# Heater in your rabbit shed???



## daniel-delarosa (Sep 25, 2011)

I built a 12x15 enclosed loafing shed for my rabbits.  I put a water cooler in it for this past summer(air conditioner to come next summer), but I was wondering if I should put a heater in it for the winter.  What type of heater, to those of you that use them, do y'all use?


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## manybirds (Sep 25, 2011)

daniel-delarosa said:
			
		

> I built a 12x15 enclosed loafing shed for my rabbits.  I put a water cooler in it for this past summer(air conditioner to come next summer), but I was wondering if I should put a heater in it for the winter.  What type of heater, to those of you that use them, do y'all use?


we're getting a wooden bunny shed. we're going to use roll out insulation (spray on if u have a metal shed) and a small space heater.


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## woodleighcreek (Sep 25, 2011)

From what I have experienced and heard, rabbits dont really need a heater (But that may be just due to the fact that we live in SC and I raise Jersey Woolies).


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## manybirds (Sep 25, 2011)

woodleighcreek said:
			
		

> From what I have experienced and heard, rabbits dont really need a heater (But that may be just due to the fact that we live in SC and I raise Jersey Woolies).


they don't but up here in wisconsin it's not fun to pound ice out and soak your hand in 20- 50 BELOW wether. it gets a wee bit cold


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## woodleighcreek (Sep 25, 2011)

manybirds said:
			
		

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Ah, I see.  Home Depot has a nice selection of small heaters for a good price (under 100), then


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## Mea (Sep 26, 2011)

Heat is very nice for the human caregiver... but not really necessary for rabbits.   When we had the outside hutches...there was a closed in box and a wire run.  Even on very cold days... the rabbits would be bouncing around in the run.  Only during storms would they hunker down in the coop part.  We , on the other hand... had to plow thru the drifts and freeze our hands to feed and water them !


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## manybirds (Sep 26, 2011)

woodleighcreek said:
			
		

> manybirds said:
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We where planning to keep it at 40-50 degees in ours not only for our comfort but because we raise himilayan's and if you don't keep that breed at or above that temp they get smut.


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## DRPepper (Sep 26, 2011)

How do you maintain a raised temperature and still manage to have good ventilation in your buildings? That's what I've been thinking about as the temperature begins to drop around here. I guess I'm more concerned with keep babies warm when they are first born.


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## dewey (Sep 27, 2011)

I use these towers that have a programmable thermostat and remote control... http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=17038556&findingMethod=rr   Home Depot & Walmart are usually the least expensive sources.


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## Hop N'Tail (Oct 8, 2011)

I've been raising rabbits for so many years and I always wanted to put a heater in. But the problem is we don't have eletric in the barn and I'm sacred the barn might catch on fire. Besides rabbits are fine in the cold. But that is up to you.


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## therealsilkiechick (Oct 10, 2011)

rabbits don't need heat but i keep heaters in my shed because i have english lops out there and also because i have all plastic bottles and ceramic dishes for water. also it's nice to breed year round if i want or need too. i have electric heaters run by an extention on a surge protector bar from my electric pole and also lights. it is nice to have them i keep one towards the bottom and one towards the top and it keeps it warm enough maybe 1 or 2 bottom waterers partly freeze now and then. i have a nice size herd so takes a bit to feed, water and clean cages and i don't like to freeze while i'm out there. i hated haveing to take 5 gal buckets of water bottles and dishes in and out to thaw and refill several times a day. now i just fill milk jugs and take them out pop off cages and refill right there and i can even leave jugs of water out there long as they r at least a foot off the floor sitting up on something. if it takes me a few hours to clean cages or i stay out to play with the babies most times i'm out there in a t-shirt for hours. so very nice i don't have to freeze or be quick w/ stuff i can play or get work done.

the lighting helps to keep the longer daylight hours also if i want to help increase breeding. i can go out anytime to breed day or night which is nice. even when i didn't have them babies r fine, long as moms know what they r doing. those little buggers r hot in those nests!! i have better litters and more fertility in colder mths than i do in warmer mths. my only fear is fires especially in the fans, a/c or heaters from the fur more so when they all r molting because u constantly have to be cleaning fur off of them. for ventalation my top wall on one side has screen openings always open up under the roof, i have a door and window to open when needed also. my only complaint is the spiders i hate them and can't figure out how to keep them out. :/


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## Citylife (Oct 31, 2011)

I worry an aweful lot about my rabbits in the summer time.  We had 3 weeks here were I took out frozen bottles every 1-2 hours.  
One day I waited an hour and a half and went out to an entire litter lathargic and dead looking.  I filled an inside cage full of ice
and tossed limp bodies on the ice and got them to the garage.  Within 15 minutes, they were jumping around and normal.  I LUCKED
OUT that day.  They lived to be in my freezer another day.
My rabbits are in a one sided shed with hanging cages.  In the winter when it gets really cold cold or in a hard rain, I pull down tarps
and tent the front off to protect them from the weather.  When its real cold there is a small temp change which is great for the human
involved in chores.  I worry a bit about the kits, but have yet to have a problem.  I also, started saving some fur for the litters in the coldest
weather.  The also have hide tunnels in their cages if they need them.  Hope this helps.

the lady with 2 rescued cocker spaniels, a rescued rottwieler, german shepherd, fostered bulldog, 5 city chickens, 6 meat rabbits, their kits and a bumble ball phython.


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## Stratmoore Farms (Oct 31, 2011)

I would not recommend the heater for cold weather, or the air conditioner for hot weather either for that matter. My main concern is that if the rabbits get used to the climate control system during either season what will you do if something happens such as an extended power outage? The cold weather shouldn't bother them too bad anyway as long as you keep them dry and draft free.

Of course I completely understand the points made about frozen water supplies. I fought that issue last Winter and did not enjoy it at all.


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## flemish lops (Nov 1, 2011)

I  have had rabbits for a long time and raise them outside in rabbit hutches. The rabbits do fine but when winter comes ( we are located in Wisconsin) it takes longer to do them because of all the water dishes freezeing.


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