PEI 4-H RABBIT LEADERS RESOURCE GUIDE

Transcription

1 PEI 4-H RABBIT LEADERS RESOURCE GUIDE

2 This leaders resource manual is the joint effort of the Prince Edward Island 4-H Council and the Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture. Some materials used in developing this Rabbit 4-H Leaders Resource Guide were provided with permission from: Nova Scotia Rabbit 4-H Leader Resource Guide produced by the 4-H & Rural organizations, Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture & Marketing, Truro, Nova Scotia Other materials used in the development were taken from the following web sites:

3 I N D E X Members Project Guidelines 5 & 6 Achievement Day and Exhibition Requirements 5 Animal Identification Form 7 & 8 Selecting a Rabbit 9 Pedigree 9 Choosing a Breed 11 Commercial or Fancy 14 Housing 22 Indoor Housing 22 Outside Housing 26 Litter Training 29 Sanitation 30 Feeding 31 Health 40 Showmanship 47 Breeding and Reproduction 59 Nesting Boxes 66 Genetics 68 Determining Sex 70 Judging 72 The Rabbit Industry 82 Rabbit Talk (Glossary) 87 Activities 90 This Leader s Resource Guide is designed to be a guide. However, as long as members complete the Achievement Day Requirements listed on page 5, you can cover whatever topics you deem appropriate and of interest to your project group. Some additional resources and web sites are listed on page 6 of this manual. 3

4 Congratulations on becoming a 4-H Rabbit Leader. This leader s guide is intended for use as a resource for you as you lead this project. You may pick certain items/sections for your members or you may decide to use other resources. As members may choose to take the Rabbit project over several years, you as leader may wish to choose easy sections for younger members, and then increase the difficulty as they continue in the project. For example, young members may learn about ear mange and sniffles, feed and housing and leave the breeding, reproduction and raising rabbits for meat sections for older members. The information that the members taking this project receive is on pages 2-5 of this leader s guide. It contains a brief outline of the project, what the Achievement Day and Exhibition Requirements are, some show day do s and don ts, and the Animal Identification forms which must be into the Provincial Office on or before May 15. Each member should have a copy of this handout. DID YOU KNOW... The origin of domesticated rabbits can be traced to Spain. It is thought that the ancient Phoenicians from what is now Lebanon and Israel brought rabbits to Spain when they landed there 3000 years ago. The Romans raised and consumed large amounts of rabbit meat because they thought that eating it would enhance their beauty. Religious monasteries raised rabbits for both their fur and meat. Catholic monks are credited with domesticating rabbits as well as developing many breeds. The Champagne d Argent breed, a colorful rabbit, was developed by monks. The monasteries traded rabbits and increased the breeding stock in this manner. Rabbits were introduced to England by the Norman invaders from France. The meat was so popular that feudal lords kept warreners, men who tended a large number of rabbits or a warren. Rabbits were introduced to North America be early settlers. Lop-eared rabbits were popular in the late 1800 s. Rabbits are cousins to hares. PEI has a native snowshoe hare which changes color in winter. There are native cottontail rabbits in North America but these rabbits are wild and are not in the same species as the domestic rabbits we know today. The domestic or tame rabbits are descendants of the wild European rabbits and cannot be interbred with wild hares. 4

5 RABBIT WELCOME Welcome to the 4-H Rabbit Project! Please read through this guide carefully, as it contains information and suggestions that are important for your project. 4-H leaders can obtain a Leader Project Guide and other resources from the PEI 4-H Office. Hopefully you, as a member, will Learn to do by Doing through hands-on activities that will encourage learning and enjoyment. If you have any questions, contact your District 4-H Officer or your project leader. 4-H YEAR COMPLETION You complete a project by: completing the project Achievement Day requirements completing a communication project completing a community project completing an agriculture awareness project taking part in Achievement Day You must complete all of the listed aspects in order to show at Fairs and Exhibitions. ACHIEVEMENT DAY REQUIREMENTS Conformation 40 Showmanship 40 Judging Marks EXHIBITION REQUIREMENT Rabbit members can show either one or two rabbits. If choosing to care for two rabbits they must be from the following combinations: A) one Senior Buck and one Senior Doe B) one Junior Buck and one Junior Doe C) one Senior Buck or Doe and one Junior Buck or Doe Rabbits cannot be from the same age category and the same sex (i.e. two Junior Does) Age categories: Junior Rabbit - born in current calendar year Senior Rabbit - born before current calendar year Members must show all of their project animals at their Achievement Day in order to show in 4-H Classes at the Island Fairs and Exhibitions. If an animal is not shown at Achievement Day it cannot show in 4 -H Classes at the Fairs and Exhibitions. You cannot interchange your rabbits throughout the show season. Ages for 4-H members as of January 1st of the 4-H year: Junior: 9-11 years Intermediate: years Senior: years 5 Check out the PEI 4-H Web Site

6 All rabbit members must submit an Animal Identification Form to the PEI 4-H Office on or before May 15th to be eligible to show at the 4-H Fairs and Exhibitions. HELPFUL RESOURCES! Some books and videos are also available at the PEI 4-H Office which can be borrowed for a two week loan period. To book these, call or drop by the PEI 4-H Office at 40 Enman Crescent, Charlottetown. CLASSES AT ACHIEVEMENT DAY AND EXHIBITIONS At your Achievement Day, there are two classes in which you must show your rabbit. 1. Conformation Class or Placing the Rabbit - In this class, you will be judged entirely on the quality of your rabbit. Factors considered include whether the rabbit has desirable conformation characteristics. 2. Showmanship Class - In this class, you and your rabbit will be judged on appearance and also on how well you show your rabbit. See the score card. The quality of the rabbit does not play a role in this class. At Exhibitions members usually enter both of these classes. SCORE CARD FOR RABBIT SHOWMANSHIP Appearance and Condition of Rabbit 25 Cleanliness, Fleshing, Condition of Fur, and Training Appearance and Attitude of Club Member 25 Clean, Courteous, Attentive Showing the Rabbit 40 Ability to pick up, carry, pose and handle the rabbit Knowledge about Rabbit 10 Ability to answer questions regarding your rabbit and the parts of a rabbit 100 Marks SHOW DAY DO S AND DON TS DO take water, clover or hay with your rabbit to the exhibition DO wear a white lab coat over your clothes or a long sleeved white shirt DO have your number harness on before entering the ring. DO BE PROMPT! Know the time of your class and be there before the judge. DO KEEP ALERT! Watch the judge at all times. DO take your own piece of carpet. DO be prepared to answer questions the judge may ask. DO walk behind other entrants when moving position. DON T wear a hat in the ring. DON T chew gum while you are showing your rabbit. DON T bring the cage into the ring. Leave the rabbit in the cage and remove it only before you are called into the ring. DON T over handle or pet your rabbit at the show table. Give your attention to the judge. This is where the practice pays off. DON T talk unless spoken to be the judge. DON T let your rabbit interfere with the other rabbits. Allow a space of two feet, if possible, between rabbits. Don t be distracted from showing by side noises, 6 the audience, or the exhibitors beside you.

