How to Protect Outdoor Rabbits From Heat

When the weather gets warm, people beat the heat inside air-conditioned buildings, relax under a shady tree, or take a dip in a pool. However, your rabbits need your help to stay cool during hot months. Rabbits do not tolerate high temperatures very well, and they will die if they become overheated. Keeping your outdoor rabbits cool during heat waves is part of responsible pet ownership.

Things You'll Need

  • Empty plastic bottle
  • Ceramic or marble tile
  • Battery-operated clip-on fan
  • Ice packs
  • Large rubber bands
  • Water mister
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Instructions

    • 1

      Move your rabbit hutches to a shady location. A shaded hutch stays cooler than a hutch in direct sunlight.

    • 2

      Fill a plastic water bottle three-fourths full of water, and freeze the bottle overnight. Remove the bottle from the freezer and place it in the rabbit's hutch. Your rabbit will lie on or near the bottle to cool off.

    • 3

      Chill a ceramic or marble tile, and lay it on the floor of the hutch. The tile will stay cool for hours, giving your rabbit a refreshing place to stretch out and cool down.

    • 4

      Lay an ice pack over the center of a small, battery-operated clip-on fan, and secure the pack with large rubber bands. Clip the fan to the side of the hutch and turn it on, pointing it down toward the rabbit. The ice pack acts like a miniature air conditioner, cooling the air that the fan blows over the rabbit.

    • 5

      Attach a small water mister to the hutch, and run it during the hottest hours of the day. The water cools the air, keeping the rabbits cool and healthy.