Miscellaneous

WARNING THE DANGERS OF FIREWORKS

Fear can cause fatal heart attacks in small animals.

No doubt many people and their rabbits are experiencing this dreaded time of the year already (Why can't it be held just on the one day only and not for several weeks before and after?)
In fact anyone who has a pet or livestock will be in the same boat. For dogs there are the desensitising CD's and pheromones (DAP's) that if used well in advance can prove useful. For some unfortunate dogs and cats the last resort is a sedative.

However for the small animal owner it is a different story.
If you have a house rabbit this is less likely to be of concern, but for rabbits and guinea pigs that are normally housed outside this is not so easy to deal with.

If you have just a few pets our best advice is to bring them indoors during this time. Keep them secure in a travel box or similar packed with straw, so they can burrow in to it to feel safer. Providing sounds from a radio or television and covering their hideout with a thick blanket will also help. Remember it's not just the sound but the sudden explosion of bright lights that will scare them.
If your animals are housed in a shed then the best option is to keep the light and a radio turned on. Blocking windows with a black plastic sheet or blanket may help. For outdoor rabbits we suggest you cover the hutches with a thick blanket or duvet and tarpaulin if wet.

We are not killjoys but having lost a few beloved pet rabbits a few years ago because of fireworks we are very keen to promote public firework displays. If you wish to only see safe public displays of fireworks and want to sign a petition banning private sales, please follow this link http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/rockets/

WARNING HOT WEATHER KILLS RABBITS

ALREADY WE ARE HEARING SAD STORIES OF RABBITS DYING DUE TO THE RECENT HEATWAVE. PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE DANGERS.

So what happens when we get hot? We remove a layer or two of clothing, drink more water and try to find some shade. Please remember your rabbit has a fur coat on all the time. Ten minutes in full sun can cause heat stroke and lead to death. Be aware that temperatures above 80 degrees will cause a rabbit to feel discomfort.

Symptoms of heat stroke include the rabbit lying stretched out with his head right back and mouth open. This is serious and requires immediate attention. Rabbits don’t sweat or pant to cool. Their ears are heat exchangers (you may notice the veins are far more visible in warm weather) and dissipate heat.

Emergency treatment requires cooling the rabbit by wrapping him in a damp towel or dampening his body and ears with cool water (not too cold or he’ll suffer shock). If the rabbit is acting strangely such as running wildly around his hutch in very warm weather he may very well be suffering from heat stroke, as the brain has over heated.

Prevention is better than cure.

Always have plenty of fresh water available (even extra bottles on the cage). Refresh the water frequently as rabbits will not drink warm/hot water and will quickly dehydrate. Some put ice cubes in water bowls. You can place a fridge chilled bottle of water in the cage or a tile for your rabbit to lie on.

Use a reflective sheet/tarpaulin on the hutch roof. Or a dampened white towel and drape it over the door(s). Be aware that the sun changes position during the day. Use fans in sheds but not pointing directly at the rabbit rather above or below to circulate the air. Place frozen bottles of water in front of the fan to cool the ambient temperature.

Make sure your rabbit is groomed to remove excess hair and a gentle light mist of water is appreciated by many rabbits.