Made
for Shade: Keep your rabbit out of the sun and have a cage in the shade.
Indoor rabbits with direct sun into their cage or pen in the
summer need to be protected, too. Heat passing through a window
doesn't escape back out so the room heats up. If you let your rabbit
run in the
garden in the summer, have a shady place for it to rest.
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Fans:
A fan that will pass a breeze by the rabbit is great and particularly a
circulating fan so the breeze isn’t constant. Groucho spends his
summer by his own personal fan. Don't put the
rabbit's cage in front of an air conditioner and so they really
"chill out!" Be sure to bunny proof the cords!
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Less
Fur:
On long-haired rabbits – give them a "hare" cut for
the summer. Also, brush hair out
of a bunny’s coat so there isn’t extra.
After all, that is a fur coat your rabbit is wearing in the summer.
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Vegging
Out:
Vegetables help keep rabbits
hydrated so make sure they are getting plenty. Rinse the vegetables and leave the water on
them.
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 Cool
Spots:
Ceramic tiles, marble tiles or brick/cement pavers in the cage
or in a favorite spot are cool areas for lounging rabbits.
Water: Put a couple of ice
cubes in their water crock or bowl – this will keep their water
cool and the ceramic crock will be nice for them to lounge next to when
it gets too warm. Rosemary gets them out and licks them.
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Mist
Ears:
Rabbits dissipate heat through their ears so you can mist them
to help them keep cool. Don’t make them wet – just mist occasionally.
Plant misters work well. A spray bottle full of water will scare a rabbit.
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 Cool
Buddy: Freeze a few 1 liter pop bottles full of water and then put a
thin sock over the bottle and put it in the rabbit’s area or cage.
Rabbits will lay next to the bottle to cool off.
I keep one or two in the freezer all summer and rotate in the
rabbit pen. Rosemary and Groucho share theirs by laying down with their
bottle "ice cube" between them.
Heat
Stroke: If your rabbit gets heat stroke, mist his ears.
Absolutely no cold baths or showers!
Call
your vet!
In the Car:
Just
like a dog or cat - never leave a rabbit in the car in the sun or hot
weather!
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Above: Mr. Hops enjoys his cold buddy
on warm days.
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