Well, it’s February in the midwest, so what better time to talk about raising rabbits in the winter time than now?
If this is your first winter owning a rabbit, and you are keeping him outside, you might be a bit concerned. Not to worry! Your rabbit wears a fur coat 24/7 and with a few additional precautions your rabbits should be just fine.
Draft Free Shelter
If you keep your rabbit in a covered hutch, make sure it is out of the wind and has a portion of the hutch that is enclosed on 3 sides. Add extra hay and straw for your rabbit to munch on and burrow down in to keep warm. If possible, place your hutch against the side of a barn or garage that doesn’t tend to get as much wind.
If you keep your rabbit in a wire cage you will need to place it in a barn or shelter that is free of drafts. Placing a tarp over the cage can also help protect them from the wind and snow. Again, you will need to provide extra hay and straw to help keep them warm.
Extra Hay, Straw, & Nutrition
Rabbits will require extra nutrition during the cold winter months. They expend more energy to keep their body temperatures up and keep their fur coats thick and healthy. You may want to consider giving them feed that is higher in protein along with the additional hay and straw.
Fresh Water In The Winter
Keeping fresh water available in the cold winter is equally important as it is in the summer, however a bit more of a challenge. Keeping at least 2 sets of water dishes or water bottles available to swap out the frozen ones is a good idea. Swapping out the bottles or dishes will require a lot less work for you when its below freezing then trying to that a block of ice! Heated water bottles and dishes are also available. Just be careful your rascally rabbit cannot get to the cord!
Raising rabbits in the winter has its challenges, but it’s worth it!
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