How does the heat affect bunnies?

Hey all,

Just wondering how bunnies react in hot weather? Mine are kept inside... but are very sleepy through the day (almost like per) but Jamie isn't touching his Science Selective... he's nibbling on hay, and he's had some baby spinach and parsley, but he's left his Science Selective from this morning, and he seems a bit grumpy.

I've said to my partner that if he doesn't eat more by the morning I'll take him to the vets, but can anyone offer any insight on to weather effects?

my two have been very much the same over the weekend. See my post "Off their food". It was about 30 here yesterday and been very warm again today.

Would have thought they'd be ok indoors - being left in direct sunlight can kill rabbits very quickly.

The house can still be very warm during summer. I give my house bun ice cubes in his water, and fill up his bowl with bottled water from the fridge. And I have a pad thingy that you put in the freezer for him to lay on My outdoor buns I keep bathroom tiles in the fridge overnight and put them in the shaded parts of the runs during the day for them to lay on or give them coke bottles filled with water and frozen

I have ice pods for both the rabs and the piggies too: they are great My rabbits were both very sleepy in the hot weather over the weekend. They are outside bunnies so this is obviously less relevant to your rabbits, but I moved the umbrella that goes with the patio furniture to shade the hutches and give them somewhere cool and shady to lie, with that and the ice pods they seemed comfortable but definitely quieter than normal. It must be warm when you are wearing a little fur jacket

i have had house rabbs and all the way along they have been badly affected by the heat!!

i even had our little woozle get heat distressed!

bertie n bif are free range but willow is inthe rottie crate..with exercise...
in wilows crate once shed gone to bed i put a 1.5l bottle of frozen water inthere..bif n bertie had several smaller bottles dotted around their snoze spots.

i also have an air cooler and withut water its a fan that blows down onto the floor too..so once i go to bed i put it on timer for them.
my hose is boling cos of the wheelchair porch..its like a sauna and it heats up the lounge.
i canot have windows openwithoutmesh onthem due to flies and spiders and my worst enemy..pollens!! i got some new mesh and its great but the kits keep pulling it down catching bugs..if they only did stairgates for windows!!

so fans it is..

BUT ive gone online to robert dyas and gone halves on a portable air conditioning unit..was £250 now £199..and with research its meant to be a good ne ideal for our lounge too. my daughter is housebound with severe M.E and cant stand the heat even in winter!! so its had to be done..shes in terrible shape and so are the bunnies and the cats!

it means no money for more storage boxes and no winter trainers for me...and more and more...but the comfort f all my babies.even the 23 yr old 2 legged one:lol: is more important.

last year when we had oscar still..him n bif cooled down in the garden by swimming then paddling in a tots paddling pool then laying in the shade..bifs a furry mermaid...its why shes so easy to butt bath!
poor oscar has been gone a year almost....
i dont think bertie will be able to climb in and out on his own tho the huge lump...no no lectues please..it didnt hurt my buns last year..it saved their lives..they were overheated even indoors!!

air conditioners for rabbits..i must be nuts..and very very broke!!

Oh forgot :lol: Beau has a fan too

Charlie, can't be bothered, he hates the sunand lays on the cold paving slabs in the shade not doing a lot all day, I give him a run out late at night when the temperature has dropped and he happily binkies all over the place then.

Becks was very strange over the weekend too, I bought him the ice pod and I kept putting it in his hutch for him to lay on, but he wont go near it, just ignores it and stretches out and just seems to sleep, then if you let him out he goes and lays in the shade, even though his hutch is in the shade too.

Also a quick change of topic, his moulting is SO bad! Ive got him on papaya tablets but his fur is literally coming out in clumps and its if you stroke him ur hand is covered in fur!! is this normal? Its just a pain because i cant bring him inside because his fur will get everywhere!

Where did you all get your ice pods from please?
I freeze pop bottles and put them in their shed,they also have granite slabs to lay on

mine was from pets at home its like a frizebee and is bright pink you put in the freezer for 4 - 5 hourds and then put it in their hutch, is about ten quid.

Thanks for that will have to get a couple