Since websites like to randomly disappear and take information with them, I’ve decided if I type out a long reply to someone on Facebook etc I will also copy it here as a backup.
Someone in one of my Facebook rabbit raising groups asked how rabbits survive when their temperatures are going to be (max) 85. Here was my reply:
85 is cool for us! It was 95 in the shade on my porch yesterday and it’s just starting, and we have 90+ percent humidity so sprinklers and misters don’t help on the pens. My rabbit area is a tarp topped , open wire sided (I added) canopy in partial shade. Shadecloth (beige) to within 1 foot of ground on most of 3 sides. I have two of these setups (one is the chickens’ that I’ve added cages in). Main setup has 3 fans-one on top of cages blowing hot air out, one directly on the rabbits (at one end of cages) and an small oscillating that blows on lower cages. The main fans are sealed motor models against hair, one fancy from amazon and one $65 version from walmart-both are fine. I am currently using water bowls after noticing how many like to lay against them (mostly plastic, but some ceramic) and how many will soak their feet. Would be a lot less work to hook up my auto system but if it’s cheap cooling I’m for it! My rabbits are Dutch (not some fancy purpose bred heat breed) but most of my line has been in the state for many generations in non a/c rabbitries. Rarely I will do anything near the rabbits (or any other animal) other than a quick visual check in the middle of the day, it’s too hot and I don’t want them excited. Yesterday I dumped some water on a few rabbits, but it is a mom and her large litter that for some reason were cuddled together…they are getting big and need to be pulled. That will be fixed shortly as I just got more cages to build in. I did remove 3/4 of the hair and bedding from a litter that’s in the next box so they don’t overheat.