Can you believe that summer is almost over? I am quite bummed out. I absolutely love playing outside in the sunshine. Hopping and Binkying around the yard is my jam. Plus I get to eat all of the yummy dandelions. My mom said that once the weather turns to rain that I wont be able to go outside as much, but that she was going to talk to my grandaddy about building me a fenced and covered playpen outside… I am pretty excited about that.
Playing outside is so much fun but being in the rain without adequate shelter can be really stressful for us young buns. So please make sure that you take the necessary precautions as we enter the fall season. Luckily, rabbits are built to be more resistant to the cold than we are the extreme heat. There are a few things that help us survive the chillier weather.
Rabbits are water-resistant to an extent. Our fur has hydrophobic properties, meaning that to a point it can repel water. Water is more likely to bead up and roll off our fur than to soak in. But like I said, this is only to a certain extent. If it is pouring down rain and we are unable to escape to dry land we will get wet and cold and this could become fatal.
Rabbits hair structure provides much needed insulation in the colder weather. Human hair is made up of 3 parts: the cuticle, the cortex, and the medulla. In humans, the medulla is essentially shapeless; however, in rabbits the medulla is filled with air cells. This trapped air in a rabbit’s fur helps to insulate, and keep us warm in the colder weather. However, becoming wet reduces the insulation properties of our fur, thus causing us to become very cold.
While we are built to better withstand the frigid temperatures and rain, you also must remember that we are domestic rabbits and have not had to endure such difficult times. Being faced with the challenges caused by the rain and cold weather could cause pneumonia, extreme stress, and matting, any of which could put us in such a discomfort as to lead to fatal outcomes.
Please remember that you are our care takers and we trust you to make the best decisions for us. If you are going to let your rabbit outside this fall and winter, please make sure that they have the appropriate shelters, and don’t let them out for too long.
Well friends, I hope you are prepared for the coming seasons. I know I will be because my mom loves the heck out of me, and she always makes the best decisions for me. I hope you will join me again next week. Ciao.
