Keeping rabbits cool in summer

[Mehidk]

Hi, where in California are you? I am possibly moving there next year from Maryland. My buns live inside right now with controlled temp from 61- 69 degrees, and I am really worried about them living outside.

It depends on where you're moving to. Anywhere along the coast or the city will be much cooler than inland.

I'm near Walnut Creek (Bay Area) about 10 minutes away. My rabbit lives inside as she does not like the outside world lol. My area is more inland and it can get hot with the heat getting up to 100F+ and the nights would still be 80+ until around 11pm when it starts cooling down. Generally it will stay in the 90's though. I personally wouldn't keep rabbits outside in the summer unless I had something that was efficient enough to keep a rabbit nice and cool.

 

[Mehidk]

20C is just 68 F.

Funny. I see UK sites all saying that anything over 21C (69.9F) is getting too hot for a rabbit.

But the US sites say anything up to 78F (25.5C) is fine, but is dangerous over 80- 85F (29C).

I just can't imagine 70F being considered hot by any stretch... maybe it's a matter of perspective.

As kids, it had to be over 85F before we were allowed to go swimming.

The inside of our house in mid-summer is kept at a "cool" 82F (28C) which seems perfectly fine for us and for our rabbits. If the indoors creeps up to 85F (30C), then I put a frozen water bottle in the rabbit cage. It tends to creep up to 85F even with A/C when our outdoors temps are staying at 110F.

Texas and Florida definitely get over 90 in summers, so extra steps need to be taken to keep outdoor rabbits cool (as @majorv suggests). I honestly can't imagine an outdoor rabbit getting too hot when it is only in the 70s (21-26C).

Shoot, 70 degree weather is perfect for me. Give me 74 degrees with a little breeze and I'll be happy!

Good to know that your rabbits are able to handle 82F. I was getting worried about the summer time for myself because my mom tends to never turn on the AC. When I come home from work, the house is usually 80F+ and I'm already cranky as it is from the heat outside and to get a double whammy of the heat in my home makes me even more grumpy. I started wondering if my rabbit would be able to handle it.

 

[Blue eyes]

Shoot, 70 degree weather is perfect for me. Give me 74 degrees with a little breeze and I'll be happy!

Good to know that your rabbits are able to handle 82F. I was getting worried about the summer time for myself because my mom tends to never turn on the AC. When I come home from work, the house is usually 80F+ and I'm already cranky as it is from the heat outside and to get a double whammy of the heat in my home makes me even more grumpy. I started wondering if my rabbit would be able to handle it.

We lived within a few miles of Newport Beach when we got our first rabbit (around 30 years ago). We didn't even have A/C but, as you know, it stays cooler along the coast. Our bun did fine indoors back then.
(We do turn the A/C down at nighttime to about 76 where we are now.)