Summer Safety Tips for Rabbits

Summer Safety Tips for Rabbits

               Rabbits are sensitive to temperature extremes and summer temperatures can affect both indoor and outdoor pet rabbits.  Rabbits regulate their temperatures by breathing faster to dissipate heat, by losing heat through their ears and by stretching out to keep cool.  Read on for tips on helping your pet bunny beat the heat!

               Rabbits need an optimum temperature range between 50-70F.  As temperatures climb above 85F, rabbits can have significant trouble regulating their core body temperatures and can suffer heat stroke.              Wild rabbits stay cool by spending much of the day in underground burrows which are cooler and spending limited time outdoors in the early morning or evening when it is cooler.

               Keep rabbits indoors during warm weather when possible. If you have an outdoor rabbit hutch and cannot temporarily move your rabbit indoors, make sure it is well ventilated, shaded and that your rabbit has access to plenty of fresh, cold water. Use less bedding in the hutch during summer. Consider placing an ice pack or frozen water bottles in the cage for your bunny to lie against to help keep him cool.  Placing ceramic or marble tiles in the cage or enclosure for both indoor or outdoor rabbits can also provide a cool place for them to recline.

               Run an air conditioner to keep the temperature in the target range for your bunny if you can. If you don’t have an air conditioner, open windows and use fans to circulate the air but don’t set a fan to blow directly on your rabbit or move your rabbit to a cooler place in the house such as a basement.  Brush your bunny to remove excess hair and consider trimming fur on long-haired breeds.  You can also cool indoor and outdoor rabbits by misting them with water, especially behind the ears. Just use caution not to get water into the ears as this can cause infections and don’t soak the fur.

               If your rabbit is displaying signs of not eating, drooling, panting/breathing extremely rapidly and/or if he has bright red ears, seems shaky or slow or is unresponsive, he could be experiencing heat stroke.  If you think your rabbit is having a heat stroke, call your vet as you work to cool him down. Start cooling your rabbit by taking him indoors if he is outside, spraying water on his ears (don’t soak them but mist frequently), wrapping your bunny in a cool, damp towel (not soaking wet) and using an ice pack outside the towel to help cool him down. DO NOT try to bathe or soak your bunny in water and do not blow cold air from a fan directly on your rabbit.  Sudden temperature changes can cause him to go into shock. Transport your rabbit to the vet as soon as possible once initial cooling procedures have been started.

               Rabbits can be quite sensitive to hot temperatures so to keep your bunny happy and healthy this summer with these tips and be sure to seek veterinary care for your rabbit if you suspect heat stroke.

               This blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding communities.

               https://bunnylady.com/keep-cool-in-the-summer/