The Pets City » Rabbits

Rabbit: Lionhead

Andrea — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 05:08:47 +0000

Origins: The origins of Lionhead rabbits are still under debate. They are believed to have been bred in Belgium in the 1990’s by crossing Swiss Fox and Belgian Dwarf rabbits, and possibly Jersey Woollies or Dwarf Angoras also. However, some experts believe the Lionhead dates back much further than that, and its exact ancestry is not certain.

Size: Small. Weighs about 3 pounds.

Physical Appearance: Cobby, well-rounded body with a well-formed head and muzzle. Ears are short-furred, and stand erect at no more than 3 inches long. The mane is long and distinct, forming a full circle around the head, with a “fringe” between the ears. The rest of the coat should only be of medium length. Eyes may be red or blue.

Characteristics: Good-tempered, friendly, gentle, loves attention and affection.

Colors: Many marking types including self, shaded, agouti, harlequin, pointed white and others, each of which may cover many color variations like black, blue, lilac, Siamese sable, chinchilla, opal, and others.

Special Facts: The gene that expresses itself in the Lionhead’s pronounced mane is the first dominant genetic mutation to be recorded by rabbit breeders in many decades. The last previous documented mutation in fancy rabbits was that for satin fur in 1932.

Rabbit Ears: Are You Treating Your Rabbit’s Ears Right?

Andrea — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 06:31:46 +0000

We always see magicians pulling rabbits out of hats by their ears, and the long ears seem like such obvious handles for grabbing a bunny. However, rabbits’ ears are actually very sensitive, delicate appendages that should never be used to life the animal. They are not to be used to lifting your rabbit up no matter what the circumstance is.

If you take a closer look at a rabbit’s ear, you will see how thin and capillary-lined the skin is. The dedicate skin, which tears easily, is to help the rabbit cool down on hot days. So don’t even think about scrunching up those delicate membranes in your fist!

A rabbit’s ears are not sufficient to support its substantial body weight, unlike a cat’s or puppy’s scruff (the loose skin at the base of the back of the neck).

The correct way to carry a rabbit is to put one hand securely just under and behind the rabbit’s front legs (but not too low down over the stomach), and then scoop the bunny up with your other hand supporting its bum or hindquarters. Hold firmly, because rabbits can be squirmy.

It doesn’t matter how often you see others grabbing a rabbit’s ears; just don’t do it yourself—except in a real emergency when you must save your bunny from danger, and the only things you can reach are the long ears!

Rabbit: Lionhead Lop

Andrea — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:29:02 +0000

Origins: Lionhead Lops were bred by crossing Lionhead rabbits with Holland Lops to get a bunny with the pronounced mane of the Lionhead, but with the floppy ears of the Holland Lop. They were introduced at around the same time as the Lionhead, in the late 1990’s. It is still not recognized in most countries as having a consistent breed type.

Size: Small. Usually around 3 pounds.

Physical Appearance: Cobby, well-rounded body with lop ears and a distinct mane. Head well-formed and seems big in proportion to the body. Appearance is not always consistent as the breed is still being improved ad standardized.

Characteristics: Generally affectionate, friendly, love attention.

Colors: Various colors, mainly still being developed by crossing with other breeds.

Special Facts: The Lionhead Lop’s mane can be more prone to matting than that of the Lionhead. And just because a young rabbit has a mane, it does not mean it will keep it for life. Some individuals’ manes may molt and then never grew back.

Responsible Pet Ownership: What Is Expected of You?

Andrea — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:36:56 +0000

Having a pet is a lifetime commitment and to be a responsible pet owner goes beyond than price—”How much is that doggy in the window?”, merely provided food and shelter for your pet. Before you rush into the pet store to purchase that dog/cat/hamster/rabbit/guinea pig, stop and think for a moment. Do you have enough time, money, and energy to be a responsible owner? Are you ready for the commitment?

