| > | | | | the water freezes, get the ice out and give the |
| Rabbits do well both indoors and outdoors, but | | | | rabbit fresh water. Ice is not enough for a rabbit. |
| they cannot handle certain weather extremes. | | | | Do not give them warm water, as that actually |
| Hot Weather | | | | freezes down faster than lukewarm water does. |
| Rabbits do not handle hot weather well at all. To | | | | 3. If you do bring your rabbit inside, do not put it |
| them, 80 degrees is hot. In order to prevent your | | | | in a warm room. Keep it in the coolest room you |
| rabbit from suffering in the heat, there are | | | | have, or when you take it back outside, the |
| several things you can do. | | | | temperature change will be a drastic shock on its |
| 1. Make sure it has fresh, cool water throughout | | | | system. |
| the day. | | | | 4. Place tarps or blankets over the hutch or cage, |
| 2. Put water in plastic soda bottles or milk jugs | | | | leaving a corner open for fresh air. This helps |
| and freeze them. Place onein the cage and the | | | | retain the rabbit's body heat in the cage, |
| rabbit will lean against it to stay cool. | | | | increasing the temperature a bit. |
| 3. Make sure the rabbit's hutch or cage is fully | | | | Sunlight |
| shaded. | | | | Rabbits cannot handle direct sunlight for very long |
| 4. Set up a mister system or a fan near your | | | | at all. Just a few minutes in full sunlight can kill |
| bunny's cage. | | | | them. It causes them to overheat rapidly. Make |
| Those things will generally keep your rabbit cool | | | | sure your rabbit always has a shaded area that it |
| enough. However, be on the lookout for signs of | | | | can get to. |
| heatstroke. These include heavy panting and wet | | | | Rain |
| mouths. | | | | A wet rabbit is a rabbit that is more prone to |
| Another side affect of heat is in reguards to | | | | getting ill or dying, especially if there are drafts or |
| breeding rabbits. Bucks may go temporarily sterile, | | | | there is cold weather. Keep your rabbit out of the |
| especially older bucks. Does may refuse to breed | | | | rain, and make sure it does not get wet. If it |
| or loose litters. | | | | does get wet, dry it off right away. A little water |
| Cold Weather | | | | on the surface of the coat will not harm the |
| Rabbits usually handle cold weather a lot better | | | | rabbit, so long as it has not reached the under |
| than they do hot weather. So long as they are | | | | layer of fur called the "undercoat." If it has |
| kept out of the wind and are kept dry, they | | | | reached the undercoat, some serious drying will |
| usually do fine. However, if they are not used to | | | | be needed. If that happens, also watch for signs |
| cold weather, or are particularly sensetive to it, | | | | of illness in the next few weeks. |
| there are some things you can do to help. | | | | Wind |
| 1. Provide hay for them to eat and to dig into. | | | | Drafts are one of the most common |
| The hay will create extra calories for them to | | | | weather-related killers of rabbits. Make sure your |
| burn, which makes more body heat. They will also | | | | rabbit is out of drafts, or at least has a place |
| nest in it, trapping body heat close to them. | | | | where it can get out of drafts. Wind chill can be |
| 2. Be sure they have fresh water at all times. If | | | | very deadly. |