# Rabbits Indoors?



## Jess2308 (May 12, 2009)

Hiya,

I have just bought a bunny wabbit and it is living in my spare bedroom in a large indoor rabbit hutch. In the future she will have supervised outside time in the garden in a pen but for the moment i just want her to get settled with me so have only let her hop around the bathroom and kitchen when i've been in there.

Anyway, a neighbour has a couple of bunnies in outdoor hutches. These have NO time outside of the hutches, other than about 5 mins hopping around when she is cleaning out the cages.

Was talking to her last night and she said it is "cruel" to keep rabbits indoors as they need fresh air and its not a suitable environment :confused1: I know a lot of people do keep their bunnies indoors so i find that hard to believe.

I do have an outdoor hutch if that is more suitable for bunny, but its not as big as the indoor one, and i kinda wanted her to be a house pet so she will get more time and attention, but now I feel bad :lol:

I know a lot of people on here breed/show/own bunnies, so what are your opinions on this?


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## Clare7435 (Dec 17, 2009)

Give yourself a chance,,,you've only just got her so she's still settling in....she's got a bigger huch indoors than the outside one by the sounds of it and is getting more out time than your neighbours bunny so she's not really in a position to talk is she....you said she'll get outdor time once settled in so that's fair enough.
Dolly....pic above....is an anywhere she wants bunny lol....she hasn't got a hutch indoors she just tends to sleep in the dog bed but she likes it outside now where she'll sleep in a specially adapted cage because of her size....but for the first 6 months of her life she didn't go outside at all....one...because she cost a lot lol....2 because she didn't want to ....and she's still here, she decides where she wants to sleep and that's fine by me....just go with your instinct you know what's best xx


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## Tink82 (Mar 22, 2009)

Quie a few of us here have house rabbits.. my two are very happy  they get all the space they want, attention whenever we are in, company, little nibbles and treats if they follow us to the fridge , we can sit stroking them while we watch tv... I have managed to whistle train Chester (Rosie is a bit to simple to grasp it bless her)

When they go to the vets, they always say how well looked after and healthy they are, brilliant coats..

you neighbour is the cruel one here.. how many rabbits does she have in that hutch and how big is it roughly??


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## Jess2308 (May 12, 2009)

She has two in the hutch, they are quite big, they look like the "normal" pets at home ones to me but i dont know anything about breeds, but they are a lot bigger than the mum and dad of mine were when i saw them (they are lionheads). The hutch she has looks the same size as mine which is about 3ft x 1ft ish. Its very small which is why I decided to buy a large indoor cage for mine rather than use that outdoor one. The one I bought is about 6ft x 3ft which i thought was a better size.

I like having mine indoors as when i go home i just go and fetch her and let her hop around in the room im in, and she gets more time with me than perhaps she would outside. Also, theres a lot of cats and foxes around and i'd worry about her getting eaten!! She didnt cost me much, but she's such a sweetie, i'd hate to think of that happening to her!!


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2010)

:scared::scared: 3ft is FAR too small for just one let alone two rabbits, maybe you should point her towards the RWAF and RSPCA guidelines of 6ftx2ft with a 6ftx4ft run permanently attached.


All 6 of mine are house rabbits and I am always getting compliments about how good their coats and their general health, although mine get to go out in the garden during the day I know many house rabbits that have never been in a garden and they have all grown up happy and healthy buns. It all depends on the rabbit, some suit a nice cosy life inside and some prefer the outside life :thumbup:

The only cruel one here is her for keeping 2 rabbits in a 3ft hutch, I mean I wouldn't even put guinea pigs in summit that small


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## BattleKat (Oct 26, 2009)

It's all about what suits the owner and the rabbits. As long as the housing is large enough and the rabbits are well looked after then I don't see a problem. 
For your neighbour who keeps her bun in a tiny hutch with no exercise to call you cruel for keeping yours indoors is laughable - she clearly doesn't understand the needs of rabbits.

I prefer to keep mine outdoors because I think it's a nicer environment for them - mine prefer to sit out in their run than go inside their shed so they clearly prefer the elements. But they have each other to cuddle up to and a much larger space than I could ever give them indoors so those are very important factors.


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## Waterlily (Apr 18, 2010)

Jess2308 said:


> Hiya,
> 
> I have just bought a bunny wabbit and it is living in my spare bedroom in a large indoor rabbit hutch. In the future she will have supervised outside time in the garden in a pen but for the moment i just want her to get settled with me so have only let her hop around the bathroom and kitchen when i've been in there.
> 
> ...


she is ignorant  mine are indoors and extremely happy if they werent they wouldnt be doing binkys and lop flopping :thumbup: They have a spare bedroom with a hutch left open and there toys tunnels etc and are part of the family more then they would be stuck in a hutch all day outside. Wtf is the point in having a pet if ya shove it outside and ignore it except when cleaning  Just go with ya gut and do what you want screw the old bag


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

house rabbits make lovely pets
the environment is actually better for them because it can be controlled, domestic rabbits are not as hardy as wild rabbits. 

you will have a great friendly bunny and hers will remain secondary pets in the garden that will no doubt be forgotten about during wet cold nights.


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## SEVEN_PETS (Aug 11, 2009)

I have outdoor rabbits and they are housed in a 6ft x 2ft x 2ft hutch during the night, and go out in their 5ft x 5ft run during the day. In the summer, they are in their run for about 10-12 hours, and obviously in the winter, they need to be in the hutch when night falls cos of foxes, so are only out for about 8 hours. But I think my outdoor rabbits have a great life. Their coats are in incredible condition and they are very healthy (apart from Molly's sore hocks but she's doing well at the moment). 

I personally wouldn't have indoor rabbits, firstly cos I don't have enough space in the house and secondly, I like my rabbits to be outdoors in the open air, but it's all personal opinion. I would call someone cruel for having an indoor rabbit. How you keeping your pets is all personal choice, as long as the animals don't suffer from those choices.


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## Clare7435 (Dec 17, 2009)

I really don't see how pet shops can be allowed to sell some of these Rabbit hutches, they're so tiny and clearly advertised as rabbit housing....how can they sell them and not feel bad knowing a rabbit is going to spend it's days in there....there should be laws on how small rabbit hutches can go.Your neighbor should be looking at the size of her hutch and rethinking the direction in which her so called advice is going by the sounds of it...
xx


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## BattleKat (Oct 26, 2009)

Clare7435 said:


> I really don't see how pet shops can be allowed to sell some of these Rabbit hutches, they're so tiny and clearly advertised as rabbit housing....how can they sell them and not feel bad knowing a rabbit is going to spend it's days in there....there should be laws on how small rabbit hutches can go.Your neighbor should be looking at the size of her hutch and rethinking the direction in which her so called advice is going by the sounds of it...
> xx


I'm with you. I don't know how they do it with a clear conscience. 
I recently sold my willow palace hutch from pets at home and the woman didn't want to buy the run I made to attach to it, saying that they didn't need that much space and she didn't want to be spending too much on these rabbits. I ended up giving her a half hour talk about rabbits needs and giving her the run for free because I felt responsible for the fact the buns would have a home half the size they need otherwise.


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

I don't believe a petshop has sold a 3' hutch for a rabbit, let alone two. I say this because last year when I went with my daughter and son-in-law to buy a rabbit:-

1. They chose a nice 3' hutch, but the petshop (Paws for Thought) refused to sell it for a rabbit explaining that they are for guinea pigs definitely not big enough for a rabbit.

2. The Petshop then wouldn't sell the rabbit as we had no hutch even though we said we were going to get one that same day. They did reserve Barney for 1 hour to give us time to get a suitable rabbit hutch. 

I am now caring for Barney as unfortunately the novelty wore off.

As for outdoor or indoor rabbits imo that is down to personal preferences and circumstances. I have three indoor cats and one dog not a great combination given the fact they have not been socialised with rabbits and Barney is just over a year old. Plus the fact I don't want rabbit droppings all over the carpet either, Barney is not litter trained.

He is happy outside and that suits us.


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## CheekoAndCo (Jun 17, 2009)

sskmick said:


> I don't believe a petshop has sold a 3' hutch for a rabbit, let alone two. I say this because last year when I went with my daughter and son-in-law to buy a rabbit:-
> 
> 1. They chose a nice 3' hutch, but the petshop (Paws for Thought) refused to sell it for a rabbit explaining that they are for guinea pigs definitely not big enough for a rabbit.
> 
> ...


Some petshops will sell you anything really.

