It’s not often you come across a product that just works really well, reliably and simply. When they crop up, they grab your attention.
The Snugglesafe heatpad grabbed my attention.
The short version? This is a pad you can heat up in the microwave in a few minutes, that will keep your bunnies warm in their hutch for hours. It’s safe, easy and there’s no wires or charging required. We like it so much that we bought a second.
You can get it from Pets at Home, or if you prefer, Amazon UK or Amazon US.
Keep reading to see why we like it so much.
What is the Snugglesafe heatpad?
The heatpad is a solid feeling, plastic, pink disc. To warm it up, you stick it in your microwave. How long depends upon your microwave’s power. In ours, it takes about five minutes.
Here are the dimensions:
| Diameter | About 9 inches (23cm) |
| Thickness | About 1 inch (2.5cm) |
| Weight | About 2lb 2oz (just under 1kg) |
The pad has a fleece cover (you can microwave it in the cover if you want).
You then simply place the pad in the rabbit hutch. It will give off heat for hours (up to ten hours, depending upon conditions).
How does it work?
The hard plastic contains a different polymer inside called Thermapol (registered trademark). Thermapol is a solid plastic at temperatures of up to 65 deg C (149 deg F).
In the microwave, the Thermapol warms up. The outer case (made of a different plastic) remains cooler, and stops the heat from conducting quickly away.
The heat is transferred from the Thermapol to the outer case, and from there to the environment.
In other words, the heat moves from the Thermapol to your bunny’s hutch, but really slowly, over a period of many hours.
How robust is it?
The Snugglesafe feels robust and solid. I have no worries about whether or not our bunnies might decide to try to chew it.
Many people report using these for years.
How easy to use is it?
If you can use a microwave, you can use the Snugglesafe. That’s literally all you have to do.
The timings for different microwaves (eg 700w, 800w, 900w etc) are printed on the Snugglesafe, so you don’t have to remember how long it goes in your microwave for, or try to find the instructions you filed away in a drawer somewhere.
Can you use it without a microwave?
No. Trying to heat the pad up in other ways won’t work properly. You need a microwave.
How easy to clean is it?
It’s easy to clean.
The cover slips off easily (it is held on by velcro) and is machine washable.
The disc is easy to clean as it is solid plastic.
We do find that bits of straw sticks to the cover, but this doesn’t seem to bother our bunnies, so we don’t worry about this.
How safe is the Snugglesafe heatpad?
Used properly, the Snugglesafe should be safe.
The following are ways in which it could be misused:
- Don’t heat it for longer than it says in the microwave. If you overheat it too much (say for three or four times as long as you should do) the Thermapol will become so hot that it turns to liquid. It may then distort the heatpad, or even leak out.
- If you accidentally do this, don’t touch the heatpad until it has entirely cooled down. The Thermapol will turn solid again once it is cool.
- Snugglesafe warn to leave it in the microwave for a minute before handling it after heating. If you take it straight away, it is slightly uncomfortably hot to hold. Other people report the temperature of the surface being around 45-50 deg C (113-122 deg F) after warming.
- Don’t reheat the pad while it is still warm. You may accidentally overheat it, leading to it distorting as above.
- Don’t try to heat more than one pad at a time. You may just end up overheating one of the pads.
- You also shouldn’t use this with an anaesthetised pet – as with any heat source, if an animal is lying against it and doesn’t move, this could cause problems.
Could you use it in the summer to keep cool?
You may be wondering if you can stick one of these in the freezer and then use it to cool down a hutch in summer. Short answer, no.
These are not designed to be frozen.
If you want something to keep your rabbits cool in the summer, have a look at the Snugglesafe cool pad, available on Amazon UK and Amazon US.
Where can you buy the Snugglesafe heatpad?
You can buy the Snugglesafe heatpad from:
What alternatives are there?
You can get electric heaters that work on a low voltage and come with chew-proof cables. A thin metal plate covered with a cloth provides steady heat.
They are designed to work with pets.
I have no personal experience with these, but one that is popular is the Petnap Flexiguard 33, which you can get from Amazon UK or a simlar device by K&H at Amazon US.
They are usually more expensive than the Snugglesafe heatpad.
Personally, I prefer just sticking a Snugglesafe heatpad in the microwave and not having to worry about cables and electricity.
Conclusion
If you have a rabbit, and worry that they might be too cold at night, invest in a Snugglesafe Heatpad. We did.
Highly recommended.
Other posts
If you’re thinking about a heatpad, check out our article on whether bunnies feel the cold at night.
We also look at whether rabbits can safely go out when it’s raining.
And, if you’re like us, you want to keep your rabbit(s) amused and interested. Here’s our selection of toys that our bunnies have enjoyed.
