June 24, 2025, 4:13 am | Read time: 8 minutes

Summer heat can quickly become life-threatening for rabbits, but simple measures can significantly reduce the risk. Whether indoors or outdoors, there are effective cooling tricks for every type of care to keep the animals healthy during hot days.

Why Rabbits Are Prone to Overheating

Rabbits feel most comfortable at around 64 degrees Fahrenheit, so even normal room temperatures can be borderline warm for them. When the thermometer rises to 75 degrees or more, heat stress can occur. Unlike humans, rabbits cannot sweat because they lack sweat glands. Overweight, older, or pregnant animals are particularly at risk, as their cardiovascular systems can quickly become overwhelmed by the heat. Without proper cooling, overheating is a threat.

How Rabbits Cool Themselves in Nature

Rabbits rely on two simple mechanisms: First, they stretch out to release more heat through their body surface. Second, they regulate their temperature through their ears–a method known as “ear cooling.” However, this can be more difficult for short- or floppy-eared breeds, making them more susceptible to overheating.

My dwarf rabbits have found a slightly different way to regulate their temperature: In the summer, they urinate extensively on their belly fur and then lie in a shady spot, where the evaporative cooling effectively cools them down.

However, as an owner, you should respond in such cases, as this can not only be a hygiene issue but also a sign of urinary tract diseases. For my animals, a cleansing bath was sufficient, but it was also an absolute signal that they were really too warm. Below are some tried-and-true tips on how to help rabbits with thermoregulation.

More Water and Water-Rich Food

For adequate hydration, fresh water in open bowls is ideal–nipple drinkers dispense too little water. Additionally, plenty of water-rich fresh food such as cucumber, watermelon, or cantaloupe (fruit only in small amounts!) should be provided–and preferably in the shade.

Creating Shady Spots and Cooling

When setting up shady spots and cooling, there are differences depending on whether the rabbits live indoors or in an outdoor enclosure.

Protecting Indoor Rabbits from Overheating

Rooms should be ventilated especially at night, in the morning, and in the evening. During the day, windows in the rabbit room should be kept closed. Shutters, thermal curtains, or even cloths for darkening help against the greatest heat. These should not be moistened, as this creates a tropical, humid climate that causes even more stress for rabbits.

Air conditioning can also be used, but caution is advised, as too cold air can also make rabbits sick. In general, cooling should be done carefully. Place fans only indirectly and far away from the animals. Even though cool air may seem tempting, fans and drafts are not a solution. The airflow barely reaches the rabbits’ skin due to their dense fur, but it can dry out their eyes and mucous membranes. An ideal spot is shady, cool, but sheltered from the wind.

Protecting Outdoor Rabbits from Overheating

In outdoor enclosures, there are also several ways to protect rabbits from overheating in the summer. Ideally, a sun sail should be installed, but various shady spots should not be missing. These can be created with bushes, trees, or other tall plants–and should be considered when setting up the enclosure. Alternatively, a fast-growing bamboo thicket can be cultivated. However, be careful: the fiber-rich bamboo stalks are also a popular food. To prevent rabbits from munching away their sun protection, particularly tasty food should be offered as an alternative.

Additionally, providing digging opportunities in the enclosure can not only delight rabbits but also help them cool down in the hollows. The depressions should be lightly watered. Stone or tile slabs can also provide cooling. These should not have been in direct heat but perhaps moderately pre-cooled in the refrigerator. They can also be set up in a triangle to create a cooling tunnel for the animals.

In an emergency, frozen water bottles or cooling packs can also help. Caution: These should not be placed in the enclosure without precautions. The risk is too great that the rabbits will gnaw on the plastic or suffer frostbite when lying on it. Therefore, they should be wrapped in a towel and placed in the enclosure under supervision. If rabbit wire is available, it can be placed around the cooling packs, or the packs can be placed under a deep baking sheet.

