RAW 6th June - Keeping cool

[Graciee]

With the warm weather approaching, we'd love for you to share your favourite ways of keeping your rabbits cool - tips for both indoor and outdoor rabbits would be great!

Ideas for providing shaded areas in the garden, cooling surfaces for indoor/outdoor bunnies etc.

If you've seen any good advice online for keeping rabbits safe in the summer heat please share that here too.

We'll pick a winner at random from all the replies by 2pm on 14th June; the prize up for grabs is a selection of forage & natural treats from Just4rabbits. https://just4rabbits.uk/

[susie bun]

My late bunny, Spenser Milton, liked to be fanned with a rather pretty Chinese fan. He just sat there like a prince with the fan wafting is mane (he was a lionhead cross).

[Glingle]

Vanessa B on here told me that rather than get a normal garden parasol you can buy half parasols which means that you can butt them right up to a shed or hutch to provide shade.

[Jack's-Jane]

A few tips I have picked up over the years :

Put ceramic tiles in the freezer for an hour and then put them in Bunnies' accommodation

If using an electric fan drape a wet cloth infront of it so the air blows through moisture and does not just push hot air around

Invest in blackout curtains for rooms that may get a lot of direct sunlight

If you can afford it buy a portable Air Con' unit. I have an ancient one, at least 10 years old. It's noisy but it has been a life saver over the years

There are lots of additional tips here :

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/heatwaveblog.pdf

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/its-summ...ot-cross-buns/

https://www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info/summer-care

[keletkezes]

My bunnies' playhouse is in full sun until later afternoon (3pm ish). I put radiator reflective backing insulation under the roof felt to keep the infra red out as much as possible:



With Charlie (my old rabbit from my childhood) was always had shade for him, a piece of chipboard against the side of the run. If it was very sunny we'd put a net curtain over the top: shade and breeze

With these two they have multiple areas to go to: the playhouse is in the sun but the hutch is right next to the house, in the shade, and the run is kinda between the two so shaded but also a bit more in the breeze in places.



I've also acquired a couple of granite slabs in case it gets really hot again!

[mini lop1]

Make sure their hutch, or home is in the shade, if runs are in sun make shelter using parasols umbrellas? Or use advantage of trees as shade
Or they even now sell fancy like sailing type shades that can tie from one end of something in garden to the other
You can also cover run with please that fabric or special covers designed for keeping buns cool like from scratch and Newton.
They also do the ice pod you put in freezer and then put in your rabbits home. Space enclosure. Or your u could even make you it own out of freezing bottles and wrapping a towel are be and placing in rabbits enclosure
Ceramic tiles are good for them to lie on as they stay nice and cool
Some people use fans not directly facing rabbit but just to provide abit of cooling, you can even get solar ones
Places to his can provide shade to as long as not in direct sunlight, such as tunnels etc
If you're he rabbit looks like they are getting to warm and heavy breathing, then get cool towel which you have soaked in water and ringed out excess and gently place over your
bunnies head
I also change the water regularly throughout the day so that it is cool and fresh, as it can soon warm up
Vegtable treats also contain water content so as a treat if really hot In summer I will give say a cucumber or greens

[Liz47]

I've seen this being posted online:



For my indoor rabbits I use cool pods (scratch and newton I think is the make, they go in the freezer). Also use a fan and hang a damp towel over a corner of their crate to create a bit of a breeze! And give cucumber in small amounts

[louise200]

I’ve fixed aluminet shade cloth to the top of the grass run, the hutch is under a solid roof in an aviary already. I dunk veges in water before feeding and I wet their ears throughout the day, as well as using frozen water bottles and moving side shading along the sides of the grass run as well. Just enough to create a bit more shade without reducing airflow

[KarenM]

Lots of useful tips.

[KarenM]

Anybody venturing into rabbit chat this morning will probably be cursing me right now but I'm bumping this one too. Any more ideas to add?