"Roasting" Rabbits (warning--this is whiney)

[Mustardseedmama]

I knew, when my Sweetie decided to keep rabbits again, that this day would come. The temps later this week are going to be in the low hundreds. We have our rabbits in the shade, in well ventilated hutches, with a box fan blowing on them day and night, and they get fresh cool water in their bottles twice a day, and it's not enough. They are already suffering, and I hate it. I can butcher animals for food, ...but I can't stand to watch them suffer!

'k. That's my whine for today--sorry!

[boboff]

Do you have a cellar?

I agree with suffering of animals is far worse than killing them, and eating them. Although they might have different ideas I suppose.

It's not a whine, it's normal, and also rather gauling when it's wet and foggy hear!

[Mustardseedmama]

Y'know,...I'm feeling rather embarrassed at this moment (guess I'll just admit it!). With all the people suffering in the world, and I'm whining about some pampered rabbits...

Priorities adjusted, whining ceased.

As far as the wet and foggy, I'd be happy to trade for the next few days....or months.

[wabbit955]

i like roasted rabbit hehe

[Thomzo]

If you (or in your case, your OH) is going to keep an animal in a pen then I think you're right to be concerned. It's not their choice to be there and suffering. I wonder if you could use some kind of evaporation system to keep them cooler? Like a pot-in-pot fridge, only larger.

Zoe

[GeorgeSalt]

Freeze big blocks of ice, then have the fans blowing across the ice in the heat of the day. If you can buy ice blocks, or if you have a local bar or restaurant with an icemaker it might be easier to beg/buy the ice you'll need on the hottest days.

When using fans, make sure there is a clear flow of air through the area being cooled (there needs to be an "out" as well as an "in"), and it's usually more effective if the fans are pulling the air out of the hutch rather than pushing it in.

Can you shave a rabbit?

[Mustardseedmama]

Hutches are open on all sides, so there is adequate air flow. I don't know if a rabbit could handle being shaved (?).

[Mustardseedmama]

Every couple of hours in the worst part of the day we are slowly, carefully "sloshing" them in a shallow bucket of tepid water....seems to help.

Thanks for all the ideas!

[thesunflowergal]

Hi ya,
We used to keep lots of bunnies, and in the high of summer we would freeze plastic drinks bottles with water inside. Our bunnies enjoyed lying against them to keep cool. Would that be an idea that you could use?

[Mustardseedmama]

I might try that too if I can find the freezer space. So far they are doing alright, although I know they will be as happy as I am for a break in the heat--happier I'm sure.

[boboff]

Sunflower girl wins for best Idea!

2ltr pop bottles are cheap and easy to fit in a freezer.

CRackin' idea.

[Mustardseedmama]

Rabbits are doing pretty well---temps are going down a little---not supposed to be past 98 for the rest of the week. Will continue with the TLC---thanks for all the suggestions!!

[Niele da Kine]

A drastic change in diet can induce molting in rabbits. If it looks like the heat is going to be around for awhile, you could try adding grains to their diet for a week to see if they will start molting. After a good molt, they should be cooler.

You can also give them a haircut, but they have thin stretchy skin and it's pretty time intensive as well as difficult to do it without snipping the rabbit's skin.

[Mustardseedmama]

Thanks NDK---we had thought about attempting "Hare" cuts, but these are big meat rabbits, and the process probably would have gotten them overheated, and myself hurt. It's incredible how powerful their hind legs and feet are.

They're really doing well now, they have adjusted to summer better than I could've hoped for and are still being well looked after by DD and myself.

[Niele da Kine]

Oh, good that the bunnies are adjusting to summer. Meat rabbit types usually have fairly short hair, don't they? Although someone told me angoras were bred into the New Zealand line to give them a denser pelt. I don't know if that is true but every once in awhile a New Zealand will be born with an angora type coat. If you had a rabbit like that, then a hare cut would cool them off.

The bunnies here are much smaller English angoras and they get a lot of hare cuts. They kinda like haircuts and get all happy and hoppy after. It would be much more difficult to shear or pluck a much bigger bunny like a meat type rabbit.