# raising rabbits in hot weather



## shawn86 (Oct 3, 2014)

Hi, I live in the high desert of California where temps can reach 90+ F. Does anyone have experience raising rabbits in these temps and have success.


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## a7736100 (Jun 4, 2009)

Soil temperature in the shade is much cooler. Heat stress would be lower if they have access to the ground.


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## Hollands (Jun 3, 2015)

Hello, I live in Florida it's hot a lot of the year. I've been raising rabbits for a couple of years now. The breeder from which I bought all my rabbits from lives even farther south than I do. He had over 400 the last time I was down to see him. So yes, it is possible....


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## CalicoPrairie (Nov 1, 2015)

Hi there. I'm in SoCal, Inland Empire to be exact, and it gets to be close to 100 and beyond for at least two months out of the year. I've had outdoor rabbits for about 4 years now. What is your setup like? What would you like to know?


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## shawn86 (Oct 3, 2014)

I have not yet bought any rabbits or have any setups I just seeing if it can be possible . what breeds deal better with heat than others, raised cages or cages on the ground. My main goal is to raise a little meat for my family and I


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## CalicoPrairie (Nov 1, 2015)

Shawn86, I haven't done meat rabbits, but I can't imagine that it couldn't be done. What is the hottest it gets where you live?

We have 3 rabbits--a Jersey Wooly, a Mini Lop, and a mutt (I think he might be part Mini-Satin). To keep them cool, we have used a mister/fan combo. My husband built the two a wood hutch, which only had one open wall. We have another hutch with 4 open walls for the boy. The mister/fan combo worked better with the hutch with one open wall--the cool air stayed cooler for longer in there. The mister/fan combo worked fine for most days, but sometimes got the bunnies wet, which they didn't mind much, but it could create issues with eye infections if the hutches are allowed to get drippy wet. For SUPER hot days, I would put wet towels over the open walls (which happened to be the doors) and the mister/fan would keep the hutch under 80 degrees. 

The downside to the one-open-wall hutch model is that if we don't clean the tray often (like at least every other day, and every day on hot, icky days), they run the risk of breathing in the ammonia from their urine, so there is that. Otherwise, it's worked quite well for us.

You might google something like "raising meat rabbits in Arizona" to see how they do it. That's what I did (except with just raising rabbits, not meat varieties). It should give you some decent insight into options. Also, if you guys get a lot of humidity, perhaps google for Florida as well.


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## CalicoPrairie (Nov 1, 2015)

Oh---I forgot to mention that we have the 3 hutches in a barn now, and for really warm days, we have a swamp cooler that blows on the hutches, and oscillates. It can get super warm on really high temp days, especially if it's humid, so on those days, we bring them indoors along with our chinchillas.


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## shawn86 (Oct 3, 2014)

It can reach 105 degrees not all the time but some times for a week strait and very dry not sure what i'm going to do thanks for your insight I will keep it in mind while I research it more 

Thank you


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## shawn86 (Oct 3, 2014)

found a really cool website check it out http://ressources.ciheam.org/om/pdf/c08/95605275.pdf


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## ChocolateMouse (Jul 31, 2013)

I would look into a swamp cooler (even a burlap cloth soaked in water above the rabbits can act as a swamp cooer), but where I live (NE OH) we get up to around 100*F for a couple weeks each year. I use frozen "Gatorade" style water bottles and frequent water changes to keep the rabbits cool. I also keep them out of the sun, under trees or in the garage. Rabbits are surprisingly hardy. I would only avoid wooled breeds in hot weather. Anything else should be fine.


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## shawn86 (Oct 3, 2014)

what breed offers short hair and is a reliable meat producer?


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## WildernesFamily (Mar 11, 2006)

See if you can find a Tamuk line of New Zealand Whites. They have been bred to withstand heat a bit better than regular NZW. We have some of the Tamuk line, but we're in Missouri so it's not such a big deal for us, though our temps do get up there, plus we have high humidity and our rabbits have fared very well. We didn't specifically go looking for this line, it was what was available in our area, first I had heard of them.

Other than that, yes, frozen water bottles, misting, etc. When we raised NZW in Colorado we had them in a metal shed and on crazy hot days we would wet the whole shed down which dropped the temp inside the shed quite dramatically.


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## CalicoPrairie (Nov 1, 2015)

ChocolateMouse said:


> I also keep them out of the sun, under trees or in the garage. Rabbits are surprisingly hardy.


