Can Rabbits Go Out In The Snow? Here’s the Answer

Whether you own a single bunny or a group, you should know how to look after them in winter or snow temperatures. Which things will make the rabbits warm? Is it possible for me to understand when the bunnies feel cold?

Bunnies, being tiny, should stay away from cold and snow conditions. The natural body temperature of the bunny is between 101.5 to 104.2 degrees Fahrenheit. Bunnies are not hibernating animals. During freezing or cold temperatures, bunnies have a high chance of dying chances. Rabbits like to stay at places with a room temperature of 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Below is the list of 15 safety tips you can use to protect the bunny in cold weather or snowy temperatures.

15 Safety Tips To Protect The Rabbits

1. Fill Their Pen With Tons Of Hay

Bunnies are natural borrowers and will come to their nest. During winter, rabbits will try several ways to keep their nest warm and comfortable. If you give them additional hay or straw bedding, they will get more warmth from it. Moreover, giving them more fodder during winter is equal to extra food, which might help them stay warm.

2. Keep An Additional Newspaper In Their Pen

By keeping an extra set of newspapers in their pen will act as more insulation. The bunnies will love it! Sometimes the rabbits will keep this in their bedding. The bunnies will enjoy it when you rip a newspaper and place it in their bedding. It is better to change their bedding as often as possible.

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3. Never Put Blankets Or Towels In Their Pen

When the bunny has an outdoor pen, you should avoid keeping blankets on it. If their pen is vulnerable to outer elements, never use blankets. During winter, if the blanket or towel becomes wet, it will make bunnies colder. It is very unsafe for the bunny’s life.

4. Do Not Use Hot Water Bottles

You may want to keep a hot water container or bottle to help the bunny fight against the cold. Like the previous blanket, there are a few problems why you should not keep a hot water bottle in their pen. First of all, the water will freeze after some time and make the bunny colder. Next, rabbits like to chew, and there are high chances of the bunny chewing on it. It is dangerous to the rabbit.

5. Let Them Take Indoor Housing

If there is a chance, it is better to keep the bunny inside your house. This method is very effective in keeping the rabbit safe, and they will stay warm throughout the winter. When you hide the bunny indoors, it will be safe from outer elements. You should keep the bunny in a particular spot.

6. Keep A Heating Lamp In Their Pen

If it is not possible for you to keep the bunny inside your home, you can use a heating lamp as an alternative. This heat lamp helps in stabilizing the temperature of the bunny. You should know that it is not good to put the heat lamp in their pen too often. It will generate more heat to the bunny’s pen resulting in the overheat of the rabbit. It is better to find a way for the bunnies to escape the spot when it becomes too hot due to the heat lamp.

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7. Leave Heating Pads In The Pen

Using a heating pad to keep the bunny warm is one of the effective ways. You can either put in a manual heating pad or an electric pad. They both give enough warmth to the bunny. It regulates the heat of the pen and will make the bunny healthy in the winter.

8. Make Sure To Give Them Water That Does Not Freeze

It is your responsibility to protect the bunny from dehydration. When the bunny is dehydrated, the body becomes cold. You should often remove the frozen water. Give the water has a stable and good enough temperature so the bunny will be comfortable whenever it drinks.

9. Lift Their Pen From The Ground

Keep the rabbit’s cage at places where the snow won’t accumulate or get in their pens. In general, you can do this by raising the ground level of the cell. Check the amount of snowfall in your surroundings so that you can know at which height it is better to keep their pen.

10. Using Windblockers

When the bunnies are in their pen, the wind is another outside element that might be harmful to them. To prevent the wind from entering their cage, you can cover the sides using cardboard. Keeping plastic on the corners of the pen is also a good idea. By using the above methods, bunnies will remain warm even if the cold wind is blowing. You should keep the plastic at places that are out of the rabbit’s reach so that they won’t chew on it. It is dangerous for bunnies to eat plastic as they can not digest it.

11. Pay Attention To Their Body Language

If you can understand their natural body language, the bunny will let you know if it feels cold. When you see that the bunny is trembling, it means the rabbit feels cold. You can warm it inside the pen. But, if the bunny is suffering from a heavy cold, it will sit still and won’t even shiver. It is an indication where you have to take quick action.

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12. Offer Them More Exercise Opportunities

You should always maintain the rabbit’s exercise routine. Every day, give the rabbit a few hours to exercise as it makes the rabbit healthy. If there is a chance, allow them to do their exercise indoors. By staying inside the house, they can escape from getting wet.

13. Always Keep The Bunny Dry

You should always keep the bunny dry. Bunnies have thick fur, and it takes more time and effort to dry them. When your bunny is dry, it is likely to escape from freezing. Also, dry fur gives them more warmth even if they are in their pen.

14. Bunnies Develop Thick Fur During Winter

You have to remember that bunnies have a few natural methods to maintain their warmth during winter. In the winter, the rabbits will have thick fur to keep them warm. It is not only your responsibility, and also bunnies have their share to stay warm.

15. Avoid Low Temperatures

Bunnies could stay well even in low temperatures up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. To remain warm in the winter, they have many mechanisms. Also, their fluffy and tiny bodies have high body temperature to get warmth. But, they have certain limitations. When the surrounding temperature drops down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below, you have to keep the bunny inside your home.