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Small pets

How do you keep your Buns warm?

13 replies

puds11 · 01/12/2012 13:52

If they live outside, how do you keep them warm?

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Lozislovely · 01/12/2012 15:54

I've covered the outside of our buns hutch in loft insulation and have a rain cover to go over it which also covers the front.

I literally pack the home part of the hutch with hay (though Flopsy takes great pleasure in moving that out of the home every night Angry).

You can also get (though haven't seen them for a while) a bunny heat pad which can be heated in the microwave and then popped in the hutch to keep them warm overnight!

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RooneyMara · 01/12/2012 15:58

It's safer for them if there are two, so they can keep each other warm iyswim.

We have done the same as Loz - tacked silver loft insulation round the sides and back, covered the top with the same sort of stuff as well as a rain cover.

In this weather (getting down to zero degrees) I cover the front with a fleece blanket, and an old wool blanket and anything I can find.

We have a lone bun as well and she gets a few extra blankets.

Both hutches have a lot of straw and hay.

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RooneyMara · 01/12/2012 15:59

Oh also if you make sure the hutch is as dry as possible, and raised well off the gounrd, that should help as damp is probably their worst thing.

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puds11 · 01/12/2012 16:57

Ok I've ordered him a heat pad. I don't have space for 2 buns at the minute or i would.

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Gay40 · 05/12/2012 20:13

I've got the heatpads and mine love them.

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LetThereBeCupcakes · 06/12/2012 12:48

Multi-bun household here so extra bedding plus a cover if it gets really cold. They live in a converted children's playhouse which is quite big and I worry is "airy" so I'm planning on building them a "nest box" type thing. DH has got me some loft insulation so I'll be getting the power tools out this weekend!

If they drink water from a bottle, you can get a snug to go over it to stop it freezing. Watch the spout though - sometimes just that bit freezers. Mine won't drink from a bottle. They MUST have a bowl.Hmm

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kingprawntikka · 06/12/2012 14:33

I have two hot packs lettherebecupcakes and I put one under the bowl to stop it freezing. Mine also won't use a bottle!

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LetThereBeCupcakes · 06/12/2012 14:42

Genius, kingprawn. I'm going to try that.

Wonder if I could somehow fix one onto the water bowl in my aviary? Might have to experiment...

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smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 06/12/2012 16:22

I have 2 male rabbits who happily play together during the day but won't share a hutch at night Hmm so they each have a big double story hutch.

Bun 1 - has a small cat bed pushed into the enclosed sleep area, I put his heat pad in that at night, the top of the hutch has a deep bed of hay, downstairs has a thick layer of shavings and one half of it is packed from floor to ceiling with straw, he burrows into it.

Bun 2 - his hutch is technically 3 floors, on the very top shelf he has his food, under that is the enclosed bedding area which is full of straw which he burrows into and that's where his heat pad goes, the rest of the top floor has a deep bed of hay, downstairs he has deep shavings and straw.

They both have insulating stuff on the top and sides of the hutches, a babys cot duvet on the roof, a fleece blanket that covers the back, top and front of hutch and a waterproof cover that goes over the whole hutch.

I use old socks to cover the water bottles.

I also have a house rabbit, he has the run of the house when we are there and sleeps cuddled uup to the dog but over night and when we are out he stays in his cage (its one of those that has a plastic base and metal cage lid) I worry about him getting cold as our kitchen gets
very chilly so he has 2 fleeces on the base, a fur lined teepee where he sleeps, a huge fleecy throw over the top which comes down the sides so only the front is visable and he also has a heat pad

They all seem happy so I must be doing something right, they are a stroppy bunch when they have a problem Grin

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kingprawntikka · 06/12/2012 18:06

smiling How do you know they won't share a hutch at night? I thought mine did but you've got me worried now!

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smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 06/12/2012 19:57

Everytime I've tried them in the same hutch it has ended with an emergency vet trip.

During the day they are happy to play together and will curl up in the tunnel together but they like their own space at night.

My mum has two females that are the same, we obviously just have tempremental bunnies Grin

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kingprawntikka · 06/12/2012 21:35

Ah I see! I think mine are probably ok then .No signs of fur/ fighting or vets needed!

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FernieB · 06/12/2012 21:40

Ours is currently tucked up in bed with DD2 - so very warm!

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