During a prolonged heatwave, however, all these measures may not be enough, and the rabbits may still suffer from heat stress or risk overheating. In that case, the only solution is to bring the animals indoors and set up a temporary enclosure in a cool but dry basement room.

How to Recognize Signs of Heat Stress in Rabbits

In cases of heat stress, rabbits often show reduced food intake–even at 77 degrees. This is extremely problematic for their digestion, as the animals primarily feed on nutrient-poor grasses and therefore need to nibble constantly. If this is misinterpreted as a digestive disorder, underlying stressors from heat on the heart or lungs can be overlooked. A stressed rabbit is nervous and restless, trying to escape the sun. Once it reaches a more sheltered spot, it barely moves and lies flat on the ground. If its nose moves back and forth and stronger flank breathing is visible, the animal is clearly stressed.

Signs of Overheating in Rabbits

In more severe cases and at 86 degrees, all previously mentioned signs appear. The rabbit’s ears may also be reddened and radiate heat. In cases of overheating, breathing becomes faster and shallower. The rabbit may also start drooling or panting.

In advanced stages, body temperature noticeably rises (normal temperature is 101.3 to 103.1 degrees Fahrenheit). Further symptoms of acute overheating include:

• Pale eye and mouth mucous membranes
• Muscle cramps
• Unconsciousness up to circulatory collapse.

First Aid Measures for an Overheated Rabbit

Before it comes to that, immediate measures should be taken to cool the rabbit down. Important: Even in this situation, it is crucial to proceed gently. Immediate measures are, however, essential:

• Immediately remove the rabbit from the sun and bring it to a cool place.
• Wrap in a slightly damp cloth (avoid the head).
• Let it drink cool, but not ice-cold water, or use a syringe to give water into its mouth.
• Dip only the paws in cool water.
• Seek veterinary help immediately!

In practice, the animal receives infusions with electrolytes, possibly oxygen, and further medications against secondary diseases such as sepsis. But caution is also advised here. In high outdoor temperatures, cars heat up significantly. Before setting off with the rabbit, the vehicle should already be somewhat cooled down, and a damp cloth should be placed in the transport box or a cooling pack placed underneath.

Further Tips to Prevent Overheating in Rabbits During Summer

In general, transportation or vet appointments in the summer should be well planned. Vaccinations and stressful examinations should be postponed to cooler days.

Special care should be taken with long-haired rabbits. A haircut in the summer is mandatory–especially at the rear. Regular checks in this area are advisable for all rabbits, as a fly infestation can be life-threatening for them. This is especially true for already weakened animals with a tendency to diarrhea or pre-existing conditions. All rabbits should be checked daily at the rear, preferably even twice a day. This way, fly larvae can be detected early. In case of abnormalities such as small white eggs in the fur, it is an acute emergency, and you should immediately contact the veterinary emergency service!

Summer heat also promotes the growth of germs and bacteria. Therefore: Clean toilet corners twice a day, regularly clean the enclosure, and check daily for diarrhea or injuries. Older or weakened animals especially need support with grooming. For all rabbits, thinning the undercoat with special tools is suitable to prevent heat buildup and fly larvae infestation.

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Further Tips on How Rabbits Can Stay “Cool” in Summer

Keeping rabbits in the summer comes with special challenges, so here are a few more tips on how the animals can survive even the longest heatwave well:

• Play only in the cool morning and evening hours below 75 degrees
• Draft-free but well-ventilated shady spots
• Natural shelters and cooling materials
• Rabbit-safe plants for shading
• Several clean, cool drinking spots–at least 8.5 ounces per day
• If lacking drinking motivation, add a little apple or carrot juice to the water
• Fresh food with high water content: salads, herbs, small amounts of melon and cucumber, preferably fresh grasses over hay
• Meticulous enclosure hygiene
• Cooling packs, chilled stone tiles, marble slabs
• Summer grooming for long-haired rabbits and hygiene cuts at the rear
• Digging opportunities with moist substrate or moistening of earth hollows
• Free movement between sun and shade areas in the enclosure