Be aware of signs of heat stress
Fast, shallow breathing
Hot ears
Listlessness
Wetness around the
nose area
Stretching head back to
breathe
Breathing rapidly from
open mouth.
If you notice any of these
symptoms on your rabbits
then move them to a cool /
shaded area immediately
and cool them down slowly
by wiping cold water on
their ears and offering them
a cold drink. Never pour
water on your rabbit or
submerge your rabbit in
water.
Heat Wave: how to keep your bunnies cool
Although rabbits
originate from hot
climates, they would not
be out in the hot sun, but
in a nice cool burrow
underground. Because
we keep them above
ground we need to help
them keep cool, and
here is how you can do
it.
Seek vet attention immediately
Shade
Make sure your bunnies are in a shady area of the garden or house, ie under a tree, or away from a window. Then you can add items to the exercise area or enclosure to offer more shade such as a tarpaulin, a towel, or a parasol. Add some shady items too, like a cardboard box, or a tunnel. Long term, you might look at planting some shade for them, such as a fast growing climber.
Ventilation
Battery operated
fans can safely be
used and can
attach to an indoor
or outdoor
home. If you do
this make sure
your bunnies can
move away from
the fan if they want
to, and do not
have to sit in the
breeze if they
prefer not.
If they are outside
in a shed, make
sure you can open
the shed door and
let cool air
flow. You will
need to fit a
secondary wire
door to the shed.
Keep cool
In the wild rabbits live in underground warrens that are very cool in summer (and warm in winter) - if you can let your bunnies safely dig a hole to rest in and away from the heat this would be perfect. If not, then an earth base to their enclosure, or big earth filled litter tray, that can be kept damp to keep cool is second best. Also offer then something cool to lie next to - an empty pop bottle filled with water and then frozen is perfect and inexpensive. Marble or ceramic floor tiles can also be placed in their enclosure as a cool place to rest. A plant spray bottle filled with water to gently spray on their ears is another good way of helping them to keep cool.
A general note
We always advise that an exercise area is attached to the hutch / shed for best welfare for outdoor bunnies. If you have a separate exercise area it is even more vital that you make sure there is shade and cool items offered for your bunnies, as well as water.
Sun cream Many owners apply sun cream to the ears of white rabbits to prevent sun burn. We recommend that providing shade would be a better preventative. Rabbits are likely to groom off the sun cream and the risks of sunburn and skin cancer are less in white rab-bits than they are in white cats (we have never seen a case of either) . If you are going to use a sun cream anyway then use the highest protection child safe water resistant but not zinc oxide total sub block.
Make sure your bunnies have plenty of water to drink and if possible replace it during the day to make sure it is cool and not warm. Offer a bottle and a solid ceramic bowl - rabbits can get a bigger drink out of a bowl. Check the spout of the water bottle daily to make sure it is working properly. We do not advise giving them frozen treats or ice cubes because they can cause intestinal prob-lems.
Water
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