7 RABBIT Animal Identification Forms must be received at the PEI 4-H Office by May 15 or the last work day before the 15th if it falls on a weekend or holiday. We suggest if faxing your forms, you call the office ( ) to make sure the fax was received. Send this ID Form to Provincial 4-H Office 40 Enman Crescent, PO Box 2000 Royalty Centre, Charlottetown C1A 7N8 MEMBER: Name Age as of January 1st Club RABBIT #1: Name Breed Birth date Sex of Rabbit (Doe or Buck) Type of Rabbit Fancy/Meat Pet (Note: A Fancy or Meat rabbit is a purebred and a Pet rabbit is a crossbred). RABBIT #2: Name Breed Birth date Sex of Rabbit (Doe or Buck) Type of Rabbit Fancy/Meat Pet (Note: A Fancy or Meat rabbit is a purebred and a Pet rabbit is a crossbred). 7

8 RABBIT #2: Name Breed Birth date Sex of Rabbit (Doe or Buck) Type of Rabbit Fancy/Meat Pet (Note: A Fancy or Meat rabbit is a purebred and a Pet rabbit is a crossbred). Sketch in all markings and colors of your rabbit. 8

9 SELECTING A RABBIT Before heading out to purchase a rabbit, members must ask themselves some questions such as: What size rabbit do they want? Is the rabbit going to be a house pet or an outside/outbuilding pet? Are they looking for one with a fluffy coat or a smooth coat? Do they want a lop with long ears? What color do they want? Are they looking for a purebred or a mixed breed? New members could obtain advice from you, their leader, or a local rabbit breeder in selecting their project animal. It takes experience to select a good typed rabbit. For every recognized breed of purebred rabbit, there is a written standard which describes in detail exactly what the breed should look like. It describes the breed s physical features and exactly how they are to look and fit together. If your members are interested in purchasing purebred rabbits, they might want to do some research first on the Standards of Perfection for the particular breed in which they are interested. In this project, members may have a purebred rabbit or a rabbit of mixed breeding (crossbred). The classes for exhibitions are broken down as follows: For purebred rabbits a) Fancy or Meat Junior Doe b) Fancy or Meat Junior Buck c) Fancy or Meat Senior Doe d) Fancy or Meat Senior Buck For mixed breed rabbits e) Pet Junior Doe f) Pet Junior Buck g) Pet Senior Doe h) Pet Senior Buck 9

10 When choosing a Fancy Rabbit, members should look for: the right type and conformation for the breed a rabbit whose eyes are bright and sharp a rabbit who is alert and active a rabbit which has no disqualifications for the breed a rabbit this is healthy When choosing a Commercial (or Meat) Rabbit, look for: the right type and conformation for the breed a rabbit whose eyes are bright and sharp a rabbit who is alert and active a rabbit in the medium size breeds that has good meat qualities (meaty shoulders, wise and deep loin and hind quarters) a rabbit that is right size for its age class a rabbit this is healthy When choosing a Pet Rabbit, look for: a rabbit that is healthy a rabbit that is clean a rabbit whose eyes are bright and sharp a rabbit where everything fits together, with a smooth transition from one part of the body to the other 10

11 PEDIGREE Purebred versus Grade Rabbit Members should check carefully before purchasing breeding stock. They should be sure to buy from a reliable rabbit raiser, one who knows his/her rabbits and also has records to show numbers in litters, and other important information. Does that produce small litters are boarders and seldom pay for their upkeep. A breeder who seldom keeps records often is a lazy person in other management practices. Whenever possible, members should ask to see herd health and breeding records and the housing facilities. The rabbitry should be clean, well managed, and free of any health problems. They should select rabbits that will produce large, but not huge, litters (8 10 kits), raise a high percentage of their offspring to slaughter age, and produce good quality fryers. Members should research the breed they are looking to purchase. The animal they choose must be healthy, have the ability to reproduce, and have desirable conformation. It may or may not be purebred. Often beginners think that if they have a pedigreed rabbit that they really have something. However, a pedigree is a record giving the date of birth and three generations of ancestors. Check the breeder and take a look at the stock. Are they healthy? Does the breeder have records of the number born and raised in each litter? Are they eligible to register? The fact that the rabbit is registered is no guarantee that it will produce well. The registration papers indicate that first of all the rabbit is free of major disqualifications and faults, and that it is a good type animal of that particular breed. Individual rabbits should be selected first, then registration papers examined. In the rabbit business, starting and building with good stock is essential. Begin small and plan to do everything well. Disqualify all animals with conformation faults: i.e. bell ears, extra toes, crooked tail, buck teeth, chipped teeth, bony hips, weak back or color disqualifications. Suggestion: Leaders take members to a reliable breeder to learn what to look for and look out for when choosing the best rabbit for show. 11

12 Complete as much of this certificate as you can Sample Pedigree Certificate Name and Ear No. of Rabbit Breed Variety Date of Birth Sex Mature Weight Name of Breeder Address Date Sold To Address (Sire (Dam (Sire ( ( ( ( ( ( Dam (Sire ( ( ( ( ( ( Dam (Sire ( (Dam (Sire ( (Dam (Sire ( (Dam (Sire ( (Dam This pedigree is correct to the best of my knowledge. Signature Date 12

13 Questions to Ask When selecting a rabbit, members should ask the owner the following questions: 1. Does the bunny/rabbit have a desirable conformation? 2. Is it healthy and full of vigor? 3. Did it have a good mother, one that has and raises large litters? 4. Are the rabbits eligible to register? 5. What kind of feed does the owner use? how much? 6. If you are considering the bunny/rabbit as an animal to be used in producing market animals, ask whether the animal has the ability to produce with high dressing percentage and good rate of gain. 7. Will a replacement be given if the rabbit dies within two months? 8. Has the owner ever shown his/her rabbits? 9. What is the price of the rabbit? 10. Does the breeder keep production records? Will he show them? The big nine rules to follow when purchasing a rabbit: 1. Buy from reliable breeders who have records on litters and weights of stock. 2. Select from families producing big litters. 3. Select from families that are heavy milk producers. 4. Select from families that grow fast. 5. Select from does that wean four litters per year. 6. Select from families showing resistance to disease. 7. Select from families with good type. 8. Select from families that live long. 9. Select stock free from undesirable characteristics (woolies, etc.) It is recommended that members purchase their rabbits in the spring. May is a good time to take on a new animal. You do not have to bother with indoor housing if you purchase a 6 8 week old bunny and put it in a clean, secure hutch outside. By August, you should have a well developed mature rabbit that will show well. Remember rabbits must be chosen and rabbit identification forms in to the Provincial 4-H Office by MAY

14 CHOOSING A BREED Raising rabbits is fun. People raise rabbits for several reasons - for enjoyment, show, meat, or fur. Only a small minority of those who raise rabbits are capable of making a living from it. Consider it an enjoyable hobby that can help pay for itself. There are more than 40 different breeds of rabbits. Breeds are characterized by size, shape, ears, fur texture, sheen and color. In some breeds, the individual fur characteristics are combined. SIZE Dwarf Breeds The smallest breeds, the Dwarfs, vary in size from 1¾ - 3½ lbs. They include: Brittannia Petit (white, black, black otter, or chestnut agouti) 11/2 to 2 1/2 lbs. Dwarf Hotot - (white with black around its eyes) 2 3 lbs. Jersey Wooley (many colors Angora wool ) 2 3 1/2 lbs. Netherland Dwarf (many colors) 1 3/4 2 1/2 lbs. Polish - (black, blue, chocolate, blue eyed white, ruby eyed white, and broken)2 3 1/2 lbs. These rabbits as a group are less than 3 1/2 lbs. when mature. These are the rabbits members should raise if they want small pets that don t consume much feed (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup per day) and take up the least amount of cage space (about 2 1/2 sq. ft.). Problems you may encounter with dwarf breeds include: The average litter size is 2-4 bunnies, as opposed to the larger breeds which have 6-12 bunnies. The genes responsible for making a dwarf rabbit in certain combinations is lethal. This combination occurs in 25% of the rabbits. The one having this gene usually dies within 4 days of birth. Dwarf rabbits are more susceptible to coccidiosis, an intestinal parasite that many times proves lethal to young rabbits between three and ten weeks of age. Many dwarf rabbits have attitude problems. Many of them resort to scratching or biting when an owner puts his/her hand in the cage Dwarf rabbits are very popular among young people, because of their compact size and small littler sizes. 14

