09/01/2026
We have been putting off making this post because honestly, we just haven't had the heart to talk about it. Some people already know about what happened, but we just haven't been able to bring ourselves to publicly talk about it until now.
The past few weeks have been absolutely devastating for us, and we are still trying to process everything that happened. This is why we have been so MIA.
During the most recent heat wave, we made the difficult decision to shelf both Koda’s and Sandy’s litters as the babies were beginning to decline rapidly.
During any extreme temperature, we go out and check over our animals once every 30 minutes to make sure everyone is okay. By the time we had done another check for heat distress, we had already lost 2 of Koda’s 6 kits to the heat. The remaining 4 were rapidly declining, and despite our efforts, we lost a third kit less than half an hour after shelving them. Thankfully, her remaining 3 little fighters have continued to hang on.
Sandy originally had 3 kits, and only 1 remains. Calla, Edelweiss, and Saffron unfortunately lost every single one of their babies.
After everything happened so quickly, we made the decision to pull all of the remaining babies inside in an effort to prevent any further losses. Olivia and her one remaining baby were also shelved at that time. Thankfully, her little one is 5 weeks old today and is still growing nicely.
In the span of less than one hour, we went from 29 kits to only 5.
We also want to use our experience to stress just how important it is to closely monitor your animals during extreme temperatures. Rabbits are extremely sensitive to heat, and heat distress can develop frighteningly quickly. Kits are especially vulnerable, and a baby that appears okay during one check can begin declining much faster than you would ever expect.
What are the warning signs of heat distress? Things to watch for include:
• Rapid or labored breathing
• Open-mouth breathing or panting
• Weakness, lethargy, or suddenly becoming very quiet
• Lying stretched out and appearing unable or unwilling to move
• Drooling or a wet chin
• Ears that feel unusually hot
• Loss of coordination, wobbliness, or inability to stand normally
• Unresponsiveness or collapse in severe cases
With kits, the signs can sometimes be even more subtle. Pay close attention to babies that suddenly seem weak, limp, less active than their littermates, are not nursing normally, or appear to be fading. Don't assume that because they were okay during your last check that they will still be okay an hour later.
It’s always a good idea to not rely on thinking that shade and water alone mean everyone is safe during dangerous temperatures. Check your rabbits frequently, pay attention to any changes in behavior or condition, and have a plan in place to move vulnerable animals somewhere cooler if necessary. If something doesn't seem right, trust your instincts and act quickly.
We checked our animals every 30 minutes during the extreme heat, and this still happened. That is one of the hardest parts for us to process. Sometimes, even when you are doing everything you know to do and watching as closely as possible, extreme weather can become deadly incredibly fast.
It was an absolutely devastating blow, and after watching so many babies decline so quickly, we were terrified that we were going to lose the remaining litters too.
Today, the youngest remaining kits are officially 3 weeks and 4 days old, and I cannot put into words how relieved and grateful I am that they are still here. When we first brought the remaining babies inside, they were declining rapidly, and we truly didn't know if they would make it.
They are definitely small for their age after everything they have been through, but they are alive, they are growing, and they are continuing to fight.
We know they still have some catching up to do, but today feels like a small victory after such an incredibly heartbreaking few weeks. Olivia's baby, Ginger, is thriving, and the younger babies continue to prove just how strong they are.
Thank you to everyone who has checked in on us, given us grace while we've been quiet, and supported us through this loss.
We are hopeful for brighter days ahead and incredibly thankful for these small victories. 🤍
