
Heat Prostration
Rabbits have great difficulty the heat and humidity
Due to this fact many rabbits suffer from Heat Prostration or Heat stroke.
Pregnant does, older rabbits, and rabbits that are overweight
are found to have more of a problem dealing with the heat, then others.
Important rules of thumb for the hotter months.
Always provide your rabbit with fresh clean water at least twice a day.
Be sure to wash and disinfect the water bottles daily.
(We use Vanodine in our Rabbitry for this)
Fill a large plastic bottle with water, freeze it and put it
then place it in the corner of your rabbit's cage.
This will work as a cooling system for your rabbit.
Never put cages in full sun. Shaded areas are best.
If your rabbit is kept inside a building or rabbitry
Use fans to keep the air circulating on really humid hot days
If possibly try to avoid handling your rabbits during the hotter parts of the day.
Symptoms of Heat Prostration
Quickened breathing
Wetness around the nose and mouth
Drooling with possible bloody discharge from the nose.
Rabbit stretched out on stomach with head tipped back and panting like a dog.
In severe cases, blood vessels in ears become enlarged
and parts of the mouth may turn blue.
If you notice your rabbit has developed Heat Prostration
You can submerge your rabbit into luke warm water NOT COLD.
to bring the rabbits body temp back down to normal.

(Photo of Johnny Five with his ice bottle to keep cool at
Our Rabbitry.)
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© 2006 The Rabbit Info Center and Crystal Publications
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