# Winterizing rabbits



## chicksandrabbitsohmy (Aug 1, 2011)

Any tips on how to winterize the rabbits? We have them in cages in a shelter my hubby built. They will be free from the snow, but my main concern is that all the grass/hay we put in there now they kick out...I know we are seriously going to have to stock up on hay too for the winter..If we have to move them into our garage, we will. They did well last winter in there..Thanks
Anne


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## SarahMelisse (Aug 1, 2011)

Even though it's currently in the mid-90's now, I'm thinking about winterization too. We have snow for a couple months around here and temps 10-20*F. I am planning on keeping my rabbits in a small 3-sided barn for winter and if it gets too windy I'll put up cloth tarp of some sort on the unprotected side.
Hopefully some other people here have some good ideas for when winter shows it's face.


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## vkalvacev (Aug 1, 2011)

Where I live it is usually 30 in the winter and theres the occasional snowfall of the season but nothing big. The last few snowfalls we have had were windy, which if it wasnt, my rabbits would be fine. They have a completely enclosed space to "sleep" and another that is not closed except the top (wire everywhere else), so generally, they are fine. They do like to come out sometimes though but if its windy, I cover the front with an old blanket (can be anything really) to stop the snow from going in. I think if theyre in an area that is protected on three sides at least (like mine are) there is less wind coming in.


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## Citylife (Aug 15, 2011)

I live in Missouri and we get cold/humid tempuratures throughout the winter.  Mine as you can see on "my page" are in a one sided shed facing a tight tree line.
My rabbits are in hanging cages and I put tarps up front that I can pull down and wrap around the sides when it is really cold and windy.  I kind ot tent it and wrap it.  They have little hide boxes with straw in them and they did fine last year.  We had a horribly cold winter.  
I have also been quite fascinated by this almost free solar system.  This person started out using the original to heat their garage.  I love this idea.

Rabbits most definately handle the cold, way better then they handle the heat.

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2010/06/22/soda-can-solar-heater-v2-completed/


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## Ms. Research (Aug 16, 2011)

*Rabbits most definately handle the cold, way better then they handle the heat.*


That includes humans as well.  I'd rather be cold than hot.  You can always find a place to get warm, but it's so tough to cool off when it's hot.


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## manybirds (Aug 16, 2011)

chicksandrabbitsohmy said:
			
		

> Any tips on how to winterize the rabbits? We have them in cages in a shelter my hubby built. They will be free from the snow, but my main concern is that all the grass/hay we put in there now they kick out...I know we are seriously going to have to stock up on hay too for the winter..If we have to move them into our garage, we will. They did well last winter in there..Thanks
> Anne


as long as there out of a draft and dry it will be fine. make sure they r out side in the fall to and don't just throw them to the cold with out giving there body time to adjust. rabbits do better in cold than in hot


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## Mea (Aug 16, 2011)

Years back, we had a set of out side hutches.  Wire runs attached to wooden coops. We put wind breaks along the sides... mostly to help stop the sn*w from drifting in...  Those outside rabbits did so much better than the ones in the barn !    On most winter days... Where were those rabbits ??   Out in the runs !  bouncing and having a grand time !   We on the other hand had to make paths thru the white stuff to get to them.

  ( and just think... not too long until it will be baaaaccckkk...  )


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## Beekissed (Aug 16, 2011)

For your hay....I always formed little hay nets out of chicken wire and placed them in the top corner of the cage, wired on.  They wasted very little hay with this and always had clean, dry hay to eat.  

If you are using hay for bedding, I'd just place a nest box where they normally do NOT pee/poop and leave it in there for the winter....just check for soiled hay every day and remove it.  If you are inclosed in a shed, you shouldn't need shelter from wind/snow and could just provide a sitting board but no bedding.  Rabbits have great winter wear.


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## crazyturkeydesigns (Aug 17, 2011)

Mea said:
			
		

> Years back, we had a set of out side hutches.  Wire runs attached to wooden coops. We put wind breaks along the sides... mostly to help stop the sn*w from drifting in...  Those outside rabbits did so much better than the ones in the barn !    On most winter days... Where were those rabbits ??   Out in the runs !  bouncing and having a grand time !   We on the other hand had to make paths thru the white stuff to get to them.
> 
> ( and just think... not too long until it will be baaaaccckkk...  )


We had something like this too when we had our outside hutch. The hutch was HUGE, tall and wide, and the rabbits that were in it loved it. My dad put windbreaks on both sides and built these nifty rabbit boxes (they were pretty big and had a large hole for the rabbit to get into and a top that swung open for easy cleaning) and we loaded them with hay and put some hay in the cages. Those rabbits loved it. 
Our winters are cold (20-0 without the windchill) and we get tons and tons of snow (thank you lake effect ), so we had to be sure that they would stay warm. We never lost either of them to the cold. They actually seemed to enjoy it, crazy buns that they were. We gave a little bit of extra feed too and they got crocks of warm water twice a day, sometimes three if it was really cold.


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## norcal (Aug 21, 2011)

Remember rain moves sideways at times.


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## poormans_99 (Aug 23, 2011)

nest box to get in and wind break rabbits should be fine


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