Living somewhere without pets just doesn’t feel like home. That is the reason why many people have found a way to keep their pets satisfied no matter where they live. Not only do they look cute, but the serotonin secretion they cause will surely make your life better.
Rabbits are just an example of an animal with a cuteness overload. Their fluffiness and playful activities will surely bring joy to your home. However, like any other animal, they need appropriate living conditions.
To help you determine whether you will keep your bunny indoors or outside, we made this article. While they can do great in both conditions, there are situations where one option is better than the other. Keep reading and find out what is the best way to keep your fluffy friend.
Keeping them inside
If you want to achieve more closure with your bunny, keeping them inside is the way to do it. You will have more contact with them, where the playful activities will turn into trust and closure. In addition, bonding with their owners is in the rabbit’s nature.
Besides the closure, you are keeping them safe from the weather conditions, and all the predators they might come in contact with. By observation of your pet, you can easily notice changes in their behavior which can lead to quicker diagnosis and treatment of their condition.
Preparing your home
If you want to get a bunny and keep it inside, you will have to do some home preparations upfront. For example, every household is filled with distractions and noises that can scare the bunny. Since they are usually light-hearted, they will surely need a place where they can hide.
In addition, just like most domestic pets, they tend to mess around with the wires. While they can cause serious damage to your electronics, they might electrocute themselves which can lead to a tragedy. For that reason, you should consider routing all the cables and keeping them out of reach for your rabbit.
Where should they live
Finding the right hutch is the next step when planning on getting a bunny
You need to ensure proper sizing, depending on how big the rabbit is. In any case, you should be sure that the hutch has space for at least 3 hops inside.
Besides sleeping, you will need to provide an open area where the rabbit can have all the activities needed. For that reason, many people consider letting the bunny roam through the rooms and only getting an indoor hutch for the sleeping time.
Since they usually get lonely if they are by themselves, it is always better to get them a friend. That way, they will be constantly entertained, and will surely be happier.
When it comes to the accommodation of two rabbits, you will surely need a larger hutch. Looking at Aivituvin, you can see that a two-bunny hutch is around $200, so it’s not too expensive.
How to offer sufficient exercise
As active animals, you don’t need to do too much to make your bunny exercise. All you need to do is provide enough space for their roaming activities. However, you can always get toys and play with them. Just make them run enough to waste their energy, and prevent them from doing shenanigans.
Things to be careful about
When keeping an animal indoors, there is always a risk you should be aware of. Usually, when left alone the bunnies can get destructive towards your furniture or wires which can either cause unwanted expenses or have their life at risk. For that reason, you should find your way in preventing these situations.
In addition, if you already have a pet, you should be careful when introducing them. Especially if you are keeping a canine that has hunting features, they might feel like the rabbit is their prey and kill it. The same goes with cats, although they might get along nicely.
Keeping them outside
Although they seem fragile, rabbits are great at withstanding outdoor conditions. That is how they live in nature, and they will surely enjoy being outside. However, you will surely need to come up with a hutch that will protect them, as well as a companion to keep them busy.
In addition, if you are already a dog owner, for example, you will have no worries about keeping the bunny inside. Even though it is great keeping your bunny outside, there are a couple of things you should consider.
Do they need a company
Just like indoors, bringing a company to your bunny outside is surely important. While they will be busy throughout the day, they need the company to keep themselves warm. For that reason, purchasing the bunnies in pairs is the thing you should consider.
What should they live in
While you can let your rabbit roam inside your home without the need to purchase specific shelters, that is not advisable when keeping them outside. Besides warmth, you should protect your rabbits from other animals. For that reason, purchasing a nice protective hutch is mandatory.
When it comes to sizing, you should get a larger shelter than the one indoors. You should provide your bunny with enough space for running to satisfy its exercise needs. This means that you should get a cage that has at least two meters per side.
In addition, you should look for a hutch that has elements for various activities. For example, it has to have a platform, greenery, and tunnels where the bunny can play around and hide if needed. This stimulates them to become more active, which further contributes to their happiness.
Preventing unwanted situations
If you consider keeping them outside, there are a couple of unwanted situations you want to be prepared for.
Firstly, they are animals that are seen as prey. For that reason, it is not rare for them to be under attack from canines and foxes. That is why purchasing a sturdy and durable cage is important for their well-being. Be sure that there is no way for the predator to get inside their shelter and you should be okay.
Secondly, depending on where you live, the winters can be too cold. For that reason, you should be sure that the hutch is properly isolated, and that you have lamps with thermometers to automatically activate them when the temperatures drop.
Conclusion
You can see that the rabbit can withstand both living conditions without major problems. In addition, it is easy to understand that most of the problems are fixed by getting an appropriate hutch.
Depending on your situation, you should decide whether you have enough space at home, or you are more comfortable with having the rabbit in your yard. No matter the decision, keeping your bunny safe and happy should not be a hard challenge.
