Using fleece outside?

[Jurassic Wolf]

I'm going to be adopting a rabbit soon, and am curious if anyone has used fleece as bedding outside in the winter? His hutch is an 8x4, so it would not be very effective to cover that in bedding. Would fleece keep him warm enough?

 

[Mvan42]

My experience with rabbits hey or straw would be fine. They like the colder weather better than the hotter.

 

[PirateGirl]

When I kept a rabbit outdoors, it had a smaller box within the hutch, maybe 2ftx1ft with a small door into it. I stuffed that entire box with bedding (usually straw or hay) floor to ceiling and he would tunnel in there and make a little nest when it was cold.

 

[PirateGirl]

FWIW I also lived in NJ at the time

 

[Mvan42]

FWIW I also lived in NJ at the time

I am in Maryland we get winters in the negatives sometimes close to 20+ below the rabbits were just fine.

 

[AlleysChicks]

I live in ohio. I stuff hay in the cage and wrap the cage in clear plastic.

 

[Jurassic Wolf]

ok thanks guys! Would fleece work in the summer/spring when its warmer? Also I heard that straw sometimes has mites is that true? Because i can get a bale of straw for like $12 at TSC

 

[AlleysChicks]

ok thanks guys! Would fleece work in the summer/spring when its warmer? Also I heard that straw sometimes has mites is that true? Because i can get a bale of straw for like $12 at TSC

No fleece at all. Save your money. Yes straw can have mites. That's part of why I use hay, it also gives them something to chew on.

 

[Jurassic Wolf]

Wouldn't it save money if I could reuse fleece for a most of the year? Also do you have any experience with the hay at TSC? If I use it for bedding can i also use it as food or is it not high enough quality? thanks

 

[AlleysChicks]

Wouldn't it save money if I could reuse fleece for a most of the year? Also do you have any experience with the hay at TSC? If I use it for bedding can i also use it as food or is it not high enough quality? thanks

I would be concerned that they will pee on it and in cold temps could freeze. I had fleece for my Guinea pigs indoors and cleaning it was awful. I would spray it out with the hose then wash it. Hair everywhere and it smelled like Guinea pigs even when clean.

I use Timothy bag hay often from tsc and Walmart. You may be able to find bales cheaper if you can dry store them. I currently dont have extra space for a couple bales but have used them in the past.