Outdoor playtime for house rabbits

August 6, 8:04 PMDayton Small Pets ExaminerPhyllis O'Beollain

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                           Freakisly distorted rabbit?

While rabbits are wonderful indoor pets, they also enjoy being outside with you, taking in a bit of fresh air and sunshine and grazing on fresh greens. There are, however, many things to take into consideration when planning an outdoor play area for your house rabbit. They need protection from predators and parasites, the elements, and environmental toxins. Keep in mind, also, that rabbits’ main occupations are chewing and digging - your garden hose isn’t going to last long in that play area, and a rabbit can dig under a fenced area in no time.

An exercise pen in a rabbit-proofed area of your yard is ideal, but you will have to stay with your rabbit and supervise – get a big glass of iced tea and a book and get comfortable!

Predators - predators that can frighten and kill your rabbit include (not limited to) roaming neighborhood cats and dogs, raccoons, weasels, foxes, birds of prey, and snakes. You need to supervise from inside or next to the x-pen, as birds of prey are very fast and can swoop down suddenly. As rabbits are basically everyone’s lunch in the animal kingdom, your rabbit will appreciate a cardboard box with a door cut in it or some other shelter so that he does not feel so “exposed” in the x-pen.

Parasites – for flea prevention, Advantage, made by Bayer, is the only topical product that is tried and tested as being safe for rabbits. Do not use Frontline - it is highly toxic and can cause seizure activity and death in rabbits. If you are going to use Advantage, you are going to have to isolate the treated rabbits for 12 hours after application to make sure none of the other rabbits ingest Advantage via grooming each other.

Elements – Rabbits are very heat sensitive and can get heat stroke quickly – at nearing 90 degrees, bucks can temporarily go sterile (your buck should be neutered, so this is not an issue BUT it emphasizes their predisposition to heat stress. Anything over 85 degrees is difficult on a rabbit; you will need to make sure the exercise pen is at least partially shaded, and might provide a frozen water bottle for your bunny to lay against.

Environmental toxins – make sure that patch of lawn you set the x-pen upon has not been treated with any lawn chemicals or pesticides.

Rabbits love spending a little time outdoors with you; a little pre-planning can make this a pleasant and safe experience for both of you!

 PS – The side show bunny in the photo?  TIt's actually two baby bunnies, lying in opposite directions in a hole they’ve dug for themselves!

For more information:

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Another warm weather hazard for small pets

More warm weather hazards for small pets

Alert on topical flea products

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