Do heat lamps cause fires if placed in a rabbit hutch?

Question

I live in Utah and it gets really cold in the winter. I have had some friends that didn't have a heat lamp in their cage and their rabbits froze to death. Well I have a heat lamp and I want to put it in my cage but i don't want to cause fires. Is it safe to put it in my rabbit cage?

Answer 1

if you are going to use a heat lamp i would get a mesh lid and put it on top of the lid. the heat may dry out your bunnies skin and ears so make sure the bunny has something to hide under so the heat lamp isn't directly shining on him. if its that cold why is the bunny not being taken inside.

Answer 2

I second the opinion that rabbits should not be kept outside. I did this for several years because my rabbits enjoyed the sunlight and being outside, but their lives were dramatically short compared to my house rabbits for the most part (my outside rabbits lived from about 4 to 6 years whereas my house rabbits have lived much longer). I still feel horrible that I did not keep them inside. They did *not* die from the elements because I always kept them warm in winter and cool in summer with water bottles, ice, and other things, but they still shouldn't be kept outside. It is easy for other animals to frighten them or attack them.



Rabbit are much better at tolerating cold than heat, but you should still bring your rabbits inside regardless. This will help ensure their longevity. I have made my current rabbit (an old bunny!) a pen in my basement where it is temperate and she really likes it.

Answer 3

Rabbits should never be housed outside because of bugs, predators and weather.