Girls not eating in hot weather :(

They have a fan ( not directly aimed at them ) frozen bottles of water which they won’t touch, ice cubes in water each hour and tiles on the floor which they won’t go near. They are in shade indoors.

I can tempt them with forage and they will eat that but not seen hay being eaten for a while now. Don’t know what else to do.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Lisa1981 said:

They have a fan ( not directly aimed at them ) frozen bottles of water which they won’t touch, ice cubes in water each hour and tiles on the floor which they won’t go near. They are in shade indoors.

I can tempt them with forage and they will eat that but not seen hay being eaten for a while now. Don’t know what else to do.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

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Poor babies

Mine are very sleepy today inside with fans etc.

Do they have output? Are they just snoozy? If there's no output obviously I'd say vet etc, if they seem okay just aren't doing a lot they may perk up as it cools down this evening.

It's been pretty chilly then all of a sudden hot, so normally mine are quite active only gets too much about 30° from what I've seen. But the sudden change has made them snoozy.

How long have they not eaten hay for?

If they seem okay I'd personally see if they perk up this evening sending vibes for them xx

I think because rabbits in the wild are dawn/dusk animals, they're just not built for this heat. they'd be under in the ground where its cooler, snoozing the day away. I'm not sure if its a cause for concern since mine don't tend to eat much when its hot, but then perk up when its cooler in the evening.

plus the sudden change is hard for them to adapt too as well.

that being said tho, I'd remove the icecubes from the water and leave them with cool/room temp water. I honestly can't find anything on it now (sods law) but its not recommended to give bunnies ice cold water or ice cubes, as the temp different between them and the water (or ice) has been known to cause stasis. I'm sure there was something possibly from the RWAF but I can't find it anymore.

theres been some research to suggest in humans that drinking cold drinks won't actually help cool you down, a lot of the time it can do the opposite and warm you up. its due to the cold having a cooling affect in your body, so your body rushes to warm you up further. drinking hot drinks can actually help cool you down, as you then sweat it out basically. of course I'm not suggesting to give a rabbit a cup of tea :lol: but giving them ice or cold water will probably make them hotter. in humans the affect is somewhat minuscule (depending on how much you drink, because we're larger than rabbits), but the affect on rabbits could be bigger. just something to thing about!

its far better to wet them down than it is to give them ice cold water imho. so I'd suggest damping you hands and getting their ears wet. their ears are thin and have the blood vessels closest to the skin, so it will help cool them down far more than ice water would. you could also dampen your hands and run it over their body. they don't like it, but its a good method of helping keeping them cool

Thanks BC they have been nibbling since I got hurbs and rushed home with them ( what a polava to find some where open as they were on a hay diet with tiny bits of forage).

Oh ok I didn’t know ice cubes made you hotter. I immediately removed them once I read what you posted. Thank you for the advice and I will look it up. So no ice in a bottle covered in a sock then either I sapose?

We have output from both girls since the frantic rushing to put herbs in the pens so bang goes the almost hay only diet but if it’s the only thing that keeps them eating so be it. I’d rather deal with teeth in this weather then constant stasis.

They do seem to perk up a bit in the evening and mornings. Right now they look so fed up I feel so sorry for them with all that fur but I’m not far behind with hating this weather.

I'm glad they are coping a little better. I think you're fine to leave the sock covered ice bottles. Nothing wrong in giving them an option to lie against something cool

cool tiles or ice bottles to lie against are okay - its just the drinking that poses an issue its the same principle as people who give their dogs cold water to cool them down, its actually more affective (and less dangerous as its argued that ice for dogs is bad too but thats a different topic) to give them a pool to play in or to wet their ears and paws, which is where they usually sweat from and where the blood vessels are closest to the surface.

the ice bottles or cool tiles to lie in is different as its coming from outside their body and not inside, so it can help cool them down. plus it gives them a choice, whereas the water they can't have so much not to drink the cold water, and some are actually put off from it. Luna won't touch cold water :lol:

I'm glad to see your bunnies are eating now. Sponge and Dennis have only eating hay, fresh forage and herbs today. They wouldn't touch the dry this afternoon. I think it's not only the heat but the noise of fans and air conditioning unit. Will keep an eye on them but I am happy they are eating hay at least

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Archie and Pip aren't eating as much either. They did the same last year when it went mega hot. They've just started nibbling hay now it's cooler.

Thank you every one.

We now have hay eating in huge amounts and Beauty and Harlequin are much more active and themselves. I’m glad it was the heat and no vets visit was needed and now I know what will get them eating in this weather.

BC ok the frozen bottles stay. I wonder what the rabbits would do if I put a shallow backing tray of water out. I won’t though as I know they can get to cold from water.

Tippertappertoby. I’m glad your rabbits were at least eating something. It seems it’s diffrent for each rabbit. No hay during the day here but herbs and dried forrage.

Mervinus. I’m glad pip and Archie are eating more now. It looks like it will be a yearly worry in that case. Beauty has been laying in front of the fan for most of the day and has dragged her bundle of hay in front of it munching. I got a thump when I turned it off as it was cooler.

