Is it a good idea to take my bun outside?

[MoxieMeadows]

Okay, so I just wanted people’s opinions. My bun has very long fur, and I’m worried that if I took her outside in an Xpen or harness and leash, that I wouldn’t see if she got ticks. So, do you think it’s worth taking the risk? Other than that, everything would be safe, No poisonous plants, No toxic sprays, no predators, and I would be watching her whenever she went out.

Thanks 

[Tessie]

We don’t tend to recommend rabbits go outside, there’s a whole host of risks out there, and there aren’t really any benefits to them, they get a perfectly full life indoors.
If you do let your bun outside, it should be in a run as harnesses are dangerous.

[Sarita]

Totally agree with Tessie – unnecessary and more harm than good.

[MoveDiagonally]

I third Tessie’s reply.

If ticks are an issue in your area then I wouldn’t risk it.

[bunnluff]

My rabbits spent a lot of time in an outdoor playpen when I lived in a house with a backyard. They really enjoyed it and even enjoyed exploring on a harness and leash. After all those years we only had 2 instances with ticks, pulled them out and were on our way. If you thoroughly pet your rabbit, you’ll notice if you feel a little lump or bump under the fur. And that’s how i discovered them. I think my rabbits were actually healthier when they got outside all the time. The moment I moved to an apartment and they weren’t able to traverse outdoors, they started getting little illnesses all the time. Part of that is that they are getting older. But I wonder if part of it is that they aren’t getting sunlight anymore, or fresh air. Life is too short. Take your bunny for a romp outside. I wish I still could!

[tanlover14]

I will fourth the others, I do not think taking a rabbit outside is really necessary or worth the risk.

[KytKattin]

I actually just came inside from sitting with my bun. I have an ex-pen set up, and she will nibble on the grass and do lots of happy binkys (binkies?). I like to bird watch while she has a little outside time (just saw a house finch for the first time since moving here!). I only go out after the sun is behind the trees, so there is no risk of her overheating. It is also a great place to put her while I clean her pen. I put the dogs outside to guard against cats (the only predators we have). The one behavior that she does outside that she doesn’t inside is to push down the grass. I know some bunnies do this with blankets, and I agree that a bunny’s needs can be completely met by being inside all the time. For me, I’m already going to be outside bird watching, so she might as well come along and enjoy too! Once the weather is much warmer I might take her with me when I go outside to star gaze instead of bird watch.

Since I do this fairly often, I tell her “outside” when I plan on picking her up (instead of “pets” for petting, or making a clicking noise for treats), and when I pick her up when we are done I make sure her dinner is ready so going back to her pen is a positive as well. With my former rabbit, she would run away from me when she knew her fun outside time was done until I implemented the dinner reward. It works like a charm!

Personally, if ticks were a possibility I’m not sure I would do it. Part of that is because I don’t want to get ticks, so I probably wouldn’t go outside as much. Since I already have to flea treat her because of the dogs, I don’t have to worry about fleas, or else that would be another concern. I also strongly advocate for the pen instead of the harness for simple safety reasons.

Edit:

Here is a picture from a few days ago. The dogs were playing behind her, hence her ears are turned back.

[MoxieMeadows]

Okay, thank you all for your answers!

I just kinda felt bad for her getting no outdoor time, I thought she’d have fun. I don’t think I’ll chance it, her fur is VERY thick, because she’s an angora, so I don’t think I’d be able to feel/see if there were ticks on her.

I do think there can be some good in it though, because the sunlight and fresh air.

Thanks everybody again!

[Chestnut's Mom]

I am new and just learning a lot of things about bunnies, but this thought came to me. If you want her to get some fresh air and sunlight without outside danger, maybe you can put her in a pen next to an open window? I think I will move my bun’s cage next to a window when it is nicer out for an hour or two a day so he can get some fresh air too. I live near Seattle so we don’t have much danger of it getting too hot here, but if you are in a warmer place you might want to put a thermometer near her pen so you can see that she doesn’t get too hot. I know my African Grey enjoys being near a window so he can watch what’s going on outside. We have some nice large windows in our living room, but unfortunately they don’t open.

[tanlover14]

Cute pic, Ky!

Moxie, if you’re worried about her being bored or not mentally stimulated enough there’s a ton of different options you can try to give her a different feel to her surroundings. There’s the Teach-N-Treat toys, cardboard tunnels, big cardboard castles & houses with multiple levels for them to run through and hop up on, diggy boxes filled with all sorts of fun items like shredded paper or an old phonebook (or both!). She’s really not going to get anything going outside that she can’t get from inside except the fresh air/sunlight and the grass on her feet. A lot of BB’ers have also made their own pots of growing grass for their buns to munch on as well as Chestnut suggested – putting her close to a window & opening the window to get some fresh air!

So many other options to keep her mentally stimulated in other ways that can mimic being outside!

[Ellekke]

I take my bunnies outside too in an x-pen. They like the grass, they run around high-speed. They are so happy!

I do understand that in some regions it’s not really recommended. But I have nothing to fear outside in my little yard in Belgium. I always sit right beside them in case there would be a cat. Predatory birds don’t hunt in the area around my house. It’s very populated. We have a lot of wild rabbits here in Belgium. That makes me think that I should take my buns outside as well to enjoy some of the things wild rabbits enjoy. Even though it is in a controlled environment.

I’m even going to let them play in the snow if there is any this winter! Because my bunnies stay on some sort of terrace (?) where the temperature changes with the seasons. So they will have a winter fur coat.

[MoxieMeadows]

Well, my bun doesn’t like toys, I’ve given her balls, cardboard tubes(Ones with no glue), toys bought from stores…I have seen her play with a stuffed animal once or twice… But anyway, what else could I do to make sure she doesn’t get bored? She’s not particularly food motivated, she loves treats but if I make her really work for them, she runs away or jumps in my face and takes it by force She likes to look out the window though But anyway… any suggestions?

(Oh, and I normally have a window open so she can get cooled down when it gets hot because of her long fur)

[Megabunny]

Check out the weekly Toytorrials in Habitats and toys. It’s fun to try different things for the buns

[MoxieMeadows]

Okay. I will

[Elrohwen]

I don’t have any issue with bunnies going outside in a safe pen if they enjoy it. However, living in a very high tick area, I’ve decided it’s just not safe for my bunnies. In other places sure, but with how many ticks we get here I’d rather be safe than sorry (especially because mine would be very hard to check thoroughly).

I’m jealous of the people who have nice totally enclosed yards where they can let their bunnies run. It’s certainly not necessary, but I’m sure some buns get enjoyment out of it (though mine didn’t enjoy the few times they were outside)

[MoxieMeadows]

I have dogs, and they’ve never gotten ticks. But I have, and my bun is an angora, so there is possibly no way to see a tick on her.

[Author]

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