Hi everyone,
I\'m getting ready to put my rabbit in his winter home and I just want to make sure I don\'t forget anything. He\'s going to be in our shed in a corner so he\'s not subjected to the wind. We are also going to put a blanket over the door to pull down when it gets super cold (I live in southwestern NH so it does get VERY cold sometimes) and we can open it up during the nice days so he can get fresh air. I\'m also going to get a heated dog dish - I found them at Petco for about $25. Is there anything else you would suggest to make him as comfortable as possible this winter?
Thanks in advance and I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!
~Karen
We live in SW Iowa where it gets cold. We were switching bottles several times a day due to them freezing. I found some heated bowls online at
http://www.valleyvet.com. They are working perfectly. It was 5 degrees here this morning and our 2 rabbits had fresh water to drink. They are 1 quart sized for rabbits. They were around the same price as the one you saw at Petco. They arrived in just a couple of days. They come with hutch ready mounts that hook right to the wire.
Make sure he has alot of fresh straw. Usually weekly, I clean out their \"bathroom\" so it doesn\'t pile up. You can also put some kind of container or box under his cage as a catch all. I always try to be careful in the winter with the amount of food I put out and what happenes to it -ei: spillage,etc. because of mice and rodents. They can become a nusiance especially in a shed or barn.
I like to do a double check of the rabbit itself because sometimes in winter we have a tendancy to leave them in the cages longer. Check his nails and clip them and check for any lumps or bumps that may get worse if not noticed.
I used to wrap my hutches in plastic (you can find at the dollar store -cheap) this way it helps to keep out any drafts and their body heat keeps them warmer than just a blanket. I have a blanket over just the front of the one set of cages and it gets wet and hard from ice -mental note...I need to change that this week!
I am in South Dakota where the wind can be absolutely horrendous. I think you have the biggest problem solved by keeping him out of the elements. Happy Winter!
There\'s ALOT to be said about indoor rabbits!
Oh absolutely , I wish I could keep my other 8 rabbits inside...and my 2 goats, my 2 horses, 100 chickens, 5 ducks and my 13 dogs...and...and...
My little Goblin is the lucky one right now!
LOL
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Thanks everyone for all the suggestions and help. We should have him all set this weekend. Today, it was 20 degrees here with about a 0 wind chill - BRRR! So we\'ve changed his water several times throughout the day. With his new home, he\'ll be much better off in the coming months. Thanks again and happy holidays!
Is it better to use straw or is hay just as good?
Straw is better for bedding but they should ahve some hay to eat!
Straw is more absorbant and cheaper.
Thanks Lorelei,
I have always kind of worried that straw is so stiff that one of my rabbits might get poked in the eye, but perhaps I worried over nothing.
Mine have never seemed to poke themselves -but that is a good concern. Rabbits are pretty attentive to their surroundings. Some straw can be \'hard\'. I buy mine right from the farm and I find alot of corn stalks and sometimes a garbage paper or two find its way into the baler. But straw itself should be pretty soft compared to most hay.