Minor changes in the external temperature do not affect the behavior rabbits, as they can regulate their body temperature. So you do not have to make more effort to keep rabbits cool in the summer. However, they cannot pant like dogs and cats. They have a thick layer of fur on the body, which makes them even hotter. In hot weather, it is difficult for bunnies to maintain their body temperature.
You can keep rabbits cool in the summer by keeping them indoors, providing fresh water, and using chilled water bottles. Use wet towels and ice packs if you detect any risk of heatstroke. Offer fresh vegetables or fruits, put natural plants around the cage, and put marble tiles. Additionally, slightly mist their ears from behind and ensure proper ventilation. Also, put their cages in the basement and regularly groom them. Furthermore, make a DIY cooling fan to reduce the external temperature.
They are warm-blooded and adapt to live according to the environment. It is essential to take care of the living conditions of pet rabbits. Many people lose their pet bunnies in summer due to lack of care as they die from heatstroke. Moreover, almost 56 to 69°F is suitable for them, and they can survive at 73 to 78°F, but significant changes occur in their behaviors at higher temperatures.
Content
1. Use ice packs or wet towels
2. Provide plenty of fresh water
3. Use chilled water bottles
4. Put rabbit cages indoor
5. Offer fresh vegetables and fruits
6. Put plants near the cage
7. Put tiles on the floor
8. Mist rabbit ears
9. Ensure proper ventilation
10. Keep the rabbit cage in the basement
11. Maintain shade on the cage
12. Regular grooming or fur trimming
13. Make a DIY cooling fan
Rabbits stretch their bodies more frequently in summer and prefer to walk or lie down on the marble floor. Be a responsible rabbit owner! Keep a close eye on their behavior to ensure a prolonged lifespan. Let’s beat the heat wave and explore strategies for keeping rabbits cool in the summer.
1. Use ice packs or wet towels
To keep rabbits cool, put wet towels in their hutch. Make sure that water is not dripping from them. Otherwise, their cages can get wet and slippery.
Placing wet towels will significantly reduce the rabbit’s body temperature. However, wet towels can get dry quickly, so you should wet them when they dry.
It is challenging for some people to keep a check on the towels or replace them due to their busy schedules. So, they can consider using ice packs to keep their cages cool. However, make sure that the rabbits do not try to tear them while playing or investigating.
2. Provide plenty of fresh water
Ensure that you provide fresh and clean water to your rabbits in the summer. Change the water every few hours, as it will get hot quickly due to the higher external temperature.
My bunny rejects the hot and dirty water and suffers from dehydration when I do not pay attention to the cleaning of the water bowl and changing the water.
You should replace the water frequently and clean their bowls after a few days. This way, they will drink plenty of water and not feel dehydrated.
Moreover, add ice to the water to keep it cold for a longer time. My rabbits like to drink water from their bowls instead of water bottles or glasses, so I got many colorful bowls to keep them hydrated in summer and prevent the health issues associated with dirty bowls.
3. Use chilled water bottles
It can get really hot in the rabbit hutch during summer. Their bedding can be the reason for warmth when you put a thick layer of hay in the box. Therefore, you should find some ways to keep the temperature normal in their hutch.
I usually keep a bottle filled with ice-cold water in their hutch after covering it with a cloth. Rabbits lay alongside water bottles to keep themselves cool. The thick fur coat on their body keeps them warm, so placing water bottles in their hutch helps dissipate extra heat from the body.
I got to know about this method from my old friend Kathie. I saw her doing the same in the rabbit’s cage. So, I gave it a try. When I placed water bottles in the bunny’s hutch, it got closer to the water bottle. It stayed there for a long time until the water was cold.
4. Put rabbit cages indoor
In summer, the outdoor temperature increases to a limit that is not bearable for rabbits. They feel dehydrated and warm due to excessive sweating and exposure to sunlight.
You should keep them indoors and maintain the ideal temperature. It is better to keep them in a room with a controlled temperature to avoid overheating issues.
Do not let them go out freely; provide opportunities to engage in playful indoor activities. One of my friends in the neighborhood kept his pet bunny in a controlled environment.
He moved the rabbit cage to an air-conditioned room and set the temperature to an ideal limit. This was a great idea, as one does not have to check the temperature frequently.
I followed the same strategy and kept my furry pets in the air-conditioned room because it was hot outside. I found them living happily in their cages at 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Offer fresh vegetables and fruits
Eating fresh vegetables keeps rabbits hydrated due to their high water content. They are more nutritious and healthy than dried ones. Wash these food items thoroughly to remove dirt and chemicals.
