Rabbits and Snow

[BinkyBuster]

Hey everyone,

I’ve heard mixed things about bringing bunnies outside. We just had a huge snow storm in Ontario, and I want to take Buster out and see if he likes it!
I’ve asked my boyfriend to bring his x-pen up this weekend so we can take him out. I would cover it with a sheet so no predators could get in. We’d just be going into our backyard for a bit.

I’m just wondering, how cold is too cold? I can’t google anything because ‘snow peas’ seems to come up a lot instead. Also, how would you know that your rabbit isn’t enjoying himself / is too cold? I haven’t been able to find anything regarding how to know through body language if your bunny is too cold.

Also, is it alright for them to eat snow? (Another ‘snow peas’ result on google).

 

I brought some snow up and Buster seems to like it. At first he just kept licking the sides of the container, and then went in and licked it a bit. Hard to tell though if he was nose bumping it around or not. I’m sure a little can’t hurt, but how much would be too much?
After I took this he dug around a bit and then went to sleep. I’m assuming he likes it (he always is asleep right now anyway.)

Thanks!

[smileykyleigh]

So cute!

I took my bunny out in the snow in his xpen a few weeks ago, with a small area for him to sit in to get out of the snow. My guy was NOT a fan. He sat all hunched up in the non-snowy area shivering and thumping, so he was only out for about 5 minutes.
I may try bringing a little in for him as you have done, to see if he likes it any better.

[BinkyBuster]

Aww poor guy! Heh, bunnies are so funny. Maybe it was just too big of a difference for him. I’m thinking I’m going to bring a bunch up and put it in the bottom of our shower for him to run around in, before I take him outside. May work for you too!

[meow1]

My Sunny bunny loves the snow. We have taken him out to play in it a few times. The only bad thing I saw was little snow or ice balls getting caught in his “toes”, and he would try to eat them off. So i think maybe if the bun isn’t out too long in it, and then is brought back in the warmth, the snow or ice will melt pretty quickly off. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE6izJNqHGA&sns=em

[Isabelle]

Dutchess loves to eat snow ^_^

[Nibbles123]

My bunnies have a bit of a weekend house, its just this thing outside that they stay in for the weekend and the like to dig in thw snow, but i never let them stay out to long or they could get cold

[Nibbles123]

My bunnies have a bit of a weekend house, its just this thing outside that they stay in for the weekend and the like to dig in thw snow, but i never let them stay out to long or they could get cold

[Elrohwen]

Mine don’t like to go outside in general, so I don’t take them in the snow. I have brought in containers of snow before for them to check out, but they lose interest pretty quickly.

[BinkyBuster]

Isabelle – has Dutchess ever gotten sick from eating too much snow? I brought up a bunch of snow yesterday to put in the shower. Buster didn’t really play in it… just ate some and then wanted to chin everything in the bathroom instead (Including the toilet pipes… weirdo!) But, he ate a bunch and then didn’t really eat his dinner so I was kind of concerned. Seems fine today though

[mocha200]

I haven’t let my bunnies out in the winter for a year or two. But when I did Mocha LOVED it! He binkied a lot! I want to let them out again but I have the same problem! I don’t know how cold is to cold? Does anyone know? I read somewhere that it shouldn’t be over a 20 digree’s difference or they could go into shock but I wasn’t sure if that was just someone’s assumption. I want a real article or something about it!

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Eating snow shouldn’t be a problem. It’s just water so no worries there!

[Author]

Messages