Here are some tips on how to keep your
bunny rabbits cool during the summer.

Place a frozen waterbottle in the cage with your rabbit. Fill a 3 liter pop bottle with water and then freeze it. Its best to keep an extra on hand, since it takes 24 hours to refreeze it.

Water and evaporation cool down the air.

Place misters on the roof of your barn or cage(s).  

Place a soaker hose around your cage. 

Place a wet piece of burlap or rug on top of your cage.

Place a fan so it has air moving past your cage (not directly on your rabbit).

Place a cement stepping stone or piece of ceramic tile in the cage and wet it. (this requires a sturdy cage)

Use an evaporative cooler in your barn. (bonus tip--place ice cubes or a frozen water bottle in the pan of water in the evaporative cooler) Be sure to have good ventilation so ammonia doesn't build up.

Use an air conditioner in your barn. Be sure to have good ventilation (air being pulled out) so ammonia doesn't build up.

Mist water on your rabbits ears and face.

If you have any other methods you use to cool your rabbits, please let us know and we'll add them on.

email to: bunnies@bunnyrabbit.com    BUNNYRABBIT.com

From: Laquita Greeson [mailto:lqgreeson@xxx.net] Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 12:30 AM
To: bunnies@bunnyrabbit.com  Subject: keeping your buns cool

Putting your 2 liter frozen ice bottles in a nest box will cause the ice bottle to last longer.  Your bunnies will actually be waiting in the box the next day, waiting for a fresh ice bottle.

From: Nikki McCollum [mailto:mariemutt@xxx.com] Sent: Saturday, May 12, 2007 6:46 PM
To: bunnies@bunnyrabbit.com  Subject: Cooling Tips

Put fruit in an ice tray and fill the empty space with water.Freeze overnite and give to rabbit(s).

From: Jane Snar [mailto:j_a_n_e@xxx.com] Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 1:36 AM
Just another suggestion that I use with my rabbits in summer.  I have four that are part angora, so have super long hair.  I simply give them a 'puppy' haircut to about 3/4" long (all over, including bottom side if you can manage it) and they noticeably become more active and happy in warm weather than with that thick and sometimes matted coat they can get.  It also reduces the amount of work you have to do with grooming in summer.  I find that my buns do not matt at all with a short haircut.  I just use a regular haircutting shears made for a human.  Practice, taking your time and giving them frequent breaks, snacks or breaking the haircut into a few days works well for buns that are new to this.  A buzzer can help clean it up exterior wise, but won't do for a whole haircut.  Also take care to feel down to their skin with your fingers before trimming to make sure you're aware of their bodies more than just visually.  You kind of get a feel for it after a while, and the process goes faster with time and practice.

From: simmonskathiej@xxx. Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 1:52 PM
To: bunnies@bunnyrabbit.com Subject: RE: Cooling Tips from BUNNYRABBIT.com

Take your rabbit camping with you to Lake Tahoe . Move to Bodega Bay where the fog never leaves all summer. Give your rabbit a fruit slushy (sugar free) or an ice cold carrot. We seem to be way behind the times on using passive cooling compaired to heating. Having the air intakes low on the wall on the shadey side and at the roof peak can actually generate an air current. 

From: Amy Murphy [mailto:AMurphy@xxx.xxx]  Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 To: bunnies@bunnyrabbit.com
Subject: Cooling Method
I have a regular cheap box fan w/an air conditioning filter attached to the back of it with twist ties & a mister behind that.  It has worked for me for years.
Amy

From: Nicole Kelley [mailto:t.rabbitfactory@xxx.xxx]  Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 To: bunnies@bunnyrabbit.com
Subject: Cooling Tips
Hi Pat,    It hit 103 here in Ozona under our Pecan trees in the back yard.  

We use small wash tubs (#0 #00 #000- being the size of the tub bigger the # smaller the tub) in with the Larger breeds.  They will lay up against them, put their feet off in them - English will get their ears in them but this tub helps by staying cool, some thing about the tubs helps keep the water cool.  Then on the smaller breeds we use bread loaf pans.  You just need to get aluminum ones so that they do not rust.  

If you use a Swamp cooler freeze milk jugs of water and put them into the reservoir when it really gets hot that will help cool off the water running on the pads.  

Spraying the ground around the cages with water seems to help a little or running water on the roofs of the cages if they are metal like ours.

We finally got some rain last night and early this morning maybe it will help out.  We have had 3 days of temps over 100 and it has played hell with some of our bunnies.  Well back to the grind stone.
Nicole  

From: Toocutegrl@xxx.com [mailto:Toocutegrl@xxx.com] Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2005 To: bunnies@bunnyrabbit.com
Subject: I have an idea

Hi my name is Devin. I am 14 and I have been raising numerous amounts of bunnies since I was 9 going on to 10. This summer we saw your site and tried to figure out away to keep our bunnies cool while we froze the bottles so we could use the frozen bottle in the cage method to keep them cool. We looked in our freezer and we saw frozen water balloons from my birthday party that I froze. We peeled off the the balloon( which peels off very easy.) and got an ice ball. Then put them in the cages and they LOVED them. and they were running around all refreshed. so it works very well!

From: bunnylover78642@xxx.xxx [mailto:bunnylover78642@xxx.xxx]  Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 10:24 AM
Subject: Re: Cooling Tips from BUNNYRABBIT.com  

 I just thought that I would tell you what I do to cool off my rabbits. They also have ice cubes but for my wire cages we soak towels in ice water and then place them over the cages. Then we place fans pointing slightly towards the towels to blow the cool water. Hope this helps.... (also give bowls of ice to the dogs)

  JRM**  Red Velvet Rabbitry  http://bunnylovertx.tripod.com/rvr
Raising Quality Mini Rexs in Red and Broken  Located in Hutto , Texas

From: Shirley W [mailto:spoilunme@xxx.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 12:25 PM
Subject: cooling rabbits

I use small ceramic tiles like for walls that I freeze. I scoot them under the rabbit and they soon learn that it is a cool place to lay.   I also keep a sunblock sheet over the front of my hutch. 
Thanks for the tips you provide  Have a great day!

From: Ted Slanker [mailto:ted@xxx.com]   Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 1:11 PM
Subject: Re: Cooling Tips from BUNNYRABBIT.com  

From: Thomas Ptaszkiewicz [mailto:TPtasz@xxx.net]    Sent: Friday, August 04, 2006 12:08 PM
Subject: hi

To keep the bunnies cool you can keep ice cubes in the bottom of a water dish or bottle so the water will stay cool .

goto Carrier Fan
Share your Cooling Tips!    Email to: bunnies@bunnyrabbit.com