Winter Care for Rex Rabbits
š Summary
Winter's cold, short days, and scarce greens threaten rex rabbits with illness and poor breeding, so hold the barn above 10Ā°C (below 5Ā°C is life-threatening), keep it dry and ventilated, add light, and warm kits. Feed more energy-rich food ā roughly 23ā25% of the diet ā with nighttime meals at 60% of daily intake and some carrot or greens to avoid vitamin lack.
1 Housing and Environment
Temperature: rex rabbits are happiest at 15ā25Ā°C. In winter, keep the barn above 10Ā°C to protect growth and breeding; below 5Ā°C their lives are at risk.
Humidity: damp conditions raise the odds of skin disease, so take steps to keep the barn dry and clean when humidity climbs.
Ventilation: keep the temperature steady ā no sudden cold snaps ā and the air fresh. High ammonia invites pasteurellosis and stunts growth, so ventilate well.
Light: rex rabbits need some daylight for growth and breeding; with short winter days, use artificial lighting to ensure enough.
Breeding: when a doe kindles in winter, add warmth to the barn and move the kits to a heated box or near a radiator right after birth. Around 12 days of age, return them to the nest box ā this lifts winter survival rates.
2 Nutrition
Cold weather burns energy fast, so rabbits need more food or they grow thin and weak, bucks lose semen quality, does cycle poorly, and kits develop slowly or turn anaemic. Prevent malnutrition:
Raise the energy share of the feed to about 23ā25% and trim the roughage portion.
Vary the diet. Green feed is scarce in winter and too little brings vitamin deficiency, even kit collapse, so add carrot or leafy greens to prevent it.
Feed mostly at night ā about 60% of the daily ration. On rainy or snowy days, ease off the night feed a little to avoid overeating that triggers enteritis and diarrhea.
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