This^^ I read a while back that having them under two sources of shade is best, so the hutch roof (if you had one with the solid roof) would serve as one source, then you could either put the hutch under another awning/roof, or a tree that provides a lot of shade (no sun gets through, I mean). The general consensus was that natural shade is best, if possible, but it's kinda hard to do that if you don't have a lot of trees, like our old property, and come to think of it, this new one too. Also, if you have them outdoors under a tree, it would be harder to use a fan/misters/swamp cooler to keep them cool on those 100+ days.

I definitely agree---rabbits are much hardier than most will say. I think it has to do with them adjusting to the climate they live in....so....if they are born where there is snow and have lived in a much cooler/milder climate than what you have, then moved into your hot climates, I am willing to bet they would die. However, if they are born and raised in a similar climate, they can handle a few extra degrees. Where I am, for instance, I try to keep them no higher than 90 degrees (that's with the swamp cooler) and less if I can. However, if they are in 100 degree temps for a short time, it doesn't kill them--though I definitely believe that it stresses them for sure.

Recently I acquired some chinchillas--an animal that is SUPER sensitive to heat. These chins were raised indoors in general temps of around 80 degrees before they came to me. They did fine and were very comfortable with no health issues. When they came to me, it was in July, so we kept them in the barn for a few weeks until I couldn't keep the temps down to 80 or below. We brought them indoors and could really only keep the temp down to 86 or so on the hottest, most humid days (we only have a swamp cooler), and they did fine. I did use tins with ice in them, and those that were warmer than was comfortable would use them, and some didn't sometimes. I think they must have adjusted. But in my research on chinchillas, almost all that share info on them will say that if you allow the temp to go above 72 degrees, they will die. Not true, but still good information to keep in mind.

Same with rabbits--they aren't supposed to be able to survive over 85 degrees, but many do, and do just fine. Just keep in mind that it would probably depend on the rabbit, and what other means you give them to keep cool, i.e., ceramic tiles, frozen water bottles, and the like. Some even give their rabbits frozen fruit (not a lot because of the sugar content) or ice in their water dish or lixit bottle.

I would suggest for sure keeping a thermometer in each hutch at first so you can gauge what your rabbits can handle (especially if you have different breeds), or if there is a difference in temp from hutch to hutch/cage to cage.


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## ChocolateMouse (Jul 31, 2013)

shawn, many breeds of rabbits handle heat and have good meat. I'd look for a rabbit that has nice big ears, and just isn't a wool breed. Something bred in your area in the conditions you intend to keep them in would be ideal. I raise Rex, NZWs and a maned breed up here. I've also had mini lops and giants.

Interestingly, rabbits raised here seem to be VERY weather hardy. They have to be because of the lake. Our winters are down to weeks of -10 (we had a -40 windchill after 8ft of snow the year before last) and in the summer we have 100 degree days with 98% humidity. It's like living in Florida and Alaska at the same time. And yet, year after year my rabbits do great.  So buy a rabbit raised outdoors locally, keep them in the shade and you should have good luck.


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## shawn86 (Oct 3, 2014)

thank you guys so much i have promising hopes I will post some so pics once i have my hutches build


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

I would build all wire cages, then buy a water mister kit---Tractor Supply has them $10 to $30. You can add a water timer that comes on often with a adjustable on time. This Mister works so good to help keep them cool on a hot day. If you are going to use the Mister----you need to stay away from wood that will get soaked. I personally would never use any wood that the rabbits can come into contact with other than a nesting box that is placed in 3 days before babies are born then taken out about 3 weeks after they are born.

Cages need to be under a top and that top needs to be shaded----meaning if you have a rabbit pen sitting in the yard with a top a foot over the rabbits head-----then you need to shade That top to help keep things cooler. I have heard of people having a tin top rabbit cage sitting right out in the sun----that tin top will get so hot even with open side cages that the rabbits below it will die on a real hot day----that tin top needed another shade over it to keep it cool. A tree, a tarp, etc to keep it shaded during the hottest part of the day. Sure having the rabbits indoor where you can turn on the AC a little can be nice but there is many other ways to keep them cooler.


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## sarmour (Aug 29, 2013)

We live in northeastern Brazil just 5 degrees off the equator. We have 40-50 NZW and some mixed NZW colors. No probs with them from the heat. 

I think the secret is as others have stated here: all wire cages over a meter off the ground, good shade from a covered clay tile roof, and totally open on 3 sides. Having mist fans is a great idea and good ones can lower the temps radically. 

One thing that helps us is having a constant breeze from the ocean (13-14 kms from us) and the open sides toward the wind. I put up a rubberized piece of material on one side (that got sun in the afternoons) and that really helps, yet doesn't block the wind as it blows with the breezes and lifts up to let the wind come through. Works great!


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