Transcript Marcial Pichardo_assign4

Guess
what doc?
Did you know…?
…it’s a rabbit’s world!
Breeds
Diet
Care
Breeds
With almost fifty different pet rabbit breeds, choosing the one
most suitable for you will take some research and patience. Here
are some popular breeds:
Mini Rex — As the name implies, these rabbits are smaller than
average. They are intelligent, energetic and naturally curious
and cuddly.
Mini Lop — Known for their long ears, mini lops are more quiet
than some breeds, although they thrive on attention.
Netherland Dwarf — One of the smallest pet bunny breeds,
Netherland Dwarf rabbits are on average only 1 ½ -2 pounds.
Not recommended for small children, as they are more
skittish and excitable.
Breeds (cont’d)
Harlequin — Usually patterned black and white in the west. On
average, they are very curious and love being the center of
attention.
American Chinchilla — Slightly large, but easy to groom with a
calm personality and hunger for attention.
Himalayan — Cylindrical in shape and come in a variety of colors.
American Fuzzy Lops — These lops are a long hair breed, and
thus require grooming care often. As they age their fur becomes
less prone to matting.
Holland Lop — Another long-eared breed, with a medium coat
that needs regular grooming. Can be shy or skittish.
Breeds (cont’d)
Flemish Giant — While not likely to fit in average rabbit hutches,
these gentle giants are still wonderful pets. At nearly twenty
pounds, they’re closer to medium dogs or large cats, but are
sedate and take well to human company.
Angora — One of the oldest breeds of rabbit it is thought to have
originated in Turkey hundreds of years ago. They were initially
bred for their wool. Angoras are gentle and loving in nature, but
not recommended for those who don't enjoy grooming their
animals.
Dutch — A fancy rabbit weighing up to 5lbs. Breeders are always
trying to breed perfectly marked examples, miss-marked
youngsters are always available and make excellent pets. They
come in various colors: black, blue, chocolate, yellow,
tortoiseshell, steel grey, brown grey and pale grey.
Breeds (cont’d)
Polish — First bred in Holland, the Polish is one of the most
popular breeds in England and the USA. The red-eyed white is
the most common. They have a lively temperament which
makes them unsuitable as children's pets.
Silver Fox — The Silver Fox is thought to have originated in
Germany and Switzerland and was until recently quite rare. It
has an elegant shape and comes in many colors. Because of its
long, dense coat it is not suitable as a pet.
Blanc de bouscat — This rabbit is of French origin. It is a fairly
large rabbit weighing around 12 pounds for the buck and up to
14 pounds for the doe. It is white and the fur dense and silky.
Diet
Feeding your pet bunny for a long healthy life is just as important
as providing a loving home for her. There are many choices out
there, the most popular being pellets. Contrary to popular belief,
pellets are not the best food for rabbits. They were originally
formulated as a convenient and economical way to promote quick
growth and weight gain in commercial rabbits raised for food and
fur. Our rabbits are our friends and companions and we want
them to live long, healthy lives. This is why it is crucial that we
learn about and understand their dietary needs.
Rabbits have a unique and delicate digestive system and it is
important to take this into consideration when planning their
meals. It is a system that is designed to take both energy and
nutrients from food that is low in both, so providing a rabbit with
a high fat/high protein, low fiber diet (pellets alone, for example)
is a sure ticket to bad health and even a shortened life span.
Diet (cont’d)
A healthy rabbit that is spayed or neutered, gets a proper diet
and lives inside the home as a part of the family has a life span
of eight to thirteen years.
Like humans, a rabbit’s digestive system maintains a delicate
bacterial balance; which can be upset by poor diet, certain
medications, too many carbohydrates, etc. Bad bacteria can
grow out of control under such conditions and produce toxins
that can be harmful or fatal to your rabbit.
Pellets and Hay: For rabbits under one year old free feed (as
much as they want) a fresh, plain, high fiber (18-20%), midrange protein (14% - 16%) pellet. Adult rabbits should get 1/4
cup of low protein (10% or lower), high fiber pellets PER DAY, per
five (5) pounds of optimum body weight. If you have a rabbit
that has a difficult time keeping weight on or off, consult your
veterinarian.
