Wildfires!!!

[Deb76]

Hey guys, well FL is being filled with smokefrom the wildfires burning in Georgia and also in various places aroundthe state. We woke up this morning to a smoke filled sky, there is ahaze outside that looks just like a fog. The smell is VERY strongoutdoors and literally takes your breath away. I am keeping the doorsclosed, the windows closed and the air filters are running on high. Thehouse still has a faint smell of smoke..... as does the garage wheremaggie our bunny is housed. I hope to god that the wind changesdirection soon to push some of this smoke away, it's really awful andi'm scared forthe animal's health.Here is a shortstory if you would like to read it.http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2007/5/7/246955.htmlDoes anyone know how dangerous this smoke could be to the bunny? Wehave 5 parrots also and they have extremely sensitive respiratorysystems, you can't use cleaners or anything around them that has anodor and I wasn't sure how sensitive bunnies were regarding smells andair quality? Thanks in advance.

 

[bat42072]

i would think it would be extremely dangerous tothem... it can make people really sick so its probably100 times worsefor small animals...

--becky

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Can you take the animals and go somewhere safer (friend or relative's)?

Isn't it too hot in the garage forMaggie?

I'll be thinking of you and praying that the fires are contained soon.

 

[Deb76]

I'm just not sure what to do.... the garagedoesn't smell any worse then the house, inside the house has a faintsmell of smoke also. It actually looks like a fog outside today,yesterday there was almost no smoke smell outside and today it'shorrendous. I talked to my aunt who is only about 10 miles north of usand she said it's so thick up there that it's hard to see whiledriving. There are air quality warnings over almost the entire state ofFL right now. I'm not sure how to protect the animals from this, i'mdoing the best I can by keeping the doors and windows closed, etc.Anyone have any ideas?

All of our friends and family live within about 10-15 miles of us andit's bad all over right now because of the fires. The garage never getsabove 80 degrees, it's usually around 75-77it's a finishedgarage and has a ceiling, etc. We have only had her a few days and thepeople we got her from kept all of their bunnies outside under sometrees and I was told that bringing her into our air conditioned homeright away could make her ill that it had to be done gradually. I'mreally worried about this smoke

 

[Snuggys Mom]

It sounds like you're doing everything you can right now.

You may want to call a local vet and ask their advice.

 

[Aina]

I know what you mean about the fires.Luckily the wind isn't blowing my direction today, but when it does itis horrible. The other day I was reading outside and didn'tnotice the gradual change but when I looked up it was really smokey andI had a sore throat for a few days. I think when thathappened I brought Ronnie inside for a bit, but the smoke is sounpredictable that he has to be outside because it is mostly notsmokey.

 

[Deb76]

Aina, I am sorry that you are also dealing withthis, it's so scary that there are so many fires raging out of controlbecause we have no rain. They just keep getting larger and there aremore of them now. The garage and our house only has a faint smell ofsmoke being everything is so closed up so i'm hoping the animals willall be okay. I know that the birds are by far the most sensitive so i'mespecially worried about them. They are extremely fragile. I'm doing mybest to limit the amount of contact with the smoke as best I can, Iguess that's all anyone can do when you have situations like this. Bestwishes to you and your family and I hope that the fires go away soon.

 

[HoneyPot]

Are they in a cage or hutch? You cantry soaking some towels or cloth in water and laying it over their cageto try to absorb some of the smoke smell. I don't know ifthis is good for their air flow though as it might make ithotter? Not sure... but the wet towels would catch the smellof the smoke and make the air a bit fresher for them... mabe having afan blowing on the towels or on the cage to keep the air around themcirculating as well...

 

[Deb76]

she's in a cage. I watched the news and theysaid that some of the smoke may go away this afternoon as the wind isexpected to change directions slightly, I can only hope they are right.I put a sheet against the bottom of the garage door to try and helpkeep out as much smoke as possible. There was only a super tiny spacethere but I figured anything may help. There are two windows in ourgarage that are of course closed tightly and I am keeping the blindsclosed over them to also try and help a bit. I'm so hoping that in afew hours it will get a little better, the only thing that will makethese fires go away though is rain and tons of it. Thanks so much forthe help everyone, it's very much appreciated.

 

[maherwoman]

Maggie will be just fine, don't worry.

