why are my bunnies dying?

Question
ABOUT A MONTH AGO I WAS GIVEN 4 YOUNG BUNNIES. (2 different litters). 2 WERE 7 WEEKS OLD. 2 WERE 12 WEEKS OLD. THE FATHER OF THESE 4 BUNNIES WAS A MINI LOP AND THE MOTHER WAS A RED-EYED HIMILAYAN. ALL WERE EATING AND DRINKING FINE. I PLAYED WITH THEM EVERYDAY. GAVE THEM EXTRA RABBIT TREATS LIKE CARROTS, SMALL AMOUNTS OF LETTUCE MAYBE ONCE A WEEK, GRASS I'D PICK FROM THE YARD, BUNNY TREATS FROM THE PET STORE; ALL ALONG WITH THEIR REGULAR PURINA RABBIT CHOW. 3 DAYS AGO THE BIGGEST OF THE YOUNGEST LITTER WAS DEAD. ONLY SIGN WAS A BLOODSHOT SPOT IN THE INSIDE CORNER OF ONE OF HIS EYES AND THE SIDE OF HIS FACE LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN WET AND HAD DRIED BY THE TIME I FOUND HIM. THIS MORNING THE SMALLEST OF THE YOUNGEST LITTER WAS DEAD. NO BLOODSHOT EYE, BUT THE SAME WET FACE ON THE SIDE. I'M SO BROKEN HEARTED. WHAT'S HAPPENING TO MY BABIES? THEIR PEN IS WOOD AND HARDWARE CLOTH WITH A SMALL FAN BLOWING TOWARD THEM BECAUSE IT'S SO HOT OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW. AM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG? ALL WERE JUST AS FAT AND PRETTY. NO WEIGHT LOSS OR ANYTHING.  

Answer
Dear Donna,

If the babies are outside in the heat, they are most likely dying of heat stroke.  Rabbits cannot sweat, so a fan will not significantly cool them off.  PLEASE get them inside with the air conditioning!  Rabbits cannot survive in the heat we are having now. In the wild, they retreat to cool, underground burrows. Even shade isn't enough right now, and if the babies were in direct sun, then they were likely cooked alive.

Please also see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sickbun.html

and find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

For proper care and diet information (lose the rabbit treats; most of them are very unhealthy and even *dangerous* for babies), please read the following:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/firstrabbit.html

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html

and visit

www.rabbit.org/

I hope this helps.  I am sorry about your loss.

Dana