Too hot to own animals

[coffeenutdesigns]

It is 108 today. Nobody was going to be home to babysit the rabbits today, so I spent the early morning moving cages to the air conditioned shed before having to go to work. The new guys are in QT so they couldn't go in with the others. Luckily my daughter was able to check them at lunch and toss some small ice bottles in with them. My freezer is now too full for big ones. I managed to get off early and got home at 2:30 and proceeded to spend the next half hour spraying down all the outside animals and pens. They got nice and cool, while I sweated my rear off (I wish, lol). I'm sure I'll have to do it at least once more today. Yesterday temps were still hovering near 100 when the sun went down. What kind of idiot am I for having all these animals in the desert? I swear the temps were at least 10 degrees cooler on average when I was a kid. We might rarely see 102, maybe 104 at the highest and that was unusual.

 

[TerriG]

We're right around 100 today, and it will be hotter this weekend. We didn't get started with rabbits until late summer last year. We just bought fans to put out there, and new thermometers. We had to spray down animals yesterday (first time). Today we put frozen 2 liter bottles in with them. I hope we can keep them cool. This is miserable.

 

[AnnClaire]

Yeah, I lost 3 to the heat today ... 2 older juniors and 1 kit ~5 weeks ... had the sprinkler hose spraying into the cages ... the wind was like an oven when it did blow, but not much wind today either.

Waiting for a line of storms to get here from Kansas with 60mph winds

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

Aw, man. I'm sorry you lost some

 

[AnnClaire]

Yeah, it sucks!

I hope we get the break in the heat the weather man is talking about for Sunday and Monday ... maybe even Tuesday

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Coffeenut, have you though about making some sort of underground housing for the rabbits?

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

Thinking more about it as this summer progresses, lol. I do have a misting system to put up in the bunny shed and I think a higher powered fan with the misters may be all I need. It doesn't get too worrisome until it hits these 100+ degree days. Funny thing, my 2 "extra" bucks I have no real use for are the most heat tolerant. Naturally. :?

 

[TerriG]

My rabbitry is holding steady at 92 degrees. That's not ideal, but it is 102 outside. You can actually feel the difference. I have a fan running. I am planning on putting in a 2nd fan up high to vent out the hot air. I am also toying with the idea of doing misters.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

We had a terrible couple of days this weekend, but misters and extra fans did the trick, even here in SE Texas where it is usually really humid. When in doubt...add a fan!