15 Small Breeds This group of rabbits vary from 2 1/2 to 5 pounds. The consume between 1/3 and 2/3 cup of feed per day and take up 3 1/2 sq. ft of cage space. The small breeds have characteristics between the dwarfs and the medium size breeds. They usually have 1-3 more babies in their littler than the dwarfs and do not carry the possibly lethal dwarf gene. However, they are still more susceptible to death from coccidiosis than the larger breeds. American Fuzzy Lop - (many colors Angora fur Lop ears) 3-4 lbs. Dutch - (the feet, front half of torso and face are white, the other parts ca be black, blue, chocolate, tortoise, steel or brown-gray) 3½ - 5 ½ lbs. Himalayan - (white with colored ears, nose, feet and tail of black, blue, lilac or chocolate) 2½ - 4½ lbs. Holland Lop - (Lop ears many colors) 2½ - 4 lbs. Mini Rex (rex coat many colors) 3-4½ lbs. Medium Size Breeds This group of rabbits is characterized by weights ranging from 4½ lbs - 7 lbs. for mature animals. They consume between 1/2 and 1 cup of feed per day and take up 5 sq. ft. of cage space. They produce an acceptable amount of meat on small bones. Some commercial meat producers raise these breeds but they usually prefer the meat rabbits because the feed-to-meat conversion ratio is better. The medium sized breeders like to show them and raise them for their fur, rather than for meat. American Sable - (also good for meat) 7-10 lbs. English Angora - (many colors) 5-7 ½ lbs. French Angora - (many colors - good also for meat) 7½ -10½ lbs. Satin Angora - (many colors ) 6½ -9 lbs. English Spot - (white with spots of black, blue, chocolate, gold, gray, lilac, or tortoise) 5-8 lbs. Florida White lbs. Harlequin - (has alternate bands of color) 6½ - 9½ lbs. Havana (black, blue or chocolate) 4½ - 6½lbs. Lilac - 5½ - 8 lbs. Mini Lop - (lop ears many colors) 4½ - 6½ lbs. Silver - (black, brown or fawn with white ticking) 4-7 lbs. Silver Martens - (black, blue, chocolate, or sable with white on belly, flanks, jaw lines, and eye circles) 6-9½ lbs. Tan - (black, blue, chocolate or lilac with tan on belly, flanks, jaw lines and eye circles) 4-6 lbs 15

16 Meat Rabbits This group is characterized by weights between 8 and 12 pounds. They are raised for both meat and fur. Some of these may also be considered fancy rabbits because they have unusual fur, color, or ear characteristics. Rabbits in this group consume about 1 1/4 cups of feed per day and take up 7 1/2 sq. ft. of cage space. American - (blue or white) 9-12 lbs. Californian - (white with black ears, nose, feet and tail) 8-10½ lbs. Champagne D Argent - (starts as black, mature is silver) 9-12 lbs. American Chinchilla lbs. Cinnamon - 8½ -11 lbs English Lop - (many colors - giant lop ears) 9-14 lbs. French Lop - (many colors - regular lop ears) lbs. New Zealand - (black, red or white) lbs. Palomino lbs. Satin - (shiny coat, many colors) 8½ -11 lbs. Silver Fox - (fur resembles fox) 9-12 lbs. Giants This group can weigh up to 25 pounds. They require 1 3/4-2 cups of feed per day and sq. ft. of cage space. They also require stronger cages. Because few people raise these rabbits, they are more rare than the other breeds. They are mainly used for meat and fur. The fed-to-meat conversion ratio is less than the meat group. Checkered Giant - (white with spots of black or blue) 11+ lbs. Giant Chinchilla lbs. Flemish Giant - (black, blue, fawn, light gray, sandy, steel gray, or white) 13+ lbs. 16

17 FUR TYPES There are four distinct and different fur structures in rabbits. Angora - The fur grows very long and is shaved or plucked and woven into yarn to be used in making Angora sweaters, hats and mittens. The long haired rabbits can become a real problem for the casual rabbit breeder. Their fur has a tendency to matt and shed. It s a real chore trying to clean the cages that have long hair everywhere. The hair also floats out and settles on anything in your rabbitry. Satin - The fur has a special shine to it. It is used to make fine fur coats and hats. Rex - The fur has a velvety touch and is short. It is used also to make fine fur coats and hats. Multi-color fur - The fur is made up of two or three colors. Rarely will you find a fur coat made with these because of the problem of matching the patterns and colors. They are sometimes found in small furred items. Certain color patterns are sought by judges when showing these types of rabbits. 17

18 BODY TYPES Full Arched Type Long limbs, long body arch to back that starts at nape and continues over entire back. They are very unique in appearance and very high energy. Checkered Giant and English Spot are examples. Semi-Arched Type Mandolin type; arch starts behind shoulders rather than nape. Large breeds that have very low lying shoulders and very high arched hind quarters. English Lop and Flemish Giant are examples. Short Coupled Compact Type Where all the smallest breeds of rabbit fall. Small breeds range from 1 1/2 lbs. to 5 or 6 lbs. Compact means they have very small, rounded bodies, e.g. Netherland Dwarf, Dutch and Polish. Commercial Type This body type is pretty much restricted to large breeds of rabbit. Larger and chubbier than most breeds, they are often referred to as meat breeds, as they are often raised for their meat. However, they also make excellent pets. They range from 6 1/2 lbs. to 12 lbs. and are among some of the gentlest breeds of rabbit. E.G. New Zealand, Champagne d Argent, and Silver Marten. Snaky or Cylindrical Type Long slim, round body, lays flat and snakelike; long slim head, long legs, fine boned, i.e. Himalayan. 18

19 COMMERCIAL OR FANCY Breeds of rabbits may be divided into two categories: 1. Commercial breeds 2. Fancy breeds Commercial breeds are those rabbits that have been produced to give a meat animal. These include the New Zealand, Californian, Satin, and Palomino. Fancy breeds are kept more as a hobby and can be shown in an exhibition s open rabbit class. These include Dutch, Silver Martin, English Spots, Rex, Netherland Dwarf, Lop and English Angora. Following are pictures and a brief introduction to the breeds mentioned above. COMMERCIAL (or Meat)... New Zealand Red, White and Black These are strictly American creations and the name has no bearing on their origin. The crossing originally of the Belgium Hare and the Golden Fawn produced the New Zealand Red, and later the New Zealand White. There is now also a New Zealand Black, The body should be of medium length, not long like the Flemish or short and cobby as in the Dutch; wellrounded hips; with well-filled loins and shoulders in proportion; avoid loose, flabby skin around the shoulders and excessive dewlap in does. Ideal weights: Senior bucks - 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) Senior does - 11 lbs. (5 kg) Californian Another American creation, the Californian has broad shoulders, meaty back and hops, and a good dressing percentage. The Himalayan and Standard Chinchilla were crossed, producing a half-breed buck weighing 2.7 kg with excellent meat type and fur qualities. This buck was then crossed with several New Zealand White does and by 1928 the Californian was produced. This is a white rabbit, with dark colored ears, nose, feet and tail. Ideal weights Senior bucks - 9 lbs. (4.1 kg) Senior does - 9 ½ (4.3 kg) 19

