Photos of rabbits in heat distress

[lissapell]

We are really humid here but misters still work great. Obviously they work better on days the humidity is below 70 but it still helps as long as the water you are misting with is below the outside temp. You can always add a slush to the mister to get the water cooler.

 

[AnnClaire]

92 here today and a couple of buns in the buckling cage line looked like they were starting with heat distress, so I put the sprayer nozzle on the finest mist and doused them all ... not very happy about it, but it did break them out of it!

I found my roll of leftover black weed cloth and will suspend that above the cage line ... at least I'll be able to wet that down for evap cooling.

 

[TerriG]

I've been watching mine closely. We've been close to 90. Lots of panting type breathing, but no saliva or head raising. So glad I know what to look for (thanks to this thread).

 

[Miss M]

Here I don't think spraying with water will help as our humidity levels run around 80-99%. What about rubbing alcohol?

I think that is an excellent option for humid regions! Great idea! :clap2:

I wouldn't spray alcohol, though, as it might get in the eyes or mucus membranes. Your rabbits would not thank you.

You could rub it on their ears with a cotton ball, or get some in the palm of one hand (gloved, if necessary), quickly smear it over both palms, and then quickly transfer it to the surface of the rabbit's coat.

This might work similarly in humid areas as misting with water does in dry climates -- I have yet to see alcohol NOT evaporate, even on a muggy day. It may take more time, but it will evaporate.

I remember Bunny-Wan Kenobi deciding he was going to help me cool off when I was gardening a couple of years ago. He drenched me with the water hose. Unfortunately, it was not only hot, but particularly humid that day. The water did not cool me, because it could not evaporate. I was just hot and soggy, instead of hot and damp. Yuck.

I would think that repeated applications of alcohol would be tough on the surface of the fur, but as long as you're not showing, it shouldn't be an issue.

This is all just theory swimming around in my brain, so reality may not work out so neatly. [/disclaimer] :lol:

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I have to admit, I've never had rabbits outside during summer...my basement was their home and it was nice and cool, about 65 degrees F all summer. It's already peaking at 70 F here some days...I'm worried about the heat when it really warms up. :x Thanks to this post, I know what to watch out for!!! Hopefully I lose the same number of rabbits to heat this year as I did last year: ZERO.

 

[luvmybunnys]

It has been pretty hot here today in the low 80's. It is extremly humid. I have 21 rabbits and 1 of them was in heat destress when i got home from work today. I left frozen water bottles in all the cages before i left this morning. Im very glad that the other rabbits wernt in destress but why was it just the one rabbit? Is there something wrong with her? She has 7 kits that are 3 wks old now. I also have another doe that has 10 kits and she acted fine and she gets a little more sun than all the other rabbits. I hope there is nothing wrong with her she is a very good mama.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

why was it just the one rabbit?

I'm glad only the one doe was in distress and the others are okay. Some rabbits are just more sensitive to heat.

Many breeders will not breed during the hottest months because the increased weight and mass of pregnancy can make it more likely that the rabbit will overheat and die.

However, harsh as this sounds, if you want heat tolerant rabbits the only way to get there is to breed the does and keep the survivors and their offspring.

 

[luvmybunnys]

Ok so that doe was probally born while it was cold outside? Thats why the kits would be mor aclimatied to the warm weather?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I'm not sure if being born when it is cold has anything to do with it. :thinking: That could be a factor as well.

But in the hot months, some kits will overheat and die, so the survivors are ones that have more heat tolerance.

The problem is, there is a possibility that you will lose a good doe if she is bred when it is hot. For those of us that have large herds, the risk is easier to take. If you only have a couple of does in production it can be a hard hit.

Of course, no one likes to lose a rabbit, especially when you know you are taking a risk... but if your goal is year round production, there isn't any other way that I know of to get there without doing so.

 

[luvmybunnys]

ok thanks for the info!

 

[WildWolf]

Thank you!!! I never realized what to look for when checking for heat distress.

 

[Frecs]

Thanks for the pictures! Very helpful indeed.

My strategy has been three-fold:

1. open housing
2. housed under pecan trees
3. frozen 2-liter bottles

The open housing allows for maximum air flow. I have PVC corrugated panels as rain protection over some and tarps over the others but the tarps are fixed such that they do not block air flow. By putting them under the pecan trees, they have shade and a 10degree reduction in temps; and, a nice breeze moving through the trees. The frozen bottles also lowers temps. I am going to try to tiles this year as well -- freezing them first. I tried tiles last year and the rabbits avoided them but I didn't freeze them first. I'm curious if freezing first will encourage the rabbits to lay on them.

 

[LauraNJ]

I use marble tiles. I first tried some porcelein tiles that were left over from the kitchen floor and the rabbits avoided them. I tried marble tiles and they love them. I kept them in all year round, the rabbits seem to like them and even if they aren't frozen, they seem to stay cooler than the air temperature.

Today I ran cold water over each tile to cool it down, buns seem to like it.

 

[slo18]

It has been pretty hot here today in the low 80's. It is extremly humid. I have 21 rabbits and 1 of them was in heat destress when i got home from work today. I left frozen water bottles in all the cages before i left this morning. Im very glad that the other rabbits wernt in destress but why was it just the one rabbit? Is there something wrong with her? She has 7 kits that are 3 wks old now. I also have another doe that has 10 kits and she acted fine and she gets a little more sun than all the other rabbits. I hope there is nothing wrong with her she is a very good mama.

I dont know for sure, not being a big bunny expert, but could be she spends more time surrounded by the kits, and they give out heat on top of the summer heat? i know how uncomfortable i get being cuddled with hubby in the summer cant imagine its any better with 7 little ones swarming you when your streatched out trying to cool down. also its been a long time since i was around kits, but maybe if she is spending time in the box feeding them and the heat builds up in there it could effect her more then a non nursing bunny ( if they still nurse at three weeks, i dont remember)

 

[LearningAs-I-Go]

My 'rabbitry' is built in a wonderful little alcove next to the shed I keep the hay in. I am lucky enough to have a huge Juniper tree beside it and the hutches are tucked in that space. I also have a misting system set up that sprays in and around the cages so the rabbits have the option of sitting in the back of the cage out of the mist or sitting directly under it. (they always opt for this, and are soaked by dinnertime when I turn it off) So far I have a very small rabbitry as I am just starting out, but as I expand I will expand my misting system. The rabbits love it and it has kept them cool all summer. I live in California and we have temperatures in excess of 106 degrees. No signs of heat distress. Of course I am lucky as well to live in the foothills of the local mountains so we have a breeze 90% of the time.

 

[bunnychild]

I love you informative posts. The pictures are so helpful, and it is obvious that you know what your doing.

 

[akane]

We cull for temp extremes since Iowa sees both the record highs found in southern states and the record lows seen in Canada and I can't babysit all my livestock. I do nothing but keep water filled in summer and block the wind and snow in winter. It would suck if one of my main breeders died but the rest would be that much stronger. We lose parts or all of litters sometimes but the ones that survive and we keep for breeding go on to produce litters and build nests that can withstand subzero temps or 100F with high humidity.

I've never seen one of my rabbits with it's head tilted back like that. Even that summer it was over 100F and high humidity for 2months. We did lose a ton of juniors to cocci and heat hitting them at the same time. Ended up butchering everything irregardless of size down to the breeders until things could dry out and cool down.

 

[DogCatMom]

Attended my first rabbit show on Saturday. Temperatures were wonderful, for people and rabbits: breezy and cool (50s) in Napa at 9:00 before the overcast (fog) burned off, warming to perhaps the low 70s (F) by 1:00 or 1:30. This was an outdoor show.

However--and maybe this is normal? but I hope not--it was appalling to me that so many of the rabbits, between their appearances (there were two shows in one day), were kept

--in their cages/carriers
--in the direct sun, after it came out,
--WITH NO WATER :angry:

Some owners had ex-pens with tarps for their rabbits to stretch their legs and get a break; some had pop-ups for the people and finagled the rabbit cages into some shade in the morning but didn't check back as the sun moved. But even the people who took care to have their rabbits at least in partial shade didn't provide any water--not in the cages (the clamped-on bowls were empty), not in the ex-pens (I looked), and not with bottles (I had been hoping to see how rabbits manage with bottles, but couldn't find a single one). Neither were these rabbits nibbling on wet greens to get water content. I had expected that rabbits wouldn't be *fed* at a show--things are messy enough!--but not to have water available anywhere was...ah...surprising.

In particular, there were three Rex rabbits (I *think* Rex; not educated enough yet to tell NZ vs. California vs. Rex without a cue card) whose cages were in the direct sun at approx. 11:45 and, from the cages' location, had been in the sun all morning, whenever the rabbits weren't on the judge's table. These three rabbits were panting hard, and their heads were elevated as in the photos at the beginning of this thread.

I stood there for several minutes, staring at them--first to keep testing myself on the breeds, then in concern about the panting and head position--but couldn't find an owner (!) to talk to. Being an absolute novice, I would've probably phrased it as, "These rabbits look like they're getting hot. Is there any shade or water for them?"

At a dog show, dogs who are left in a car, even with the windows cracked, WILL be rescued by the show committee if the situation of the marooned dog(s) is brought to the attention of a member of the show committee. The car will be broken into via a window smash; this notice is printed in the show booklet everyone is handed as they walk through the gate to the show. What is the practice at a rabbit show if one sees rabbits who appear to be in distress but cannot locate an owner?

NO WATER OR SHADE! PANTING RABBITS!

It was stunning.

 

[akane]

Of course rabbits are kept in their carriers. People should have open wire carriers that get plenty of airflow. Many people have several carriers of rabbits with labels or different genders and couldn't set up pens for them. Most shows are also so jam packed you can barely fit a carrier much less a pen unless you want to go out in the middle of nowhere and miss your breeds call. Usually I see carriers stacked upon carriers sometimes up to 4' high.

Now not watching for the sun is wrong. When we left ours unattended near the door at a fair we threw a light weight spring jacket over half the carrier in case.

Many only give water periodically and then remove the dishes. Most rabbits don't seem to drink or eat when traveling and at shows unless it's a long time and they have a chance to relax in one spot for awhile. Some like to eat or play with their dishes getting their coat wet after they have a drink and some just don't have room to move around without spilling a dish. We've offered water but only had one drink and she'd sat in the back of my truck with topper in cool weather for 2 days not drinking anything before the show day because we have to pick them up from the horse stable ahead of time to make it to shows on time. I've watched others setup next to us fill up 10-20 dishes and have 2-3 drink the whole day.

 

[LearningAs-I-Go]

, and not with bottles (I had been hoping to see how rabbits manage with bottles, but couldn't find a single one).

I don't show but thought I'd respond to this part of your post. I use bottles exclusively to supply water to all my rabbits and they do just fine with it. Sometimes, if they've pushed their feed bowls around and they've ended up under the misters, they get filled with water but my rabbits still go to the water bottles to drink.