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Welfare Wednesday...snow forecast in October

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Tuckerbunnies
RWAF
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Post by RWAF Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:35 am

It's Welfare Wednesday - and this week we want your input please. Snow is forecast this month, so we hope everyone with outdoor bunnies is thinking about keeping them warm and dry, and still allowing them to exercise. Bedding areas should be kept clean and dry, and filled with straw (because it is warmer than hay). Dont forget to add a tarpaulin to your exercise run to offer shelter from the rain and snow, and this will allow the rabbits to have their regular exercise.

Snuggle safe pads are great for keeping rabbits warm overnight, and dont forget to keep a spare water bottle so that if one freezes you can replace it with another. Hutches can be brought into empty garden sheds, and the rabbits can have the run of the shed too.

Of course, the best way of keeping rabbits warm over the winter is to keep them in pairs so that they can snuggle together.

Have you got any tips you would like to share? We'll pick the best ones and add them to the website.
RWAF
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Junior Hopper
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http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk

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Post by Tuckerbunnies Wed Oct 19, 2011 2:06 pm

If you can move the outdoor hutch to a shed for the Winter that is even better.

We use to put a few newspapers down first and then extra bedding hay or straw and change it often as with snow and damp bedding becomes wet and cold.
The spare bunny bottle is a really good tip as you can just fill the spare and change them over. Don't forget to check your bunny bottles daily as it's not just the bottle part that freezes the drinking tube can freeze as well and stop water coming out altogether.
You can always use bubblewrap and some people use old socks round the water bottles to keep the frost out, but still check the drinking tube for being frozen.



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Post by RWAF Wed Oct 19, 2011 2:46 pm

Thanks, Tuckerbunnies. Practical ideas, just what we need Very Happy
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Junior Hopper
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Post by Vince the bunny Wed Oct 19, 2011 7:47 pm

if you can find a plant pot, cable tie it to the inside of the hutch and slot the waterbottle into the pot. I stopped my water bottles freezing last year when I did this. I also gave my trio a heavy ceramic bowl filled with warm water to warm them up a little, they seemed to appreciate this.
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Post by Josie Wed Oct 19, 2011 7:54 pm

My 2 have a lovely new dog sleeping mat and a new fleece blanket ready to go in, their hutch already has an insulated cover on it and i'll be putting tarpaulin back over the run (have to remove it during heavy winds).

They have a ceramic bowl for drinking but while its cold i'll also be adding a water bottle which i put a thermal glove over.

I always check bowl & bottle more regularly over the winter.

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Post by Tuckerbunnies Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:22 pm

Vince the bunny wrote:if you can find a plant pot, cable tie it to the inside of the hutch and slot the waterbottle into the pot. I stopped my water bottles freezing last year when I did this. I also gave my trio a heavy ceramic bowl filled with warm water to warm them up a little, they seemed to appreciate this.

Just remember warm water freezes faster.

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Post by RWAF Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:37 pm

Smashing. Thanks
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Junior Hopper
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Post by NickieM Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:45 pm

You can always put a cardboard box inside the bedding area of the hutch. If it has no bottom, you can change litter trays. Then you can fill the space between box and hutch with straw so you are providing insulation - and they can nibble the box!
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Post by Catsknickers Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:20 pm

My bunnies live in an outhouse and have a heater in the winter, it does the trick.
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