I'm getting rabbits soon. I'm going to get a wooden 2 storey hutch and was going to get a metal run but since it heats up quicker I'm not sure if I should get one. I live in Australia so it gets pretty hot in Summer. On really hot days I plan to take them inside and on reasonably hot days if i don't take them inside I plan to keep them in the shade and put frozen waterbottles in their hutch.
Answers:
As long as you put them in the shade when it's too hot, they should be fine. Plenty of people use metal runs and it's a good idea of yours to put frozen water bottles in their hutch. You might even want to get a little fan to blow at them when it's really hot out, that way they are guaranteed a breeze. Also if they have relatively long hair you may want to get it trimmed so they don't have such a heavy coat. Good luck!
if it is not in direct sunlight it won't heat up enough to burn the rabbits. it should be fine if kept in the shade out of the sun
Keep in mind that rabbits are MUCH more sensitive to heat than cold and die of heat exhaustion %26 heat stroke very easily. If your talking about an open wire run, that would probably be alright, but if your talking about some more solid metal parts, I wouldn't do it. You can get "pressure treated" wood that will weather very well and shouldn't hurt the rabbits. I'd chance the termites before chancing the rabbit's health. You can always replace the run in a few years time. Also keep in mind that rabbits love to dig, so your run will probably need to extend into the ground several inches if you want an open bottom run or it will need a wire mesh bottom. Good luck with your new rabbits!!
Berri gave a very good answer concerning the rabbit run - I would like to add, that rabbits have VERY sensitive respritory systems. It is not advised to take them from the heat of outdoors to the cool of an air conditioned home, and then back out to the outside later. That's a good way for your bunny to come down with a nasty case of pneumonia. Keep the bunnies in the shade, with lots of ventilation.
The house rabbit society as a wonderful site that will answer questions you didn't even know you had about rabbits.
www.rabbit.org
Try laying roof felt underneath the wood. Put in a few drain holes where any water stands. Termites wont bother you. Or put the run off the ground. Either way will get you the results you want. Also cedar wood is pretty resiliant. It,s too expensive though. If you can find some used skids(pallets), they are termite resistant.
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