Hot weather and showing

[JessicaR]

My son is showing our lionhead buck at the county fair for 4-h starting Sunday, and like for most people it has been unseasonably hot. I am worried about Ice, he has to stay at the fairgrounds all week long in the rabbit barn. They do have big barn fans blowing in the building but I am worried that wont be enough for a rabbit that is used to being in the house with AC. I was told by someone that you are not allowed to put frozen water bottles in the cages with the rabbits.

So how am I going to keep him cool in this heat? This is my sons first year and maybe last for showing rabbits in 4-h (we also show the dogs) No one has helped us at all I dont even know who to talk to about it. He was just given a workbook through our dog club and that was it no instructions other than to have it completed for the fair.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

I would check out that story about frozen water bottles.. I can't see a rule where you can't look after the welfare of rabbit. It could mean the difference between life and death... if they can't guarantee keeping temps. in the barn down to a reasonable level, then I wouldn't risk it. I would just not go; a week is a long time to be stuck in a strange place with strange people and extreme heat on top of it. It would be disappointing for your son not to show, but I think if you lost your bun because he's not used to the heat that would be a lot more tragic! Good Luck!

 

[MaggieJ]

I totally agree with Lauren. If you go, take the ice bottles. If they won't let you use them, leave.

 

[JessicaR]

I will take the frozen bottles anyways, if they have a problem with it we will pull the rabbit from the fair! I am not going to risk my rabbit dying. The woman I talked to said it was because the bottles pull out the fur :roll: I dont think it removes that much fur and besides I would rather have a bald rabbit than a dead one!

 

[PulpFaction]

I would worry that even frozen water bottles would not be enough for a rabbit that is used to being indoors! Between the heat and the stress of being in a very hot, noisy, new environment...it's not worth a dead pet.

 

[SatinsRule]

Frozen water bottles do not pull out fur, as they will begin to sweat from the moment they're put into the cages. I know as much because I use them on my rabbits, and the outside of the bottles are wet before I even get to the cages with them.

Sounds like a crutch excuse being used by the fair officials in order "to keep the playing field even" for exhibitors who won't do it. No matter how you slice it, if they told me I couldn't do it, I'd pack up everything that was mine (including the exhibit) and leave. At the very least, the rabbit will miss a week of being fed cotton candy, fried zingers, and being poked at with corn dog sticks.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Get a battery operated crate/cage fan!!! If the 4-H regulations will not permit an animal owner to attend to the welfare of the rabbit, then call whoever oversees animal cruelty complaints!! One of the local fairgrounds here actually built a NEW rabbit barn because one year, 50% of the rabbits suffered very badly from the heat. Many died-- including whole meat pens. County fairs are Agricultural in scope-- and as such, the welfare of the animal MUST come first.
And since when does a plastic bottle consist of a texture that will pull fur off an animal?

 

[PulpFaction]

Oh, geez, Terry. That's devastating. I don't show at the fair and it doesn't even get very hot here. I just can't see setting my rabbits up for that kind of stress for a week—screaming babies, people yelling and screaming and laughing, rattling or poking through the cage, not to mention the potential for disease which a stressed rabbit is more susceptible to. I will probably send a rabbit or two for exhibition purposes this year, but it won't be coming back into my herd.

 

[JessicaR]

Get a battery operated crate/cage fan!!! If the 4-H regulations will not permit an animal owner to attend to the welfare of the rabbit, then call whoever oversees animal cruelty complaints!! One of the local fairgrounds here actually built a NEW rabbit barn because one year, 50% of the rabbits suffered very badly from the heat. Many died-- including whole meat pens. County fairs are Agricultural in scope-- and as such, the welfare of the animal MUST come first.
And since when does a plastic bottle consist of a texture that will pull fur off an animal?

