How hot is too hot for Rabbit Room?

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m sure this has been asked before many times but I can’t find it, so I thought I’d just stick it here. Sorry if it’ s somewheres really obvious.

How hot is too hot for my rabbit room to be? I bought a thermometer and it reads about 25 C (77 F) in the rabbit room. Is this a comfortable temperature for them? That’s with the a/c unit in the living room and a living room fan and small bunny room fan going. It’s about 28 outside, but the temp is said to feel like 36. There’s dark curtains up to keep the sun out of their room.

I know there are a lot of hutch bunnies out there, how the heck do they survive these heatwaves?

I’m totally paranoid about them getting heatstroke.  I’m scared to go out in the afternoon and leave them alone. It’s really getting ridiculous!

[bunnnnnnie!]

I keep my apartment at 80F, with a fan directly pointed at Zeus’s cage.  He does fine in this.  

[Sarita]

I keep my temperature at 78 degrees and my rabbits are just fine. I think 80 would be fine as well.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Okay, I feel a bit more reassured now…

[Sarita]

Are you having a heat wave in New Brunswick?

I think it’s important to keep them out of the direct sunlight if there are any windows and keep shades on the windows – that helps keep the house cooler if you don’t have central air.

Also have you bought some tiles to try in their condo’s?

[LittlePuffyTail]

Yes, we are having a heat wave. It’s supposed to last for the rest of the week. I can’t remember when it was this hot. It’s awful! And I don’t have a/c in my car so it’s just torture… I would love to spend the day at my mom’s pool but I don’t want to leave them alone all day. I’m glad I’m not working right now because that would be very stressful.

The rabbit room is very dark. There are blinds in there but they let light in so I put a dark sheet over the window. Not a speck of sun gets in. I bought a thermometer yesterday so I could monitor the temp in there.

I didn’t get tiles yet. I’m going to see about getting some tonight and I will put them in the freezer. I’m worried about them maybe gnawing on the edges of the tile. I doubt they would but you never know. They’ve done weirder things.

They all have small frozen pop bottles but they want nothing to do with them. Stormy gets mad at his.

[Sarita]

I wouldn’t worry alot about them gnawing on the edges of the tiles and you are only going to keep them in to cool them down during this hot spell. No need to put them in the freezer either – that’s not necessary if they aren’t in the direct sunlight.

[Sarita]

Don’t get the shniny/slippery tile either – get the one that is more rough – it’s usually thicker too.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Okay, thank you for the tip. Do you use them for your buns, Sarita?

[Sarita]

I used to and my rabbits were interested in the beginning to sit on them but later, not so much, and since I have central a/c the temperature stays very even in my house and they are also in a room in the front of my townhome that is pretty shady. So I don’t have to worry about them overheating.

I think if I didn’t have central a/c I would definitely use them – they are cheap and they do stay cool to the touch – not cold but a nice even cool.

Hopefully the heatwave will break very soon and you won’t have to worry so much. I have to worry all summer in Texas – I’m kind of a worry wart about my central a/c breaking down although I get it serviced twice a year – you just have to have this here in the Texas heat.

[LoveChaCha]

I’m actually thinking bout sleeping downstairs tonight – the living room where ChaCha is. It is cooler, plus I bought the fan downstairs and it will benefit both of us

[BinkyBunny]

My only worry is if it’s reaching 80 degrees and they are not used to the higher temperatures.  What temperatures are they normally in and how much of a jump is it to 80 degrees. 

Around here, the temperatures are normally pretty cool, 65- 75 max) and so when we get heat waves and the temperatures reach 80 and more Jack and Vivian look like they are just feeling “ech” so I am quick to try and get the temps down (we don’t have central air conditioning) 

I use all the tricks from the “Cooling Tips” page and I recently added the DIY Cool Bed —My bunnies sometimes don’t feel so eager to cuddle up to a wet frozen bottle, so now I put it in their bed and when it’s covered it actually stays cool for many hours longer:

 

[MimzMum]

It’s been miserable here. I’ve got two fans going in the house and constant freeze bottles. However, BB, I usually just leave mine uncovered for the bunnies to lick the condensation off them…they seem to like that and I always make sure the bottles are clean before putting them in their pens.

Mine get uncomfortable when the bunny room reaches 80 F. I have to get the heat down quick when that happens. I think this is an ‘every bun is different’ thing…but I wouldn’t let it get to 80 if I could help it.

Sometimes you can hang a damp towel over the cage/pen area with a fan blowing on it and that will help. As long as bun doesn’t like EATING the towel. 0_o

I had a friend in high school who would put wet towels in the freezer on hot days and then drape them over her face when it got too hot out.

We finally get some relief Sunday by the looks of it. Jenna is a doggy pancake too…doesn’t want to do anything during the day right now.

[mijOok]

Hi – I’ve read across different posts about using frozen water bottles to help keep the bunny cool so I tried it yesterday with a cloth wrapped around it. Simba (3-months old) was more entertained with pulling at the cloth so I took it out cause I got worried about him eating any loose threads that came off. I don’t have air conditioning in my apartment but we’re on the bottom floor so it’s usually pretty cool and I have a fan blowing right above his space. But even when he flopped at what seems to be relaxed, he was still breathing pretty quickly so I’m thinking it might be too warm for him still.

Is it safe to use the frozen water bottle with a towel that he’s picking at or any recommendations on how I can use the frozen water bottle without it being bare and wet?

~ First Time Bunny Owner

[Sarita]

Hi MijOok – please do NOT respond to old posts – this post is 3 years old – this confuses people. I am going to lock this – best to start a new post with your question anyway instead of piggybacking on old posts.

And to answer the question, I think a towel is fine.

[Author]

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