As the seasons change, rabbit owners will start to worry about their pets, especially if they’re kept outside.
I know we did with our first rabbit.
Well, with a lot of unclear information around the ideal temperature for rabbits, I wanted to find a clearer, so I researched and asked around to find this:
Rabbits will do well outside in most weather, but the ideal temperature for these furry friends is between 32° degrees Fahrenheit (0° C) and 85° degrees Fahrenheit (30° C). Keeping rabbits help dry and protected from the wind in winter and in the shade during summer will keep them happy and safe.
Please keep in mind this all depends on rabbit size and breed.
Baby rabbits should be kept in much milder temperatures, and smaller breeds may not do well at the lower end of the temperature range.
Let’s dig into the details a little more.
Table of Contents
What Is The Ideal Temperature Range For Rabbits?
Rabbits are fairly adaptable animals. After all, in nature, rabbits live outdoors and manage to live quite nicely, regardless of the temperatures.
The said rabbits are most comfortable in an environment between 55-70° degrees Farenheight (13-21° degrees Celsius).
Here’s a quick chart for housing rabbits as regard to the ideal temperature for rabbits:
| Cold Range | Hot Range |
|---|---|
| 32° degrees Fahrenheit (0° C) | 70-85° degrees Fahrenheit (30° C) |
| As long as their hutch isn’t wet and isn’t in direct wind. | As long as they have some shade. |
As we will discuss further, rabbit owners in most locales need generally worry about their rabbits getting too hot rather than too cold because rabbitts that get too hot are subject to heatstroke.
What Temperature Is Too Hot For Rabbits?
Any temperature above 85° degrees Fahrenheit (30° C) can subject your rabbitts to experiencing too much stress from the heat.
And keep in mind that any temperature gauge, including the temperature chart we just included, is based on temperatures in the shade.
Although, scientifically, the temperatures are exactly the same when the temperature is 70° degrees Fahrenheit (21.1° Celsius), you must never leave your rabbits exposed to full sunlight when they are outdoors.
This is because, while the ambient temperature is the same, the solar radiation from the sun heats up the surfaces in your rabbit hutch and drastically can raise the temperature to the danger zone.
However, you don’t have to worry about humidity, which bothers humans because the sweat stays on their skin.
Since rabbits in nature live underground, and with several rabbits huddled together, the humidity is high.
So how do you tell if a rabbit is too hot?
First, feel its ears.
Rabbitts regulate the temperature in their ears, so if it’s very hot, and also if the ears are flushed, it may indeed be too hot.
In addition, heavy panting is a sign that your rabbit is in heat distress.
In addition, if your rabbit shows signs of weakness and lethargy, it’s probably too hot.
Later, we’ll discuss ways to cool down your rabbit.
How Cold Is Too Cold For Rabbits?
Generally, rabbits do well as long as the temperature is at around 32° degrees Fahrenheit (0° C) or higher.
Consider that rabbits survive in outdoor temperatures even cooler than this in Siberia and Antarctica.
In nature, rabbits retreat to underground hutches they have created, lined with twigs and straw for insulation.
In general, few rabbits will freeze to death in nature.
In an underground hutch away from the wind (which is actually a bigger killer than just the temperature), they will huddle together.
Their thick fur, together with their natural body heat of around 101-103° degrees Fahrenheit (39° C), keeps them alive in even the coldest temperatures.
In nature, the only way a rabbit will freeze is if their fur becomes wet and they have no shelter whatsoever.
Of course, this doesn’t happen to careful rabbit-friendly people, so their rabbits can live quite comfortably, in most cases, when it is very cold outside.
Can Rabbits Stay Outside? Winter? Summer?
Yes, they can, and in general, rabbits are probably more comfortable being left outside in both the summer and the winter.
As we have already stated, rabbits tend to be subject to extreme heat, so about the only time you need to bring your rabbits into the house is generally in the summer, when it becomes extremely hot.
If you live in a place like Arizona, for example, you may indeed need to take your rabbits inside the house to protect them from temperatures that go as high as 100° degrees Fahrenheit (38° C) or higher.
Even a shady area is dangerous for your rabbits in extremely high-temperature areas.
On the other hand, when it gets too cold, don’t rush to take your rabbits into the house.
The temperature differences between outdoors and indoors may be too much of a shock for your outdoor rabbits.
Instead, consider taking them into the garage, where it is indeed warmer but not so warm that the temperature difference shocks them.
Warning! Make sure if they’re in the garage, you keep it quiet and don’t do work with your power tools.
Loud sounds can cause heart attacks and kill rabbits.
Also, be sure to clean and remove any screws, nails, or other metal pieces from their reach.
They could eat them and end up dying from them.
Speaking of winter, check out our article on what wild rabbits eat in winter.
How To Tell If A Rabbit Is Cold
The sign of a cold rabbit is one that has:
- Cold Ears
- Is breathing through their mouth
- Exhibits signs of shivering
- Is lethargic
- Has pale lips
If your rabbit exhibits these signs, you need to take it to the vet or at least warm it up.
Ways to warm up a rabbit include placing a warm water bottle over a towel (being careful not to burn your rabbit) or placing a heating pad in their cage.
You can also warm up a rabbit by holding it and cupping its ears in your hand, as rabbits use their ears to regulate heat.
Of course, you can prevent your rabbit from becoming too cool in the winter by ensuring that it has clean bedding that is regularly changed and that its cage is sheltered from the wind.
Wind in combination with cold is the real killer.
And many people prefer to put a heating pad, on a set of just warm (not hot) in their cage as well.
How To Tell If A Rabbit Is Overheating
As we said earlier, these are all signs your rabbit is struggling from the heat:
- Heavy breathing
- Lethargy
- Flushed
- Hot ears
- Salivating
- Weakness
Ways to cool your rabbit down without needing to take them indoors include adding some ice cubes to their water, buying a second water bottle, and freezing it overnight.
When you take it out of the fridge in the morning, let it unthaw gradually, so it is a mixture of ice and water, and put it in the rabbit’s cage.
Some people will also use a fan to cool down their bunny, but you do need to be careful of letting the air blow directly on the rabbit.
Instead, consider taking a wet towel and draping it over the fan so that cool air gets to the rabbit without a strong, blowing effect.