How to handle Fourth of July???

[Jenk]

I'm looking for suggestions on what might be done to help calm our bunnies (and cat) on July 4th, especially if we're not home that evening.

As I've mentioned in another post, my hubby is hell-bent on leaving for our vacation on July 3rd. I've begged him to consider leaving on the 5th, after the July 4th fireworks. He's not bending, primarily because he has no extra vacation days to take and, so, wants to use 7/3 and 7/4, for which he'llget paid.

I may have found a pet sitter who can handle our crew while we're gone. Still, anyone who comes into our home can only spend 1 hr., tops, for the evening visit; so that leaves all four beasties on their own for most of the evening. (And fireworks around here last for about 4-5 hours'.)

Thank you,

Jenk

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

You can have the petsitter give them lots of hay to munch on, as it reduces stress.
That's what I do for my bunners. I also close the windows/doors and just keep a fan on if it's hot, and they have their cold water bottles, fresh water, etc.
That way, the closed doors/windows muffle the sounds a bit more than having the doors open.

That's pretty much all I do, other than going out to check on them every now and then to make sure they're ok.

Emily

 

[BlueGiants]

Start leaving a radio on around the rabbits between now and then. Pick a station with talk (voice) and music... (My bunnies seem to prefer Rock and roll... OH wait! I mean I do! LOL!) Doesn't have to be very loud, just about normal conversation levels.

When you go away, leave the radio on. Get an inexpensive timer (like for lights) and set the radio to go on for the afternoon and evening. It seems to help them deal with loud noises. (I normally leave a radio on all day long and on certain days, like the 4th of July, I'll leave it on all night.)

 

[Jenk]

BlueSkyAcresRabbitry wrote:

You can have the petsitter give them lots of hay to munch on, as it reduces stress. That's what I do for my bunners. I also close the windows/doors and just keep a fan on if it's hot, and they have their cold water bottles, fresh water, etc.
That way, the closed doors/windows muffle the sounds a bit more than having the doors open.

Oh, I'll definitely ask the chosen pet sitter to err on the side of caution and feed lots of hay each night. Also, all windows/doors will be closed during our entire trip, so as to keep the house more regulated. Still, professional firework shows go on all around us, which makes it fairly noisy (as do the local neighbors who set stuff off at the ends of their driveways).

That's pretty much all I do, other than going out to check on them every now and then to make sure they're ok.

Typically, I check on them several times during the night of July 4th, as well. But since we likely won't be home, that won't be an option. Andour one adopted bun I've not yet witnessed on the 4th; I've no idea how he might react to the loud noises. (Hopefully, he won't panic too much and hurt himself, which is my big fear.)

 

[Jenk]

BlueGiants wrote:

When you go away, leave the radio on. Get an inexpensive timer (like for lights) and set the radio to go on for the afternoon and evening. It seems to help them deal with loud noises. (I normally leave a radio on all day long and on certain days, like the 4th of July, I'll leave it on all night.)

Such a timer would actually work for a t.v., too, wouldn't it? I'm guilty of leaving the t.v. on all day as background noise (for myself, not so much the animals). It's on the opposite end of the house from their rooms, so it's never super-loud to them. But they can hear it (and sleep through it). So it might just be easiest to leave on the t.v. that day (until the sitter's return the morning of 7/5).

 

[BlueGiants]

LOL! I leave the TV on for the dogs!

 

[Jenk]

BlueGiants wrote:

LOL! I leave the TV on for the dogs!

Being located on the far end of the house, the buns can't actually watch the t.v. But our cat does from time to time. And for whatever reason, it's background noise calms me. (I'm sooo ADHD! )

 

[Saudade]

My best advice would be to just make sure the house is shut up tightly, I don't know about your cage set up but if you drape ten or so towels over the cage it will effectively act as soundproofing for the night. I know it's the middle of summer for you over there so this could cause overheating issues, so wetting some of the towels will also help remove excess heat from the cage during this time (not to mention it soundproofs it further). Wetting the towel and then blowing a fan against it will also help remove the heat.

Having a radio playing all day long for the fourth of july will definitely help with your rabbits calmness, especially if they can't see the radio, they'll assume that there are people nearby. Make sure no windows will allow the light from any fireworks to flash across the inside of your bunnies cage as this will scare them and remove the sense of a burrow from their minds.

