This time of year, rabbit breeders are in crunch mode trying to prevent the inevitable heat losses. And I am going to say the hard part out loud: The best long-term way to fight heat deaths is to breed for heat resistance. That means watching which rabbits handle heat well and which ones do not. Rabbits that pant hard, get nosebleeds in high heat, crash early, or generally struggle in summer should not be the animals carrying the next generation forward. That does not mean we do nothing to help them. We absolutely take precautions: metal water bowls filled with ice, extra fans, better airflow, rearranging cages, shade roofs to take the worst of the sun, blocking or shading windows to redirect direct light, changing water , adding Electrolytes, cool water three or four times a day, ceramic tiles, cement patio blocks, and other cool surfaces in cages. Heat management matters. But so does selection. If every summer the same type of rabbit is barely surviving, that is not just a weather problem. That is a breeding decision showing up in July. Also, climate matters. In dry desert climates, swamp coolers or misters can help. In humid climates, do not use misters. Adding moisture to already humid air can make things worse, not better. Airflow and shade are your friends. Humidity is the swamp monster. ::: “What heat-management setup has worked best in your barn, and what did you try that absolutely did not work?”

What is everyone using? I use my cell phone but don't have a great spot to set it up. I've seen various phone holders and such used by content creators. My phone is a Samsung galaxy s21 ultra so it is BIG and doesn't fit in a lot of car phone holders, so not sure what my best options are

This week, I took approximately 75 rabbits to be culled. That is not something I say lightly, but it is part of responsible herd management. Culling controls population, prevents overcrowding, reduces wasted feed, and helps ensure that rabbits with weak genetics are not passed forward into someone else’s barn, breeding program, or the pet trade. I cull for size, color, type, structure, hardiness, and health. My rabbits have to meet minimum standards before they stay here, leave as breeding stock, or are shown. If they do not meet those standards, they do not move forward. Rabbits are hard-culled for issues such as: undersize for breed or line wrong color for the program poor type weak immunity poor weather hardiness malocclusion pinched hips undercut rears weak feet rangy or stringy build failure to thrive traits that do not improve the herd I do not sell rabbits as “pet quality.” To me, that is not a real category. A rabbit that is not good enough to breed or show should not be passed off to someone else just because it is cute. That is how poor genetics, poor structure, and health problems keep circulating. A strict cull policy protects the rabbits I keep, the rabbits I sell, and the people who trust my breeding program. It is also important to have a trusted cull buyer who will not turn around and sell those rabbits into the pet market. I only sell directly to processors or process them myself. Culling is not the fun part of breeding. But if you are breeding animals, you are responsible for the lives you create. That means knowing what stays, what leaves, and what should not be passed forward. For other breeders: what are your automatic cull traits, and what traits are you willing to grow out and evaluate longer?

2 litters at 8 weeks. Weights are shown. Those with * by them are pictured. Last 3 photos are of the Harlequin magpie buck at 4 lb 2 oz. First 8 photos are possible keeper magpie does. The harlequin buck has very cute checkerboard on his back. Note Collette’s x Willys are a bit on the smaller side, especially when you consider the litter is 1/3 smaller than Fiona’s. There’s an Ermine doe of Fiona’s that’s very nice, but I think she’s the 3 lb 7 oz doe. Not pictured. I only have two over 4 lbs at 8 weeks. Are your kits larger guys? I’m feeding free pellets (18% Best in Show- Kalmbach), occasionally mixed grass hay and daily fresh foraged. Each rabbit gets 2-3 large leaves of greens (comfrey, sunchoke, clover, various leaves, collard or mustard greens, broccoli, bok choy etc) And about 1/8 cup of fruit or veggies (carrot, celery, cabbage, apple, pineapple, pepper, cauliflower, beets, banana etc) and a mix of sunflower seed, oats and pumpkin seeds at about 1 T once a week. Are they underfed? Eating the wrong food? Or do I need to select for larger breeding stock?

Usually, it is more humane to euthanize a severely compromised rabbit than to attempt prolonged rehab. That sounds harsh, but rabbits are prey animals with very limited tolerance for chronic pain, respiratory damage, spinal injury, neurological damage, and loss of mobility. “Saving” an animal is not the same thing as keeping it alive. Immediate cull or euthanasia cases include: White snot or chronic sneezing, especially when pasteurella is suspected and treatment was not started immediately. Broken legs, especially rear legs. Head tilt from suspected EC or advanced inner ear disease. Broken back or spinal trauma. Sore hocks caused by poor structure, thin foot padding, or narrow feet. Malocclusion that does not resolve after one proper trim to the gumline. Severe loss of mobility. These are not “rehab projects.” These are welfare problems. A rabbit that cannot move normally, breathe normally, eat normally, or live without ongoing pain is not being given quality of life by dragging the process out. Things that often can be fixed with proper care include: Starvation or severe weight loss. Ear mites. Fur mites. Fleas. Wounds and abscesses, depending on severity and location. Poor living conditions, once the rabbit is moved into a clean, safe, properly managed setup. Blindness and deafness are usually livable conditions. A blind or deaf rabbit can still have a good life if it can eat, drink, move, groom, and navigate safely. The major dividing line is mobility, breathing, and neurological damage. If a rabbit has lost functional mobility, has advanced respiratory infection, or has EC with head tilt and organ or brain involvement, the damage is often already past the point of full recovery. Humane husbandry means knowing when treatment is reasonable, and when euthanasia is the kinder option.