Myth Busters: Fur coats

Bunny Myth Buster – “They’ve got fur coats so they’re okay in the cold”.

Rabbits’ coats obviously do give them some protection against the cold but to say that it makes them immune is like saying a snail can stop a bullet with its shell!

In the wild, rabbits live in underground burrows where the temperature changes only slightly between summer and winter. By keeping them above ground we are subjecting them to extreme temperature changes that they’re not designed to cope with.

In the wild they share body warmth with the rest of their social group so they’re toasty and snug. Rabbits kept alone will suffer the cold worst of all because they can’t share the lovely warm body of a companion.

If you know of anybody who doesn’t bother to take steps to protect their rabbit from the cold because of the “it’s got a fur coat” myth, then please put them straight and direct them to our tips on keeping warm. You will almost certainly be saving the rabbit’s life.

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/RWAFtoptipsforwintercare.pdf

That point about sharing body warmth is a great excuse to post a picture of three snuggle-buns!

What a great post and lovely snuggle buns It really frustrates me when I worry about Nibbler possibly being cold and I'm told 'he's got a fur coat on'...

Somebody phoned our Helpline just yesterday and was comparing rabbit fur with horse fur, as if rabbits are small horses, which they are not. Horse hair is far better at trapping air to provide insulation, and horses are designed to live above the ground and so have to be properly insulated. Rabbits are designed to live underground where there is a fairly even temperature of around 55F all year round so they do not need...and do not have...that insulating ability in their fur.

I always make sure ours are lovely and warm. In fact my bedroom heater is on all year round so there is always a really warm place. We keep the rest of the house warm too to make sure they are never cold.

Hugs

JO xx

[quote="RWAF"]Somebody phoned our Helpline just yesterday and was comparing rabbit fur with horse fur, as if rabbits are small horses

Aren;t some people stupid?