20 Satins The Satin breed is a mutation which came from a Havana breeder in the US in There is a striking difference in the texture of the fur as compared to the normal-coated rabbit, properly identified by the name SATIN. It has translucent hair shafts that reflect light and give the coat a unique shine. Colors are white, red, blue, black, Californian, Havana, copper and chinchilla. It is an ideal combination of exhibition and commercial rabbit as it combines the meat quality of the New Zealand White with the unusual fur structure. Ideal weights Senior bucks lbs. (4.3 kg) Senior does - 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) Palomino is one of the few rabbits developed in the United States in the state of Washington. It is a good meat rabbit and has an attractive appearance. The golden variety is the most popular - golden shade with cream white under color. Ideal weights Senior bucks - 9 lbs Senior does - 10 lbs FANCY Dutch Originated in Holland, is also one of the oldest known breeds. It is one of the most popular fancy rabbits because of its color and markings which are a pure genetic factor and may be bred for. Standard colors are black, blue, chocolate, tortoise, steel grey and grey. The breeder must study and breed for correct cheeks, blaze, neck, ears, eyes, saddle undercut, and feet stops. The correct body type is cobby and compact. Ideal weights Senior bucks lbs (2 kg) Senior does lbs (2 kg) Silver Martin The Silver Martin is a very popular breed with its unique colors and sheen. Standard colors are black, blue and chocolate. The body should be of moderate length. The back should rise from the shoulders to a high point over the hips with the shoulders slightly narrower than the hip. Ideal weights, Senior bucks - 7½ lbs (3.5 kg) Senior does - 8½ lbs (3.8 kg) English Spots Another very old breed, bred in England since 1880, with exact origin unknown. One of the main features is the unusual markings, known as chain markings, running from a point of the neck along the sides to the haunches. There is plenty of glamour in this breed as it comes in black, blue, tortoise, grey, chocolate, and lilac. A clean head and ears are a crowning feature of this bred, together with correct and distinct markings. Ideal weights Senior bucks - 6 lbs (2.8 kg) Senior does - 7 lbs (3.2 kg) Rex This comparatively new breed appeared in France in It appeared as a mutation from parent stock resembling the Belgium Hare and has a short, plush-like fur approximately 5/8" long. Recognized colors are white, black, blue, castor, opal, Havana, Californian, chinchilla, copper, lilac, sable, seal, and lynx. Fur should be extremely dense, straight and upright, and as nearly as possible, the same length and texture over the entire body. Ideal weights Senior bucks - 8 lbs (3.5 kg) Senior does - 9 lbs (4.1 kg) 20

21 Lop The original Lops are said to have first appeared in the mid 1880's in Africa. From there they were shipped to Europe and England. The English fanciers greatly increased the ear length by breeding and selection. They are strictly a fancy rabbit with the longest ears in the hobby. The record is 70 cm from tip to tip. The ears are to be as long as possible making sure width is 1/4 of length from tip to tip. Any color is permitted. Ideal weight Senior bucks 9 lbs (4.1 kg) and up Senior does - 10 lbs (4.5 kg) and up Angora The English Angora originated in Turkey. It is one of the oldest known breeds of domestic rabbits. The body must be round and snowball-like in appearance with a full chest and shoulders that balance with the hips. The wool should be even and full over the back, sides, rump and chest. The head and ears should be well furnished. It is important to have uniformity and evenness over the entire body. The wool should not be less than 5 cms for showing purposes. Ideal weights, Senior bucks - 6 lbs (2.8 kg) Senior does lbs (3 kg) Netherland Dwarfs are the smallest of all breeds of rabbits, having been developed in Holland by crossing the Polish with a small rabbit from the Netherlands. Coming to England in 1948 and Canada in the early 70 s, it has become one of the top four most popular Fancy rabbits for showing. These rabbits also make great pets. They come in a great variety of colors, have a short, compact, well-rounded cobby bodies with wide shoulders, well-developed loin and hindquarters. Ideal weight Senior bucks - 2 lbs (1.1 kg) Senior does 2 lbs (1.1 kg) Others There are many other breeds of rabbits; however, they are not found in very large numbers in the Maritimes. These include Flemish Giant and Champagne D Argent. The rabbits may also be a cross between two or more breeds and therefore will not have the conformation or particular markings of any breed. If members have one of these rabbits, they will show in the Pet classes at exhibitions. 21

22 HOUSING One question members must answer before deciding on what type of housing they require for their rabbit is whether the rabbit will be housed inside the house or outside. Elaborate and expensive housing and equipment are not necessary whether inside or outside housing is to be used. Housing and feeding equipment should be easy to clean and maintain. In planning housing, members should think about the rabbit s comfort and health. Rabbits can be housed in anything from an outside hutch, a small shed, a section of a garage, workshop or barn, to a specially constructed large scale rabbitry building. INDOOR HOUSING Housing a rabbit inside has many advantages. The rabbit will become part of the family just like the cat and dog. Rabbits need companionship and he will receive it if he lives near his owner. His wonderful personality and unique bunny behaviors will delight. Furthermore, the owner will get so familiar with him that any changes in his behavior will be observed when they first appear. These changes may indicate serious or even life threatening conditions and may warrant your immediate attention (i.e. activity level, eating or bathroom habits). Rabbits need a space to call home even if they are allowed to roam freely in the house. This gives them a sense of security and a feeling of being safely confined if something is bothering him, i.e. children or other pets. A good choice is a wire cage which is 4-5 times the size of the full grown rabbit when he is stretched out and the height should allow enough room for him to sit up comfortably. Having wire or mesh on the bottom of the cage allows for easy cleaning; however, wire can be hard on the rabbit s feet. One solution is to put a sitting board inside the cage. This board may be untreated wood, cardboard, a grass mat or a rug. If the rabbit is trained to a litter box, a closed in floor covered with linoleum could be an option. The linoleum can be easily cleaned. If the rabbit s cage has a solid floor, it can be covered with a grass/sisal mat, which is good for bedding. Also an old towel or fleece blanket can be used for bedding as long as the rabbit is not into unraveling them. Hay is also a good bedding material. Ideally, the cage should have both a side and top opening. If there is only one opening, it is best to have it on the side with a swinging door hinged from the side. Be sure the opening is large enough to accommodate a litter box and that it has smooth edges so the rabbit will not hurt itself getting in and out. 22

23 When trying to remove a rabbit from its cage, be very careful that his feet do not get caught in the wire. Remember to latch the cage door after you put him back in because not matter how hard it is for you to get him out, he can get out quite easily on his own if the door is left open. Another more elaborate option is a two or three story condo with ramps going from one level to another. Rabbits love going up and down the ramps and having more of a view. Ramps and upper floors need low-pile carpet or other texture for sufficient traction. Regardless of the type of cage, a rabbit must have an exercise area. If he has free roam of the house, the exercise pen is not as necessary. Collapsible wire exercise pens can be placed on hardwood or linoleum floors. Members can make these or purchase one from a local pet or feed store. This enclosure allows members to get in with the rabbit and allows the rabbit room to roam and exercise.. Inside this area, members can place a wooden or cardboard box for him to hide in and chew on, several litter boxes, food and water dishes and toys. If the rabbit is a jumper, pay special attention to the height of the pen. If a rabbit is to be confined to only a certain area of the house, such as the kitchen, baby gates can be used to block off the door ways. If the bunny is to have free roam of the house, before he is let out of his inside cage members should spend some important time on hands and knees assessing the environment from the rabbit s vantage point and then making necessary changes to protect the rabbit and the furnishings. Most rabbits love to chew, so protect all exposed electrical, computer and telephone cords. Rabbits are attracted to them and a few quick teeth nips can take out a phone or computer, at the very least, and at the worst, injure or kill your rabbit. Hide the cords if possible. Remember that rabbits can get into some very tight places so be careful. It is best to cover the cords with heavy, clear, plastic tubing which is cut down the side using an Exacto knife. This allows them to be placed inside the tubing. A determined rabbit with time on his paws can chew through the tubing but in most cases it will protect the cords. Other more sturdy options are hard plastic telephone wire covers, split loom tubing, PVC pipe, or computer cord covers. Check these covers frequently to make sure they are intact. Relocate any houseplants. Rabbits will eat any plants within reach. They won t know or care whether they are poisonous or not. Wooden furniture, wall moldings, and rugs can become victims of a digging or chewing bunny. Getting to know a rabbit s habits is crucial. If he is a chewer or a digger (and most are), try using bitter apple or lime or a cheap perfume on the items on which he is working. Plastic corner covers can be purchased to protect moldings, and place linoleum, carpet squares, phone books or sea grass mats where he is digging. 23

24 Rabbit cage with wire floor, standing block, under cage tray and litter box lined with hay. Rabbit condo with multi platforms, litter box and toys. Two bunnies sharing one house. REMEMBER: Rabbit cages and litter boxes must be kept clean. You can clean with a mild vinegar and water solution 24

25 Home made pen with cardboard boxes for bedroom and carpet for flooring. Another option, if there is room, is to house the rabbit in an exercise pen. This gives the bunny more space, while still keeping him safely contained. If using this method to house a rabbit, members should have some type of bedroom for the rabbit so he can get away by himself. This could be a cardboard box or a little wooden structure. The littler box and water and feed dishes would also be included in the pen. Another sample of a multi-level cage. 25

26 Outside Housing If a rabbit is to be housed outside, some special considerations must be made. Location of the rabbit s housing is of extreme importance. Members must be sure the rabbit has access to shade and protection from wind, rain and cold. A rabbit can die from heatstroke when the temperature in his living area is above 80. A wet, cold rabbit is susceptible to pneumonia. What appears safe during the winter may be just the opposite on hot summer days. Rabbit need a strong, secure hutch that will protect them from predators and the weather. Some hutches look like big wooden boxes, some like log cabins. Some have exercise pens attached to them and nest boxes built into them. Hutches must be raised on legs to give protection from damp, and to deter vermin. The roof should be covered with roofing felt, sloped to allow water to run off and have an overhand. Having a hutch of four solid wooden walls does not provide for good ventilation which is important. Also, rabbits tend to gnaw at wood, so a layer of wire over the exposed wood areas would be a good idea. Placing wooden batons around the edges stops rabbits chewing it as well. Many outdoor hutches have wire mesh for flooring to allow the droppings to fall through. If using this type of flooring, at least one third of the floor space must solid. This solid area can be covered with linoleum, carpet, hay, even a towel or fleece blanket. If a rabbit has to be on wire flooring all the time, his feet can become sore. Inside this hutch should be a bedroom box where the rabbit can hide from predators and be given additional protection from the weather. In cold weather, straw should be stuffed into this box allowing the rabbit to burrow into it to keep warm. A rabbit can die of heart attack if stressed and certainly having a marauding predator clinging to the hutch would be enough for this to happen. Being able to hide will help ease some of this stress. A litter box should be put in the corner or if your rabbit is not trained to a litter box, place layers of newspaper or straw in the area the rabbit uses as a bathroom. A single rabbit isolated in an outside hutch is a very lonely rabbit so members should consider getting him a companion rabbit. This will help keep the rabbit warm and offer him some companionship when his humans are not available to interact with him on cold, dark winter days. 26

27 Having the hutch inside or attached to a safe exercise area where he can be free to run and play during waking hours is ideal. Remember to totally enclose the exercise area, including the top, so predators such as raccoons, cats and dogs can t get to the rabbit. The top should be covered with heavy wire, thus preventing any predator from harming the rabbit, day or night. The floor of the run should be covered with wire to prevent him from digging out. Another option is to bury the wire on the perimeter 9 12 inches below the ground. The sides should be made of heavy welded wire with a minimum height of 48 inches, and ideally, reaching to the top. It is important to close the rabbit in the hutch at dusk to protect him. Do not use chicken wire as it provides little protection. Use strong weld mesh with sturdy door fasteners. If the hutch is not located inside the safe exercise area, for temporary daytime exercise a portable rabbit run can be built using a wooden frame and heavy welded wire The top can be hinged for easy access to the rabbit. It is easily cleaned and moved from place to place. The exercise pen should have a cardboard or wooden house for shelter, water and feed dishes and a littler box. Remember to make sure there is a covered top and that the rabbit cannot dig out under the bottom. Sample of an portable exercise run. Hutch with attached exercise pen 27

28 WINTERING OVER As the nights get longer and the weather colder, it is important to prepare for the winter. Make any repairs to your rabbit s home and make sure it is water tight. Check the inside of the hutch for water stains on the roof or sides. Apply protective coating every few years. Large mesh doors can be partially covered with clean Plexiglass, allowing your rabbit to see out and the sun to come in but preventing wind and rain. Ventilation is still important though, so leave several inches gap for this. Covering the whole hutch with an old blanket/carpet and then a tarpaulin will help keep the heat in and the weather out. During the day leave the front open for ventilation and at night cover the majority of the hutch leaving a smaller area for ventilation. Rabbits need a warm snug bed area. This should be the equivalent of a box with an entrance hole. Often hutches have a bed area divided from the main hutch. If a sleeping section isn t available or its very large, then provide a smaller box as well. A smaller area will warm up around your bunnies and keep them snug. This is only for sleeping, your rabbit will still need plenty of space for exercise. Provide extra bedding, lots of hay, straw and shredded newspapers for your rabbit to burrow into for warmth. Entrances should face away from the wind. If it s not possible to turn the rabbit hutch around then put something just in front to block direct wind and rain. It is preferable to move the rabbits indoors for the winter, into a draft free building. Do not put it in a garage that you also use for your car as the fumes pose a health hazard. Keep each grown rabbit in a separate cage and make sure there is good drainage for pills. Keep cages 3 to 4 feet away from outside walls to prevent chills and urine from splashing on walls. Hanging all wire cages at waist height is a more sanitary, easier to clean form of cage with good ventilation. These cages are only to be used in a building. Cages should be constructed so they. - Provide the correct amount of space for the type of rabbits that are being housed. - Are easy to clean and maintain. - Provide a safe place for rabbits to live, breed and raise young. - Are both economical and of good quality. - Are sturdy and durable. 28

