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Susie570

Susie570

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I wasn't really sure where to put this...
What are the opinions on offering rabbits a shallow pool of water to play in during hot weather?
Obviously this would depend, somewhat, on the breed of rabbit... but when I was a kid I used to have a rabbit who loved to go swimming in our wading pool during hot weather. I have a picture of her somewhere doing this - I'll have to find it and post it. She would kind of 'float' in the water, standing on her front paws with her back legs floating behind her. :lol:

Anyway, I know rabbits have issues with getting wet, so now I'm wondering if this is a safe thing to offer? I was considering offering a small wading pool for the buns when they have floor time inside.
 
I don't see a problem with it except for the possibility of fungal infections if they don't dry off thoroughly between "swims".

I had a buck that liked to lay underneath his water valve (which had developed a leak), and he got a fungal infection on his back. One treatment of Blu-kote cured it, but that was the end of his show career.
 
I'd only do it in rather warm weather. When I get one wet to the skin I have to put them in my hedgehog room at 80F or they shiver. That's with warm water. We used to fill the small size of those rubber feed pans to put in the horse stalls with guinea pigs during the summer. They weren't fully swimming and it may have avoided some cases of heat stroke since they are sensitive to high temps and we had them breed all summer. Come winter we'd sell down to the basic breeding stock/pets to house indoors. It was rare to see a guinea pig in a pan but there were always signs they had jumped in them.
 
I think it was Zass who recently explained the difference between rabbits swimming and getting bathed. The fur traps a lot of air next to the skin, and this air stays there even if the rabbit is in water. If you were to pet the rabbit while it's in the water, or soap it up (negating the surface tension of the water), water would likely make it to the skin, replacing the warm air envelope with water.
 
Hmm..I think it was MSD who mentioned that soap destroys a rabbit's natural water barrier?

But...I'm of the same belief, since I have to use a drop of soap in any solution intended to thoroughly saturate even pelts that are no longer attached to rabbits. Otherwise their water barrier can prevent a pickle from penetrating properly. That is... if you can stand the alliteration long enough to make sense of what I said..

:drunk:
 
Miss M":3a7f0wjp said:
I think it was Zass who recently explained the difference between rabbits swimming and getting bathed. The fur traps a lot of air next to the skin, and this air stays there even if the rabbit is in water. If you were to pet the rabbit while it's in the water, or soap it up (negating the surface tension of the water), water would likely make it to the skin, replacing the warm air envelope with water.
Click to expand...

Right, which is why I thought I would ask opinions on allowing rabbits the opportunity to swim, or wade, if they choose to do so. It seems less dangerous for them than intentionally soaking a rabbit. I don't know if a wild rabbit would ever choose to cool off in a puddle or not. I would guess they might spend the heat of the day in a cool burrow, but I'm not sure.

Funny that the GPs enjoy wading. :)
 
My husband just showed me a video he took of a customer of his letting her pet rabbit (some sort of mini lop) swim in the pool. It seemed to enjoy itself. The fur trapped so much air that it floated. It would climb out of the pool to its owner to be gently tossed into the pool again. It was comical to watch. I had no idea. I kind of pictured my big New Zealands and Altex would swim like a rock. I don't think any of mine would enjoy swimming. My buck might voluntarily try swimming if a pretty doe was on the other side of the pool.
 
I saw some youtube videos of people putting rabbits in pools, but in each one, the bunnies really looked like they just wanted out of the water.

I think, having a place they can swim available, and forcing a rabbit into the water are two very different things.
 
Zass":2spweu45 said:
I saw some youtube videos of people putting rabbits in pools, but in each one, the bunnies really looked like they just wanted out of the water.

I think, having a place they can swim available, and forcing a rabbit into the water are two very different things.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. The doe I had would hop in by herself, but again, it wasn't really a swim, more of a wade. I doubt many rabbits would voluntarily enter water over their heads.
 

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