Seasonal-Bunny Trail Farm

Here is some things to consider if you house your rabbit outdoors.

Rabbits that live outdoors need to have special attention given to them to
protect them from the weather. Keep your rabbit clean and dry in it's outdoor
enclosure. Be sure to take extra care during cold and hot weather. Below are
some suggestions to help you prevent problems from the heat and cold
seasons.

Summer Heat Problems:

When the temperature gets above 80 degrees the chance of heat stroke greatly
increases. To help prevent heat stroke in outdoor rabbits the following may help:

Symptoms of Heat Stroke:

The rabbit will lay on the bottom of its cage with its body stretched out.

The rabbit will appear to have labored breathing.

The rabbit may become motionless and unresponsive.

1. Airflow in the area in which your rabbit is kept and supplying good ventilation
helps keep temperatures down. Fans will circulate air along with cooling the
temperature of the rabbit cage area.

2. Be sure you provide plenty of cool, fresh water.

3. Frozen pop or milk containers or a piece of ceramic tile that has been chilled in
the freezer gives your bunny something to lay next to or on to cool off.

Heat can be very dangerous to rabbits. They are more susceptible to heat stroke
than humans, so if you are feeling hot imagine how your bunny feels.

Watch out for the signs of overheating in your bunny:

Reddening of the ears
Panting
Lethargy
Salivating
Weakness/Slow movement
Acting Confused
Convulsing

If your rabbit exhibits any of these symptoms begin misting it's ears with cool water
and immediately call your vet. Never put your rabbit under cold water or into a cold
bath if it appears to have heat stroke. To help prevent this condition in your pet
rabbit, there are several ways to keep your bunny cool as the temperature rises.
Provide an area for your bunny that is out of direct sunlight. A little shade can make
a big difference in temperature. Air conditioning is ideal on hot summer days. You
can also open windows to provide a breeze. A fan can also be used, but do not have
the fan blow directly onto your bun. Groom your rabbit. Helping your rabbit to rid
itself of excess fur will help cool him/her down. You can giver your bunny an ice cube
or two and watch your bunny happily lick the cubes. Rabbits use their ears to
regulate temperature, so by spraying some water mist on your rabbit's ears will help
cool your rabbit down. Never get the ears completely wet; a quick mist will do. You
can use a cool damp towel draped over an area where your bunny usually relaxes
in. Make sure the towel is not dripping right on your rabbit. Give your bunny
vegetables to help keep him/her hydrated.

What to do if your rabbit appears to have heat stroke:

If necessary you can give your rabbit can be given a cool, but not cold bath. Call
your local Veterinarian for medical help.

Winter Weather Problems:

.Rabbits can handle the cold much better than heat. There are some things to
consider when housing rabbits outdoors during the winter months. First, make sure
your rabbit has water available. Crocks or bowls are easier to handle and won't
freeze as easy as a water bottle. If a water bottle gets frozen the expanding water
will ruin the bottle. We keep a heated bucked with warm water hanging in the
rabbitry area to thaw out frozen dishes or crocks. We then refill the bowls after
popping out the ice. Heat lamps in the outdoor enclosure you keep your rabbit in or
some other heat source will help keep water from freezing. There are plug in types
of water bottles also available that do not freeze. Rabbits also need shelter from the
wind, rain and snow. We enclosed our rabbitry with plastic for the winter. Good
ventilation is still important due to ammonia fumes from urine. So do keep the air
moving without chilling the rabbits. Keep rabbits dry and do NOT bath them in winter
even if you bring them to the house and then return them outdoors. There are
waterless kitten shampoos you can use if your bunny really needs to have a bath.
As always feed plenty of hay to keep up the rabbits temperature. A hide box is a
good wind break for a rabbit. Be sure to check on your rabbit at least once daily if it
lives outdoors. You can move your rabbit to a garage, shed, barn, or even a
basement for the winter if you have the room.

Seasonal Tips