Gothic Stud

With all this Hot Weather Happening i thought it best that i put alittle bit of advice for everyone to make thier Rabbits more comfortable.

BUT IF IN DOUBT GET HIM OR HER CHECKED OUT!!

Rabbits are fully furred animals even the bottoms of thier feet are covered with hair, because of this a rabbit can not sweat! Thier way of cooling down is done by thier ears hot blood from the body travels up to thier ears where it is cooled down due to having only a fine layer of hair and a wide surface area. when the blood has cooled its pumped around the body again. If you have a rabbit on a hot day with drool all round its chin this is usally the beggining of heat stroke the best thing in this case is to get the tempreture down quicky usally done by half submerging the rabbit in cool water( not cold otherwise it may send your rabbit into shock). DO NOT LIE A RABBIT BY ANYTHING COLD UNLESS IT IS CAPABILE TO MOVE AWAY! This is because if it becomes to cold it might die. If it has any signs of Heat stroke you should get it to a vet A.S.A.P.

• Have a marble sheet in the hutch that the rabbit may lay on (you can buy the ones made for chinchillas or as i do go to a tile shop its much cheaper!)
• You can even freeze the marble for the rabbit to lay on!
• Fill a coke bottle with water and freeze it, then put it in the rabbits hutch for him/her to lay against or they are now doing a product called an Ice Pod made by Scratch and Newton.
• Have a cage fan for rabbits to sit in front off Dee Millen's shop does one for £12.00 but it runs off 2 AA batteries, otherwise there is another type they do in pets @ home for £6 but it eats 2 DD batteries in 1 hour works out very pricey.
• Also this is a very important bit DONT PLACE THE HUTCH in direct sunlight this is proberly one of the main causes for heat stroke in pet rabbits. If you have no shade in you garden put a garden umbrella up over it.
• with the runs again there should be some shade if there isnt best way to make some is to use a baby pram umbrella as they are flexiable you can move it into the the right possition to shade you rabbit.
• Dampen your rabbits ears with a damp cloth.
• Brush and remove excess fur from him/her.
• Dont allow him/her to run themselves ragged between the hottest part of the day 10 AM - 3 PM.

1. Panting or heavy breathing (rabbits dont pant to lose heat so this is a very bad sign).
2. Hot ears.
3. Wet nose or/and wet chin (dribberling).
4. Putting back its head and opening its mouth to breathe.
5. Sprawling out / laying flat out.
6. Convulsions (this is a very serious sign vet treatment is needed immediately)