Lionhead and Mini lop outdoors in Texas?

[Heartofagirl]

I can only house my rabbit(s) outdoors. I'm still deciding what breed(s) I want. I'm looking for a sweet/gentle rabbit that won't mind petting. I've heard lionheads can be shy due to their size, and lops are like dogs? I'm lking flemish, but worry about food/housing. Anyway, since I live in Houston,TX and it gets HOT I worry about a lionheads fur and a mini lops ears with cooling down. Any thoughts on either dealing with heat? Also, the breeder I talked to has hers in climate controlled area. She's the only one I know who's close who breeds mini lops. So I worry about him/her getting acclimated to outdoors. Thanks.

 

[trinityoaks]

I don't know anything about those specific breeds, but I raise Rex and Brazilians outdoors in Houston. I don't think I would try it myself with angoras or woolies, though.

In general, I would suggest that if you are buying rabbits from a cooler climate or that are used to a climate-controlled environment, that you either plan to keep them in a climate-controlled area until it cools down, or else wait until late fall or winter to purchase them. Then they have all spring to acclimatize to the warmer weather.

As for sweet/gentle rabbits, that's more of an individual rabbit thing (or sometimes a breeding line thing) than it is a general, overall breed thing. The best thing to do is to pick the breed(s) you like, then find a line or a rabbit of that breed with the temperament you like. I've found that rabbits are often shy or standoffish at first until they get used to you and to their new surroundings.

 

[Heartofagirl]

Trinityoaks, do you breed both Rex and Brazilians? I've also never heard of brazillians. The closest breeders I've found are in Willis, Alvin, and Dayton, but trying to find a breeder closer. I'm looking to get a bunny/rabbit in Nov/Dec.

 

[trinityoaks]

I have only my breeders right now, but I'll be breeding again as soon as the temps cool down enough. OneAcreFarm is near Beaumont. She raises Rex, Cals, and NZs, and has VERY nice rabbits.

 

[Dood]

Lops do have a harder time cooling off with their lop ears that rest close to their heads and Flemmish Giants really don't do well in heat, need extra large cages and eat and poop 5 times as much as a 3 pound rabbit so I would go with LionHeads.

If you cannot get ones that are used to living outside then I would wait until winter to purchase them so the temperature change won't be a shock and they can slowly get use to the heat during spring warm-up.

Is there a reason your looking for purebreds? My lop crosses, with up-right ears, have the wonderful Mini Lop temperaments that make them such good pets and are a small size. Perhaps your local shelter or classifieds ads have rabbits that might be mutts but will make wonderfull companions.

 

[Ramjet]

I'm in Houston too , recently picked up a Rex trio from OneAcreFarm .... Quality bunnies , well worth the trip & not difficult at all to find.

I keep them outside. Haven't had any real heat related issues with them tho I do kinda baby them on hot days , which we've had enough of - ice jugs & frozen watermelon rinds to help them stay cool.


Have a litter due from a tri color doe & chocolate buck due on October 19th. My lilac doe doesn't seem interested in breeding just yet but I cant wait for a litter from her. Her coat is absolutely beautiful.

 

[Peach]

All I did was leave a fan running this summer( we didn't go over 95 I believe this summer, but crazy humidity because it rained nearly every day) and kept the flooring fresh (shavings reduced humidity)., but last summer when we hit the 100 degrees & Up, I was out misting their ears and giving them ice blocks. I bought a bunch of tupper ware from the dollar tree, filled them up, let them freeze overnight, run under some water to get them out, and repeat. For the most part, I handle them as minimal as possible in the summer, unless it's the early morning and cool. They also are under a lot of shade.

 

[luvbunnies]

It gets 100+ here, not a humid a Texas from what I've heard. Ours s are mostly Polish and we keep them in pens on grass. We use a mister. I set it up do they can be further away and on dry ground if they want as well. With the mist and they damp ground, they'll stretch out and keep cool. Also I'll have them in the shade. When it's real hot, I through an old blanket on top of the pen to make sure there's no sunny spots. One who is a Himalayan Dwarf and has longer fur will digg little bowl shaped holes in the ground and lay in it. When he's not, others will take advantage of his "bowels". of course always plenty of water.