Summer arrives with longer days and welcome sunshine, but the rising temperatures bring significant challenges, especially for our feathered friends and small animal companions. Unlike us, many animals have limited ways to cool themselves down, making them susceptible to heat stress or even life-threatening heatstroke. Recognizing the subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, signs that an animal is overheating is crucial for providing timely help. Whether observing wildlife in your garden or caring for pets indoors, understanding these cues can make all the difference during a heatwave.
Watching the Birds: Signs of Heat Distress
Birds have high metabolic rates and layers of insulating feathers, which is great for cold weather but can be a serious disadvantage when the mercury climbs. Since they cannot sweat, they rely on other mechanisms to dissipate heat. Being aware of these behaviours is key to identifying a bird in distress.
Panting or Gaping
One of the most noticeable signs is rapid, open-mouthed breathing, often called gaping or gular fluttering. You might see the bird’s throat moving quickly. This is the avian equivalent of panting and helps evaporate water from the respiratory tract, providing a cooling effect. While occasional panting after exertion might be normal, persistent gaping, especially when the bird is at rest, signals significant heat stress.
Holding Wings Away
You might observe birds holding their wings slightly away from their bodies. This posture increases air circulation around the less feathered areas under the wings, helping to release trapped body heat. It’s a deliberate action to try and cool down. If you see a bird consistently doing this, especially combined with other signs, it’s likely feeling the heat.
Lethargy and Reduced Activity
Heat-stressed birds often become noticeably less active. They might sit fluffed up (sometimes counterintuitive, but can be a sign of general distress or trying to regulate temperature) or seem unwilling to move, even for food or water. Their usual chirps and songs may decrease or stop altogether. They will typically seek out shady spots and remain there for extended periods, appearing sluggish or unresponsive.
Seeking Shade and Water
While seeking shade is a sensible behaviour, a bird that seems desperate or spends an unusually long time in the shade, perhaps looking exhausted, is likely struggling. Similarly, watch for birds spending excessive time at a bird bath or water source, sometimes even immersing more of their body than usual or looking reluctant to leave the vicinity of water.
Small Mammals: Recognizing Overheating
Small pets like rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, and ferrets are often kept in enclosures that can heat up quickly. Wild small mammals like squirrels or chipmunks also face challenges finding cool refuge. Their signs of heat stress can be distinct but equally important to recognize.
Rapid, Shallow Breathing and Panting
Like birds, many small mammals will resort to rapid, shallow breathing or panting when overheating. For rabbits, rapid nose twitching and heavy breathing are key indicators. Hamsters and guinea pigs might lie stretched out and breathe quickly. Panting is less common in rabbits and guinea pigs than in some other animals, so if observed, it often indicates severe distress.
Lethargy and Weakness
An overheated small animal will typically become very lethargic. They might lie flat on the coolest surface they can find, often stretched out rather than curled up. They may be unresponsive or slow to react to stimuli. Weakness or wobbliness when moving can also occur as heat stress progresses.
Wetness Around the Nose and Mouth
Excessive salivation (drooling) can occur as the animal pants or struggles to breathe. You might notice damp fur around the mouth and nose area. This is a sign that the body is struggling significantly to cope with the heat.
Reddened Ears (Especially Rabbits)
Rabbits use the large surface area and blood vessels in their ears to help regulate their body temperature. When they are hot, these blood vessels dilate to release heat, making the ears appear redder and feel very warm to the touch. While warm ears alone aren’t definitive, very red, hot ears combined with other symptoms strongly suggest overheating.
Reduced Appetite and Thirst Changes
Overheated animals often lose their appetite and may initially drink excessively, although in later stages of heatstroke, they might stop drinking altogether. Any significant change in eating or drinking habits during hot weather warrants close observation.
Never leave pets in parked cars, conservatories, or direct sunlight. Temperatures inside these enclosed spaces can soar to dangerous levels within minutes, even if the outside temperature seems moderate. Small animal enclosures placed too close to windows can also become dangerously hot very quickly. Heatstroke can develop rapidly and requires immediate attention.
Knowing What’s Normal is Key
The most effective way to recognize heat stress is to be familiar with the normal appearance and behaviour of the animals you care for or observe. What level of activity is typical? How do they usually breathe? What does their posture normally look like? Any deviation from this baseline, especially during hot periods, should prompt closer inspection. Pay extra attention to animals that are very young, elderly, overweight, or have pre-existing health conditions, as they are often more vulnerable to heat.
Simple Ways to Offer Relief
While this isn’t veterinary advice, providing basic comforts can help animals cope better with the heat. For wildlife, ensure bird baths are full of fresh, cool water and consider adding an extra shallow dish of water on the ground in a shady spot for ground-dwelling creatures. Ensure feeders are in shaded locations.
For caged pets:
- Ensure the enclosure is out of direct sunlight and in a well-ventilated, cool part of your home. Never place cages near radiators or sunny windows.
- Provide constant access to fresh, cool water. Use ceramic bowls that stay cooler or add a few ice cubes to their water bottle or bowl (ensure they can still drink easily).
- Place a cool ceramic tile, a cooled (not frozen) water bottle wrapped in a towel, or a slate slab in their enclosure for them to lie on.
- Increase air circulation with a fan, but ensure it doesn’t blow directly onto the enclosure, which could be stressful or cause chills. Ensure they can move away from the airflow if they choose.
- Lightly misting rabbits’ ears with cool water can help, as this aids evaporative cooling where they regulate temperature. Avoid spraying their face or body directly unless advised by a vet.
- Consider reducing handling during the hottest parts of the day to avoid adding stress.
Summer heat requires extra vigilance. By learning to recognize the signs of overheating in birds and small animals, and by providing simple measures like shade and cool water, we can help them stay safer and more comfortable during the hottest months. Observing carefully and acting thoughtfully are simple yet powerful ways to assist the creatures sharing our environment.
