Rabbits are safer indoors. Predators such as cats, dogs, and raccoons are a threat to an outdoor rabbit, day and night, and regardless of whether you live in the city or the country. Rabbits can even be frightened to death without being touched by a predator, dying of a heart attack or shock. Hutches do not provide enough protection. I have rescued rabbits whose feet were chewed off by predators through the hutch wire.
Rabbits need socializing. They enjoy companionship from humans and sometimes other animals. Hutch rabbits often appear dull, uninterested or frightened. This is where the misconception of "rabbits just sit there" comes from. If you had nothing to do all day, wouldn't you? Indoor rabbits tend to become a part of the family. The human/animal bond is optimized when you get to see bunny dances and enjoy their companionship after a hard day. Outdoor rabbits are sometimes even afraid of humans because they are not familiar with them.
Because they are prey animals, rabbits hide illnesses. You must act quickly when they are sick. When indoors, you notice their eating and behavior changes more readily. If you only see your rabbit outdoors for a few minutes each day, you may not catch the subtle difference they exhibit when they are sick. Outdoor rabbits are also susceptible to diseases such as fly-strike and myxomatosis (spread by biting insects).
Indoor rabbits will probably live longer, up to twelve years. Outdoor rabbits generally live 2-3 years. Indoor rabbits are safer from poor weather conditions. When it is raining and cold, you may not go out to feed or check on your rabbit. He, too, is cold and lonely. Heat is intolerable to rabbits. Temperature extremes can take a toll on a rabbit.
There are so many reasons to bring your rabbit indoors: They are quiet animals; they are cleaner than cats as they fastidiously groom themselves; they can be litter trained... Rabbits are affectionate, loyal creatures with a high degree of intelligence. They play and enjoy socializing just as we do.
Every morning I am awakened by Maia licking my face. We have our meal-time rituals; she gets a tomato top whenever I slice one up for a salad. When I sit on the floor, she runs to my side for petting. At bedtime, she parks herself in the doorway to watch over me while I sleep. Outdoor rabbits are missing out on all the wonderful intimacy of living with humans indoors, and humans are missing out on a special kind of companionship.
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