7 Actionable Steps to Heat an Outdoor Rabbit Hutch (Explained)

Keeping a rabbit in an outdoor rabbit hutch is a popular practice. Rabbits can tolerate a reasonable temperature. If the core temperature of a rabbit falls below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, your bunny will be sick.

So, during the severe winter, you must ensure a warm and cozy environment in the outdoor rabbit hutch.

Here are the steps to heat an outdoor rabbit hutch.

1. Transfer the outdoor hutch to indoor
2. Insulate the hutch
3. Provide heating pad
4. Provide heat lamp
5. Cover the Hutch at the night
6. Provide bedding
7. Raise the Hutch

How to Heat an Outdoor Rabbit Hutch?

Here is a step-by-step guide to heat an outdoor rabbit hutch. Let’s get started.

Step 1: Transfer the outdoor hutch to indoor

If the temperature becomes too low like snow on the outside, you should transfer the outdoor hutch to the indoor house. You could place the hutch in the garage or at least under a shed.

Step 2: Insulate the hutch

If you are using an enclosed wooden rabbit hutch and it is too big to transfer into the garage, you should insulate the hutch well. To insulate the hutch, repair the damaged wood and make it windproof.

Step 3: Provide a heating pad

You could provide a heating pad inside the hutch. Heating pads are a good option to keep the rabbit warm. You must be careful while providing a plug-in heating pad. The cord and socket must be away from rabbits. You know they tend to bite the cord.

If you don’t have an electricity facility near the hutch, you could use a microwaveable heating pad. It will keep your rabbit warm for up to 10 hours.

I have written a detailed guide on the top rabbit heating pad. You could read the guide here.

Step 4: Provide heat lamp

A heat lamp is another good solution to keep the hutch warm in the winter. You could use the heat lamp which we use for the chicken coup.

I have written a detailed guide about the best heat lamp for the rabbit hutch. You could read it here.

Step 5: Cover the Hutch at the night

You could use a hutch cover to cover the hutch at night. It will make the hutch windproof and waterproof. Please consider the Oxygen supply while covering the hutch.

Step 6: Provide bedding

You could provide an old blanket or carpet in the hutch. But I don’t recommend using carpet. It would be better if you use wood shaving or recycled paper bedding. They are highly absorbent and will keep your rabbits dry for a longer period.

Step 7: Raise the Hutch

If your hutch is on the ground, you should raise the hutch to avoid dump. You could raise the hutch by adding some bricks or attaching an extra wooden leg.

Final Thoughts

This is a straightforward process to heat an outdoor rabbit hutch. You don’t need to invest a lot of money or energy. You need to be just careful with your bunny.

Please remember, bunnies are adorable and they never make noise. You have to understand their miseries in the severe winter. 

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to share.