OneAcreFarm
Well-known member
Came home yesterday to find 8 of Bella's 9 kits dead in the nest...with full tummies. I think it was the heat, since the nest was PACKED with fur and it was 90f here....*sigh* 
Sigh...lost 8 of 9 out of Bella'a litter...
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Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that, OneAcre. It does sound like it was the heat.
OneAcreFarm
Well-known member
Yeah, I went a head and rebred her since she just has the one left. I don't have high hopes of that one making it...
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
Oh no! How sad, Sistah.
I am so sorry for your loss- you must have been devastated! But thank you for posting about it so we can all start thinking of ways to prevent it.
Those little bunnies put out a lot of BTU's... but it still boggles the mind that they can overheat themselves like that.
I noticed yesterday that Gofer's litter had separated themselves into two piles to stay cooler.
I know that wire nests are better in the warm months because they provide more ventilation, but there must be other things in addition to that that we could do to minimize heat retention in the hot months! Minimal hay and straw with a bed of shavings? Larger nests so they can move further apart? Indentured servants with gently waving palm fronds?
I am so sorry for your loss- you must have been devastated! But thank you for posting about it so we can all start thinking of ways to prevent it.
Those little bunnies put out a lot of BTU's... but it still boggles the mind that they can overheat themselves like that.
I noticed yesterday that Gofer's litter had separated themselves into two piles to stay cooler.
I know that wire nests are better in the warm months because they provide more ventilation, but there must be other things in addition to that that we could do to minimize heat retention in the hot months! Minimal hay and straw with a bed of shavings? Larger nests so they can move further apart? Indentured servants with gently waving palm fronds?
OneAcreFarm
Well-known member
MamaSheepdog":kvre6jib said:Oh no! How sad, Sistah.
I am so sorry for your loss- you must have been devastated! But thank you for posting about it so we can all start thinking of ways to prevent it.
Those little bunnies put out a lot of BTU's... but it still boggles the mind that they can overheat themselves like that.
I noticed yesterday that Gofer's litter had separated themselves into two piles to stay cooler.
I know that wire nests are better in the warm months because they provide more ventilation, but there must be other things in addition to that that we could do to minimize heat retention in the hot months! Minimal hay and straw with a bed of shavings? Larger nests so they can move further apart? Indentured servants with gently waving palm fronds?
Well, the one kit is still hanging in there. Boy, is it WELL fed!
LOL Bella had pulled MORE fur when I went out there so I removed it and brought the nestbox inside till it cools off...
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
OneAcreFarm":163j4o4r said:
Good idea! That might be the best way to manage litters in the hot months- bring them inside during the heat of the day, and leave them out overnight.
trinityoaks
Well-known member
Oh, OAF! I'm sorry! It does look like that one is being well cared for, though!
If Bella continues to pull fur, you should salvage it for future use. With the kind of weather you're having, she's probably willing to end up half naked. :roll:
trinityoaks
Well-known member
LOL! We're supposed to hit the mid-90s (F) today. (I'm about 60-90 minutes from OAF.)
OneAcreFarm
Well-known member
Yep...it's a hot one...
Lmannyr
Well-known member
Sorry for the loss. I also lost 5 out of 7 last month to the south Florida heat. They had TONs of hay an fur with a wire nest box lined with cardboard. I pulled out Hal's the hay and fur, and also the cardboard. The survivors are now 4 weeks and weaned today.
Another doe kindled 9 last week and she pulled a ton of fur. I took half of the fur out the day after kindle, still using wire nest box, no card board. Today I took more fur out again. It is scorching hot here. I use a mysting system on a timer from 11 am till 6pm. Mist comes on for 1.75 hours then off for 15 min. The mist nozzles are positioned to one area of the cage so the rabbit has a choice to be in it to cool off, or away.
It's only going to get hotter so get ready for it.
Another doe kindled 9 last week and she pulled a ton of fur. I took half of the fur out the day after kindle, still using wire nest box, no card board. Today I took more fur out again. It is scorching hot here. I use a mysting system on a timer from 11 am till 6pm. Mist comes on for 1.75 hours then off for 15 min. The mist nozzles are positioned to one area of the cage so the rabbit has a choice to be in it to cool off, or away.
It's only going to get hotter so get ready for it.
trinityoaks
Well-known member
I'm going to have to pull out my misters again this summer, as well.
skysthelimit
Well-known member
I pull my boxes every night. My chin Rex never really pulled any fur, as just as well since I made her nest. Lots of hay. I had to dump the nest for the two week old 9 kit litter. It's going to be 80 Thursday, so I will pull the boxes during the day now. No AC in the house, but it's cooler in the main barn room and in the house, than it is in the bunny barn room.
good hint when it's warm is to remove most of the fur during they day and then return it at night.
OneAcreFarm
Well-known member
trinityoaks":31n4soop said:
Do they do well for you there in Houston, Trinity? I have been thinking about them but it is so humid here....
trinityoaks
Well-known member
Don't know yet. I haven't used them since I moved here. For the last several days I have been giving the buns a misting each day with the mist setting on my watering wand. They seem to like that better than the regular spray, and they do seem to be more comfortable after getting a bit damp.OneAcreFarm":s6sq0z9j said:
OneAcreFarm
Well-known member
Well, my one and only is still alive! Fat little guy...heheheh
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
YAY!
Another "Sumo Bunny" in the making!
Another "Sumo Bunny" in the making!
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"It's the funniest thing... the more fur I pull, the cooler I am. Tomorrow, I think I'll try pulling the rest of it!"MaggieJ":2y09x5yw said:
That's just about it, Miss M. Alice pulled a lot of fur last summer and then managed to abrade her skin against the cement block we used to elevate the water crock enough to develop an abscess. Silly girl!
One Acre, we had a lonely only early in 2011. Remember Pudge? He was gaining weight so fast that we got worried about him. He and his mom were here in the house due to some problems in the colony, and we found it was better to keep him separate except for an hour morning and evening. He was a little blimp! He's a gorgeous big buck now and is our herd sire.
meet-our-youngest-lonely-only-pudge-t2637.html?hilit=Pudge
One Acre, we had a lonely only early in 2011. Remember Pudge? He was gaining weight so fast that we got worried about him. He and his mom were here in the house due to some problems in the colony, and we found it was better to keep him separate except for an hour morning and evening. He was a little blimp! He's a gorgeous big buck now and is our herd sire.
meet-our-youngest-lonely-only-pudge-t2637.html?hilit=Pudge
