How To Keep Your Bunny Cool
When the rainy season comes to an end, temperatures will begin to creep up again here in tropical Singapore. Many house rabbits might be beginning to feel the heat, especially with their thick fur coats. If your bunny begins panting, salivating, and comes across as more lethargic or has reddened ears, he could be suffering from heatstroke, which requires immediate attention from a vet.
Here are five ways to ensure that your furry friend is kept cool and safe from the scorching heat:
1. Reduce The Temperature
One easy way to keep your house bunny cool is to be in control of the temperature around him. Turning on the air-conditioning is a surefire way of making sure that your bunny is kept cool and happy. Opening the windows to let a breeze in or turning on a fan will do as well. However, the fan should not be directly blowing at your bun.
You can also help make your bunny’s home cooler for by giving him a cool tile to lie on instead of his usual bedding that traps a lot of heat.
2. Keep Hydrated
Water makes up about over 60 percent of your rabbit’s body mass. It is an important solvent in the transportation of nutrients and waste, and it also aids in the regulation of your bun’s body temperature. Hence, it is important to ensure that the amount of water in your rabbit’s body is never depleted, especially when he is active.
If the water in his body is depleted, it may lead to dehydration. If your bunny starts to produce less urine than usual, produces urine that appears darker and more concentrated or develops dry and inflexible skin, he could possibly be suffering from dehydration. A severely dehydrated bunny could possibly lose his life if no attention from a vet is given.
Give your bunny lots of cool water and fruits or vegetables to keep him hydrated! Spinach and raspberries are some examples of fruit and vegetables that have high water content and that your bunny will absolutely love. You can even add some ice cubes to his drinking water to make sure that he stays extra cool.
3. Provide Shelter
It is best to keep your rabbit in a spot that is away from direct sunlight and has the lowest humidity. You can place a damp towel over half of your rabbit’s cage to cool his living space down. Just make sure the towel isn’t dripping onto your bunny!
4. Frozen Goodness
Just like how we love popsicles on a sunny day, rabbits also love frozen treats when they feel the heat of the tropics. Giving your little friend a cooling snack such as frozen strawberries or raspberries will definitely put you in his good books.
You can also try leaving a frozen water bottle in your bunny’s cage and watch as he lays over it or licks it for instant relief from the heat.
5. Dissipate Heat
Rabbits dissipate heat through their ears, so misting their ears will help to keep them cool. You can do so by using a damp cloth or your wet hands to wipe their face and ears. Since they lose heat through their ears, a rabbit’s ears would be the first place to check for signs that he is suffering from a heat stroke.
Bunnies with thick fur also tend to be more bothered by the heat, so you can help him keep cool by constantly combing out or manually removing loose fur.
