With the hot days of summer approaching, it's time for bunny moms and dads to review the basics about how heat affects rabbits and what we can do to keep your bunnies comfortable during hot spells.

Perhaps the most important thing about heat and your bunny is to understand how a rabbit keeps cool on his/her own accord. In a nutshell, when the bunny's body temperature rises above its normal 102 degrees Fahrenheit, the blood vessels in its ears will dilate. The air that passes over the ears cools the blood and as this cooler blood circulates back to the body, the bunny cools down. Rabbits don't sweat and they seldom pant, so the blood cooling process that occurs in their ears is their primary means of cooling down.

As a conscientious bunny parent, you will want to help your bunny stay cool if the heat of the summer becomes too much. Maybe you live where there is no air conditioning, or your air conditioner breaks, or perhaps you need to travel with your bunny on a hot day. Here are some easy things you can do to help your rabbit stay comfortable:

• Keep bunny out of the sun; provide a cool, shady spot for daytime lounging.
• Provide plenty of water for drinking. Freshly rinsed greens will also help keep your bunny hydrated.
• Provide frozen bottles for the rabbit to lie against. Keep a few extras in your freezer so that when one thaws, you can replace it with a new, icy one.
• Provide a metal cookie sheet or ceramic or marble tile for bunny to lie on. These stay cool even in warm weather and feel nice on a bunny's belly.
• Set up a fan to blow a breeze past your rabbit, but NOT directly on him.
• Drape wet towels on the side of his cage. This can be combined with a breeze--the air will cool as the moisture evaporates.
• Mist your bunny's ears with water from a spray-bottle or wipe them with a damp cloth. The water on the ears will also cause cooling during evaporation.
• For those adventurous, non-stressed rabbits, provide a very shallow wading pool for summer frolicking. Just an inch or two of water is sufficient for rabbit water sports. Do not force your bunny into this form of play as many rabbits may be very scared of the water.
• Move bunny to a cooler room, like the bathroom or basement.

A rabbit can die from being overheated or can suffer other serious health problems. Heat tolerance in rabbits is like that in humans; we all deal with it differently. So make sure to observe your bunny regularly during hot spells and make sure s/he is behaving normally. Keep a close eye on older, disabled or overweight rabbits that may not make the effort to drink during hot weather; they are most prone to dehydration. Lethargy, panting and difficulty in breathing are signs of a suffering rabbit. If you suspect heat stroke, dampen bunny's ears and body with cool water and get him or her to your veterinarian immediately!

By following these tips and precautions, we will all have a healthy and happy summer.

References:

1. Marinell Harriman, "Hot Weather Care," House Rabbit Journal.
2. San Diego HRS, "Ears as Air Conditioners."
3. HRS FAQ, "Warm Weather Concerns."

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