Glad your bunnies are munching hay now, dragging it over to the fan made me laugh I guess animals are a bit like us, if it's too hot you don't want to eat so much, but stuff yourself when it's gone cooler !

They are right little charictures and oftern like to tell me what they don’t want with the thump of the paw.

I think so to unless it’s treat time :lol:

Glad they are eating a bit more. Mine have both been funny in their eating over the past week with the fluctuating temperatures. Picking at things rather than gobbling straight down. Doesn't help they're both in the middle of a full moult either which makes them grouchy as well.

Oh no so it’s even harder on your two with the moult. I hope they pick up eating a bit for you once the moult is over.

Beauty and Harlequin are both in their first moult but it hadn’t affected their eating. Because we had just switched to an almost hay only diet theyy we’re getting through a lot more hay. It was a shock to see how badly the weather hits them but I’m more prepared for it today.

I’m currently using 2L fizzy drinks bottles frozen to help cool down the girls but they are not intrested. I was thinking about getting the 5L square water bottles and wrapping them in a towel or blanket. I thought maybe they would sit on them as they are flat and that they would last longer.

Or would this be to much?

Lisa1981 said:

I’m currently using 2L fizzy drinks bottles frozen to help cool down the girls but they are not intrested. I was thinking about getting the 5L square water bottles and wrapping them in a towel or blanket. I thought maybe they would sit on them as they are flat and that they would last longer.

Or would this be to much?

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I used to use tea towels but Dennis ate a hole in his tea towel last year. I would just put it on some old hay perhaps unless they are not fabric fiends like my Denny boy it should be ok? Toby and Maple never chewed holes in theirs. We use the 2L volvic ones as they are square and don't roll. I have a real problem with my house as no buildings around and full sun south facing house. I found black out blinds worked amazing, keeping all doors shut, I bought a second hand air con unit for them, and two fans. I bought another second hand air con unit this year as a back up as I've had the other on all summer for at least two years. I also increase wet forage/herbs and make sure water is not in the direction where the fan is blowing. I just got my ice pod out and it's split so will be sticking to trusted water bottles

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loobers25 said:

I used to use tea towels but Dennis ate a hole in his tea towel last year. I would just put it on some old hay perhaps unless they are not fabric fiends like my Denny boy it should be ok? Toby and Maple never chewed holes in theirs. We use the 2L volvic ones as they are square and don't roll. I have a real problem with my house as no buildings around and full sun south facing house. I found black out blinds worked amazing, keeping all doors shut, I bought a second hand air con unit for them, and two fans. I bought another second hand air con unit this year as a back up as I've had the other on all summer for at least two years. I also increase wet forage/herbs and make sure water is not in the direction where the fan is blowing. I just got my ice pod out and it's split so will be sticking to trusted water bottles

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I was thinking the 5L because they could sit on them or maybe even just hop on and off maybe as a look out which would still help as they arnt using the 2L ones at all. I was thinking of an air conditioner as well but they seem so pricy. I might have to save up for one though.

My daughter has to have all widows shut from spring to winter as she has a really bad phobia of bees and wasps and if she sees one she screams and hides untill Iv got rid of it. So this doesn’t help.

I also saw the ice pods but not sure if the girls would use them.

I got quiet panicky as both were laying down and breathing faster then usual to so I’m thinking if it’s as hot today I might use my bath sheets and dampen them to put over the top of the pen.

Beauty is s chewer but she seems to be fine with any thing material especially fleece so I think that she would be safe with it as we’ve been using it a few weeks although Harlequin will pee on it.

Lisa1981 said:

I was thinking the 5L because they could sit on them or maybe even just hop on and off maybe as a look out which would still help as they arnt using the 2L ones at all. I was thinking of an air conditioner as well but they seem so pricy. I might have to save up for one though.

My daughter has to have all widows shut from spring to winter as she has a really bad phobia of bees and wasps and if she sees one she screams and hides untill Iv got rid of it. So this doesn’t help.

I also saw the ice pods but not sure if the girls would use them.

I got quiet panicky as both were laying down and breathing faster then usual to so I’m thinking if it’s as hot today I might use my bath sheets and dampen them to put over the top of the pen.

Beauty is s chewer but she seems to be fine with any thing material especially fleece so I think that she would be safe with it as we’ve been using it a few weeks although Harlequin will pee on it.

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If you have room for a 5L I think it's a great idea. I have a proline air con unit that I paid £70 for second hand and it's ice cold. Maybe keep an eye out for that if you ever see one. I feel I can't relax in the summer as always worried about the buns

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They both have a six by three foot base in the livingroom which I was thinking of putting them in as the fan would blow the cool air around. But I may also get another fan for the hallway as that’s Beauty’s freeroam space and Harlequin has the livingroom.

I will definantly look out for the brand of airconditioner you managed to find.

Ice pods are loved here all mine lay on top of them

I don’t think Harlequin would apreciate an ice pod. She just dragged the frozen bottle angrily to the ended of the 1st floor in the pen and throw it down to the ground. Then she looked at me and I felt like she was saying. Enough already that’s where it belongs :lol: