Most of the country experienced a rabbit-killing heat wave last week and in my area, there was no breeze at all. Temperature predictions for this week were as high to higher, but this week most of the southeast will have lower humidity, also lowering the heat index. The result would be the rabbits could feel a bit cooler at 85 degrees this week than last week.  We have seen several posts about breeders throughout the country losing rabbits and kits to heat or seeing some oddities showing up in their nest boxes that are usually not common but should be expected in these conditions: fever coats. ( You can read an article about my past experience with fever coats by clicking here. ) I have been fortunate that in the 12 years we have had rabbits we have not lost one to heat. However, in the beginning, we may have just been fortunate due to several contributing factors that we were unaware of at the time. Typically, that does not just happen and requires planning and adapting as necessary.

Tale of Tails Tirza Reserve in Show! Once upon a time, there was a kindle of three does and the rabbit keeper could not keep all three, so she contacted a breeder east of her and another west of her to promise them one doe each, keeping one for herself. She had a very hard choice to make because all three were very similar in their beauty, but each doe would have her own tale to be told... The Tale of Josea Josea was one of my most loving of rabbits. I like to give my rabbits names with meaning, some to honor God and some as a blessing. Josea means "God will increase" and I hoped it would be a blessing of increase for the rabbitry that would be Josea's new home with the breeder to the west.   I entered Josea in the May show in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Because of a conflict with a family event, I was not able to attend, but my friend still planned to go so I delivered Josea to her new home a few days before the show. Josea then won Best of Breed in the first two shows for h