29 LITTER TRAINING By nature, rabbits choose one or a few places (usually corners) to deposit their urine and most of their pills. Urine-training involves little more than putting a litter box where the rabbit chooses to go. Pill training requires only that you give them a place they know will not be invaded by others. Older rabbits are easier to train than younger rabbits, especially babies. A rabbit s attention span and knack for learning increases as they grow up. The litter box can be lined with newspaper and then covered with hay which will absorb the urine. Certain types of kitty litter or wood shavings can also be used; however, do not use pine or cedar wood shavings as they can give off fumes that are toxic to rabbits. Citrus based litters work well but are hard to get and expensive. Compressed sawdust pellets make inexpensive and absorbent litters. All rabbits will drop pills around their cages to mark it as their own. This is not failure to be litter trained. It is very important for a rabbit to identify the cage as his property so that when he leaves the cage for the bigger world of the family house, he can distinguish the family s area from his own and avoid marking it. The trick to getting the rabbit to keep his pills in the cage is to give him ownership. Don t reach into the cage to take him out; open the door and let him come out if and when he wants to. Don t catch him and put him back in the cage or it will be his prison, not his home. Herd him back gently and let him choose to go in to get away from you. If the rabbit has been snuggling with his human, it s okay to carry him to the door of the cage and let him go in just don t put him directly into the cage, and never chase and trap him and put him in the cage. Don t reach into the cage to get food dishes anchor them near the door of the cage so they can be filled with a minimum of trespassing, or wait until the rabbit is out to fill them. As well, don t clean the cage while the rabbit is in it wait until he comes out. He ll come over and supervise, even help you move things around that you ve set down outside the cage, but as long as he isn t in the cage, he won t see the cleaning as an invasion of his territory. Start with a box in the cage and one or more boxes in the rabbit s exercise space. If the rabbit urinates in a corner of the cage not containing the box, move the box to that corner until he gets it right. Don t be concerned if the bunny curls up in the litter box, this is natural. Once it is using the box in the cage, open the door and allow it into the running space. Watch him go in and out on his own. Gently herd him back to the cage and litter box, or into one of the boxes in the room. Be careful not to make the cage or litter box feel like punishment. After first using the box, praise him and give him a treat. As he gets better trained in his first room, you can increase his space. If his area becomes very big or includes a second floor, include more litter boxes so as not to confuse him. 29

30 SANITATION Rabbits are very susceptible to health problems caused by ammonia vapours and excess humidity from a build-up of manure and urine. Many types of bacteria grow in manure and can cause disease. Actual prolonged contact with manure and urine will cause skin diseases. Rabbits breathing in ammonia vapour are very susceptible to respiratory problems. Humans can smell ammonia when it reaches 50 parts per million. A rabbit can smell it when it is 5 parts per million. So just imagine how bad it is for the rabbit if you can smell it! Another severe problem for rabbits is humidity. This can come from urine build up, roofs that leak and keep the floor in the hutch wet, outside cages placed on the north side of a structure where it is damp. Members can tell when the humidity is high by the smell of the ammonia, windows having condensation on them, or a green fungus starting to appear on the wooden parts of the hutch. If any of this happens, it is time for action; however, members should never let it get to this point. So the collection and disposal of rabbit waste is very important. There are several methods of controlling a rabbit s waste. If the cage is inside, let if all on the floor or into a tray or catch pail. Outside cages have the advantage of letting the waste fall to the ground and leaving it there till spring or fall. Inside cages have the disadvantage of having to have the rabbit s waste cleanup up at least twice a week. Do not base where rabbits are housed on how often the waste is to be cleaned because a rabbit outside is exposed to extreme weather changes, dogs, cats, strangers, flies, mosquitoes, and black flies. A rabbit inside is exposed to humidity, ammonia, mice, rats, shadows and poor ventilation. Each situation has its own advantages and disadvantage, and it is up to each individual where to place them. Members should keep in mind that no matter which you do, ammonia levels around the rabbit must be kept as low as possible. This only happens with proper disposal of waste. Cages, l i t t e r box e s, under c a ge t r a y s s h o ul d be k e p t c l e an and d i s i n f e c t ed to p r e v e n t d i s e a s e in a r a b b i t. Pr o p e r and p r o mp t d i s p o s al of r a b b i t wa s t e is a l s o v e r y i mp o r t a n t. Be d d i n g ma t e r i a l s s h o u l d be r epl a c e d r e g u l a r l y. 30

31 FEEDING RABBITS The feed rabbits eat influences their health, growth, ability to reproduce well, and the quality of meat and fur. It is important that they are fed a ration which supplies all of the known essential nutrients. The term nutrition is applied to any chemical compound (natural or man-made) or a group of compounds of the same general chemical compositions that aids in the support of animal life. The primary food nutrients required by all animals are classified as Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins. Secondary food nutrient classes consist of Minerals and Vitamins. Other nutrients of much importance are Water and Air, but these are obtained primarily from sources other than feed. Carbohydrates These are complex substances that contain only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen the latter two always in the same proportion as water. Their use is to produce heat, energy and fat in the body of the animal. Good sources of carbohydrates are oats, barley, wheat, corn and molasses. Roughage also contain this nutrient. Common carbohydrates are starch and sugar. Fats These are also complex substances that contain only carbon, hydrogen and water, but the proportions of carbon and hydrogen are much greater in fats than in carbohydrates. Fats furnish 2.25 times as much heat or energy per kilogram as carbohydrates and are used in the body for these purposes. Any amount of excess of requirements is stored as fat in the tissues. Fat is found in small quantities in common grains such as oats, barley and wheat, while flax seed and soybean seed are high in fat. Roughage are very low in fat content. Proteins are also very complex compounds, containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and always containing the element nitrogen. Most proteins also contain sulphur and some contain phosphorus. Proteins are necessary for growth, development of glands, muscles, hide and hair. They are especially needed by the young growing animal for production of body tissues. The younger animal is growing at a greater rate than the older animal, thus the protein percentage in his ration must be greater. Protein is supplied in the legume hays (alfalfa, clover), linseed meal, milk, wheat bran, oats, and pasture grasses. The legume hays and all animal by-products are rich in protein. 31

32 Minerals The four minerals of greatest importance are sodium, chlorine (combined in common salt), calcium and phosphorus. Other minerals utilized and likely to be lacking in certain localities are iron, iodine, cobalt, sulphur and copper. The uses of minerals are many. They aid the proper functioning of the body processes: the manufacturing of blood, digestion, muscle action and bone building. Minerals are stored in the skeleton and tissues. Common salt is the chief source of sodium and chlorine and is usually fed in the familiar salt block. Iodized salt blocks contain iodine and are usually colored red. Blue colored blocks usually contain cobalt and iodine, while yellow colored blocks contain sulphur only. Calcium and phosphorus are obtained from the legume hays and green forage and considerable phosphorus is obtained from cereal grains. Bone meal is a well known source of these minerals. Limestone is a source of calcium and monocalcium phosphate is a chemical containing both calcium and phosphorus. Vitamins are known as accessory food substances. They are identified by letters and the vitamins A, B, and D are the common ones required by the rabbit. Vitamins find their use in the body as regulators of growth processes, assisting in digestion and helping disease prevention. Vitamin A promotes health and growth. It is found in green grass, carrots, milk, wellcured legume hay, yellow corn and cod liver oil. Vitamin D is known as the Sunshine Vitamin. Lack of it in the diet causes the one disease know as Rickets. It is very important in the rations of the growing animals and more particularly during the winter months. Milk, grasses and well-cured hays are good sources of the D vitamins. Water all vital processes of the body demand water. It is used in the digestive processes and in the removal of wastes from the body. 32