We here in Southern California (especially the Valley, where I live)get lots of wildfires this time of year, until the winter comes and therain starts.

In fact, we just had a large one literally about ten miles of my house a few months ago.

I've never had a problem with my buns or kitties getting that traceamount of smoke that comes into closed spaces from it...and haven'treally heard of anybody that has.

Hopefully MissysCove will be on soon and give some input on this, asshe lives near me, and works at a shelter, so has more experience witha larger number of buns, so she could probably answer better than Iabout it.

But...I've never had a problem.

Here are pictures of the most recent fire, literally exactly ten milesfrom where we live. These are from my daughter's bedroomwindow.

It was big enough that when we went outside, ash rained down onus...and the sky was tinted the orange of the fire's smokecloud. I think this was the closest wildfire we've everhad...and the buns had absolutely NO reaction to it.

My recommendation: Just keep an eye on her. Itsounds like you're doing a wonderful job keeping her air fresh, and itsounds like she's in a good, sheltered place from all that smoke andash.

Hugs!

Rosie*

 

[Deb76]

Thank you so much! you have made me feel a bitmore at ease, these fires are just terrible! We need rain so badly tohelp control these things. Those pictures are incredible, that musthave been SO scary though, i'm really glad everyone was okay though.I'm hoping the wind will change direction tomorrow and that some ofthis smoke will be pushed away from us, i've got my fingers crossed. Ilove my little maggie so much and just want this smoke to go away Thanks once again for your kind words, it's very much appreciated :hug:

 

[clarzoo]

I'm in Florida too, dealing with the smoke. I'min Gainesville- it is very thick here. I keep my rabbitsoutdoors, so they are unfortunately having to deal with it. You arelucky you can bring yours in. I was thinking of bringing all mineinside in their carriers for the night- but I don't like tobring them in and out of the A/C too much.

I have fans on them, so at least air is circulating- even if it issmokey air. Ughhh.:X I am ready for the fires to be gone.Rain is in the forecast, so that should help.




-Lindsay

 

[missyscove]

Gee, I didn't realize that you had so much faithin me, Rosie. Sadly, although we do frequently have firesaround here, I don't have much advice. We don't have them allthat often right near my house, hardly ever to the point where I havetrouble breathing. I'll see what I can find though.

The shelter buns are all inside, so it hasn't been much of an issue.

 

[missyscove]

This link might help you.

http://news.ufl.edu/1998/06/24/smoke1/

 

[maherwoman]

You're so welcome, Hun.

Honestly, even though this one was quite close, I was more concernedfor the apartment complex/tract that was positioned much closer to thefire than we were. Thankfully, no oneperished from the fire, and it was put out by the next morning...thefirefighters here are really well-prepared for such things, and usuallyhave the fires out within a couple days.

But a few years ago, we had NUMEROUS wildfires here in the Valley, andlots of people had to be evacuated, and I think a few people might haveperished in those. It was a scary time...and this fire,compared to those, was much less of a big deal to me. Here'sthe thread where I posted about the recent fire.

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=20512&forum_id=5

Like I said, I wouldn't worry too much, with Maggie being indoors andin a good sheltered place. And, don't worry muchif the fire isn't within five or ten miles...they will handle it soonand have everything under control. I know wildfires are ascary thing...they seem so out-of-control...but believe me, no matterwhat the news anchor says, they have it much more under-control thanyou think.

Keep us update, ok?

Hugs!! And take a deep breath, ok?

Rosie*

Deb76 wrote:

Thank you so much! youhave made me feel a bit more at ease, these fires are just terrible! Weneed rain so badly to help control these things. Those pictures areincredible, that must have been SO scary though, i'm really gladeveryone was okay though. I'm hoping the wind will change directiontomorrow and that some of this smoke will be pushed away from us, i'vegot my fingers crossed. I love my little maggie so much and just wantthis smoke to go away Thanks once again for your kind words, it'svery much appreciated :hug:

 

[Deb76]

Thanks so much for the links any informationis very much appreciated, I just want to do the best I can for Maggiein this situation. Thank you all for so much support, I love this forumalready and i'm learning so much!! You are all wonderful, caring peopleand i'm so grateful for that. :flowerskiss::group: