As with every bad and dangerous thing, it’s better to just avoid it entirely, than to have to deal with fixing it. This is definitely true when it comes to rabbits and heatstroke. In the past post we looked at what heatstroke was and how to recognize it at work. Today we’ll be discussing how to prevent it. 1. Keep your rabbit inside during the heat of the day. We’re starting off with an obvious one, when it starts to get hot out, just bring your rabbit inside and take them back out in the cool of the evening. This summer I actually had to do that with mine, which consisted of me going out after lunch and loading my rabbits up into carrier cages and bringing them inside to wait out the scorching heat of our South Texas Summer. I had to do this because I didn’t have a freezer where I could freeze my water bottles (more on this later) 2. Supply them with shade Even if your weather isn’t as hot as it is here, your rabbit will still not do well when kept under the sun for a long time without having a way of escape. There will be no way they can cool down if they are constantly beneath the sun’s rays, so make sure your rabbit is in the shade! 3. Make sure they have water Again, this is pretty obvious. They need water available at all times anyway, but this is vital to their survival when outside in the heat. Check your rabbit’s water frequently to make sure it’s not empty. 4. Supply them with good ventilation Ever been outside on a hot summer day without even a whisper of wind? If you have then you know how much more hotter it is. Now just imagine that with a fur coat. Yeah… so don’t put your rabbit in a place like a shed or anything that is shut off from the airflow. For example, my rabbits' cages are wire, which allows complete airflow at all sides and at the bottom of it. They’re also in an area fenced in with a chain fence, which the wind can easily pass through to them. You want an open place, not something with walls or tarps that will shield them from the life-giving breeze. 5. Give them frozen bottles This is what I do nearly every time summer rolls around. You gather those big soda bottles, fill them with water, and freeze them. Then, when outside is at its hottest, you take out the bottles and give one to each of your rabbits. They’ll lay up against the frozen bottle and it will help incredibly with keeping their temperature lower. 6. Feed them a frozen treat I have not done this personally, but I have heard other people suggesting this, and there are different ways to do it: You can take your rabbit’s veggies and freeze them, or you can blend up the veggies or fruit, pour the blend into some ice-cube molds and freeze it, etc. Then you take out the frozen treat and give it to your rabbit. Eating it will help them cool down. 7. Put ice cubes in their water Another thing you can do is take ice-cubes and put them in the water to cool down the water - I have done this before, especially when my rabbits are really hot (we’ll talk more about this in the next post). 8. Lightly mist the outside of their ears with water This is another thing that I have heard of people doing, though I haven’t exactly done it myself. Basically you put some cool water in a spray bottle and lightly mist your rabbit’s ears (because your rabbit’s ears are what regulate their heat), just be CAREFUL NOT to spray inside the ear, only the outside! 9. Remove any bedding or objects that may crowd them or block the air Have a bunch of bedding, hay, or other toys and such? That’s not only going to hinder the air flow, but it’s also going to crowd your rabbit and it’s going to be harder for it to cool down. (Imagine being stuck outside, surrounded with blankets and pillows!) Don’t smother your rabbits, folks! 10. Don’t let them out to exercise in the heat of the day Just don’t. If you put them out to play, they are going to run, and jump, and exert themselves. And what happens when you exercise? You get HOT. So, nope, not a good thing to let your rabbit play while it’s hot, all they should be doing during this time is resting - resting and staying cool. Don't risk your rabbit's life by leaving them unhelped out in the heat! Take precautions to help your rabbit stay cool and prevent heatstroke - don't wait until it's too late! Sometimes, however, despite our best efforts to prevent heatstroke, it will still strike, when this happens it's important to know what to do to save your rabbit's life, that's what we'll be talking about in the next post. . . Until then, have a happy hoppin day and let me know in the comments below if you have any questions, or suggestions for future rabbit topics you would like me to post about! I am not a vet, so of course all this is just information I have gathered and learned.
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