Ideas for Keeping Outdoor Rabbits Warm in a Hutch

Rabbits can stretch or curl up depending upon the temperature, but they might need help keeping warm during cool days and especially nights. The Michigan Humane Society indicates that air temperatures above 70 degrees F. or below 60 degrees F. can cause ill effects to the health of rabbits. Humidity levels less than 55 percent prove potentially harmful as well. Baby rabbits require higher temperatures than adults. Avoid electric heating devices that can cause fires, especially when left unattended.

  1. Solar Heat

    • Keep rabbits warm on clear days at no cost by placing the outdoor hutch in a location where the sun will shine on it. Avoid exposing the rabbits to excessive heat; move the hutch away or shade it during hot weather. Attach a thermometer to the hutch to determine the best level of sun exposure. Direct sunlight can rapidly warm a small structure like a rabbit hutch, even when cold outdoor temperatures prevail.

    Lighting

    • Light bulbs warm the air and cost relatively little. Incandescent bulbs generate more heat than equivalent-sized fluorescents, but they use more electricity. Experiment with different wattages to determine which bulb creates the optimal amount of heat. The Food and Agriculture Organization warns against lighting the rabbit hutch at all times; this may cause health problems like diarrhea. Keep the lights, electrical outlets and cords away from rabbits, flammable objects and moisture.

    Design

    • The design and construction of the outdoor hutch also proves important when keeping rabbits warm. Farm Sanctuary Inc. recommends providing your rabbits with plentiful bedding and eliminating drafts in the hutch to help them stay warm. A solid floor made of wood will also retain more warmth inside the hutch. Windows and screened openings allow more heat from sunlight to enter the structure, but they also promote heat loss during cold weather.

    Insulation

    • Like all warm-blooded animals, rabbits generate some heat of their own. By hindering the escape of such heat, insulating some parts of the outdoor hutch will significantly help keep rabbits warm. Since heat rises, it proves more beneficial to insulate the roof than the floor. Use foil-backed foam panels, which are easier to install on a hutch than rolls of fiberglass insulation. When insulating and sealing drafts, it's important to maintain some ventilation to prevent the rabbits from running out of air to breathe.