been going outside every hour to break the ice and refill his bowl, but I can't do that later tonight. I was going to buy a heated water bowl, but my dad said he won't allow me to spend $20 on a bowl (I don't know why though, I spend hundreds of dollars on Theo every year). My mom was saying we could move him to the garage, but that would not be any warmer than the shed and it would just stress him out since our dog is in the garage. I'm thinking it would be best to move him into my room until Saturday. I would call the vet and ask what they think, but they are closed until Monday morning. Theo has been in my room before and really loved it (he flopped the whole day), I just don't want the temperature change to mess him up. My room is not heated and since it is over the garage it is freezing so it wouldn't be that crazy of a temperature change. I also have cousins over right now and they are really young and crazy. Because of that, I have 3 extra people staying in my room so I know that Theo will be stressed. Theo is a very friendly rabbit and loves my cousins, but I think the stress of being in a new room and the stress from kids running around (NO kids will be allowed in my room, except for my 9-year-old cousin who is very responsible and won't mess with Theo) will cause him to go into stasis. I'm really lost on what to do...
Would it be best to buy a heated water bowl?
Should I buy a heat light?
Should I move him inside?

Theo's housing situation outside is really nice. He has a large puppy playpen set up in our shed which keeps the wind out. He has a warm rug and lots of stuffed animals, pillows, towels, etc.
 
Thanks @ArtistChibi for your response! I thinks it's best for Theo to move inside too. My mom is okay with him moving in (just until the freeze passes) but my dad is still on the fence, only because he is allergic to rabbits. I called the stores near us and all of them are out of heat lamps and heated water bowls, so moving him in is my only option. I know that if something happened to him because my parents didn't let him in they would regret it for the rest of their lives.

To keep him from getting stressed, no kids will be allowed in my room unless they are sleeping. My cousins are leaving in the morning so he just has to deal with them tonight. Theo will be confined to his playpen in my room for 2 days so he can settle.

How do I help him deal with the sudden temperature change?
 
You're welcome. I know Shen will go into his hidey box and dig up the padding to make a little bed to warm up until the heat comes on. I definitely recommend making sure your room is well heated enough. I don't have full experience with rabbits like most of everyone else on the forum, but I have noticed that if it gets too cold, he will go where it is warmest to him and hide to warm up.
 
You say your room is normally not very warm. So just keep it on the cooler side so that he doesn't overheat, since he is used to the cooler outdoor temperatures. He's used to having a heating pad, so you don't have to go crazy and keep your room freezing, just a bit cooler if possible.
 
Thanks for the help! When I put him in my room, it was the same temperature as outside. I have just begun warming it back up using space heaters. Theo is doing great! He has been eating, playing around in his pen, sleeping in his hideyhouse, and has even used the bathroom. I have left a cold tile and a frozen water bottle in his pen so he can cool off if he needs to.

Here is a picture of his set up for now. I need to order a bunch of rabbit proofing supplies so he can freeroam in my room. I've only got a piece of cardboard in his litter box because there is a cord in that outlet that I can't remove :confused:
 

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I'm praying he can stay inside permanently! My brother and one of my sisters keep coming into my room to cuddle with him. He is loving all the attention! He really likes sleeping under my bed and lounging around the room.
I'm trying to keep it super clean, smell free, and keep him from destroying anything so hopefully, he can stay inside. He hasn't chewed anything but I'm still rabbit-proofing everything just to be safe. The only issue that I've had so far is the smell of the hay. It is so strong! What should I do?

I have already moved stuff around in his playpen! I keep getting new ideas of how to set it up 😂
 
I'm hoping Theo can stay inside with you all the time! That's a really nice private bedroom space you've shown in the photo. It's easy to clean or access. Looks like you have plenty of room to lie down on the floor with Theo if he's comfortable with you doing so. I love this website for education on keeping buns inside, and the well-done site has helpful tips on many other bun-guardianship matters.

Rabbits Indoors

Kudos to you for rabbit-proofing and considering ways to keep Theo inside 24/7.

Hay for our crew are kept in the 45 lb. boxes they arrive in, or if you order from chewy dot com the plastic bag for Oxbow timothy enclosed in the sturdy cardboard box does a good job of containing any slightly odiferous smell that may trigger allergies. We had a Rubbermaid tub for a time with ventilation holes put in by hubby - however we've changed to plastic bags for certain areas in the house for the 3 types of hay our crew receive. Oat hay from Kleenmama's in WA, baled orchard grass from a local source, plus two companies that ship timothy hay.
 
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