Heat stress and heatstroke susceptibility in pet rabbits (environmental hazard)
Verbatim first-hand facts from The Merck Veterinary Manual (rabbit). All bullets are exact substrings of the cited source file and C1-substring verified. Focus: toxicosis and environmental hazards of the pet species.
Toxicology facts
- Rabbits are sensitive to heat. Hot, humid weather, along with poorly ventilated hutches or transport in poorly ventilated vehicles, may lead to the death of many rabbits, particularly pregnant does. Affected rabbits stretch out and breathe rapidly. Hutches should be constructed so that they can be sprinkled in hot, humid weather. Free access to cool water should be provided. When the environment can be controlled, optimal conditions are a temperature of 50°–70°F (15.5°–21°C) and a relative humidity of 40%–60%, with 10–20 air changes/hour. As a rule of thumb, the sum of the temperature in Fahrenheit and the humidity in percent should not be over 150. For example, a temperature of 80°F with a humidity of 80% would be 160 and therefore not appropriate for a rabbit. Wire cages are preferable to solid hutches. Treatment consists of immersing rabbits in cold water during the heat of the day, especially those that will kindle in the next day or two. Breeding bucks may lose a majority of viable sperm and might not breed successfully for several weeks until new sperm production replaces the sperm killed by thermal stress.