Ice cubes in their own crock

[Anntann]

It was hot, as many of you know. Here, in Wisconsin, it was hot and humid quite suddenly. We went from 50F for a high(frost warnings at night) to 90 and super humid all overnight. The rabbits were NOT happy. While the americans were just laying around happy with fans blowing on them..I was really worried about the angora mom with her 9 3 day old kits. There are 2 other juniors in there, too. Everyone on the porch was panting and unhappy, so I decided to give them all ice cubes in the water. Everyone liked that...however...

the angora momma doe has 2 water crocks. In one, I put icewater, in the other, just ice cubes, figuring they would melt during the day. All 3 "adults" went to that crock and ate the ice cubes. They looked at the water in the other dish, nosed it, but then went back and just munched down the cubes.

The rest of the day I kept that dish filled with ice cubes and had very ahppy bunnies. Back to romping around a little, no panting. So I put a 2nd crock in Aztec's pen with icecubes. ooOOOOO!! much happiness there, as well, as they munched down those cool treats.

They obviously drank water, as well, but those ice cubes were really worth the effort.

I may try crushed ice the next time...or shaved ice. Easier for them to eat..although they sure made short work of the cubes! I'm considering freezing mulberry leaves....

 

[akane]

A lot of people freeze melons for other livestock. I've got a bag of frozen honeydew cubes in the freezer I've been handing out.

 

[fuzzy9]

It was just miserable the last couple days here too!! I'm actually glad to see that you've used ice cubes, and they enjoyed them. I just put four trays in the freezer to freeze overnight, and I'm planning to see what they think tomorrow. I have one doe, a bit on the heavy side, who seemed a bit warm today. Hoping she'll enjoy the ice tomorrow.

 

[arachyd]

I've been supplying our buns with ice too. Our freezer's ice maker can't keep up so every available container is being used as an ice tray. Only one doe is being difficult about it. She thinks ice cubes are toys so she dumps her water crock if I put ice in it and then she tosses the ice around till it's gone. Meanwhile, she has no water. I've started giving her solid large chunks of ice made in tupperware containers and leaving her water crock to get warm without ice.