Hello, I have recently decided to raise rabbits for meat for my family. I have been at this for about 2 months. I am wanting to know what can I do to try and keep the rabbits cooler in this hot weather? The rabbits are located in a shed which is open at both ends and is shaded by a large tree. these days the temp has been 95 degrees with a heat index of 106.
New to raising rabbits
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Northwinds Rabbitry
Well-known member
One thing that works really well for me is frozen water
Like put it in a 2l pop bottle or whatever actually and freeze it and leave it with them all day to lye against
also another thing (you will have to keep redoing it) but wet the outside of the ears (not inside)
Hope this helps
Like put it in a 2l pop bottle or whatever actually and freeze it and leave it with them all day to lye against
also another thing (you will have to keep redoing it) but wet the outside of the ears (not inside)Hope this helps
Northwinds Rabbitry
Well-known member
That might work? I have never tried it(its not to to hot where I live so I am not to heat crazy which means I don't need to look up alot of stuff) but you could try the only thing imo is that if you wet it and it's so hot then it might become almost like a sauna Or something (i don't know but maybe????)
It's worth a shot though!.
It's worth a shot though!
.
Northwinds Rabbitry
Well-known member
Ya I guess it would bring a nice breeze
Well good luck!
Well good luck!
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Welcome to RabbitTalk, HoppyMeal! :welcomewagon: (love your name... we like making Sloppy Hoppies here!)
We have similar weather. It's been in the low- to mid-90s lately, with a heat index over 100* like you.
My rabbitry is made of spaced slats on three sides for air flow, and two layers of wire for the front. It is under two trees, but I have learned that for a while before and after the summer solstice, the shade is not as much over the rabbitry. I plan to take care of that with more trees.
I do have a fan in one end of the rabbitry that we turn on in the late morning when it is getting really hot.
That's it for what I do.
Lots of members do use ice bottles, or they freeze large floor tiles, some have misting systems or swamp coolers (which are less effective in humid climates, and would raise the humidity in the rabbitry). Misting burlap is done by some, and would fall into the same category as the misting systems and swamp coolers. You be the judge based on your humidity. Recently, I haven't even been able to fully dry clothes on my clothesline, because it's been too humid.
One member, Paradox, has a very innovative system inspired by rabbitry design in tropical climates. Instead of a cage with a short clay tunnel that leads into a clay pot that is buried up to the lid, Paradox has PVC tunnels that lead to ice chests or even heavy duty totes, that are buried in a raised garden bed, and covered with a hinged roof. Paradox puts regular, personal-size frozen water bottles in each ice chest/tote, to help cool the environment in there. You would have condensation to deal with, if the rabbits didn't lick it up.
We have similar weather. It's been in the low- to mid-90s lately, with a heat index over 100* like you.
My rabbitry is made of spaced slats on three sides for air flow, and two layers of wire for the front. It is under two trees, but I have learned that for a while before and after the summer solstice, the shade is not as much over the rabbitry. I plan to take care of that with more trees.
I do have a fan in one end of the rabbitry that we turn on in the late morning when it is getting really hot.
That's it for what I do.
Lots of members do use ice bottles, or they freeze large floor tiles, some have misting systems or swamp coolers (which are less effective in humid climates, and would raise the humidity in the rabbitry). Misting burlap is done by some, and would fall into the same category as the misting systems and swamp coolers. You be the judge based on your humidity. Recently, I haven't even been able to fully dry clothes on my clothesline, because it's been too humid.
One member, Paradox, has a very innovative system inspired by rabbitry design in tropical climates. Instead of a cage with a short clay tunnel that leads into a clay pot that is buried up to the lid, Paradox has PVC tunnels that lead to ice chests or even heavy duty totes, that are buried in a raised garden bed, and covered with a hinged roof. Paradox puts regular, personal-size frozen water bottles in each ice chest/tote, to help cool the environment in there. You would have condensation to deal with, if the rabbits didn't lick it up.
I just posted about marble for cooling- vs frozen water bottles and I'm convinced marble is really good. One person said they used to freeze the marble to keep their rabbits cool but stopped doing it because even if you don't freeze the marble the rabbits stay cool when they lay on it. Here's a link to the thread. marble-slabs-vs-frozen-bottles-t16150.html
desertcat
Well-known member
We started our hot weather using frozen bottles, but even I couldn't drink enough diet coke to keep up with the destructo bunnies! Got a great deal on porcelain floor tiles and we humans like them much better Actually, now that the bunny count is on the verge of waaaaay-too-many, when everyone has their tile, it is helping cool the whole building.
Actually, now that the bunny count is on the verge of waaaaay-too-many, when everyone has their tile, it is helping cool the whole building.Thank You for the information on keeping my bunnies cool. I have not heard about using the tiles. I think that would work great. We have a local company that makes granite countertops which would be a good place to pick up some scraps for next to nothing. I have started using frozen bottles of ice. I find that plastic pop bottles work better than milk jugs, due to the bunnies wanting to bite the jug. I thought about using Ice cream containers for large blocks of ice. I will probably try the burlap and water on a Saturday when I am home to see the result with constant monitoring. My only concern is the humidity may make it too hot. I may add a fan.
I'm the one that has not bothered to freeze the tiles this year.
Last year my beverens needed the marble frozen, they struggled with the heat, at least to me they seemed very hot. I really think the adjustment period for a rabbit is longer than what we all think and because they have stress of adjusting to a new environment they are more suseptible to hot weather.
What I do freeze is the disposable containers for food you get at the grocery store. I fill half way with water, freeze it and then gently pop them out so the rabbits get a giant ice cube. No plastic to chew on, just melting ice which they will lick and dig at and lay on if they are hot.
Last year my beverens needed the marble frozen, they struggled with the heat, at least to me they seemed very hot. I really think the adjustment period for a rabbit is longer than what we all think and because they have stress of adjusting to a new environment they are more suseptible to hot weather.
What I do freeze is the disposable containers for food you get at the grocery store. I fill half way with water, freeze it and then gently pop them out so the rabbits get a giant ice cube. No plastic to chew on, just melting ice which they will lick and dig at and lay on if they are hot.
coffeenutdesigns
Well-known member
I do frozen soda bottles, but I also do giant blocks of ice. I don't have any marble tile. I know when I was a kid we used burlap sacks as my dad and uncle's did when they were young, but we had a hutch out in the open air so it was well ventilated and I live in a very arid climate with almost no humidity.
