Diamond
Well-known member
Would like to hear the first-hand accounts of problems folks have had with their rabbits in the summer months, just to pick the collective conscience.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Heat: What problems have YOU had in warm weather?
- Thread starter Diamond
- Start date
Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:
I lost several rabbits last week, including my beautiful Red Satin buck.
After I lost the buck I put a fan in that shed, went back in the evening to check them and it was much cooler in there. The downside was that I lost a litter of kits whose mother had not made them a fur nest, I guess she figured it was warm enough and I didn't think about them until I found them cold.
I was giving them lots of water, and I use dishes not bottles, everyone had water left when I went to feed/water them except one flemish doe, her water dish was always empty. One day I went in to check them at lunchtime and she was sitting in her waterbowl!! no wonder it was always dry! I wish I`d had my camera with me. Anyway, she now has two bowls of water.
After I lost the buck I put a fan in that shed, went back in the evening to check them and it was much cooler in there. The downside was that I lost a litter of kits whose mother had not made them a fur nest, I guess she figured it was warm enough and I didn't think about them until I found them cold.
I was giving them lots of water, and I use dishes not bottles, everyone had water left when I went to feed/water them except one flemish doe, her water dish was always empty. One day I went in to check them at lunchtime and she was sitting in her waterbowl!! no wonder it was always dry! I wish I`d had my camera with me. Anyway, she now has two bowls of water.
trinityoaks
Well-known member
I lost one doe last year when the ball valve on her water bottle got stuck without our realizing it. It was incredibly hot and dry that day (110F and about 2% humidity), and she was gone less than two minutes after we found her (in spite of wetting her down, force-feeding her water, etc.). We have an auto-watering system now, but we still check the valves a couple of times each day, more often if it's especially hot. Thankfully it doesn't get nearly as hot here as it did in our old place (the humidity helps to keep temps down).
We have a misting system on a timer that runs whenever we're expecting temps over 90F. So far, although the buns have sometimes been uncomfortable, they've otherwise been ok.
We have a misting system on a timer that runs whenever we're expecting temps over 90F. So far, although the buns have sometimes been uncomfortable, they've otherwise been ok.
when it is really warm. Make sure to take the kits out of the fur and put them on top or take out some fur out of the box. ANything under 2 weeks old cant jump out of the box . I lost a few that way.
Well, I had another doe and buck reserved from a breeder in NC. His whole litter, except 1 died from the heat- they were 10 weeks. The 1 remaining was having diarrhea, a result from the heat and the breeder wasn't sure he would make it. I ended up getting 2 does from the other litter instead and they were the only survivors of that litter. I was going to just get 1 but thought that with the heat factor that keeping the 2 together would be less stressful on them (they are 8 weeks).
The breeder has misters, fans and really tries but there were multiple days of just 100F plus and humidity, it was too much for some of the rabbits.
My rabbits here are checked continuously during the day if it is above 90 or so, otherwise a few times a day. I refresh water, ice, ice bottles, frozen tiles, etc. Any rabbit looking slightly too hot is brought inside. Today we are going over 100F and I am keeping a very close eye on the 8 week old bunnies.
The breeder has misters, fans and really tries but there were multiple days of just 100F plus and humidity, it was too much for some of the rabbits.
My rabbits here are checked continuously during the day if it is above 90 or so, otherwise a few times a day. I refresh water, ice, ice bottles, frozen tiles, etc. Any rabbit looking slightly too hot is brought inside. Today we are going over 100F and I am keeping a very close eye on the 8 week old bunnies.
I am in NW Oklahoma and we have been having 100+ heat but low humidity.
With that said, I found early on that I was not going to be able to keep up with frozen water bottles, so I started putting them in runout pens for a couple of hours each every day. That got old pretty quick too, so I introduced all the does into one pen and let them settle the pecking order, then ran the junior doe and 2 litters (one was 6 weeks old, one 3 weeks old) in and 4 weeks later, they are all getting along fine. The bucks, I have the senior buck with a junior buck and another senior buck seperated (will probably have to seperate the 2 bucks soon.)
I have found that hosing the pens down in the morning and wetting the surrounding ground and top sheets several times during the day is plenty to keep them from heat stressing. I also provide fresh greens several times per day and that always gets them up and going. In fact, when they see me coming with greens in my hands, they are all doing the "piranah pile" at the closest fence line
With that said, I found early on that I was not going to be able to keep up with frozen water bottles, so I started putting them in runout pens for a couple of hours each every day. That got old pretty quick too, so I introduced all the does into one pen and let them settle the pecking order, then ran the junior doe and 2 litters (one was 6 weeks old, one 3 weeks old) in and 4 weeks later, they are all getting along fine. The bucks, I have the senior buck with a junior buck and another senior buck seperated (will probably have to seperate the 2 bucks soon.)
I have found that hosing the pens down in the morning and wetting the surrounding ground and top sheets several times during the day is plenty to keep them from heat stressing. I also provide fresh greens several times per day and that always gets them up and going. In fact, when they see me coming with greens in my hands, they are all doing the "piranah pile" at the closest fence line
OneAcreFarm
Well-known member
Lost a couple litters of kits that got too hot. Put in fans, started taking out 75% of the bedding in the nest. This has helped tremendously.
ZRabbits
Well-known member
My hats off to all of you who are going through this heat wave and doing all you can for your rabbits. I've read so much here and have learned so much on how to get your rabbits through this. Sorry for the losses, but I guess it happens. Wishing you all the luck going through August. One day I truly feel I'll have outside rabbits and am learning so much from this forum.
Karen
Karen
