Help!

[Ayla]

Hi. I’m new here (just joined up like 10 minutes ago). Anyway, I’ve got two wonderful little boys (they’re mini lops), called Harvey and Merlin, and they’re about 3 and a half years old. But, right now I can’t stop worrying about them Basically, they live outside in a shed. And now it’s winter, it gets very cold out there. So, I give them loads of stuff to try and keep them warm. There are 2 thick blankets covering their cage. I also give them two snuggle safe heat pads every night. They also have a custom built (by me – but designed by them lol) wooden little house thing that they can go in, that’s 2 storeys. I also stuff their cage full of wood shavings and straw and hay. But, the problem is, they’re stupid.. :/ They don’t burrow in the mounds of hay and straw I give them, they don’t sleep in their wood house, instead they just sit, ON TOP of all the bedding, huddled in a ball all cold. I touch their ears and they feel like icicles Why won’t they do those behaviours I thought bunnies were meant to do? And how can I help get them warm? I give them everything, yet they don’t use any of it and just sit there getting cold. I’m really getting worried, as it’s supposed to drop below zero tonight. I’m about to go out and rub them before I put them to bed. But I could really use some advice on how to make sure they don’t freeze during the winter. Thank you

[RabbitPam]

I think it’s urgent to bring them inside in sub-zero weather. Since we are a House Rabbit community, of course we are going to advocate having them housed inside rather than out in a shed. But I understand that you have them set up out there, and it’s probably not as bad for them for up to 3 seasons of the year, depending on where you live. However, a vet advised another member that they would be fine “until it’s so cold you can see your breath.” That would be temperatures above freezing. Below freezing, and more importantly, below zero, is just too cold for them to tolerate. They are not wild rabbits, so they are not bred to understand survival in the wild, nor do they have burrows underground which can be surprisingly warm.

Please take them in, even if they spend the night in a carrier, or put towels and blankets with their litter pan in your bathroom so you can keep them confined. But for their safety and health, please get them inside your heated home. Perhaps you can make a corner in a room with an X-pen for them to stay until the weather changes.

[Megabunny]

I know it sounds like a fire hazard but if you must keep them outside can you afford one if those heaters that can be programmed to a certain temp? It would probably do a good job in a shed keeping off the worst of the chill although sub zero nights are not good. And it’s only Dec. but a strategically places heater away from all hay and such would at least be something.

[ChesnutKC]

I keep my bunnies outside and night too, how protective is your shed? As long as it blocks wind it should be okay. I put a heat lamp outside my bunnies’ cage facing their favorite corner so they can huddle there and whenever I pick them up they are as warm as can be. It’s also a good idea to give them warm water to keep their insides warm too. Since they are not wild bunnies, they don’t quite understand the instinct to burrow so maybe make some burrows for them and whenever you put the bunnies down, put them inside the burrow you created. In extreme cold it would be best to keep them in at night, even if they are just in a card board box, but bunnies are more likely to be lost in the summer because of heat than the winter. I wish you luck!

[Ayla]

Hello everyone,
Sorry I didn’t reply sooner, but I thought I should probably give you guys an update, although it might be a bit brief..
Basically, they’re both inside now. I don’t know how long for though. I did manage to make them warmer while in the shed so they could have stayed out there, by getting a big duvet and another thick blanket for insulation, but.. they’re inside now, because poor Merlin is quite sick (vet doesn’t even know what’s wrong with him, but she thinks it’s an infection – it didn’t have anything to do with being cold though he was fine), so he’s got to stay inside while he recovers. And so Harvey’s in too because they don’t like to be separated (don’t worry though whatever it is the vet doesn’t think it’s contagious as Harvey is perfectly healthy) He’s hardly eating and being very lethargic, so we’re having to syringe him liquid food (given by the vet), although he does not like that at all.. and it’s not going too well.. Anyway yeah, just thought I’d update on the situation in case people might have been wondering what happened.

[Megabunny]

Thanks for keeping us in the loop. So sorry to hear about Merlin. How sad! I hope he improves. Let us know. It’s scary when the vet doesn’t really have anything to go on. 🙁

[Flopsie]

I think if you are able to keep them inside that would be for the best. This would be by far the best solution.

If you aren’t, you want to make sure that they are being hit by wind directly. So blocking that would be important. They also need water and extra hay to keep warm. Hopefully the water doesn’t freeze….

Do they chew blankets or fleece? If not, I would consider putting them inside so that they can snuggle with. Its nice there are two buns because that way they can be next to each other. I would also consider creating a big hidey house that they can go inside. Since they don’t burrow, you can line the hidey house up with material to insulate them. Again, the best solution is to have them inside, they will live a much more productive life there instead of outside. Good luck

[Ayla]

So..an update – Merlin is now all better! :’D I am sooo relieved! We still have 2 more days of antibiotics to go though. But he’s now eating normally again, has become playful again, and has gained weight (as he was quite underweight before. Although he is a runt.. so we don’t really know what his ideal weight should be lol). The vet actually said she wasn’t sure if he’d make it.. but I knew he’d pull through Also both boys are going to stay indoors over the winter now I think, which is good (I say I think, because it’s not my house really lol, I’m just an 18 year old kid in my parents house )
So yeah.. he’s basically back to his old self :’) He gets excited for food (he runs in circles lol), and isn’t huddled in a ball anymore, he splays out all comfy next to Harvey like he used to ^_^

[Megabunny]

Wonderful news!! It did sound touch and go for awhile. Great job!

[Author]

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