Miffy lives indoors and I wouldn't have him outside. I don't see the point in having an animal and keeping it outdoors but that's just me. Miffy doesn't even like going outside for a run. He just sits like 'omg get me back in!' :lol:


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## BattleKat (Oct 26, 2009)

sskmick said:


> I don't believe a petshop has sold a 3' hutch for a rabbit, let alone two.


you've had an experience with a good pet shop, Most pet shops will sell you anything just to get the money - there are 3ft hutches outside a pet shop in my town with pictures of rabbits on the outside so their supposed purpose is quite clear. 
I think it's sad that more pet shops aren't like the one you went to. A lot of people who don't meet their pets needs aren't actually aware of the fact. 
The stuff can be sold in pet shops as fit for purpose so they just assume it is.

also, I don't mean to stick my nose in but if you're keeping Barney outside have you considered getting him some company? he'd be a much happier bunny


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## AmyCruick (Jul 20, 2009)

Both my rabbits live indoors and are extremely healthy and very happy. I used to think bunnies should be outdoor animals and so when I first moved into my house which has a tiny garden I left the rabbits with my mum until I realised they could come indoors, they took to being indoors immediately and don't seem any different to when they were outdoors except I think I know them better as I spend more time with them.

I do let mine out in the garden when I can keep an eye on them but they are free range in the conservatory 24/7 so always have plenty of space- more than most outdoor bunnies get


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

BattleKat said:


> you've had an experience with a good pet shop, Most pet shops will sell you anything just to get the money - there are 3ft hutches outside a pet shop in my town with pictures of rabbits on the outside so their supposed purpose is quite clear.
> I think it's sad that more pet shops aren't like the one you went to. A lot of people who don't meet their pets needs aren't actually aware of the fact.
> The stuff can be sold in pet shops as fit for purpose so they just assume it is.
> 
> also, I don't mean to stick my nose in but if you're keeping Barney outside have you considered getting him some company? he'd be a much happier bunny


Reading other posts the Petshop we visited must be in a minority. Fortunately I was already aware a rabbit needed a large hutch, so I wouldn't have allowed them to buy a 3' hutch in any event.

I have had fleeting thoughts of another rabbit but no, he seems very happy. His hutch is very close to the cat pen and when he is out on the lawn he chooses to greet the cats. Duke our dog also offers company for him as we do. Looking at rabbits in rescue quite a few didn't get on with the other rabbit(s). Some state must be the only rabbit.

I would also have to consider neutering him, then the bonding process is long winded and not always successful. The pair cannot be separated even when taking one to the vets. Even after a successful bonding, problems can and do occur judging by threads on this and other forums, so he could end up being a very unhappy bunny and what would I do with the unwanted friend.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

sskmick said:


> Reading other posts the Petshop we visited must be in a minority. Fortunately I was already aware a rabbit needed a large hutch, so I wouldn't have allowed them to buy a 3' hutch in any event.
> 
> I have had fleeting thoughts of another rabbit but no, he seems very happy. His hutch is very close to the cat pen and when he is out on the lawn he chooses to greet the cats. Duke our dog also offers company for him as we do. Looking at rabbits in rescue quite a few didn't get on with the other rabbit(s). Some state must be the only rabbit.
> 
> I would also have to consider neutering him, then the bonding process is long winded and not always successful. The pair cannot be separated even when taking one to the vets. Even after a successful bonding, problems can and do occur judging by threads on this and other forums, so he could end up being a very unhappy bunny and what would I do with the unwanted friend.


Many good rescues will offer a dating service to find the perfect match and do the bonding for you. Two rabbits are much happier than one. If you think about it by saying he's happy with the cats and dog that may well be but to him its like living with a bunch of foreigners who don't speak your language. Barney can't communicate with them in the same way he can with another rabbit so can't make full use of his natural behaviour, the dog and cats don't know what a foot stomp means or what a head shake is but another rabbit would.


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

Kammie said:


> Many good rescues will offer a dating service to find the perfect match and do the bonding for you. Two rabbits are much happier than one. If you think about it by saying he's happy with the cats and dog that may well be but to him its like living with a bunch of foreigners who don't speak your language. Barney can't communicate with them in the same way he can with another rabbit so can't make full use of his natural behaviour, the dog and cats don't know what a foot stomp means or what a head shake is but another rabbit would.


The same can be said for any pet. When we smile at a puppy, we are showing our teeth, totally the opposite meaning for a dog when he/she shows their teeth.

Barney was not being care for properly so I took over his care, he is clean, fed, watered, exercised, has a large hutch and run. Hands up I know very little about rabbits but I am learning as I go.

When my cats, dog and rabbit wag their tails it means very different things.

A young woman I work with took her rabbit to a rescue to find a friend and as you say did the bonding for her, the rabbits were fine for a shortwhile then it became necessary for her to separate them.

This is going completely off topic and unfair to the original poster. Can I suggest a thread titled one rabbit or two. I will be happy to voice my opinion, where Barney is concerned. Please remember I didn't choose a rabbit as a pet, it became necessary for me to take over his care.


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