Surviving in the Extreme Heat

Report from Betty:

I've lived in Morgan Hill for almost 30 years. Each year there is an average of a week to 10 days of very hot temperature in the low 100s spreading in 2-3 day at the time. We expect that to happen and has equipment such as evaporative cooler (swamp cooler) to cool the rabbits. Evaporative cooler works the best if it is dry heat.

This year we happen to be doing barn remodeling. Forty plus rabbits are in our garage which has very little ventilation and not well insulated. We bought a large brand new evaporative cooler to keep the rabbits cool.

Most of the nation has been in a heat wave and it was in the high 90s and low 100s in Morgan Hill for a while. I was still totally caught off guard on Saturday that the heat was so intense, went over 114 degrees with humidity. One rabbit after another showed sign of heat exhaustion, their nose and mouth got wet. I put in ice bottles, wet towels, put on additional fans, I rushed some inside the house, let the does run loose in our shower stalls and bathroom floors, ... Despite all the effort, one of the does that had an asthmatic condition did not make it through.

Hubby is usually not in favor of any animal inside our house, even he suggested that I should get carriers ready and take some of the rabbits inside on Sunday as the temperature is forecasted to be over 110 degrees.

On Sunday I was more prepared to document my life under this intense heat and humidity.

The first picture was taken on Sunday morning when 20 carriers were ready for rabbits to come inside our family room.

The second picture shows the temperature in the garage being 100 degrees with the evaporative cooler in full blast. The third picture shows the temperature in the unfinished barn was 110 degrees at 3 pm.

The fourth and fifth pictures show that by 2 pm, all the carriers were occupied. There were still some in the garage. More and more were taken inside our house. Eventually by 5 pm, all were taken inside. Some of does were let loose in the bathrooms while the bucks got the carriers.

Around 9 pm, it was cool enough for them to go back to the garage. It took me several hours to resettle them, to take the carriers out and to clean the bathrooms.

Today, it's the same all over again. As of right now, there are 40+ rabbits in our family room and bathrooms.