The Ears: Keep 'Em Cool:
How You Can Help:
- 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.
By following these tips and precautions, we will all have a healthy and happy summer.