Rabbits & Guinea Pigs Ms. Cichon Agricultural Education Department Rosholt High School.
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Transcript of Rabbits & Guinea Pigs Ms. Cichon Agricultural Education Department Rosholt High School.
History
• Rabbits were once classified as rodents and now have their own category-Lagomorpha
• All domesticated rabbits came from the European wild rabbit– Domesticated by the French monks in the Middle
Ages• Rabbits then now of great economic
importance– Rabbits were hunted for food and pelts
Uses• Meat
– High in protein– Low in cholesterol– Low in fat
• Research– Numbers decreasing– Used for disease fighting antibodies & skin irritation tests
• Fur/Wool– Divided into four groups
• Normal• Rex• Angora• Satin
• Pets– Clean, gentle, and lovable
Breeds
• 60 breeds• 45 recognized by the rabbit organizations• Divided into 5 categories– Dwarf– Small– Medium– Large– Giant
Housing
6-11 pounds = 30”wide x 36”long x 18” tallOver 12 pounds = 24”wide x 48” long x 18”
Tray needs to be filled with absorbent material
Need Air movement
Need lighting
Feeding
• Pellets are good• Timothy hay is good for a balance of fiber and
protein• Too many fruits, veggies, and green foods can
cause fatal diarrhea- too much water content • Treats are carrots, carrot tops, slices of apple,
green beans, pieces of banana, pineapple, or papaya
Handling• Never picked up by the ears• Walk slowing and speak to the rabbit• Gentle stroke from behind the ears while rubbing and
stroking the animals head• Slip one hand under it’s chest and belly and place the
other hand behind the rabbit
Disease
• Enteritis– Inflammation of the intestinal tract
• Snuffles– Caused by bacteria– Sneezing with a white-colored nasal discharge
• Mastitis– Inflammation of a mammary tissue
• Weepy Eye– Inflammation of the mucous membrane on the inner
eyelid
Facts
• Actually called cavy• Seven different species• Originally bred for meat production from
South America at least 3,000 years ago• Widely kept as a source of food by native
people of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia• It is not a pig
Uses• Meat
– High in protein– Low in cholesterol– Low in fat
• Research– Numbers decreasing– Used for disease fighting antibodies & skin irritation tests
• Fur/Wool– Divided into four groups
• Normal• Rex• Angora• Satin
• Pets– Clean, gentle, and lovable
Breeds
• 60 breeds• 45 recognized by the rabbit organizations• Divided into 5 categories– Dwarf– Small– Medium– Large– Giant
Housing
Typical cage: Plastic bottom 3 or 4 inches deep with vertical wire bars
Cages do not need covers or tops
Aquariums will work
Feed bowls should be heavy ware do it does get knocked over
Feeding
• Vegetarians
• Large front incisors teeth are very sharp and used to bite food
• Cannot synthesize Vitamin C so it must be put into its diet
• Favorite foods are lettuce, green leaf lettuce, kale, carrot, apples, pears, turnips, beets, and cucumbers
Handling• Brushed daily
• Toe nails need to be trimmed
• Friendly and easy to handle
• Grasped firmly around the front shoulders with one hand and have its rear supported with the other hand
Disease• Respiratory disease
• Swelling of neck
• Toxemia in late pregnancy
• Mites
• Teeth infections