33 There are three classifications for feeds: concentrates, dry roughage and succulent feeds. Concentrate Feed includes farm grains, mill feeds and manufactured supplements. They are feeds low in fibre and high in digestible nutrients. Some of the common concentrates are oats, barley, wheat, wheat bran, corn, dried beet pulp, linseed meal, fish meal and soybean meal. Many brands of pelleted rations are on the market. There are two types of pelleted diets: an all-grain pellet to be fed with hay, and the complete pellet. The complete pellet usually contains all the food elements necessary for a balanced diet. Dry Roughage Feeds include such feeds as hay and straw. These are feeds which are high in fibre, but low in digestible nutrients. Large quantities of such feeds are needed to sustain animal life. Dry roughage used in rabbit feeding include alfalfa hay and clover hays (high in protein) as well as mixed hay and timothy hay (lower in protein). These hays differ considerably in their content of protein, carbohydrates, minerals, and fibre. In general, hay containing a good proportion of leafy legumes is most suitable. For their rabbits, members should choose hay that is fine-stemmed, leafy, green, well cured and free from mildew or mould. The legume hays such as alfalfa and clover make the best feed. Hay furnishes bulk or fibre in addition to nutrients. However, if young growing rabbits are fed too much bulk, they will not get enough nutrients. Also, make sure the hay that is fed does not have any golden rod in it. It is toxic to rabbits and will cause death. Young rabbits will sometimes eat so much bulk that they will have a tummy ache but still not eat enough of it to fatten. Succulent Feeds - are any feeds that are fed in the green stage - green grass, leafy garden vegetables. Fresh green feeds and root crops should only be used as supplements (treats) to the concentrate part of the diet, as they contain 90% or more water. Green grasses and leafy vegetables* such as lettuce and carrots can be fed to your rabbits. Fresh greens should be allowed to wilt before feeding them, to remove the possibility of scours. Uneaten greens should be removed daily from the cage. You will get the best results when you use variety. Under no circumstances feed cabbage to a rabbit. 33

34 *Special Note One of the most common misconceptions is that a rabbit can live on carrots, lettuce, grass and other greens. Rabbits do not live on these, they only exist. Their ability to maintain their metabolism and strength is severely hampered as these foods, except for grass, contain no real nutritional value at all (humans eat them to lose weight). Grass does have some nutritional value, but the levels are not high enough to sustain a healthy rabbit and you also have the problem of getting it year round. You will find that a rabbit fed only greens and vegetables will have more than it s share of health problems, from intestinal to organs. You might think it s cheaper to feed these instead of the complete pellet but you have to put the health and life of the rabbits first. If you do feed some grass, they you will have to be careful where you get it, especially if there are dogs and cats in your neighborhood. These animals occasionally have worms and they and their eggs are frequently passed on. The eggs can last a long time in the ground and when you pull the grass sometimes the eggs come with it. Once the grass is eaten by the rabbit, then the eggs have the right condition to hatch and your rabbit s problems are just beginning. Again, the succulent or green feeds are the most dangerous feeds for your rabbits. If you do not control the amount you give them and where you get it, the results could be fatal. Minerals, Vitamins, Salt Salt is necessary in the diet. Put small blocks in the hutch so the animal can feed at will. Commercial rabbit feeds have a minimum of 0.5% salt. Of the minerals, calcium and phosphorus are the most essential. These requirements are met if a balanced ration of grain and good quality hay is fed. Water Rabbits need ready access to fresh, pure water at all times. In summer, they require large quantities. A kg doe and her eight-week old litter of seven will drink about 4.5 litres of water in 24 hours. Rabbits also like to drink milk. It is especially good for nursing Does and young rabbits. 34

35 Watering Equipment Low, flat coffee cans are useful for watering rabbits. Cans are especially good during cold weather because if the water freezes in them, the ice can easily be broken and removed. However, rabbits can easily tip these cans over, so they should be fastened to the hutch. Do not cut the can off as the rabbit could cut itself on the cut portion. The bottom of a 2 litre plastic pop bottle makes a cheap waterer. Cut it about 4 high and fasten it to the cage. Bottle drinkers can be purchased at a feed supply store. They can be attached to a pop bottle from which the rabbit can drink. There are also metal waterers that are in the shape of a clam shell. You have to cut a hole in the side of the cage to mount it. You will also have to fasten the front of the watering trough to the floor of the cage so your rabbit can t tip it. You can use a 2 litre pop bottle as a reservoir for this waterer. It is hung upside down on the outside with the mouth of it in the lip of the waterer that protrudes out through the wire. Automatic and semi-automatic watering systems are also available, but are not feasible for raising one or two rabbits. Whatever you choose as a watering method for your rabbit, make sure it is kept clean and in good working order. Sa mpl e s of wa t e r i ng di s he s Higher sided water dish attached to side of wire cage Low flat watering dishes that attach to side of wire cage Bottle drinker can be attached to plastic pop bottle or you can purchase a bottle with the drinker Water bottles/bowls will freeze and need checking regularly. Even if the main bottle is unfrozen, it is important to check the spout as this can freeze solid and block. Insulating the bottle can help, wrapping it up with bubble wrap and an old sock or using insulators designed for wine bottles. 35

36 Proper Feed Feed is the most costly, but also the most important part of raising rabbits successfully. When buying complete pellets, make sure they are pellets that are made for rabbits only. Buy brand names like Co-op Atlantic, Shur Gain, or Purina at your local feed stores. The standard size bag is 25 kg, but some feed stores sell 5 kg bags or in bulk. It is best to buy smaller sizes as the larger ones will be stale long before one or two rabbits can finish it. The complete pellet usually contains all the food elements necessary for a complete balanced diet. They usually run from 16% to 18% protein with a fibre content that is appropriate for the protein percentage. However, the feeds that were discussed earlier can certainly be fed to your rabbits. A small handful of hay a day will not hurt a rabbit, nor will a carrot, or a bit of lettuce or grass. But, they must not be the only food the rabbit gets. The complete pellet must still remain the main food for the rabbit. So, for year 1 of raising rabbits, it is best for members to use the complete pellet. Once a member has learned how to properly care for rabbits, they can start offering home mixed rations and other feed. Rabbits that are housed outdoors need more food during the winter months as they use more energy heating themselves so need to take in more energy through their food. Sa mpl e s of Fe e d Feeding Equipment A variety of feed containers may be used. Those which are easy to clean and keep sanitary are the most desirable. Specially designed crocks may be purchased for feeding rabbits. These crocks, about 15 cm across, are hard to tip and have lips that prevent rabbits from scratching out the feed. Plastic or tin containers can also be used and will do the job just as well. Clean feeders and watering containers daily. Sanitize once a week with a weak bleach solution. Clean hutch weekly. Spray out with hose and sanitize once a month with a bleach solution. Allow to dry in sunlight. 36