Diet (cont’d)
Do not feed your rabbit any of the many commercial pellet mixes
that contain seeds, dried fruit or colored cereals. These
commercial treat foods are geared to look pleasing to us
humans, but they are definitely not in the best health interests
of your pet rabbit. Rabbits are not seed, fruit or cereal eaters by
nature and these types of junk foods are high in sugars and
carbohydrates, and like it happens in humans, it can lead to
yeast and bad bacterial overgrowth. Limit treats like fruits to a
minimum, no more than one or two tablespoons of high fiber
fruits (pears, apples, tomatoes...) per five pounds of optimum
body weight, one or two times a week.
Here is a list of some fruits and vegetables that are good for
rabbits:
Vegetables: asparagus, basil, broccoli, carrots, clover, cilantro,
parsley, peppermint leaves, pumpkin, and wheat grass.
Diet (cont’d)
Fruits: pears, apple, melon, papaya, peach, plum, blueberry, blackberries,
strawberries, and raspberries.
NEVER feed your rabbit nuts, legumes, or grains! They can seriously
upset gut function.
ALWAYS monitor your bunny when introducing a new food into her diet.
Care
Cleaning your rabbits litter box is a good opportunity to check for
signs of trouble. Check the feces; they should be plentiful, round
like peas and of a uniform size and shape. No feces or fewer than
usual, misshapen feces, or those strung together with hair
("pearls") may mean bunny needs to see a vet. If he stops
eating, drinking, or is in pain consult a vet immediately. If there
are no feces for 12-24 hours contact your vet immediately.
Making your house ‘rabbit safe’ is a process which begins before
this new addition to you family arrives. Rabbits are like children;
curious by nature and bound to get themselves into trouble. It is
important not to dismiss troublesome behavior as just normal. A
good case in point is when I noticed my own rabbit “Carrot”
started to nibble at my rubber exercise mat. She had nibbled at
other things before, so against my better judgment I thought
she’d be ok.
Care (cont’d)
Little did I know she was consuming this rubber like it was food.
A few days later, I took her to the hospital and spent a total of
$650 on vet bills. I was at the point at which some owners give
up on the bunny, but my negligence made me responsible for
seeing that she was nursed back to health. Today Carrot is
happy and healthy.
One can not anticipate all of the household hazards that can hurt
a rabbit, but if you remain vigilant your bunny will “show” you all
the things he may be interested in which may not be good for
him. Designate off-limit areas in your house. For instance, my
rabbit is not allowed in any of the bedrooms, or on the couch.
Care (cont’d)
Having a good-sized cage for your bunny is important. It is not
recommended to allow your bunny to always roam free,
especially if there’s no one home. The cage should be large
enough for an adult rabbit to stretch out and still have extra
room. If you want your bunny to have yet a bit more room, you
can enclose the area around the cage. For instance, I made a
gate for Carrot which allows her to leave her cage and move
around in a 4 feet by 3 feet space. This extra room; however, is
no substitute for letting your bunny “out” every day for at least
three hours a day. House rabbits usually enjoy being in the
presence of people, so don’t be surprised if your bunny joins the
family in the living room for a re-run of Seinfeld.
Care (cont’d)
Rabbits have the same basic needs and demands as most other
pets, so if you want one, ask yourself the following questions
BEFORE getting your bunny:
1) Can I, or anyone in my home, be around a rabbit and not be
allergic to it?
2) Do I have the time, money, and patience to properly care for
the rabbit?
3) Do I want a house rabbit? If not, will the climate in my area
allow for a rabbit hutch outside?
4) Am I willing to clean up after my rabbit?
If you answered no to any of these questions, you may not be
ready.
Contacting pet rabbit owners and getting hands-on experience is
the best way to find out what your level of commitment might
be. Most pet rabbit owners would be delighted to educate others.
On the other hand, if you answered yes to all of the above, then
you are ready to start looking!