ADVICE PLEASE

[Bo B Bunny]

Tony is 9 pounds exactly - he looks good, and I really want to know how he would do on a show table. I don't like having to take him to the fair this week tho. Here's my concerns and I'd love to know what advice others have regarding shows, heat and stress:

1. Tony has not been moved outside yet. His hutch isn't as secure as I want because of coyote here - he has gone out and stays out during the day but not in terribly hot weather. The forecast is for 89, 91, 90, 88, and 87° F from the day he goes in to 2 days before he comes home. We don't know after that. They have fans, and I have a small fan for him, and he can have ice bottles.... but is that enough?

2. Molting - he's started to shed recently - he's never really molted out like a jr. molt....... he has a small dimpled area on his head - will he blow his coat if he's all of a sudden outside (in a barn really but very open barn) and this counts off correct?

3. Stress - how bad is this stress going to affect him?

4. How much should I worry about other rabbits maybe carrying illness or something?

 

[gentle giants]

I do know if he's molting you really can't show him, as the judge can't tell what his coat is like that way. And if he's been used to being in the house with air conditioning, I would not be thrilled with the idea of suddenly putting him out in the heat for a week. That's what I liked about my county, the 4-H rabbits and poultry didn't have to stay for the week like the cattle, sheep, pigs, etc, we just brought them for the show and took them home again after it was over. Is there any way you could mabye do that with Bo?

 

[Bo B Bunny]

With Tony you mean?

Nope, our county fair is all week and you have to leave them or you lose a ribbon and you cannot show that animal species the following year. Stupid, huh?

He's not molting bad. He's just molting on his head a bit right now but I bet he'll blow his coat if we take him in LOL! Our luck.

 

[gentle giants]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

With Tony you mean?

:yeahthat: :embarrassed:

 

[polly]

I can't help you with number 1 seen as living in sunny scotland we don't often get a warm day. Mind you the heat and the stress of the show will probably throw him into a moult especially if he is there for a week.

Personally if it was me I wouldn't be happy putting a first time show rabbit into a week long show I would look for a day show first of all.

Another idea if you don't have a choice is to get something to add to the water to help with the stress. We have one called rabbit booster that just chills them out a bit! Another thing is get a snuggle safe for the bottle they are great and help to keep the water cool. (maybe look on ebay)

HE will be marked down if he is going into moult but if its just his head prep him as much as you can and see how he goes

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

He should be fine. I show in a lot of fairs and mine are fine with the water bottles and fans. You may want to bring a spray bottle of water so that you can mist him if he starts to get too hot.

I would not add anything to the water as this may cause him to not drink it. Just change his water often so that he always has cold water.

Is he in a tent or a building?

As for molting, the judge will mark points off for it but not to worry to much about it.

Sharon

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Are your rabbits inside normally? in A/C?

It's supposed to be 92° F on Friday. I think we're going to skip the fair for Tony....

 

[GoinBackToCali]

If he were mine...

Our fair doesn't allow fans or ice bottles... but then again, ours are allowed to show up the day of the show and go home afterwards. The one year they stayed, they were in a building with AC.. but I digress.

Aside from he is your baby, and your tempted not to show him, if you just MUST show him, I would be there all day, water bottle in hand to spray ears, and switch cold water bottles out all the time..

My show stock is in an unairconditioned barn, but it is well insulated, and every bun has their own fan, and each row has fans on each end blowing through, and there is a wall that is nothing but HUGE barn fans.. they also get ceramic tiles that are freezer kept, and frozen water bottles..most days, I think it's cooler to sit in the barn than be outside.. I often find the kids sitting in the rabbit barn for breaks during work days..

But.. I think ultimately, you need to do what's in your heart.. and I suspect you've already made your decision..

 

[Bo B Bunny]

93° F and Humid on Thursday......... Tony is going to be at home, in the a/c and very happy about it!

 

[SnowyShiloh]

I think Tony will approve of your decision! :biggrin2:

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

For the heat:

I give my bunnies a frozen water bottle, spritz their ears. The barn has two large fans and completely shaded in there all day, so stays reletively cool. I'd say frozen water bottles and a fan is enough, as well as spritzing his ears/body with water.

With molting, try to brush his coat as best you can. That's all I'd really say you can do about that.

For stress, give plenty of hay, and just let him know you're there for him, etc.

The fair -should- have a vet check, and any rabbits with illness/disease shouldn't be allowed in. Otherwise, most exhibitors won't/shouldn't bring ill stock and there's not much chance of it, unless it's not noticeable. I'm sure they wouldn't bring sick stock, because they wouldn't do so well on the table

Are your kids showing Tony?

Hope this helps,

Emily