The best thing you can do is hope and wait. Make sure the sitter gives them extra water and hay that night.

 

[Jenk]

Saudade wrote:

My best advice would be to just make sure the house is shut up tightly, I don't know about your cage set up but if you drape ten or so towels over the cage it will effectively act as soundproofing for the night.

None of them have cages; they're in large penned areas. Unfortunately, they're also on hard flooring, which means that sound carries more to them now that it did when they were on carpeting. (I'm sure that they feel vibration more, too.)

 

[crystal]

the radio is a really good idea, I wouldn't have thought of that! radio would use less electricity than tv, and the timer is also a great idea cos it doesn't need to be on 24/7.

my dog used to go crazy when there was thunder or fire works (past tense cos she passed away earlier this year)... I haven't given much thought to my rabbits disliking them as well. are all rabbits scared when there is a storm or fireworks?

Would you have an animal loving friend that could come over and check up on them? that might make you feel more relaxed about it... or a neighbour might be more convenient.

 

[Sweetie]

I agree with the radio being on 24/7 while you are gone, so that they won't be stressed out too much. As for the cat, keep him inside during the fireworks and possibly a few days afterwards, just to be on the safe side. Then when you return give them lots of love and cuddles.

 

[Zouave]

Thankfully, here in NYC we have no more problems with illegal fireworks, not after Giuliani became mayor and started enforcing the law.

We have the big Macy's fireworks show, and that is ten miles away.

Good luck to you.

 

[Jenk]

crystal wrote:

Would you have an animal loving friend that could come over and check up on them? that might make you feel more relaxed about it... or a neighbour might be more convenient.

Whichever pet sitter we choose would be coming over once that evening to care for the animals. But I know that the fireworks will continue long after the person leaves.

The worst part of the night will be our town's professional show. The fireworks are set off about 1.5 miles from our house, which makes them still very loud. Perhaps due to the recession, this year's display will be shorter?

 

[crystal]

Jenk wrote:

crystal wrote:

Would you have an animal loving friend that could come over and check up on them? that might make you feel more relaxed about it... or a neighbour might be more convenient.

Whichever pet sitter we choose would be coming over once that evening to care for the animals.  But I know that the fireworks will continue long after the person leaves. 

The worst part of the night will be our town's professional show.  The fireworks are set off about 1.5 miles from our house, which makes them still very loud.  Perhaps due to the recession, this year's display will be shorter? 

Yeah I think you said the pet sitter would come for one hour? So I was thinking that might be earlier in the evening, so then you might feel better if a friend could come later on in the night... just to check that everything is okay with the buns. it's just a suggestion, it's totally up to you!

 

[Jenk]

crystal wrote:

Yeah I think you said the pet sitter would come for one hour? So I was thinking that might be earlier in the evening, so then you might feel better if a friend could come later on in the night... just to check that everything is okay with the buns. it's just a suggestion, it's totally up to you!

Most pet sitters don't allow (per contract) anyone else to enter the home during the time span for which they're responsible for the pets' care. It's a legal issue. (The exception is if a professional needs to enter the home to fix something; but, of course, a pet sitter is then present in the home for such a visit.)

 

[crystal]

oh okay, I had no idea that that was how it worked. I am obviously ignorant when it comes to a pet sitter contract... I have no experience in using a pet sitter, and if I had it would probably be totally different anyway because we are in different countries. sorry, just trying to help...

 

[Jenk]

crystal wrote:

oh okay, I had no idea that that was how it worked. I am obviously ignorant when it comes to a pet sitter contract... I have no experience in using a pet sitter, and if I had it would probably be totally different anyway because we are in different countries. sorry, just trying to help...

I wish that it were not that way; I'd love to have an extra pair of eyes/hands available to my animals when we're away--especially on days like July 4th.

I can understand things from the point of pet sitters, though. If they enter a home to find an injured pet, and the pet owner's friend was last in the home, who, then, might be responsible for the pet's injury? In that regard, pet sitters want to protect themselves.

Thank you for trying to help, though. I appreciate any/all suggestions.