Summertime is a busy season on the homestead, with lots of chores and activities. The garden is thriving as we switch out the spring vegetables for summer plants. Tomatoes, peppers, and squash are starting to grow, promising a good harvest in the coming months. Alongside gardening, we take care of our rabbits and bees. The bees are hard at work pollinating and making honey, while the rabbits need extra attention to stay cool in the summer heat.
Even though we’re very busy, we still hope to take a short break, maybe a family vacation for the 4th of July. But no matter how hectic things get, we must remember that our rabbits still have their thick fur coats. This can make the hot weather tough for them. As rabbit raisers, it’s our job to keep them comfortable. This means giving them plenty of fresh water, providing shaded areas, and sometimes using ice bottles, fans and cooling tiles. By keeping our rabbits cool and happy, we ensure they stay healthy, and our rabbitry remains productive, which is essential for the overall success of our homestead. Let’s go over the essentials to keep your rabbits comfortable.Â
#1 Full Time Shade
Proper rabbitry placement is crucial for keeping rabbits cool and enabling them to regulate their body temperature. A common mistake is placing the rabbitry in full sun, thinking a roof will provide enough shade. However, the entire rabbitry needs to be shaded to prevent heat stress. Effective strategies include using shade cloth, planting shade trees, or positioning the hutch on the north side of a shed, garage, or barn for full-time shade. These measures ensure a cooler environment, promoting the health and well-being of the rabbits.
About five years ago, I bought a Californian rabbit from a farm in Lansing, Michigan. When I arrived, I noticed their hutch was placed in full sun. They mentioned they had trouble producing litters and had decided to sell their rabbits and stop raising them for meat. I couldn’t leave the rabbits there in the heat, so I ended up purchasing both breeders and the litter.Extended exposure to high heat can cause male rabbits to become infertile, preventing them from producing litters. It can take a long time for their fertility to return. After keeping the rabbits comfortable for months, they finally started producing good-sized litters again.
#2 White Corrugated Plastic
Building a rabbit hutch with a white top can make your rabbits more comfortable and productive, especially if you’re raising them for meat. The white color reflects sunlight, keeping the hutch cooler in hot weather, which helps prevent the rabbits from getting too hot. It also lets in more natural light without being too bright, making the hutch a nicer place for the rabbits. The white top makes it easier to see dirt and clean up, keeping the hutch tidy. A cooler, well-lit, and clean hutch helps reduce stress for the rabbits, which makes them healthier and grow better. It also encourages them to behave naturally, like grooming and playing, which is good for their well-being. Click To Watch White Roof Installation.
#3 Cage Floor Bottoms
Cage floor bottoms are used by the best rabbit breeders because they let manure and urine fall through, keeping your rabbit clean. They also help keep rabbits cool by letting heat escape when there’s a breeze. Some people, especially those new to raising rabbits, worry that cage floor bottoms can hurt a rabbit’s feet (hocks). However, the real problem is often too much weight on the hocks, which rubs off the hair padding and can cause irritation or even infection.Â
Placing a resting board or small tile in the cage is beneficial. I prefer using wood, that way the rabbits have something to chew.Â
It’s fun to watch rabbits enjoy extra helpings but the number of treats should depend on how much exercise your rabbit gets. It’s important to feed your rabbit a healthy diet and avoid overfeeding. While it might be easy to blame the cage wire, proper feeding is crucial.
#4 Marble Tile
Resting boards come in various shapes and sizes, providing rabbits a comfortable alternative to the cage floor. They serve not only as a platform but also as a chewable surface, especially if made from 1/2″ plywood. In hotter months, ceramic tiles can be used, while I prefer using 6″x12″ marble pieces, purchased conveniently from Home Depot’s online store and picked up during a lumber run. Each cage has its marble tile, which I use in spring, summer, and fall. In winter, I switch to plywood tiles to offer rabbits something to chew on.
Marble is particularly advantageous because it stays cooler than ceramic, making it an excellent choice for keeping rabbits comfortable in warm weather. Its natural coolness can help regulate their body temperature, providing a soothing surface for them to rest on during hot days.
#5 Frozen Water Bottles
To help rabbits stay cool on hot days, place frozen 1-liter water bottles in their cages. These bottles stay cold for about 3-4 hours in temperatures up to 90°F (32°C). I use one bottle per cage, carrying them in a 5-gallon bucket. Remember to rinse the bottles to keep fur out of your freezer. Avoid placing frozen bottles in nesting boxes, as a litter of rabbits needs to stay warm—around 100°F (38°C). Combining bottles with fans creates an effective cooling setup, sometimes called ‘Redneck Air Conditioning.’
#6 Burrowing Systems
If you build a burrowing system for your rabbits, it can be incredibly helpful, even life-saving. Since rabbits are covered in fur, they will appreciate having a cooler, more comfortable place to go during the hottest parts of the day. We observed a regular temperature difference of 15-20°F (8-11°C) inside the burrowing tote on very hot days. We’ve designed a caged hutch with a rear tunnel that allows rabbits to access additional space as needed. This setup helps maintain the fertility of bucks and provides a safe environment for does to give birth (kindle) throughout the year, even in extreme temperatures. Female rabbits instinctively nurse their kits quickly, cover them, and then move away to ensure their safety. To accommodate this behavior, we use multiple totes where does can kindle in one and rest in another, separate from their litter.  Click to watch us Build a cooling tote
#7 Solar Panels & Computer Fans
Setting up power fans with a solar panel might seem complex initially, but it’s straightforward once you break it down. The panels produce a low voltage and are safe to handle, typically generating only a few watts. Hanging a traditional 12-volt computer fan from cage wire can provide sufficient airflow for rabbits. Once you understand the formula—Volts x Amps = Watts—you can determine the right number of fans for your solar panel size. For instance, a fan using 0.25 amps at 12 volts requires a 3-watt solar panel (12 x 0.25 = 3). For three fans, opt for a 10-watt panel (3 x 3 = 9).
To ensure fans operate even during cloudy weather, consider doubling the solar panel size. Additionally, investing in a small 12-volt deep cell battery and a solar charge controller allows the fans to run continuously while storing extra power. We use 18-gauge thermostat wire to connect everything. Click To watch a video sharing more information.Â
#8 Timed Misters
