Keeping Very Young Kits 🐰 Cool

[Rabbits by Accident]

It is over 100 degrees here and will be for the foreseeable future. I have set up a mister on one end of a 40" cage and two small fans sucking air across the doe & kits on the other end.

The poor things are still HOT HOT HOT (no, not in a good way)

I remembered that I had made 1/2 gallon ice bottles before I put up the mister. I put one on two sides of the cat litter box that is being used for a nestbox.

Within 30 seconds of putting the ice against the sides, the kits started moving toward the ice. Amazing!

I actually put the ice at the farthest point away from them just in case it was too cold. I guess not.


Any other ideas for keeping kits cooler in this horrible heat? Could I actually put an ice bottle INSIDE the nest box? I am concerned that even if I wrapped it in cloth, the condensation would get into the nest. Any ideas on that?

Thanks for any ideas or suggestions!

- Liz

 

[Mini Lop Mama]

I'd shelve the kits for sure. And bring mama in since they depend on her so much at this age. I would hate for you to loose her.

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

I'd shelve the kits for sure. And bring mama in since they depend on her so much at this age. I would hate for you to loose her.

Not possible to bring her in. Possibly I could bring in the babies, but we are fulltimers in a 19' travel trailer, so not really plausible to bring her in. She's doing fine, I'm managing to keep the temp under 100 in her cage - generally it's about 92' and she's fine, eating, not panting much. I do have a water mister and a fan sucking the cold(er) air across the cage. The kits are usually snuggling up against the walls where the ice is, but not always. Sometimes they go into the hay, so I guess they're not too hot. They ought to be really heat tolerant if they survive. They are all doing great at this point (about 9 days), fat and happy. Fortunately, it goes down to 70's at night. (Ack! I just checked, it's going to be HIGH 70's at night all week) I guess I'll put a new ice pack out at night. But usually the kits are all covered with hay in the mornings.

 

[Mini Lop Mama]

Not possible to bring her in. Possibly I could bring in the babies, but we are fulltimers in a 19' travel trailer, so not really plausible to bring her in. She's doing fine, I'm managing to keep the temp under 100 in her cage - generally it's about 92' and she's fine, eating, not panting much. I do have a water mister and a fan sucking the cold(er) air across the cage. The kits are usually snuggling up against the walls where the ice is, but not always. Sometimes they go into the hay, so I guess they're not too hot. They ought to be really heat tolerant if they survive. They are all doing great at this point (about 9 days), fat and happy. Fortunately, it goes down to 70's at night. (Ack! I just checked, it's going to be HIGH 70's at night all week) I guess I'll put a new ice pack out at night. But usually the kits are all covered with hay in the mornings.

Just saying though, if you loose mama, you loose your kits too. If anything, keep her in better conditions than kits as far as heat goes. If you have a small cardboard box that she can stay in during 100+ degrees, I mean, that's better than nothing, then just put her back with the kits at night when it cools down.

What kind of rabbits do you raise? And how many did she have? They look beautiful!

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

Just saying though, if you loose mama, you loose your kits too. If anything, keep her in better conditions than kits as far as heat goes. If you have a small cardboard box that she can stay in during 100+ degrees, I mean, that's better than nothing, then just put her back with the kits at night when it cools down.

What kind of rabbits do you raise? And how many did she have? They look beautiful!

She is an almost 13 lb Tamuk doe. She is a total sweetie. I sure don't want to lose her, but I think they're going to be okay, none of the adults seem to be having real stress. They are eating, usually not panting, not even staying in the spray all the time. I want to have rabbits that can withstand the heat, and I'm afraid the temperature change from heat to cool and back would be worse than just the heat.

 

[MaggieJ]

She is an almost 13 lb Tamuk doe. She is a total sweetie. I sure don't want to lose her, but I think they're going to be okay, none of the adults seem to be having real stress. They are eating, usually not panting, not even staying in the spray all the time. I want to have rabbits that can withstand the heat, and I'm afraid the temperature change from heat to cool and back would be worse than just the heat.

It sounds to me like you are taking sufficient precautions. If she shows signs of distress, you may have to intervene but given the limitations of your place, I think you are doing really well. Can Mama lie next to the ice pack at the end of the nest box? If so, she has what she needs to cool her down. You'll probably want to check on them more often during the heat wave, just to monitor the situation.

Is your climate hot and dry or hot and humid? Hot and dry is much easier to cope with, I think. Wet burlap hung over the cage provides both shade and cooling as the water evaporates.

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

It sounds to me like you are taking sufficient precautions. If she shows signs of distress, you may have to intervene but given the limitations of your place, I think you are doing really well. Can Mama lie next to the ice pack at the end of the nest box? If so, she has what she needs to cool her down. You'll probably want to check on them more often during the heat wave, just to monitor the situation.

Is your climate hot and dry or hot and humid? Hot and dry is much easier to cope with, I think. Wet burlap hung over the cage provides both shade and cooling as the water evaporates.

Thankfully, it's hot & dry. The cages are under a covered area. I had hung a feedbag from the ceiling within her cage to keep the mist from traveling to the kits. I replaced it with a wet towel. (burlap is not available in my stash LOL) I had planned to do that, but hadn't gotten around to it. Thanks for the nudge!! I put one in each cage, we'll see how many will leave them alone LOL. The mist will hit the toweling and keep it damp I hope. Mama snuggles up on the water bottles so that's working out well too.


The kits snuggle up on the wall by the bottles, but actually some move more toward the interior, so I guess they're not too hot. Thanks for the support

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

p.s. that is less than half the cage in that photo she has plenty of room, sometimes she lays by the other bottle. Just didn't want anyone to think I had her crammed into that tiny space LOL

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

Hanging the wet fabric was the trick! Thanks @MaggieJ It is just a bit cooler (97°) today, so that may help too.

But they are now cool enough that everyone is eating, moving, and the kits are snuggled up. Wonderful!

The mist is aimed at the towel, so it should stay wet.

Not sure how I can modify it when the kits start hopping around.

Will the wet cage be a problem for kits? The cage is about 4' deep, so it's difficult to move the towel much deeper toward the back of the cage, but I think I'm going to have to figure out how to climb in and do it. Maybe I can hang it on a dowel ...

 

[Mini Lop Mama]

Hanging the wet fabric was the trick! Thanks @MaggieJ It is just a bit cooler (97°) today, so that may help too.
View attachment 30233
But they are now cool enough that everyone is eating, moving, and the kits are snuggled up. Wonderful!

The mist is aimed at the towel, so it should stay wet.

Not sure how I can modify it when the kits start hopping around.

Will the wet cage be a problem for kits? The cage is about 4' deep, so it's difficult to move the towel much deeper toward the back of the cage, but I think I'm going to have to figure out how to climb in and do it. Maybe I can hang it on a dowel ...

View attachment 30234

Just don't let them get chilled, I think you could be fine.

 

[route66rabbits]

Im glad I read this thread I just have babies and we are concerned with the heat in Arizona
Our Tamuks have babies the same night so we wake up to 16 babies sadly we lost 4 but 12 still is a good number.
Im going to try the bottles since the next days will be HOT HOT

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

All 9 of mine are thriving! I think having no top on the nestbox was important to allow them to cool off. They love the ice bottles & the mist. Good luck