Is my bunny rabbit safe outside in the winter?

Source(s): I hand the following out to anyone who buys any of my rabbit breeds. I live in the UK, I breed and exhibit standard rex, dutch, harlequins, magpies and dwarf lops rabbits, also ferrets and ferret cross European polecat hybrids, I got my first pet ferret and pet rabbit over 50 years ago, when I was 12 years old. History. Dutch rabbits, along with the English, were the most popular pet and exhibition rabbits a position that has now been filled by the Lop breeds. Originally from Holland or Belgium, the breed is striking in its appearance with a white blaze carrying up to a point between the ears, a saddle of colour continuing right around the middle of the rabbit with a straight edge and white markings on the hind feet. Their coat should be glossy and they are a medium size rabbit weighing 2.04 -2. 26 kg (4.5 lb. 5 lb.). Behaviour of all rabbits. Dutch rabbits are very lively and alert and should make good pets although a prospective owner should be looking for a breeder that handles the rabbits regularly from a young age so that the rabbit is not too jumpy. Colours Black, Blue, Chocolate, Yellow, Tortoiseshell, Steel Grey, Brown Grey, Pale Grey and Tri Colour By using body language rabbits can stamp their feet or with a flash of a tail they can be seen and heard by other rabbits over a long distance. Feeding Rabbits require a high fibre with lots of low quality hay (dried grass) or straw and low protein feed to prevent digestive problems, all rabbits do better on a poor quality hay than on a better quality hay such as timothy hay. Use rabbit pellets which can be purchased from pet shops to provide all your rabbits dietary needs, along with all types of fresh fruit, vegetables (green stuffs) and all types of roots. Most green stuffs are suitable for rabbits although be careful to avoid feeding potatoes (they have toxic parts) lettuce, chicory, chickweed and dandelions (can cause diarrhoea if fed in excess). Extra vitamins, salt licks are not generally required and mine never get any. I also use leaves from blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and other fruit bushes, along with a lot of wild greens during the summer. Any changes in diet must be made slowly (green stuffs and prepared feeds) over a period of a couple of weeks, to avoid digestive upsets. Fresh water must be available at all times and renewed daily. To enable your rabbit to extract as much protein, vitamins and minerals from their low quality food as possible, they digest their food twice, these are soft, kidney shaped droppings which are covered in a small amount of mucous. These droppings are very different from the dry round droppings that you will usually see your rabbit passing. Rabbits are herbivorous and wild rabbits will spend most of their lives grazing on grass, foliage, flowers and roots Rabbits living indoor will drink more water than rabbits living out of doors because of the dryer atmosphere Housing For first time rabbit owner once you get home with your rabbit, put it in your cage and leave it for 48 house so that it can get used to its new surroundings before you start handling it, if you start to handle it too early you could end up with a very grumpy young rabbit from the start. Rabbits can be kept indoors or outdoors, either way they need their own space in an appropriate cage or hutch. There are many purpose built cages and hutches available, alternatively you could build your own. It is recommended that you purchase the best quality you can afford, your rabbit will need it for 7--12 years. Make sure that the hutch is large enough for your rabbit to stretch full out, and high enough for your rabbit to stand upright. Dutch rabbits are generally comfortable in a 4' x 2' hutch. If kept outdoors, the hutch should have a dark enclosed area to provide your rabbit with a quiet space. The main living area should be large enough for your rabbit to stretch full out, and have wire mesh on the door. The hutch should be at least 6" off the floor to provide adequate ventilation. In the winter you can move your rabbits indoors or into a shed. They are also quite happy remaining out of doors, providing extra protection such as an old blanket draped over the front of the hutch at night in very cold weather. Remember rabbits need good ventilation, you can not therefore leave the cover down permanently otherwise your rabbit will succumb to chest infections from the damp, ammonia or overheating, and rabbits die from all of these. Bedding Hay, straw and wood chips all make suitable bedding for rabbits. It is down to personal choice which you use, however, research has shown that rabbits will choose straw rather than wood chip or wire bottomed cages. All bedding should be renewed at least once a week, and the hutch should be washed, scrubbed and disinfected several times per year. Rabbits can live out doors quite happily at minus 20c or below, all they need is plenty of bedding and a 4 inch layer of shavings Exercise Rabbits need regular stimulation and exercise in a safe environment. This can be in a purpose made rabbit run or simply by bringing your rabbit indoors and letting it play in your living room. Rabbits that are playing outside of their hutches, either in a run or indoors, should be supervised at all times and their play area must be 'rabbit proofed' by removing any hazards. Young rabbits will enjoy exercise, but be careful not to over do it, particularly if you are still in the 'getting to know each other' period. Rabbits are sociable creatures and enjoy the company of humans, dogs, cats and other rabbits if carefully introduced. It is generally suggested that each rabbit has its own hutch (particularly if you intend to show it) as rabbits are like children and prefer not to share 'bedrooms'. They can, however, socialise together in common space, such as rabbit runs, and will like being able to see and hear another rabbit when they are in their own hutches. 