# outside and fleece?



## mitsy (Jan 26, 2014)

I wantted to know about peoples opionions on rabbits living outside in the summer and warmer weather months? Also thoughts on using fleece in cages.


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## RabbitGirl101 (Jan 26, 2014)

I think a rabbit can live outside year long and be happy and perfectly healthy, granted I've only housed my rabbits in my house or outside in a temperature controlled barn(I spoil my rabbits). I think fleece could work but it would be additional work for you. I think using a type of wood pellet bedding would work better, I know most people prefer wire floorings and so do the rabbits in the summer as it allows a breeze for them. In the winter they prefer solid floors as the wire floor is colder for them. I also know that in my barn my rabbits much prefer the wire flooring.


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## Imbrium (Jan 26, 2014)

People usually use straw for bedding when it comes to outdoor rabbits - a layer of fleece doesn't really do much to insulate against the weather; the reason some folks use it with indoor rabbits is generally just to line the cage floor so it isn't slippery. I suppose it might work during mild or warm months if the rabbits didn't pee it up.

As for summer/warmer months, how warm are we talking? (Or what's your general geographic location?) Depending on where you live, keeping rabbits outside in the summer could be very easily doable, a really bad idea or anywhere in between .


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## mitsy (Jan 26, 2014)

Maybe I should have made my question clearer haha, I ment the fleece to be for an inside cage.


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## mitsy (Jan 26, 2014)

oh and I live in Canada so it gets in the summer between 15-30 degrees


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## Imbrium (Jan 26, 2014)

80F (about 27C) is the point at which rabbits potentially become susceptible to heatstroke... 30C is about 86F. The 80F rule of thumb presumes indoor rabbits accustomed to climate control with no precautions/extra cooling measures taken, though - a rabbit accustomed to outdoor life can easily handle summer temps of 15-30C (albeit with mild precautions at the high end of the range).

If a rabbit's been living indoors, they won't have grown the proper coat to live outside in winter or summer, so spring/fall are the times of year to transition a rabbit to outdoor life. A rabbit put outdoors in the spring will be acclimated to outdoor life by summer and will have grown an appropriately light coat.

Between 15-27C, an acclimated rabbit will be totally fine with no extra help (aside from obviously needing most of their area to be in the shade during the hottest part of the day). Between 27-29C, you may want to offer some additional cooling measures if the rabbit seems a bit warm; from 30-32C you *definitely* want to offer some cooling measures. Above 32C, it's best to bring the rabbit inside for the hottest hours of the day unless you have a great cooling set-up for them.

The easiest and best cooling measure is to fill a couple large plastic bottles (like 2L soda bottles) to a few inches below the top with water, then squeeze the excess air out, put the lid on and freeze them - each day (preferably when it starts getting warm, but in the morning would probably be ok if you had to go to work or something), give the rabbit a frozen water bottle to lay against if they get too warm.

A fan blowing across part (but not all) of their enclosure can also help a lot (obviously, it would have to be outside the enclosure so that the rabbit couldn't get to the fan or the cord). Misting their ears with cool water and putting ice in their water bottle or bowl are also very helpful tricks.


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## Blue eyes (Jan 26, 2014)

Fleece is commonly used in indoor rabbit cages - presuming your rabbit is litter trained. A litter trained rabbit can have any number of flooring options in their cage. I usually like to have at least 2 different options in their cage (plus their litter box). That way they have a choice. Right now I have a woven fabric rug in one part and cold tile elsewhere. 
Though I should also mention that I keep my rabbits cage door open all day long. So they have access to even more flooring, lol!

If a rabbit is not yet litter trained, then having fleece in the cage can confuse them. They seem to like the softness of the fleece for peeing. 

Personally, I don't like the idea of housing my rabbits outdoors during part of the year. (For me it would have to be in the winter, since I live in the desert. Our winters are more like your summers.) The reason is that, 1) I wouldn't get to interact with them as much like I do when they are inside with me, and 2) I'd be worrying about flystrike or other outdoor potential dangers. That's me and my preferences. 

Here's a visual of how my rabbits spend their time indoors:


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