Rabbits have a natural mechanism that keeps them warm during the cold seasons when they are in the wild. However, pet rabbits need an adjustment of their habitat to accommodate the temperature change. Rabbits can handle low temperatures of up to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and anything below that is uncomfortable for them.
Pet owners need to make various adjustments during winter to ensure that their rabbits are warm enough. The measures you take to keep a pet rabbit warm will depend on the location of the cage.
Some rabbit owners have their pets indoors and others outdoors. Below are tips that will keep your rabbit warm and healthy during extreme cold.
What is the Ideal Temperature for Rabbits?
Rabbits have fur, which thickens during the cold season for extra. Therefore, you need to keep the optimum temperature of your pet rabbit’s hutch.
The ideal temperature for rabbits is 40-55 degrees Fahrenheit, and anything above or below that will be unhealthy for kids. Try to keep all rabbit hutches within the ideal temperature.
It will take some effort to keep your rabbit warm during cold weather. Take stock of your rabbit’s surroundings before deciding the best way to keep the temperatures optimum.
Therefore, the locations of your rabbit’s hutch will have a significant effect on what you can do to keep your pet warm.
How to Keep a Rabbit Cage Warm
There are several ways to keep a rabbit cage warm when it’s cold. It is imperative to remember that rabbits need fresh air even when it’s cold.
You can apply the tips that relate to the state of your hutch. Overall, be careful not to overdo it and make the cage extra warm.
Line the Cage with Hay
Lining a rabbit cage with hay to cushion their feet is an excellent idea. Hay drains urine and water fast at the bottom.
Also, change the grass frequently to reduce the level of dampness in the cage during cold seasons. You can change it once a day to keep the rabbit cage clean and prevent the accumulation of stench.
Add some extra hay at the corner of the cage for your pet rabbit to use as a bed. The hay will help your pet conserve energy and stay warm. Ensure that you get soft grass for the bed area so that your pet is comfortable.
Cover the Hutch
Covering outdoor hutches with a tarp or plastic sheet can conserve the warmth in the cage. You should cover only three sides of the cage to keep air circulating.
You can lift the cover during the day and drop it at night. Leave a few inches uncovered at the bottom of the cage to allow fresh air into the hutch.
Covers are an excellent way to keep predators from attacking your rabbit at night when it’s outdoors. Choose a material that your pet rabbit won’t chew on and develop digestive issues.
Many pet owners use wood or other organic materials to create a cover around an outdoor rabbit cage. Rabbits can eat treated wood and other materials, which will devastative effects on a rabbit’s digestive system.
Heated Water Bottles
When the temperatures drop, you can use heated water bottles to keep the rabbit’s drinking water at room temperature. You can find suitably heated water bottles at your local rabbit store or online pet stores.
Some water bottles have a case that keeps the water at the temperature you like.
You should check the nozzle to ensure the water isn’t frozen, preventing water from coming out. Therefore, you should have a water bowl in the cage as an alternative source of drinking water.
In case the water bottle nozzles are blocked.
Extra Food
Rabbits need extra food to generate body heat during cold seasons. You can feed your rabbit with fresh vegetables or hay. Increase the food by about 30%-50% of the daily intake of your pet.
Underfeeding your pet rabbit will lead to the pet chewing on stuff in the hutch.
Heating Pads
You can add heating pads at the bottom of your pet rabbit’s cage to keep it cold. Heating pads can be preset to start up at a minimum temperature and stop when the cage reaches the ideal temperature.
Heating pads are an affordable option for heating pet rabbit cages to the ideal temperatures without a hassle.
Should You Keep A Pet Rabbit Outdoors In Winter?
You can keep your pet rabbit in an outdoor hutch during cold seasons as long you take precautions to keep the cage warm. Protecting the rabbit cage from freezing in the interior is the key to keeping a rabbit safe outdoors in winter.
Don’t keep your pet outside if you don’t protect the cage from cold winds, snow, and rain in winter.
Can You Keep A Rabbit Indoors In Winter?
Yes. You can keep a pet rabbit indoors during cold seasons, but you need to be careful. However, you need to realize that rabbits and humans need different optimum temperatures to stay warm in the cold season.
Therefore, you can’t keep your pet rabbit in the main house because it will be overheated.
Therefore, you need to place your rabbit in an area without heating, like the garage or outdoor shade. Most insulated homes can maintain a temperature of 45-50 degrees without any heating, which is ideal for rabbits.
Keeping your pet rabbit in a heated area of your home will make it uncomfortable.
Also, make sure there is an adequate supply of fresh air in the room where your rabbit is staying. Rabbits can’t survive without fresh air.
As a result, you shouldn’t keep your rabbit in a stuffy room or with old stuff. Remember to crack a window for a fresh one so that your pet doesn’t suffocate when indoors.
Should Rabbits Exercise During Cold Season?
Yes. You should find ways to exercise your rabbit during the cold season to prevent them from developing obesity. Buy toys for your pet rabbit to encourage it to play in the cage to pass time and move around.
Check out the rabbit toys available at your local pet store or online for your rabbit pet.
Alternatively, you can let your rabbit out of the cage into an enclosed area. You can play with the rabbit to exercise it.
Playing with your rabbit in the open for 30-60 minutes is an excellent way to add playtime to your pet rabbit’s life. You can create a playpen for your rabbit for exercising.
What Happens To Rabbits Exposed to the Cold?
Your pet rabbit will die when they have to endure temperatures below 40 degrees. Therefore, it is in your best interest to keep your pet warm during cold seasons.
Do whatever is necessary to keep your rabbit warm even if it includes covering the cage with a blanket. Your pet rabbit will have extra fur for the cold season.
However, the coat won’t keep your rabbit alive when the rabbit experiences temperatures below 40 degrees.
Summary
Rabbits burrow during the cold season to stay warm. Pet rabbits don’t have the luxury of burrowing and you have to make adjustments to the hutch to keep it warm.
Pet owners must find ways to keep rabbits warm against harsh cold winds and low temperatures. You can use a thermometer to ensure your rabbit cage is suitably warm.
Be careful where you place a rabbit’s cage whenever you choose to keep a rabbit indoors during cold seasons. Overall, proper care will ensure that your rabbit survives the long cold weather and stays healthy.
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