I'm getting Rabbits but first I have to overcome some difficulties.?

Question

My parents told me today that I can get some rabbits as long as I over come some difficulties.

As all we UKers know, summer is drawing to a close pretty soon. Winter is just over the hill. The only thing standing between us and it is Autumn.

My parents first querie was "What will you do in winter?"

My dad recently waterproofed our shed, but what else should I do to keep my rabbits snug while they're in there? (We don't keep our cars in our shed.)

Also, my dad is considering making a run instead of buying one. What materials are good to use and is it safe to put a wire mesh on the bottom?

Thanks for helping!

Answer 1

right- hutch use wood shavings on the floor with newspaper underneath and put straw and hay in the bedding area

run- chicken wire or the square mesh type wire is good make sure its secure coz of foxes etc make sure you have wire on the bottam as well or keep the run on concrete coz rabbits dig.

during winter- waterproof is all you need and i used to cover mine over at night coz of predators but if your getting babies then i suggest you wait till the spring to get them as they wil not be used to the cold =]

also make sure you insure them rabbits go downhill very quickly and have soem apple wood for them to gnaw on as their teeth continually grow otherwise you will end up spending a fortune on vet bills!

also another big problem flystrike when your rabbits go into the run make sure they have clean bums or you will get flies laying there eggs whihc then turn into maggots and its not pleasant for you or the rabbit

good luck =]

Answer 2

i got hutch hugger covers from pets at home for my 2 rabbit hutches!  they will b ok rabbits are outdoor animals i wouldnt put wire mesh on the bottom of the run how are they gonna u around i ust le mine run around the garden twice a day!!  rabbits need alot of care so dont get them if you havent got alot of time to spare they really are hard work but so adorable good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Answer 3

If your going to keep your rabbits out side for the winter make sure they have loads and loads of straw to snuggle up to and make them really warm my rabbit comes in for most of the winter but if its not that cold he is free to go out for a run the best material is wood with a little bit of grip so put some planks of wood on it a well hope i helped

Ashlie x

Answer 4

my rabbits are in my house in a indoor cage for the winter,but if your are outside in a shed just make sure you have plenty of straw in the cage hay to eat lots of rabbit food and put an old duvet or a blanket over the cage to keep it warm as well

you don't need to put anything on the bottom of the run i have a 6ft by 4ft run meshed all the way round and the lid but i left the bottom uncovered so my rabbits could eat the grass

Answer 5

If you are getting rabbits buy them from a good breeder and they will already be used to living outside and have healthy coats. It's a bit of myth that rabbits suffer in the winter because actually many more die from over heating in the summer because they neither sweat nor vomit!

They must be kept dry and out of the rain as a damp rabbit is not a happy one. You need a felt covered hutch to keep out drafts as they can be sensitive to drafts too. Plenty of hay and a hutch that is sheltered will be fine.

As for your run, make sure it is large enough for the rabbit to stretch out fully up to the top and big enough to have a good run around. It does need a fine mesh on the bottom as rabbits can dig out and foxes can dig in. You can cover the mesh with a layer of turf if you can leave it a permanent position.

Contrary to popular opinion rabbits require a lot of attention, they usually need feeding twice a day and will need a clean out every couple of days. They need a lot of handling to tame them too. Vets bills can be really expensive as they are little animals and not all vets can deal with them.

Think carefully about your pairing. Two of the same s*x will at some point end up fighting. One of each is a good mix but you will need the male neutering at about 14 weeks. This costs and also means he needs to housed away from the female for a few weeks.

Hope I haven't put you off - they are fabulous pets but they need time, money and dedication. Have fun.

Answer 6

Hey there,

first of all you can buy some covers, that will go over there cage, it will keep them snug and its easy to apply, put lots of sawdust in their cage, along with hay.

there fur will also keep them warm anyway,

a run being made by hand - good materials are just wood for the base, and then simple chickenwire to keep them in, just make sure the run is secure.

good luck!! x

Answer 7

Definitely don't have the mesh on the floor of the run because their feet will get stuck and they will get distressed. Just leave it bottomless so that they can eat grass while excercising because rabbits need grass and hay to keep their teeth filed down. Hope i could help.

Answer 8

well, in the winter u have to give them some hay every day so they r nice and warm all the time.  it is safe to put wire mesh on the bottom u just have to put a board on there so they can't sit on it.  Since any where we animals that eat rabbits so put wire mesh on the bottom and put chicken wire around the run and on top of it.  Make sure that the shed has one lock and if there are windows put wire around them so raccoons can't get them.  Don't them go in the run at night because the raccoons can get to them and eat them.

I hope i'm a big help

Answer 9

Rabbits will rarely be too cold. Overheating is a bigger concern.

But just provide a blanket or towel and you can also buy heating pads at most pet stores.

I wouldn't recommend making a cage.

If you use wood, the urine with soak into it, and a wire bottom will hurt their little feeties. If you do make up, maybe sure you provide blankets, or a plastic mat or something so their feet won't hurt.