What You Can Expect Once You Take Over Pet Ownership

Dogs

Cost of Food: $5 to $20 per pack (for small breeds).
Grooming: From $35. Long-haired breeds require daily brushing and regular visits to the dog groomer.
Amount of Attention: Dogs need daily walks. They also need their owners to spend quality time with them. They can get bored and lonely if left alone for too long.

Cats

Cost of Food: $5 to $18 a pack
Grooming: $70 onwards. Long-haired breeds require daily brushing.
Amount of Attention: Cats need relatively less attention from owners than dogs. But even though they do not need daily walks, quality time should be spent bonding with them.

Rabbits

Cost of Food: Pellets from $5. A bag of hay is about $9.
Grooming: About $15. Long-haired breeds require daily brushing.
Amount of Attention: Regular cage cleaning is needed.

Guinea Pigs

Cost of Food: Food pellets are from $5. Bag of hay about $9.
Grooming: About $15. Long-haired breeds should be brushed daily.
Amount of Attention: Guinea pigs are social animals. If you have only one, you should spend more time with it to prevent loneliness.

Runaway Pets: How To Keep Your Rabbit From Escaping?

Andrea — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 06:15:57 +0000

Beside rodents, rabbits are also escape artists extraordinaire even in secure cages. Here are some tips for keeping your pet rabbits where they should be, safely away from harm:

How To Keep Your Rabbit From Escaping?

Rabbits leap through amazingly small gaps in a flash. Small bunnies can jump through a single diamond-shaped gap of chain-link fencing as if the fence wasn’t there! We all want our rabbits to have plenty or room to romp around but unsupervised romp in the yard is definitely a no-no.
Rabbits are great diggers too, so if the hutch has a dirt-floor base, don’t be surprised to find them all over the garden or out on the road. Hutches should have wood or cement floors.
They also jump high, so open-topped enclosures or low fences are not enough. Besides, anything open-topped gives access to cats and large birds. Believe me, cats and crows, can and will kill adult and newborn rabbits respectively.

Rabbit: Dutch

Andrea — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:09:48 +0000

Origins: One of the oldest known rabbit breeds, believed to have originated in Holland or Belgium. It was developed into the modern-day breed after it reached England in the later half of the 19th century.

Size: Medium. Weighs around 3½ to 5 pounds.

Physical Appearance: This is one “well-dressed” bunny! Its smart appearance comes from its well-defined markings on cheeks, neck, and saddle, with a white blaze, white feet, and chest. The body is compact, stocky, and well-rounded. Ears should be in proportion to the rest of the body, and stand erect on a rounded head. Clear, bright eyes. The medium-short coat is glossy, with a fine undercoat.

Characteristics: Lively, sociable, gentle, energetic, needs quite a lot of space to run about in. Poorly handled Dutch rabbits can be jumpy and wary.

Colors: Up to 16, including black, blue, chocolate, tortoise, steel, brown gray, and yellow.

Special Facts: Never breed from a female Dutch rabbit that is one year old or older, because after that age, her pelvic bones fuse. Gestation and delivery could involve surgery, or worse.

Rabbit: Dwarf Hotot

Andrea — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 06:38:51 +0000

Origins: A relatively new breed that gained official recognition only in the 1980s. It was developed in Germany, with red-eyed whites, Netherland Dwarfs, and Blanc de Hotots in its ancestry.

Size: Small. Weighs less than 3 pounds.

Physical Appearance: This rabbit’s most distinctive markings are its eye-bands—a narrow, neat, black ring around each eye. The bands should be the same width all around the eye. Has a round, compact body with fine, dense fur, and a rounded head. Erect, well-furred ears about two inches long.

Characteristics: Active, alert, eager, and affectionate.

Colors: White with black markings.

Special Facts: Dwarf Hotots meant for showing should be all-white, with only the black eye-bands as markings. However, it is common for pet Dwarf Hotots to have other markings on their bodies and ears—as this is such a new breed, it is still a “work in progress!”

