Tips and informationKeeping rabbits outside all year round

Rabbits can be kept outdoors all year round if they are housed appropriately and well cared for. Keeping rabbits outdoors all year round is animal-friendly, but it is demanding and costly. Under certain conditions, rabbits can cope with the local climatic conditions. However, under no circumstances should they be kept individually or in a conventional cage on the balcony.

Spring is the right time to accustom rabbits to being kept outside. It is advisable to acclimatize them gradually. To avoid digestive problems caused by an abrupt change of food, the animals should first be accustomed to fresh food (meadow grass) indoors - if this is not already part of their daily feeding repertoire. In the next step, the rabbits can be put outside for hours at a time, but initially only on the dry meadow - not directly after the rain in the wet grass. The animals can only be left outside overnight when there is no more frost on the ground (usually from mid-May).

If the rabbits are accustomed to being kept outside in spring, they can stay outside all year round from then on. Later acclimatization (e.g. in summer) is not ideal; it is too late for acclimatization from September onwards. In this case, the animals should remain indoors for six months longer. Young animals, mothers and sick animals are generally better kept indoors all year round.

At least two, preferably three to five rabbits should be kept together outside in a group. Neutered males get on best with a majority of females.

Rabbits are sensitive to heat, so the enclosure should be half sunny and half shady (near a tree). In summer, depending on the amount of sunlight, a parasol should provide additional shade. The run must be unfertilized and free of pesticides. Poisonous plants must be out of reach.

The more animals there are, the more space they need. It is best to keep a group of three to five animals in a large enclosure in the garden. This should be at least six square meters in size . The enclosure must have a firmly anchored, predator-proof fence. It must be both escape-proof and burglar-proof. Rabbits or intruders (martens, foxes, dogs, cats) must not be able to dig under the fencing. It is also important to ensure that predators cannot fly in from above. For this purpose, the ground must be secured 50-60 cm deep with wire mesh that is connected to the enclosure fence at the edge.

Rabbits tolerate cold and snow better than blazing sun and high temperatures. However, additional measures must be taken in winter: The sleeping areas should be insulated with newspaper and plenty of hay and always kept dry. Icy water in the feeders must be replaced regularly. From the fall onwards, the animals should be given plenty of energy-rich food to build up fat reserves and lots of vitamin C-rich greens. Even in very cold temperatures, rabbits should not be brought indoors at short notice. The sudden change in temperature means more stress for the animals than the cold outside. It is better to ensure that the animals have an insulated, protected environment in their sleeping house. If in doubt, the temperature can be checked with a thermometer. The temperature in the shelter should not fall below 0°C. On very cold nights, a heating pad placed underneath can help.

Especially in large cities, there are often no gardens available for keeping animals outside. Instead, owners want to keep their animals at least on the balcony. This is possible, but all the points mentioned above must be taken into account(shelter, structure, space available). A commercially available rabbit cage is by no means sufficient for keeping rabbits outdoors on the balcony! The balcony must also be adequately secured. The animals must not be able to fall down and there must be no way for other animals to get onto the balcony. Please note: A dwarf rabbit can easily jump 70 cm from a standing position.

A combination of indoor and outdoor housing is also possible: the animals only live outside during the warm season and indoors for the rest of the year. In this case, however, the habitat must not be temporary, either outside or inside.