harplady
Registered: 04/18/07
Posts: 99
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Reply with quote | #1 |
Does it hurt to take a rabbit inside for four hours every day through the winter, or will he become stressed? I'm thinking about going from -10f outside to 70f inside. |
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Charlcie
Moderator
Registered: 04/15/07
Posts: 120
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Reply with quote | #2 |
I probably wouldn't go for 4 hours...how about a couple? The main issue might be inducing a molt (which you wouldn't want to do if the outside temps are going to be 10 below). A couple of suggestions I have are:
- If the bunny needs to live outdoors, make sure his quarters are well insulated and shielded from the elements. In temps that cold, you have a problem with water freezing (even with a heating system). Water is the most important element your rabbit needs, so you would have to be prepared to go out several times a day to provide fresh, warm water.
- Is it out of the question to bring the bunny in for the winter? It would make life a whole lot easier for you as far as care is concerned.
- 70 degrees is pretty warm to keep a house in winter (not really all that good for you OR the bunny). The main issue with fluctuating the temperature drastically between minus 10 and 70 degrees is inducing molt and confusing the body's defense systems, creating a bigger chance for an opportunistic infection.
Hope that helps.
Charlcie
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Charlcie
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com |
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harplady
Registered: 04/18/07
Posts: 99
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Reply with quote | #3 |
Thanks again. A teenage girl on another board lives in the same state as me, and has begun bringing her outdoor rabbit inside for 4 hours every day for exercise because she read on the HRS website that rabbits need 4 hours out of cage time every day. Her parents won't allow her to keep her rabbit inside permanently. It surprised me when no house rabbit people found anything wrong with this, since the HRS claims that rabbits should not be kept outside because rabbits can't handle weather extremes. I told her she needs to talk to her vet about what this, then finally someone agreed with me that this could become a dangerous practice. Her rabbit is 5 years old and he has always been an outdoor rabbit. |
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