New bunny wont sleep inside hutch ...

thos

Folks,
Have a new bunny, just 7 weeks old, and have a nice hutch for him on my balcony. The hutch has an indoor bit, and an outdoor run part (as you should be able to see in the pic attached). He'll run in and out of the hutch itself, but he seems to stay out in the run most of time, hes there at night and first thing in the morning. Anything to be worried about? Will he be warm enough out there?

Thanks,
Tom

Maggie.23

Hi,
I had that problem with mine when they were outdoor bunnies for a while, they insisted on sitting out, I eventually closed them into their sleeping quarters at night cause it was cold out. They have a nice shed to themselves now so are much better off. Could you do the same with your fella? He seems to have a nice bit of a house there, does it have a door on it? And give him loads of hay to get cosy in. Make sure there is fresh air getting in though. Or else introduce him as a house bunny? It's the best situation really. I'd love to keep mine indoors but it's been an on and off thing depending on landlords. Best of luck!

Sigma Force

As long as you keep a routine lock the bunny in in the evening and let him out first thing in the morning, reason being come winter it will get cold and some buns are a bit silly and like to sit out. Which can be ok but some buns are prone to the sniffles and it's important to keep them dry and warm at night esp. in winter time.

I would say leave him to it at this time of year but by the time it starts getting cold he will be older and more stubborn so best to start young.
The balcony will give a nice bit of shelter from the elements as well.

As long as the bun isn't in the hutch for an age.

Also when the bun is older and spayed/neutered getting him/her a bunny buddy might be an idea so the rabbit will have someone to cuddle up to at night.

He/she's gorgeous btw

thos

I could close him in the sleeping area at night alright, but it's fully closed in - all wooden walls/roof, no wire/mesh sides, and no facility for a water bottle either.

The balcony is extermely sheltered from rain and wind, but still worried about temperature come winter.

Sigma Force

Ah right, I see from the pic. One option would be to cut part of the middle of the door and pin some aviary wire onto it so the bottle could be attached.
If all else fails come winter you could get some of that blue tarp (the same stuff for covering cars etc.) and cover the run section at night and just weigh it down with some rocks or weights so the run section is extra sheltered.

If you move all his hay into the bed are do you think he'd use it or did you put the hay out because he wasn't using the inside? It's unusual for a bun not to use their house area they usually like to hide now and then esp. to sleep.

Place his food & veg anyway into the hutch area he'll pop in and out to start off with. In winter if you got some vet bed some rabbits can't resist the comfort of it and place it in the hutch.

Some people use bubblewrap (out of nibbling distance) to insulate a hutch and there's also a hutch hugger you can get, not sure if it will fit that hutch but if you Google it you'll see what I mean.

Hope that helps, and post more piccies of him he's adorable!

thos

Eating hay is now in a ball, more hay for bedding in the hutch part.

He's taken to hiding inside alright, but the past 2 nights coming in late (11-12) he's been sitting outside. Have only found him in the hutch 1 morning. He's warm, but his ears would be cold.

The weather is still warm enough, so I'll see how he fairs as it gets cooler, and see if a door or tarp is required. Spotted some of that ultra-warm bedding in Woodies today, so might try some of that too.

He's too quick for photos at the moment, even without grip on the wooden floors he manages to fly around!!

animalcrazy

When I used to keep my bunnies outside (keep them in a shed now) I used to lock them in to the sleeping area of the hutch and put a water bowl in instead of a water bottle. I used to put an old duvet over the sleeping area and then put tarp over that to keep it dry. You could do that for the run area, just make sure it's not pinned down too tightly so that air is getting in.