People love the cold weather. They welcome the sweater weather with hot cocoa, coffee, Christmas lights, and New Yearâs fireworks. However, winter is a challenging season for pet owners.
Dogs and cats are strong animals and can easily survive the winter season. On the other hand, rabbits are fragile pets requiring extra care during winter.
If you are a bunny rabbit owner, you must have had many concerns when winter approaches. The most concerning thing about the winter season is the temperature drop. So, can rabbits freeze to death?
Yes, rabbits can freeze in the winter and die. Bunnies need attention and care during the cold season. If pet owners do not provide the necessary precautions to protect their bunnies from the cold, poor animals can get hypothermia and die.
Being a rabbit owner is a challenging task. Rabbits need special treatment, care, and diet to remain healthy and happy. Rabbits love to be hyperactive and play all the time, which requires optimal temperature and food. Keep scrolling to learn more about taking care of your rabbit during winter.
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The Lowest Temperature A Rabbit Can Survive
Rabbits have a good amount of fur that helps them stay warm during the winter. However, it is not thick enough to shield them from the harsh conditions of the cold atmosphere. Bunnies have sensitive bodies and organs that need optimal temperature and conditions to work correctly.
Rabbits can survive temperatures as low as minus two degrees, with preventive measures to give the little guy aid to bear the cold. Bringing it inside when the temperature goes below zero is best if you have an outdoor bunny.
Your rabbit might look okay from the outside but can get hypothermia, which can be fatal for your poor pet.
If, for any reason, you cannot bring your precious furry friend indoors, ensure that the animalâs hutch is wind-proof and covered with insulators to provide it extra heat to survive the outdoors cold weather.
How To Check If Your Rabbit Is Cold?
Checking your bunny for temperature drops is an easy trick. All the external parts of your rabbit that does not have fur can give you a hint if your rabbit is cold. Check the following areas to see if your rabbit is feeling cold:
- Ears
- Paws
- Nose
If your rabbit is feeling cold, the areas mentioned above of its body will be cold to the touch. In addition, your rabbit can exhibit a runny nose if it feels chilly.
When you see your rabbit shivering and trembling, take that as a sign of a cold bunny. Rabbits that do not get immediate attention for cold weather can get hypothermia. Hypothermia is a severe condition that can cost you your petâs life.
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Signs of Hypothermia In Bunny Rabbits
Bunnies are voiceless creatures that cannot put words to their discomfort and pain. As a pet owner, you are responsible for getting familiar with your rabbitâs usual behavior to pinpoint the odd days.
Rabbits use their body language to convey their pains to their owners. Here are some of the signs your bunnyâs body will exhibit as it starts experiencing hypothermia:
Lethargy
Rabbits are hyperactive animals and love to hop, run, and zoom all over the place. People often bring rabbits home when they are depressed or have an alone kid who needs a furry friend.
Rabbits are great for staying entertained and playing. If your rabbit is moving slowly and lying down often, it shows a lack of energy and lethargy. A lethargic bunny means a physically unwell rabbit. If your bunny is sluggish and cold in winter, it is a sign of hypothermia.
Paleness
Rabbits have pink gums, ears, and paw beans. If your rabbitâs external areas grow pale in winter, your rabbit is cold. Pale skin means slow blood circulation due to the temperature drop. It can lead to hypothermia and death.
Shallow Breathing
If your rabbit has hypothermia, it will have difficulty breathing. With the lethargy and slow blood flow, your rabbitâs lungs will not get enough oxygen, and the blood will have less oxygen. It will result in shallow breathing and increase your bunnyâs tiredness.
Weak Heart Rate
Any living being requires oxygenated blood to function its blood circulatory system properly. When your rabbit starts breathing shallowly and has slower blood flow, it will increase stress on its heart.
Rabbits have fragile organs and cannot survive long if something is wrong with any body part. Your poor animalâs heart will have difficulty beating, and the heart rate will grow weaker by the second. It is a severe symptom of hypothermia, and you should immediately take care of it before your rabbit succumbs to it.
Coma-like State
In extreme hypothermia, your poor furry baby can go into a coma or coma-like state due to lethargy, lack of oxygenated blood, and a weak heartbeat. If you have an outdoor bunny in winter and notice it lying very still, you must check the animal instantly and bring it to a warmer place.
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How To Prevent Hypothermia In Rabbits?
During the winter, hypothermia is a common occurrence in bunny rabbits. A wise and responsible pet owner makes arrangements before the cold season hits. It would be best if you prepared before the season to have plenty of room to adjust and change your rabbitâs environment according to its temperature needs.
Creating the perfect environment for your rabbit cannot be done on a whim. It would help if you did thorough research to make a foolproof and cold-proof area for your precious furry friend.
Here are a few accurate preventive measures that can protect your precious bunny rabbit from harsh cold and hypothermia:
Protect the Hutch
If you have an outdoor bunny rabbit, you must use durable and protective measures for your rabbitâs hutch for the harsh weather conditions. Place your animalâs home in a sheltered area where wind cannot break in. The hutch should have a roof, preferably made of tin sheets, as rabbits cannot chew and destroy them.
Cover all the holes in your rabbitâs house, leaving a few ventilation points to minimize the wind effects. Plus, you can put a canvas sheet in front of your rabbitâs cage or hutch, which can be rolled up or down according to the weather conditions.
Keep The Bunny Dry
Rabbits have thick fur that acts as an insulator for the furry creature. However, once it gets wet, it will barely become dry again. Ensure that your rabbit stays dry during the winter season.
You can place your rabbit in a shelter to avoid hail and rain storms. Secure your bunnyâs water bowl or bottle tightly to the cage so it does not spill. You can use a wire-bottomed cage to prevent water or dirt from accumulating in your rabbitâs home.
Water Supply
Rabbits are clumsy animals and can spill their water from the source. To avoid water spills, put the water bowl above the ground, so your precious furry friend does not step in it. Plus, water can freeze in freezing weather, so ensure your rabbitâs water is always liquid to prevent dehydration.
Provide Insulation
In cold weather, rabbits love to burrow or dig. Domesticated rabbits do not have the opportunity to do this. Provide a cardboard box or basket to make your bunny feel safe and warm.
The object should be snug for your rabbitâs size to provide warmth. Add straw and hay to the box to create a nest for your bunny. When your rabbit sits in this cozy nest, it will feel safe and retain its body warmth to fight the harsh winter.
Check Your Bunny Every Day
Bunnies are incredibly delicate animals. It is best to check your rabbit for cold every day in the winter season. Touch your rabbitâs ears, paws, and nose to see if they are cold.
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What To Do If Your Rabbit Has Hypothermia?
Hypothermia can kill your rabbit within hours. Do not wait if you suspect your rabbit is hypothermic. Contact your ve immediately and book an appointment. As you wait for the vet, ensure your rabbit is warm. Wrap the little guy in a soft blanket and hold it close to yourself.
You can also bring your rabbit indoors or near a fireplace to control its body temperature. The best idea during winter will be to keep your rabbit indoors with you. It will prevent your rabbit from getting cold and decrease your stress about the animalâs health.
Final Word
Raising a rabbit is a massive responsibility, whether summer or winter. The fragile animal demands a lot of attention and conditions that will make it thrive. Before you get a rabbit for yourself, research the animal and learn its wants, needs, likes, and dislikes.
Making an informed decision about the type of pet can save you time, money, and the sorrow of an ill-managed pet. Bunnies are high-maintenance pets, but they are worth it. Once you cover the basics of raising a bunny, you and your pet will live happily together.