28
Jan
Rabbits have adaptations that help them survive the cold such as thick fur coats and fur pads on their feet. But there are many factors to consider.
We acquired her this summer and the former owners had her outside but I dont know if she can live.
Can pet store bunnies live outside. Can rabbits live outside all year round. Keeping rabbits outside all year round requires some precautions and a very suitable environment. Domesticated pet rabbits can live outside all year round only if they are kept under a shed to prevent them from direct sunlight exposure and cover up the hutch with a tarpaulin during night time.
Can pet rabbits live outside in winter. Rabbits have adaptations that help them survive the cold such as thick fur coats and fur pads on their feet. The benefits of living outside for pet rabbits is they are less likely to be injured or poisoned less hair inside your house less smell though this can be abated by frequent cleaning and use of specialty litter not as limited by the space ability to separate from other household pets and numerous options for hutches.
That means that our domesticated rabbits if released into the wild cannot cross breed with wild rabbits or hares because they are different species and genera so there is no possibility of mating. They thus cannot disrupt the local ecosystem. But that also means since domesticated rabbits are 1 domesticated and 2 not native to.
When this happens your pet rabbits survival odds reduce greatly. Therefore if you are aspiring to keep a pet rabbit you can keep it outside of your house during winter. That is empowering because some people just cant live with animals inside their houses.
In fact keeping animals inside the house can be hygiene and a health concern. Should Bunnies Live Outdoors. This is a question many people ask me at the shelter where I volunteer.
They come in to adopt a bunny and want it to live in a hutch in the backyard. The bottom line is this. Bunnies should not live outdoors in the world the way it is today.
My rabbits live outside in a large purpose-built shed and aviary combo. This gives them a huge amount of indoor space and outdoor space. I would LOVE to see you do an article on outdoor rabbit housing as so many people still believe that it is okay to keep rabbits in hutches when in reality hutches were originally only for rabbits meant for food back in war times.
Traditionally pet rabbits have often been kept outside in a pen or hutch And since you see wild bunnies hopping around all the time you may assume that your pet will do fine outside as well. But there are many factors to consider. Some organizations now strongly urge that you keep house rabbits.
The Perfect Enclosure for Happy Rabbits. While we are on the topic of living outside we would just like to mention how we think a rabbit enclosure should be. Firstly we completely agree that a hutch is not enough.
It is of course cruel to confine any animal to a tiny enclosure but this does not mean all outside rabbit enclosures are small. Sometimes theyre put outside in cages left at animal shelters or just left in the woods where they probably wont survive for very long. Bunnies should not be kept outdoors.
One common practice that many well intentioned rabbit owners do is putting their pet rabbit in the same pen that houses their chickens or goats. Some will even let the rabbits live on the ground loose without an elevated area inside the pen that the rabbit can retreat to. Sometimes well-meaning pet rabbit owners will announce that they have set a rabbit free so that it can live in the wild This person may think they are doing the right thing by letting their pet loose to live like it was meant to live The problem with this logic is that domesticated rabbits were never actually meant to live in the wild.
Perhaps your bunny has escaped from your garden while playing or youre just wondering if your bunny would be happier living in the wild. Sadly pet rabbits wont be able to survive in the wild. Pet rabbits lack basic survival skills and dont understand the dangers of predators.
Theyll be susceptible to sickness and disease. I have a 3 yr old pet rabbit and am wondering if she can live outside in an enclosed space. We acquired her this summer and the former owners had her outside but I dont know if she can live.
Can Rabbits Stay Outside All Winter. Yes rabbits can stay outside all winter as long as the temperatures do not fall below a certain level. You should also take extra precautions to ensure your rabbit is warm during the winter.
Rabbits can die easily from too hot or too cold weather. They lack the ability to survive in the wild. When pet rabbits are abandoned outside the end result is suffering followed by death.
They are the easiest of prey for predators. They die in traffic. If they live long enough they become infested with ticks mites fleas.
If your rabbit lives outside you should include a thermometer in her hutch. Rabbits can withstand surprisingly cold temperatures but youll need to take action in extreme weather. A rabbits body temperature should run between 100-103 degrees Fahrenheit.
That sounds high but a rabbits fur coat accounts for this.