RABBITSRABBITS

CONTENTS:CONTENTS:

-INTRODUCTION.

-RABBITS AS PETS.

-VARIETIES.

-HANDLING.

-BREEDING..

INTRODUCTION:INTRODUCTION:

Rabbits have been in existence for at least three milliom years. Their footprunts have been found in fossilized rock in Africa. Early rabbits were natives of the lands bordering the western Mediterranean sea, and they were first domesticated aboat 4000 years ago.

Being mammals, rabbits nourish their liveborn young with milk, are in the main convered with hair,have a four-chambered heart and are warm-blooded.Although there are about twenty-five species of rabbits, only one has been domesticated: Oryctolagus cuniculus.like rodents, rabbits have incisors that grow constantly and most be worn down. However, rabbits are not rodents, though at one time they were considered to be rodents. Rabbits are also quite different from hares. Rabbits are born blind,.

deaf and naked in underground burrows

In contrast, hares are born already furred in a nest of grass,with some vision, hearing and a better ability to get around. Hares are also wild and undomesticated.

It is estimated that about 12 million rabbits are raised in the U.S.A each year, and that number is increasing. England. Germany, france and spain produce even more rabbits than the U.S. Rabbits are also becoming more popular in china, south and Central America and Africa.

RABBITS AS PETS:RABBITS AS PETS: One reason that rabbits are popular as prts is that they’er cute and cuddly-but there are other reasons as well.

Rabbits do wonderfully well in captivity . They are easy to breed and very hardy animals . Rabbits do not readily acquire diseases from humans , nor are they likely to transmit them . Of course, rabbits are not often kept indoors, but on a rare occasion a pet has been housebroken. And their small, hard droppings are not really objectionable.

Rabbits do respond to your attention and they like to be

picked up and handled. Your rabbit will be glad to see you and can show some affection. It caneven be taught afew simple tricks. Being kept in a cage, they are easily

controlled and not constantly under foot. And unlike other pet, they won’t scratch the furniture or eat the houseplants. Rabbits are very clean animals, bathing them selfs much like cats do.therefore, they do not requirethe grooming and bathing that can be a personalchore or a sizable expense if done by a professional.

Rabbits are probably bestcompared to hamsters,gerbils and guinea pigs as caged animals. Because most rabbits are larger,they lend themselves more to petting and handling. They also have a longer life expectancy, sometimes up to ten years or more.Yet they demand no more care than these smaller animals,and certainly much less attention

than a dog or cat.

Rabbits need to be fed daily and their cages need regular cleaning. How ever, with the proper provisions, a rabbit can be left alone for a weekend. If you are planning an extended trip, though, you need to have a reliable person visit and care for it every day.Rabbits are easily transportedin a cage. Therefore, they can be taken to another house for care, or they will even enjoy accompanying you on your trip!

The dark ears and muzzle on this californian rabbit nicely complement the white coat.

VARIETIES:VARIETIES: Rabbits come in many sizes and colors here

are some varieties:

the brittania petite is one of the smallest breeds; the small ears tpyical of the dwarf breeds.

Rabbits exhibiting the typical “dutch-marked” pattern are available in a number of different colors.

Chinchilla rabbits are available in only one color, gray, but there are three size varieties.

Not often seen, the Havana rabbit has a beautiful plush coat

Femalle lop rabbits ,each represnting a different lop breed

Rex rabbits can make good prts, but they usually are kept for other reasons.

These sable rabbits have dark “points” on their ears and muzzles, making them siamese sables.

This orange rex rabbit shows the velvet-like fur typical of rex rabbits.

HANDLING:HANDLING:

In picking up the rabbit, support must be given to the body much as it is here, with weight resting mostly on the lifter’s hand. Additional support is provided by the hand cradling the shoulders. Under no cirumstances can the rabbit be left to dangle unsupported, as permanent damage could result; additionally, a rabbit treated badly during one episode of handling can become averse to being picked up in the future.

Never lift a rabbit by the ears! Arabbit’s ears are delicate and easily injured. A rabbit needs to be lifted in such a manner as to make it feel comfortable and secure. A frithened rabbit may bite, kick, scratch and struggle to get away. Unfortunately, many rabbits are harmed or killed due to mishandling.

A tame rabbit responds well to gentle human companionship. Often, bunnies will sit in your lap content to be stroked and snuggled. To properly lift the rabbit. One hand should grasp the loose skin across the shoulders or the chest. The animal should be held with it’s head up and the belly against your chest. One hand now supports the back of the neak and the other hand is under the rump, carrying most of the weight. Or, the rabbit can be cradled much as you would a baby. The belly up, with the head high and the tail low.

BREEDING:BREEDING: Depending upon the breed, rabbits mature sexually at various ages. Small breeds are realy at five monthes, the medium breeds at six months, and the giants at nine months.

Before you begin to breed rabbits, afew things must be decided. First, each rabbit needs its own cage. Baby rabbits remain with their mothers. Only up to three monthes. After that, do you have the space, time and money to keep several rabbits, each in its own cage?

Second, if you do not intend to keep the rabbits, where are they going to go? Make arrangements to dispose of the fabbits either with friends or pet shops. Third, deciding what to do with the animals means that you have to produce a breed that someone else wants. Pet rabbits can realy be any variety or combination.

An early birth .

kangaroos And Wallabies .

An early birth Most Mammals develop in their mother,s

womb . When born they are all well-formed and in many species they are up and about within hours of birth . Pouched mammals or marsupials do not follow this system . What sets them a part from all other mammals is the way they reproduce . The Eastern grey Kangaroo is a typical example ; its baby

grows for only five weeks in the womb .

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Kangaroos And Wallabies

The mother red – necked ( or Bennett's ) wallaby with her “ joey “ ( baby ) is a typical member of the kangaroo and wallaby family . There are about 50 species in the family , out of the 120 or so marsupial species found in Australia . There is no real difference between a kangaroo and a wallaby ; larger species tend to be called kangaroos and smaller ones wallabies

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The scientific name for the family is Macropodidae which means “ big feet. “

This reflects the way they move – bounding a long in great leaps on the huge feet , using the

tail as a counterbalance .

Some large kangaroos can travel at 60 kph (nearly 40 mph ).

When grazing on plants ( all kangaroos and wallabies are herbivorous ) they move slowly , resting their tails and front paws on the growing

as they swing the back legs forward.

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At rest , they sit back on their tails or lie lazily in the shade of a tree.

The red-necked wallaby was one of the first marsupials seen by Europeans , when the First

Fleet anchored in Sydney cove in 1788. Its traditional name is the “ brusher “ , since it

prefers brush and wooded areas rather than more open country.

The four-month-old joey is now beginning to leave his mother . But at the first sign of danger

he hops back to the safety of the pouch. He leaves the pouch at nine months , but will

not be weaned until about 12 months old. Back

When born it is just 2,5 cm ( 1 in ) long , naked , blind and unrecognizable as a Kangaroo . It wriggles from the birth opening ( which is not the same as the birth canal of other mammals ) to the teat in the mothers pouch . As it takes the teat in its mouth and sucks , the teat swells and the baby is “ stuck “ there as

it continues to grow and develop .

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The pouch , therefore , acts as a sort of “ external womb “ where the baby

continues its development.

After a while the baby's jaws enlarge and it can let go of the teat . Later it grows enough

to leave the pouch for short periods

After about 10 months the youngster is too big to get into the pouch.

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