2 bucks must never be put together even in a run if they have not been castrated (they will fight). Rabbits need to be occupied and they love playing with toys. This can include manufactured toys for human babies, birds, cats, dogs, hamsters etc. But rabbits will equally get hours of enjoyment from some very cheap, readily available items in the household, blocks of wood, planks, plastic flower pots. Rabbits can get exercise by taking them out on a harness and lead, but the problem with this is that rabbits can pick up diseases and fleas left on the grass by other rabbits, if their vaccinations are up to date they should not get any of the diseases but they will still pick up fleas. Rabbits left to run around the home while the householder is out will chew wires, electric leads and furniture, these pets should be put in a pen or hutch while the householders are not at home. Health It is recommend that you get your rabbit covered by Pet Insurance as veterinary fees can mount up. Never leave a rabbit in the sole care of a child. As an adult you will have to assume sole responsibility for the health and welfare of your child's rabbit. To prevent territorial behaviour of both bucks (males) and does (females), it is suggested that pet rabbits are neutered, if they are not neutered then it should be one rabbit per cage. Never put intact cavies / guinea-pigs in with intact rabbits as they will both sexually abuse each other, cavies / guinea- pigs should be housed with others of the same species. Males can be neutered at around 3-4 months, and does at 6 months. Females over 2-3 years old that are not being regularly bred from are at high risk of developing uterine cancer unless neutered. Rabbits have little ability to regulate their body temperature and die very easily from heat stroke. Ensure adequate shade is provided at all times. Handle your rabbit daily, and it will generally enjoy your company. Never pick a rabbit up by its ears, and always support your rabbits back and hind quarters when handling. Rabbits can easily experience spinal injuries. Rabbits nails need clipping every 6-8 weeks and teeth should be checked weekly to ensure they are correctly aligned. Rabbits moult 2-4 times a year, only one of these will be heavy (usually late Spring/early Summer). Seek veterinary advice if your rabbit develops discharges from the eye, nose or mouth, has scabs inside its ears, is passing diarrhoea or mucous, or stops eating and/or drinking. Any ill rabbit must always be given drinking water in a bowl. Water bottles are a clean, hygienic way of providing water if you rabbit is fit and well, but ill rabbits often become listless and will be unlikely to be bothered to lift their heads up to the spout of a bottle and will dehydrate and die very quickly. If at all worried about your rabbit seek Veterinary Advice as sick or injured rabbits die very quickly Healthy rabbits kept in clean conditions should not need bathing, if you think your rabbit needs a bath, first sort out why you think so and what you have done wrong in the first place. Rabbit teeth, some rabbits have an over bight or an under bight which means that the teeth don't wear down properly, you have a choice here 1] Get your vet to pull the two front teeth out, 2] Get your vet to cut or file the two front teeth down, 3] You cut or file the teeth down. I prefer to do this job myself and cut the rabbits teeth, but I have never had to cut the teeth of any of the rabbits that I have bred. The name for this problem is malocclusion! Rabbits do far far better on a poor quality hay as they will chew this then excrete a pellet which they will eat so as to get more value out of the poor quality hay. This will also give them a more natural exercises to do and keep them occupied for longer. Breeding Avoid breeding rabbits that have genetic defects and anything that is not found in the wild population such as long fur, extra short fur, drop down ears or satin fur can be classed as a genetic defect. Long hared rabbits such as Angora's, Cashmeres and Lionheads need a lot more grooming than short hair or normal coated rabbits do Gestation 30 to 32 days, litter size 3 to 8, eyes open 10 to 12 days, weaning are 6 to 8 weeks When the litter arrives don't expect every kit in the litter to be the same size, like multiple human births each kit will be different size and weight. Male Rabbit-BUCK (Sire) Female Rabbit-Doe (Dam) Young rabbit- Kit (offspring) All rabbits should have their first litter before they reach 12 months old, if this is left until latter complications can set in and 95% of all older female pet rabbits die having their first litter. Males can father a litter anytime from 6 months old up to 12 years old. When breeding each doe should have her own cage to have her litter in, that way she will feel safe and in wild rabbits the pregnant doe leaves all the other rabbits and makes a stop (small burrow) where only she knows the litter can be found and it is not until the kits are ready to leave the stop that they return to the larger warren and all the other rabbits. Pregnant rabbits can be handled until she starts pulling out her belly fur, at this point she should not be handled as the stress of the forthcoming litter and being handled may cause her to abort the litter. If you intend breeding rabbits try to get hold of some pedigree stock, there are millions of cross bred rabbits about and a lot just end up being slaughtered, but with pedigree stock is always some one out there who will buy them. The doe must be put in with the buck who has to be housed separately and the matting only take a couple of seconds, then for the next three weeks she can be treated just as if she had not be mated only with a slight increase of food, by the 21 st day you should be starting to prepare for the birth by putting lots of hay or straw in the bedding area so that the doe can start to build her nest. After the birth she will feed her kits at dawn and dusk, to feed them she will stand over the kits and the kits will come up to feed from the doe. Sexing rabbits try the following sites .... www.debmark.com/rabbits/sexing. ... www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/sexing.shtml ... www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=18&cat=1803&articleid=2694 ... My experience I have bred, exhibited and bred exhibition rabbits since the early 70's, all of my rabbits are healthy and well cared for, they live up to 12 years. Showing The Hobby of Breeding & Exhibiting Rabbits is called 'The Fancy'. Almost every weekend, all over the country, rabbit shows are taking place. Many are Local Rabbit Clubs holding their single-day shows in places such as Village Halls and Scout Huts. Others are two-day Championship Shows held in Sports Centres and School Halls. Contact me if you need any more help. The following group is not just about ferrets, we have members who own all sorts of pets. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/intact-ferrets/ http://www.geocities.com/houseferrets13uk/Tonys_Pe... . http://www.geocities.com/houseferrets13uk/Some_of_...