How to Raise Rabbits in Winter? A Detailed Guide to Key Winter Feeding and Management Points

Rabbits are common domestic livestock and pets. Although they have thick fur, you still need to pay attention to keeping them warm in winter. So, how do you raise rabbits in winter?

1. Cold Protection and Warmth

As winter gradually approaches, fill in all the small cracks in the rabbit hutch with something, except for the ventilation holes that must be kept. Then hang straw curtains on the doors and windows. On sunny days, open the windows and doors more to let the air in the hutch circulate and ventilate. At night, if the temperature inside the hutch is relatively low, you can also use a stove inside to raise the temperature in the hutch. After that, the bedding straw in the rabbit cage should be replaced frequently with dry straw so the rabbits are very comfortable on it. The temperature is best kept between 6°C and 11°C.

2. Increase the Feeding Amount

In winter, green feed is very scarce, and rabbits also use up more energy, so in normal times you should feed more concentrated feed, and the energy in it should be relatively high, and the protein should also be relatively high; there are also some roughage items, such as carrots, green vegetable leaves, etc., and the so-called amount should be 1/3 more than in other seasons. If green feed is extremely scarce in the area where the rabbits are raised, you can feed some branches of elm, willow, and poplar trees. When feeding hay, it is best to first soak it soft in potassium permanganate water (0.06 percent) before feeding, and when giving water, it is best to use warm water at around 36°C.

3. Strengthen Exercise

For rabbits raised in cages, on every sunny day within 7 days, put the rabbits in an activity area and let them move freely. Each release should be about 120 minutes. For those rabbits raised in pits, if the light in the pit is poor, they should also be put in the sunlight on sunny days to move freely, at least 2 times within 7 days.

4. Sanitation Management

Although in winter some bacterial diseases occur relatively less, some viral diseases and parasites occur relatively more. In addition, some rabbits are prone to frostbite, constipation, colds, and similar illnesses. Therefore, the environment inside the rabbit hutch should be cleaned frequently, and some food bowls, cages, and other equipment should also be cleaned frequently. About every 4 days, the bedding straw should be replaced once.

If rabbits are not cared for well in winter, they are very likely to get sick, so everyone must take care of them with even more attention.