It wasnt anyone in charge of the 4-h club that said we couldnt use frozen water bottles it was one of the exhibitors. I am going to try and get a fan for him and take frozen bottles anyways. If anyone has a problem we will just leave! I wish they would build a new rabbit barn but they just rebuilt the goat barn this year so I doubt they will do any more remodeling soon

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

It wasnt anyone in charge of the 4-h club that said we couldnt use frozen water bottles it was one of the exhibitors. I am going to try and get a fan for him and take frozen bottles anyways. If anyone has a problem we will just leave! I wish they would build a new rabbit barn but they just rebuilt the goat barn this year so I doubt they will do any more remodeling soon

Sometimes, the groups that use the different buildings have fundraisers to rehab or replace buildings. For example-- at the little fairground we have here in Ashtabula county--a few dedicated people got together , raised the funds, and built a new draft horse barn. Now, poultry, waterfowl, and rabbits share a building (only exhibitors in Ashtabula are 4H, due to fairgrounds being very small) It would be fairly simple for the 4 H groups to have a concerted fundraising effort to rebuild their show barns. In Cuyahoga county-- the fair board decides which barns to upgrade-- there, it is all about how many paying,non 4H exhibitors will fill up the barns. In Pa, the Albion Area fair has 4 H and a regular ARBA rabbit show the week of the fair-- I really liked that barn. The barn at the fairgrounds that all those rabbits got sick in-- again- rebuilt because it housed 4H AND ARBA show rabbits that week! The barns built for show rabbits are NOT Air Conditioned1111 They DO have plenty of open wall space and outlets for fans. The one barn is shaped like a great big X--Meat pens in one wing, fur in another, specific breeds in the other two-- 4H and ARBA rabbits are co-mingled in the cooping-- and the show table is at the intersection of the X-- what I didn't understand-- with people not wanting to show in AC buildings-- why that rabbit barn is not used by the rabbit club that hosts a show on those fairgrounds during another time of year-- Don;t tell me it is a food service and restroom thing-- because that midway has plenty of setup opportunities--and the rest room building in that area is far nicer than the Community Building restrooms! Ahwell--

 

[akane]

The rabbit/poultry barns here don't even have outlets or fans. They have hardwired ceiling strip lights and that's it. Unless you want to borrow the help of an electrician no fans can be run. A good reason why not to have your show rabbits in an air conditioned building. A lot of shows don't have ac or buyers when you are breeding may not have ac and even some pet buyers want to keep the rabbits in outdoor hutches. I have to be even more careful when I breed my inside rabbits than my outside rabbits because they either have to be at a time of year they can adjust between indoor and outdoor or I have to keep the numbers small enough to only sell to the few people who want house rabbits. We have litters year round outdoors with so far only occasional losses. I'm learning which does can handle which temperature extremes.

 

[SatinsRule]

It wasnt anyone in charge of the 4-h club that said we couldnt use frozen water bottles it was one of the exhibitors.

Therein lies the answer. If it's another exhibitor who's saying it, all that tells me is that he or she won't be doing it and doesn't want anyone else to do so either, and if he or she can influence the fair's management to side with them on it, simply take your ball, bat and glove and go back home.

I am going to try and get a fan for him and take frozen bottles anyways. If anyone has a problem we will just leave! I wish they would build a new rabbit barn but they just rebuilt the goat barn this year so I doubt they will do any more remodeling soon

You're taking a really big gamble by taking a rabbit which is accustomed to a steady temperature in the 60's or 70's and subjecting it to this heat and humidity. It's your call, but no way would I be taking my best rabbit(s) and putting them on the line like that. The costs outweigh the potential benefits, and it ain't even close.

And while the subject is being brought up, the task of remodeling a fair building has to be funded somehow, some way. Normally it's either a feed mill or other producer of rabbit products which would have to do so, and in most areas, it simply won't happen.

At the Arkansas State Fair, the rabbits were moved into a hand-me-down building which used to be a goat barn, and you guessed it, the goats got a brand new facility because it was paid for by one of the goat producers groups. For the longest time, the rabbits were housed in the poultry barn, but the chicken and turkey producers wanted them out, their commercial supporters acted on their behalf, and out of the poultry barn went the show rabbits.

 

[akane]

I wonder if loose hair isn't just sticking to the wet bottles and making someone think it's pulling the hair when reality is they need to feed or brush their rabbit better.

 

[SatinsRule]

Akane, that's a good guess. I mean, it's not like rabbits ever moult during the summertime anyway, right? Another possibility is that if there is any adhesive left behind from labelling (it's a problem with gatorade bottles), that will also stick to rabbit fur.

