Worried about the heat

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currituckbun

currituckbun

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It has already gotten to 90 today. One of my Silver Fox does was showing some signs of heat stress today. She was panting hard and laying stretched out flopping on her side. I put out the fans and all of the icies . What else can I do besides bring them in the ac.
 
When it gets in the 90s and they show heat stress I use a large pail of semi cool water (not cold). Scruff each rabbit and gently submerge them into the pail up to their shoulders. The water gets down to the skin and they stay damp and cooler for a while. This lasts a lot longer than mist and ice that quickly melts.
 
While you're dunking them, gently splash some water on their ears as well. Rabbits have veins in the ears that dilate to cool them so wetting their ears really helps. Here we rarely have dangerous temperatures but I take a spray bottle down to them on hot days and mist their ears to make them more comfortable.
 
MaggieJ":1vweysis said:
While you're dunking them, gently splash some water on their ears as well. Rabbits have veins in the ears that dilate to cool them so wetting their ears really helps. Here we rarely have dangerous temperatures but I take a spray bottle down to them on hot days and mist their ears to make them more comfortable.
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Thank God we dont get that kind of heat here. We might get colder winters than they do. But i prefer that over that nasty heat.
 
Rosebud pants all the time as it is. It's about 70 out this morning and she's stretched out and panting. I'll be dunking her before we leave for the festival today. Also moved her pasture pen under a big shade apple tree.
 
Here I thought it was dangerous for rabbits to get wet if they're not in colonies. Maybe that's just in cold weather?
 
I seem to remember reading somewhere that wet fur can attract flies. But given the choice between immediate stress from overheating and possible fly problems, I'd take the chance and dunk them.

In cooler weather, rabbits could easily get chilled if they are wet but I don't think it would happen in extreme heat.
 
~Abstract~":2w928dro said:
Scruff each rabbit and gently submerge them into the pail up to their shoulders.
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Good idea! I never would have thought to do this- misting the ears as MaggieJ does is as far as I got in my thought process!

Because of the freezes we had this winter, many of the drinking valves on my water system leak. It has been a blessing in many ways- the constant dripping kept the lines from freezing in all but the coldest temps, the water dilutes the urine so when I clean out the bunny berries I am not knocked out by ammonia fumes, and the evaporation keeps the BunnyBarn cooler.

I would suggest wetting down the areas under the cages as one way to help. :)
 
MaggieJ":wmm96vre said:
Hanging wet burlap with the bottom edge in a tray of water (swamp cooler, sort of) can help if there is a good breeze and it is not too humid.
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MaggieJ's gittin' mahty redneck raht 'bout now! :cowboy:

Great idea- I think I'll try that this year, both for the bunnies and when transplanting plants in the heat- I've draped a tent of wet burlap over plants before, but never thought to have it wick up water.
 
I went out today and had all my 4 week olds panting and wet paws and noses, they got two bottles with ice in them (anytime it's too hot for me they get them which pretty much means if it is 75 or hotter they get them) and a fan put on them since there was no breeze. But figures the breeze starts after the fan is on them.
Gonna do the burlap soaked in water after getting some burlap if I can afford it after getting cages that I'll need for the keep kits.

But I wonder, would peppermint essential oil water be ok for the rabbits? Or perhaps a little bit of it on the ears? It would help with the cooling since it is for cooling off and a drop in a dogs water will help keep them cool. But I'd make it up like I how do for myself when I put it in water and I know first hand that it works on cooling just by rubbing it on (it's how I keep cool to be outside on hot days).
 
I am about ready to serve iced tea and lemon cookies. I have kept them cool with icies and frozen water bottles so far. Dunking sounds good. I also thought about letting them go In the exercise area there is exposed dirt to lay in and cool shade.
Hoping for less humid cooler weather . Nc is hot and humid. Swamp cooler here I come.
 
I dunked two. They were immediately interested in licking themselves dry. lol
 
I don't think a swamp cooler is going to work too good in a high humidity environment as they put moisture into the air - which you already have plenty of.<br /><br />__________ Sun May 06, 2012 7:10 am __________<br /><br />I don't think a swamp cooler is going to work too good in a high humidity environment as they put moisture into the air - which you already have plenty of.
 
If you don't have burlap, but do have old sheets, they can be done the same way ... one end in a pail/pan of water to wick it up ... some folks cut/tear the sheet into 1-2" wide strips so the breeze can get through too.
 

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