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Seasonal care

Summer Safety for Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

Keep small pets safe from heatstroke and flystrike during warm weather.

By Dr Hana LindqvistVeterinary review: Dr Elena Marsh5 min readPublished 2026-09-29Updated 2026-09-29
Illustration of a dog and cat resting at home beside a water bowl and lead

Heat risk

Rabbits and guinea pigs cannot sweat and struggle above about 25°C. Hutches in direct sun can get dangerously hot.

Keeping cool

  • Full shade all day, remembering the sun moves
  • Frozen water bottles wrapped in a towel
  • Ceramic tiles to lie on
  • Several water sources
  • Good airflow

Flystrike checks

Check bottoms at least twice a day in warm weather and clean litter daily. Maggots are an emergency.

Signs of heatstroke

Panting, drooling, weakness, a wet nose or collapse. Move to a cool place, offer water and call a vet at once.

References

  1. Hot weather advice — RSPCA
  2. Flystrike — Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund