Keeping the rabbitry cool in the summer

 We have not yet hit the peak of our summer temperatures here in Southern California but everyone is feeling the heat.  Our dogs are puddles on the hard floors in the kitchen getting underfoot and the cats are spending their days sleeping in the bathtub.  But my poor rabbits don't have the option to lay in the tub or in the path of one of the fans blowing in the house.  So I have to be proactive to help keep them cool.  I have a few tricks in my bag for doing this...

• Frozen water bottles in their nesting area- I use 64 oz juice bottles that have been cleaned out.  They have flat sides and will not roll when the buns lay against them.

• Granite tiles- These are also in the nesting area and they can lay on them.  It is common to see small granite slabs in pet stores marketed to chinchillas to help cool them down so why not larger ones for your buns?!

• Misting the buns' ears with water through out the day- ever pet a rabbit and feel the heat in their ears?  Why not mist them lightly (not soaking wet) and the evaporation with cool them the same way a 'swamp cooler' does or an evaporative cooler.

• Cool treats- I store the buns' treats and fodder in the fridge to cool it down.  Not long but an hour will get it below the room temperature.  Fodder will also help increase the buns water intake which will help them beat the heat.

• Electrolytes- I keep powdered electrolytes for the hotter days and help keep the buns hydrated.  I dilute it since most buns don't like 'funky' water.

• A/C- I don't run the air conditioner in our home unless I have to.  Energy rates are high so if I can reduce the heat coming in my home during the day and not turn on the air conditioner more money I can use elsewhere.  I will use the air conditioner when it is humid since most of the above methods will not work.

Keep your feet dry- wear your rain boots!

Welcome, Miss Katie Kat!

 Our newest doe to our small herd is Miss Katie Kat. She is a sweet little girl who shares traits with both her mother (dam) and her father (sire). Katie is a mixed breed made up of 7/8 Rex and 1/8 New Zealand. Her mother is our very own Honey Bun, a sweet large 3/4 Rex harlequin coated doe. Her father is Blu Boy, one of our in house Rex bucks. Blu is a beautiful broken blue butterfly Rex who is gentle and all about his girl, Honey. He prefers her to the other does in the barn and their kits have been great as pets.

Katie does not have the Rex velvet coat but she also does not have the New Zealand fur type like her mother. It is shorter and softer but not plush like the Rex. It is a lovely dove gray that looks like it could be lilac. Her markings are like the otter Rex rabbits our other doe, Bonnie, kindled that were also sired by Blu Boy.

Originally, Katie was not on the short list of does to stay. She was the sweetest and friendliest but because she did not get the full Rex coat or exotic coloring or markings I didn’t want to keep her. But when it came to making my final choice on which would stay and which would move to their new homes Katie had grown on me and we had a bond. She trusted me and was always the first to greet me even when I didn’t have treats or food.

I am excited to see what colors and patterns she throws when bred!

I will keep you all updated and keep your feet dry- wear your rain boots!