There is no need to dry the vegetables and fruits after washing with clean cloth if you are offering them to bunnies. Water droplets on vegetables keep rabbits cool and the internal moisture content hydrates them.
Accordingly, you can offer them fresh, crunchy cucumbers, lettuce, and cabbage. Feed them fresh fruits such as juicy berries, cherries, oranges, etc. They can also chew and digest ripened apples and bananas.
6. Put plants near the cage
Plants are natural air conditioners that keep indoor temperatures cool. Also, they help maintain the moisture content of the environment, purify the air, and reduce direct contact with sunlight by providing shade.
Additionally, large leaves evaporate water vapors from their surfaces and cool the surrounding environment. Aloe Vera, areca palm, weeping fig, etc., are natural cooling plants that can be used.
You can keep them near the bunny’s cage to cool down the surrounding environment through an evaporation mechanism. Moreover, the broad leaves of plants will cover the cage and provide shade to rabbits.
7. Put tiles on the floor
Marble or ceramic tiles do not get hot and offer a cool area for rabbits to walk on. Put marble or ceramic tiles in their area to see them actively moving on those tiles.
I gave this idea to a friend who was worried about her bunny’s lethargic and inactive lifestyle in summer. Moreover, I told her that rabbits are prey animals, so they become inactive to save themselves.
Accordingly, I asked her to use the marble tiles and observe the change in their behavior. She placed tiles near the rabbit cage and took the rabbit out. After some time, she observed that it got up and moved to the marble tile. It was more comfortable on the marble tile than on the concrete floor, which gets hot in summer.
8. Mist rabbit ears
Unlike dogs and cats, rabbits regulate their body temperature through their ears, releasing extra body heat through panting. The large veins in their ears aid in dissipation extra heat from the body to the outer environment.
So, you should keep your ears cool to avoid the risk of heatstroke. Do not wash their ears, as water can go inside them, which can cause air infections. The high moisture content makes their ears prone to fungal infections.
Furthermore, fill a spray bottle with slightly cool water and mist the bunny’s ears from behind. The water should not get into the bunny’s ears. Do it many times in a day if the bunny’s cage is in the outdoor area or if it is exposed to direct sunlight.
9. Ensure proper ventilation
Air gets trapped in a closed place with no proper ventilation. Accordingly, the rabbit’s hutch can get warm when there is no source of ventilation, leading to an increased temperature in the cage.
To avoid this, you should ensure proper ventilation so fresh air enters their cage and warm air molecules leave. This will drop the room temperature to a normal level. If possible, make small holes in their cages or put their hutches near the fans.
10. Keep the rabbit cage in the basement
Wild rabbits hide in their burrows when the temperature rises above their tolerance limit. They stay in deep burrows during the day and come out after sunset when the temperature drops.
However, domestic rabbits do not dig burrows and depend on their owners for protection from high temperatures. So, you can help them by moving their cages to the basement. It keep rabbits cool because basement is usually colder than the other rooms or outdoors.
In addition, they should not be allowed to engage in physical activities that boost their heart rate and metabolic rate. This will generate heat and heat up their bodies. Bring them out of their cage in the evening when the temperature is lower.
11. Maintain shade on the cage
You should keep your rabbits in an area with access to shade. However, you should not provide them with closed hiding spots. They can hide in those spots, and heat builds up in closed spaces.
Instead, you should provide them with controlled shade in a cool environment to avoid heat stress in bunnies. You can provide them shade by covering their cages with shaded clothes, a tarp, etc.
It will also insulate the hutches by reducing the direct sunlight exposure to cages and reducing their inner temperature.
12. Regular grooming or fur trimming
Rabbits have thick fur on their bodies, which can get hot if not regularly groomed. The grooming process involves shortening or cleaning their fur to remove dust or oils.
It feels like wearing a coat in summer, so you can imagine how hot they feel. Make sure to groom them regularly, as this helps release the heat trapped in their furs. In addition, the extra or shed furs are removed during grooming, which also prevents hair knots. This way, you can keep rabbits cool by regularly cleaning their fur.
13. Make a DIY cooling fan
You can also make a DIY cooling fan to keep rabbits cool. I put a bowl of ice water in front of their cage and placed a fan behind the bowl facing towards it.
This setting involves placing a bowl in the middle of the fan and rabbit cage. Turn on the fan and cool down your rabbits. The chilled water makes it feel like an air-conditioned environment.
Accordingly, it will reduce the temperature around the cage and prevent the risk of overheating or strokes due to high temperature. Be careful that these furry animals do not come in direct contact with the fan’s wires.