hot ears & fast heart (2 newbie questions...)

[M]

Yes, General Patton's guardian here (again) with more newbie questions
that I can't find answers to in any of my books.


1)
I know that bunny's ears are "heat regulators", but just how hot
should they be? I'm over-paranoid about overheating ever since I lost
a baby bunny to the heat. Therefore, the General is never in a room
that isn't air-conditioned, he's never in direct sunlight and always
has plenty of water (a bowl and a bottle).

But when I pat him, even if his body is cool his ears are hot. Or at
least they feel hot to me. Even when the room is downright COLD, and
his body is cool to the touch, his ears seem hotter. Is this normal?

that leads me to question #2

2)
how fast should that nose be going? Even when he's lying down and his
feet are out straight behind him his little heart seems to be going
really fast. (same with the nose, of course). How do I know when he's
over excited? How fast is too fast?


thanks for any info!
Nervous Nellie in New York City
(a.k.a. marianne, General Patton's guardian.)

[Anita]

The ears are usually warmer than their environment. The more active a
rabbit is, the warmer his ears will be.

Rabbit hearts beat very fast. Their noses twitch at different rates,
depending on their levels of interest. Curious rabbit noses twitch
very fast to sample their environment. Bored or sleepy rabbits have
slow noses. Rabbits pull the nose flap back completely when they are
in alert mode. Their body freezes, except their hind legs, which are
poised for ferocious thumps.

Anita, Jessie, and Quark

Post by M
Yes, General Patton's guardian here (again) with more newbie questions
that I can't find answers to in any of my books...

[Professor]

OOH! I've seen Jump do this! LOL I thought there was something wrong
with his nose. Thanks!

Anita wrote: Rabbits pull the nose flap back completely when they are

Post by Anita
in alert mode.

[Cathy Clark]

LOL, why do we always just assume our rabbits are ill or deformed?
C, B, & K

Post by Professor
OOH! I've seen Jump do this! LOL I thought there was something wrong
with his nose. Thanks!
Anita wrote: Rabbits pull the nose flap back completely when they are

Post by Anita
in alert mode.

--
8-) Professor :-P Merlin & ;-) The Jump

[Professor]

He looked so odd! A.F.lops have a flat face to start with...

Post by Cathy Clark
LOL, why do we always just assume our rabbits are ill or deformed?
C, B, & K

Post by Professor
OOH! I've seen Jump do this! LOL I thought there was something wrong
with his nose. Thanks!
Anita wrote: Rabbits pull the nose flap back completely when they are

Post by Anita
in alert mode.

[Cathy Clark]

I don't know the answers to these questions... but I do recommend you check
out www.rabbit.org if you haven't already. Better than your books, I
guarantee!

C, B, and Mitey K

Post by M
Yes, General Patton's guardian here (again) with more newbie questions
that I can't find answers to in any of my books.
1)
I know that bunny's ears are "heat regulators", but just how hot
should they be? I'm over-paranoid about overheating ever since I lost
a baby bunny to the heat. Therefore, the General is never in a room
that isn't air-conditioned, he's never in direct sunlight and always
has plenty of water (a bowl and a bottle).
But when I pat him, even if his body is cool his ears are hot. Or at
least they feel hot to me. Even when the room is downright COLD, and
his body is cool to the touch, his ears seem hotter. Is this normal?
that leads me to question #2
2)
how fast should that nose be going? Even when he's lying down and his
feet are out straight behind him his little heart seems to be going
really fast. (same with the nose, of course). How do I know when he's
over excited? How fast is too fast?
thanks for any info!
Nervous Nellie in New York City
(a.k.a. marianne, General Patton's guardian.)

[Nona]

Bunnies normal body temp can be as high as 102-3 F.

That would feel hot to us (98.6)!

And since bunnies are releasing the heat through their ears because
their ears are thin and have a high concentration of blood vessels, the
ears are likely to feel hot.

They do have a high heart rate, especially when excited. It can range
from 130-325 beats per minute, according to one online pet source.

They also breathe rapidly --30 to 60 breaths a minute.

Welcome to New York!

I live in Manhattan on 22nd Street with 5 -- count 'em, 5 -- buns.

I think Nhu and the Professor are both in Queens.

Nona

[Professor]

Hi!

Post by Nona
I think Nhu and the Professor are both in Queens.

[Rhonda]

Hi M,

Their noses can go pretty fast. I usually judge that they are overly
excited or very hot when their heads are moving with each breath. You'll
get to know how fast is fast by just paying attention to your bunny, but
their heads do not usually move with each breath until they are doing
what I think if as a "bunny pant."

When it is very hot here, I will use a washcloth and wet the rabbits'
ears, inside and out. That seems to help cool them. You won't have to
worry about that if you have air conditioning.

Rhonda

Post by M
2)
how fast should that nose be going? Even when he's lying down and his
feet are out straight behind him his little heart seems to be going
really fast. (same with the nose, of course). How do I know when he's
over excited? How fast is too fast?
thanks for any info!
Nervous Nellie in New York City
(a.k.a. marianne, General Patton's guardian.)

[M]

This newsgroup is so great!! Thanks for answering all my questions.
I feel much better now, and am sure to have more questions soon.

thanks everyone!

Post by Rhonda
Hi M,
Their noses can go pretty fast. I usually judge that they are overly
excited or very hot when their heads are moving with each breath. You'll
get to know how fast is fast by just paying attention to your bunny, but
their heads do not usually move with each breath until they are doing
what I think if as a "bunny pant."
When it is very hot here, I will use a washcloth and wet the rabbits'
ears, inside and out. That seems to help cool them. You won't have to
worry about that if you have air conditioning.
Rhonda

Post by M
2)
how fast should that nose be going? Even when he's lying down and his
feet are out straight behind him his little heart seems to be going
really fast. (same with the nose, of course). How do I know when he's
over excited? How fast is too fast?
thanks for any info!
Nervous Nellie in New York City
(a.k.a. marianne, General Patton's guardian.)

[Dave Balderstone]

Post by M
Even when the room is downright COLD, and
his body is cool to the touch, his ears seem hotter. Is this normal?

Ayup.

Post by M
How fast is too fast?

Toby's vet says "If you can count a rabbit's heartbeat, it's in serious
medical trouble".

djb