How To Potty Train Your Rabbit

Andrea — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:05:01 +0000

Rabbit are intelligent animals who can be toilet-trained. Training them is not much different than training your pet dog or cat.

Materials Needed:

Litter tray
Litter material
Play pen
A lot of patience and perseverance

Methods on Potty Training your Rabbit:

Place a litter tray big enough for your rabbit in a corner of its playpen. Fill it with litter material like pin pellets—never use clay clumping cat litter as the rabbit may eat it and suffer digestive problems.
Put hay into the tray as a reward for the rabbit whenever it jumps in. Speed up training by placing some of its droppings and already soiled pine pellets into the tray to associate peeing with the tray.
It’s a good sign if the rabbit digs or sleeps in the tray. Praise and reward it with food when you see it using the tray. Do not yell if it pees outside. Just say “No!” firmly and bring it to the tray.
Be patient. If you find droppings outside the tray, keep putting them back. Clean the tray regularly but not so often till all scent is removed. If your rabbit pees in the wrong place (e.g. the sofa), clean up completely or it will use it again

Remember, training a rabbit is like training a dog or a cat. Be patient and persist for at least a few weeks.

Rabbit’s Body Language: What Does It Means? – Part 2

Andrea — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:54:08 +0000

In previous post on rabbit’s body language, we saw that rabbits communicate a lot through body language. We touched on what your rabbit is trying to say when it rubs its chin on objects, spray urine, grunts, and thumps its hind leg. In this post, we interpret some more of this creature’s body language signals.

Mounting: A male rabbit mounting a female rabbit indicates a desire to mate. A female mounting a male, or any rabbit mounting another of the same sex, is simply an act of dominance. The alpha rabbit mounts the other to indicate that he/she is the leader.

Screaming: A rabbit screams when it is in great pain or close to death.
Standing On Hind Leg: Curious, excited rabbits often stand on their hind legs for a clearer view.
Playing: If your rabbits toss their food bowls or race madly round the cage, don’t worry. They have not gone mad; they’re just having bunny fun.
Licking: It is affectionately telling you “I love you!”
Nudging With Its Nose: It is probably trying to get your attention. You should pat it.

Rabbit’s Body Language: What Does It Means? – Part 1

Andrea — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:19:17 +0000

The biggest misconception about rabbits is that they are “unemotional” and do not bond with owners. Your bunny rabbit may not communicate as vocally as cats and dogs do, but he says plenty through body language.

Rubbing Chin On Objects: Your rabbit is marking its territory, telling you: “This belongs to me!” They have scent glands underneath the chin and near the anus, so they rub their chins on objects, even people, to indicate ownership.
Spraying Of Urine: This indicates fear and is an act of defense, more common in bucks (males) than does females. One remarkable buck never fails to wash my face with his urine whenever I clean his cage!
Grunting: This usually indicates annoyance, so watch out for nasty bites!
Thumping: If your rabbit thumps his hind leg, he is probably frightened, and warning other rabbits of danger.

Rabbits generally do not like changes, especially in their cages. They can be very unhappy when you rearrange anything in the cage. It is wise to remove your rabbit before cleaning the cage to avoid bites or warm urine on your face!

The Pets City » Rabbits

Rabbit: Lionhead

Related Topics

Rabbit Ears: Are You Treating Your Rabbit’s Ears Right?

Related Topics

Rabbit: Lionhead Lop

Related Topics

Responsible Pet Ownership: What Is Expected of You?

What You Can Expect Once You Take Over Pet Ownership

Related Topics

Runaway Pets: How To Keep Your Rabbit From Escaping?

How To Keep Your Rabbit From Escaping?

Related Topics

Rabbit: Dutch

Related Topics

Rabbit: Dwarf Hotot

Related Topics

How To Potty Train Your Rabbit

Methods on Potty Training your Rabbit:

Related Topics

Rabbit’s Body Language: What Does It Means? – Part 2

Related Topics

Rabbit’s Body Language: What Does It Means? – Part 1

Related Topics