If they're sticking to their guns on this, no way do I exhibit anything at their fair. They can consider it their perrogative to make and enforce rules like that, but I'd consider it my perrogative NOT to abide by it in order to exhibit there.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Why should another exhibitor worry if YOUR rabbit had some of its fur pulled out? Its your rabbit and if it loses on poor fur condition its your loss not theirs...Yes a bald rabbit is very much better than a dead rabbit..

 

[JessicaR]

It wasnt anyone in charge of the 4-h club that said we couldnt use frozen water bottles it was one of the exhibitors.

Therein lies the answer. If it's another exhibitor who's saying it, all that tells me is that he or she won't be doing it and doesn't want anyone else to do so either, and if he or she can influence the fair's management to side with them on it, simply take your ball, bat and glove and go back home.

I am going to try and get a fan for him and take frozen bottles anyways. If anyone has a problem we will just leave! I wish they would build a new rabbit barn but they just rebuilt the goat barn this year so I doubt they will do any more remodeling soon

You're taking a really big gamble by taking a rabbit which is accustomed to a steady temperature in the 60's or 70's and subjecting it to this heat and humidity. It's your call, but no way would I be taking my best rabbit(s) and putting them on the line like that. The costs outweigh the potential benefits, and it ain't even close.

And while the subject is being brought up, the task of remodeling a fair building has to be funded somehow, some way. Normally it's either a feed mill or other producer of rabbit products which would have to do so, and in most areas, it simply won't happen.

At the Arkansas State Fair, the rabbits were moved into a hand-me-down building which used to be a goat barn, and you guessed it, the goats got a brand new facility because it was paid for by one of the goat producers groups. For the longest time, the rabbits were housed in the poultry barn, but the chicken and turkey producers wanted them out, their commercial supporters acted on their behalf, and out of the poultry barn went the show rabbits.

I keep our Central AC at 76-78 during the day and 73 at night and he is kept in the mudroom which is warmer than that probably around 80-82. I will pull him if I sence he is getting too stressed, I already told my son that if he seems to hot we will be taking him home. His judging is Monday so as long as we get passed that we should be good. And it is supposed to cool down I dont turn on the AC if it is going to be in the low 80's

 

[SatinsRule]

I keep our Central AC at 76-78 during the day and 73 at night and he is kept in the mudroom which is warmer than that probably around 80-82. I will pull him if I sence he is getting too stressed, I already told my son that if he seems to hot we will be taking him home. His judging is Monday so as long as we get passed that we should be good. And it is supposed to cool down I dont turn on the AC if it is going to be in the low 80's

Jess, what I meant was that if you take bunnies which are accustomed to living in an environment which is in the mid-70's all day long, and place them in an environment which is consistently in the 90's to 100's, it can have a detrimental effect on their health.

Often times with fairs, it is up to the fair's showroom superintendent whether or not an exhibit is released from display, and removing it early could ultimately affect whether or not your son receives any awards or premiums from it. Sounds extreme, I know, but if indeed they are willing to enforce the last letter of a rule which prevents you from cooling your rabbits appropriately, is it really worth that risk? I admire your commitment to the rabbit's well-being, but I'm just throwing out some scenarios which you may find yourself faced with.

And one more thing. A line you're practically guaranteed to hear from the people who run that show: "We've never had a rabbit die while on display here!" Don't fall for it.

 

[JessicaR]

I apperciate all the help!

we took him today with ice bottles and guess what... a lot of other people had ice bottles too :lol: It is supposed to cool down this week but I will still keep an eye on him. My son doesnt care if he doesnt get any awards as long as his bunny is safe.

 

[SatinsRule]

So it was a classic case of another breeder talking out of his Anus McSphincter?

 

[JessicaR]

So far he is doing good! It has cooled down some its supposed to be mid 80's with lower humidity for the next couple of days. I think he misses us, when I put him on the table so my son can clean the cage, he jumped up in my arms and kept rubbing noses with me :in_love: The only problem we seem to be having with him is he isnt eating his pellets, he only picks at them. He is eating his hay though, and I think I will bring him some mullberry leaves and dandilions to snack on. :bunnyhop: