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Rabbits are comfortable at around 55 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (13 to 21 degrees Celsius). Once the temperature climbs past the low eighties, they start to struggle, and a lionhead with a full mane feels it sooner than most. Cold is easier to handle, as long as your rabbit stays dry and out of drafts.
Recognizing heat stress
A rabbit that is too hot will stretch out flat on its side, breathe fast with the nostrils flaring and hold its ears out and pink. The nose may look wet and the rabbit may seem sleepy or wobbly. This can turn dangerous within minutes. Move the rabbit to a cool room, and wipe the ears gently with a cool damp cloth. Do not use ice water and do not submerge the rabbit, because a sudden shock can make things worse. Call a vet right away if the rabbit does not recover quickly.
Keeping cool in summer
Indoor rabbits do best in a room that stays shaded during the afternoon. Some things that help:
- A frozen water bottle wrapped in a towel that the rabbit can lean against.
- A ceramic tile or a marble slab to lie on.
- A fan in the room, aimed so it does not blow straight onto the rabbit.
- Fresh water changed twice a day, with a second bowl in case one gets knocked over.
Brush out loose wool so the mane does not trap extra heat, and keep the area under the tail clean and dry. Outdoor hutches should sit in full shade all day. If the forecast is hot, bring your rabbit inside. Our pages on keeping rabbits indoors and keeping them outdoors compare the trade-offs.
Winter care
A dry rabbit with plenty of food handles cold weather well, but lionheads are small and their body coat is thinner than the mane suggests. Keep the hutch off the ground, close it on the windy side and fill the sleeping area with clean straw. Wet bedding is the real problem in winter, so check it daily and swap out damp patches. Check the water bottle too, because it freezes overnight and rabbits will not drink from ice. A ceramic bowl of lukewarm water in the morning is a good habit.
When temperatures stay below freezing, many owners move their lionhead into a garage or a spare room. Rabbits burn more energy to stay warm, so give extra hay and check the weight every couple of weeks. You can find more about routines through the seasons on our daily care page.