Cool bunnies

How do you make sure your pet rabbits keep their cool in the hot summer sun? Suzhy Winifield RVN of VetSavers offers her advice

Heat can kill rabbits fairly quickly – we all know a dog can die in a hot car, but a rabbit can die in a hutch just as easily. Here are some pointers to try to help keep them cool. It is important to remember that just like us, each rabbit is different and will tolerate heat differently, so it is vital that you observe your pet daily.

Tips for cool bunnies
■ Make sure your bunny is out of the sun. If they are confined to a cage or small room for part of the day, be sure that there is plenty of shady space for them to rest.
■ If you place a tile in the freezer overnight and then put it in the hutch when it starts to get warm through the day, the rabbit will lie on this to keep cool (don’t place it in the sun or it will get very hot).
■ Set up a fan that will breeze past your rabbit without blowing directly on them all day – just remember not to leave the flex where your rabbit can get to it! You can also drape a damp towel over part of the cage so the fan will blow through the towel and create a cooler breeze.
■ Place a few ice cubes in their water bottle so the water is kept cool.
■ Mist rabbit’s ears. Rabbits lose heat through their ears and misting them will help keep the rabbit cool.
■ Brush out excessive fur. If you have a long-haired rabbit, consider cropping your bunny’s coat short for the summer months.
■ Fill one or two-litre bottles with water and freeze them. Once frozen, put the frozen water bottle in your rabbit hutch so he can lean against it to keep cool.
■ Be especially watchful of rabbits over five years old, who are overweight or incapacitated. They tend to be more sedentary and may not get up to drink water if they are too hot. This can quickly lead to dehydration, which can lead to death or health problems.
■ If it’s unbearably hot and your house is cooler than outside, bring your rabbits indoors if possible and let them run around outside once the hottest part of the day has passed.

What do I do if I think my rabbit has heat stroke?
Rabbits don’t actually pant to keep cool, so if you see your rabbit with his mouth open and breathing quickly they may have heat stroke. Do not submerge them in cold water, as this could place the rabbit in shock. Dampen his ears and body with cool water, then get them to the vet straight away.

• VetSavers Cardea Unit 2 Bellona Drive Cardea Peterborough PE2 8GP Tel: 01733 889236
• VetSavers Hampton Dobbies Garden Centre Cygnet Park, Hampton Peterborough PE7 8NY Tel: 07707 994966 Emergencies only: 01733 562904