37 Methods of Feeding Two methods of feeding are in general practice: 1. Managed Feeding - This means placing a measured amount of feed in feed dish each day. This method is recommended for feeding dry Does, Bucks and breeding stock. The rabbits daily intake is restricted. There is less chance of animals becoming overly fat. Also, as members are feeding their rabbits at least once a day, they have the opportunity to inspect them as well. 2. Full or Self-Feeding - Full feeding is placing several days feed in a hopper at once. Animals self-feed when hungry. Self-feeding is recommended for pregnant and nursing does as well as their litters and market animals. If feed is available at all times, they will increase their food consumption in keeping with their high energy requirements. Hoppers should be checked regularly to ensure feed supply is sufficient. Also, the amount of feed they eat is directly related to their access to water. Feed Amounts: On average, depending on the size of the breed, rabbits require from 80g (3 oz) to 300g (10 oz) of feed per day. These are suggestions because, like humans, each one is different when it comes to appetite and how much they will eat. Naturally the small breeds eat less and the large breeds eat more. Members must also develop a routine when feeding rabbit. Whether feeding once a day or several times a day, it should be at the same times. If feeding more than once a day, members will simply divide the daily ration into the number of times a day they are feeding. This will avoid over feeding. As a rule, medium breeds start at 100g (4 oz) of feed per day; slightly less for the lightweight breeds and slightly more for the heavy weight breeds. Then start adjusting the amounts for a particular rabbit from there. When feeding time comes around, the member must pay attention to the feeder, the rabbit and its actions. If there is feed left in the feeder or the feed is gone and the rabbit doesn t come to the feeder when fed, they the amount of feed should be decreased. If on the other hand, the rabbit dives at the feeder and starts biting and climbing the wire trying to get its head in the top of the feeder, then the amount of feed should be increased. Ideally at feeding time, rabbits should be a little hungry, so that it hops over to the feeder normally and starts eating normally. When making feed adjustments, do a little at a time so as not to upset the rabbit s system too much. 37

38 It c a n t be s t r e s s e d t o me mb e r s e n o u g h t h a t r a b b i t s n e e d p l e n t y of f r e s h, c l e a n wa t e r at a l l Changing Feeds: Members may, from time to time, have to switch from one brand of feed to another. The proper way to change feeds is to mix the old with the new over a period of at least a week. The first day, start out with a mix of old feed 90%, new feed 10%, and each day after that reduce the old feed percentage and increase the new feed percentage until it is 100% new feed. An instant change in feed may result in the rabbits not eating, losing condition, chewing its fur, diarrhea, and so on. So avoid an instant change-over. Although rabbits can exist on hay, grass and vegetables, that s all they do exit. They are constantly subject to diarrhea, bloating and scours. For the well-being of rabbits, members should feed complete pellets and use the others are treats. Treats can also include a slice of dry bread, half a piece of rice cake, or a piece of an apple. 38

39 Some rabbits like to kick their litter out of the box. You can get a covered litter box (with a hood) to solve this problem, and try different types of litter. Often rabbits back up so far into the litter box that urine goes over the edge. A covered litter box can solve this problem as well, or get a dishpan or other type of tub with much higher sides. You can also place a urine guard around the back of the cage. Litter box should be at least two times the size of the rabbit. Litter box with urine guard 39

40 THE HEALTH OF A RABBIT If a rabbit has enough feed, plenty of water, and clean surroundings, it should remain healthy. Sometimes, however, it may suffer from feeding problems and insect pests. Sanitation is important. You will find that the more rabbits you have at one time, the greater chances are for disease to appear and spread. By following a good sanitation program many diseases can be prevented. 1. Do not introduce new stock to herd except in rare instances and then only after a period of quarantine. Never lend or borrow animals. 2. Avoid crowding, chilling, dampness or extreme heat. 3. Construct hutches that can be kept clean and dry easily. 4. Make sure hutches have good ventilation. 5. Set up and follow a rigid cleaning routine to keep all hutches and equipment sanitary. 6. Learn to recognize rabbit diseases and start early treatment. 7. Isolate sick rabbits, rabbits returning from shows and newly purchased breeding stock from the rest of the herd for two weeks. It is important to recognize the appearance and behavior of a healthy rabbit. Members should always be on the alert for any departure from normal as this could be a sign of disease or stress. Feeding time is a good time to observe a rabbit. Find a spot, sit down, take it easy and watch the rabbit. This way a member will get to know how the rabbit act normally, when it s in its home. Identification of a sick animal may not be easy for a beginner, but it comes with experience. Examine the animal(s) daily. Note the rate of food and water consumption and the nature and quality of fecal excrement. Color, fur condition, brightness and condition of eyes, locomotion, breathing, nasal discharges and ear carriage are indications of health. Isolate sick animals until recovered. Do not handle sick animals until after caring for healthy ones. Burn or bury dead animals. Thoroughly clean and disinfect all contaminated hutches and equipment as soon as possible. 40

41 To do an exam, observe the rabbit from several feet away. Watch how it is lying or sitting. Is it in it s normal position? Is it moving about in its normal way? Does it appear to be in any discomfort? Is it doing any kind of repetitious movement, i.e. scratching at some area on its body, tilting its head to one side, etc.). Move up closer and observe again. Is its respiration rate normal or does it seem fast? Listen carefully to the breathing. Do you hear normal sounds or are there water sounds like fluid in the lungs, or congested breathing like a sinus problem? Look around the cage and on the floor beneath it. Are the droppings normal looking? Are there any signs of diarrhea? Is there leftover feed in the feeder? Next, remove the rabbit from the cage and place it somewhere which is convenient to examine the rabbit. Beginning at the head, check the animal carefully all over. Start at the front of the bunny and work toward the rear. Look at the bunny s eyes, nose and ears. All should be clean; there should not be any matted fur, which can indicate a discharge. There should also not be abnormal smells coming from any of these places on your bunny. The eyes should not be cloudy and the rabbit should be able to see well. Vision can be evaluated by watching the bunny move around the floor, possibly putting obstacles in his way. The nose should be clean with no matted hair or crusting below his nostrils. The bunny should also not be sneezing more than once or twice in a row. The bunny should hold his ears evenly and should not be sensitive about having his ears touched. Never try to clean your bunny s ears with q-tips. If the bunny jumps, the eardrum can be puncture and possibly cause the bunny to become deaf. Next look at the bunny s teeth. Only the front teeth, called incisors, will be visible. These teeth should be even (both top teeth the same length and both bottom teeth the same length). There should not be much food stuck between the teeth. There should also not be any cracks in the teeth and the teeth should be not able to be moved. Back teeth usually require a trip to a veterinarian or a very experienced bunny person to examine them with some special equipment. Now move on to the rest of the bunny. Check the chin and insides of the front legs for matted fur, which can indicate drooling and teeth problems. Are there any areas of missing hair? Are there any rashes or areas of flaked or dry skin? Are there any sores or abscesses? Does the coat feel soft and supple, like it does normally or is the skin dry, hard or tight feeling and the hair dry and lifeless? 41

42 Also check the bottoms of the front feet for redness, stuff coming from them or pain when the feet are pushed on. Also look at the bottoms of the back feet for the same signs. Check for missing claws which might be infected, sores on the feet and legs (particularly the hind legs), or bent or abnormal shaped legs. Next look at the bunny s stomach (underside) and behind. Again, there should not be any matted hair or material (usually feces) stuck to the hair around this area. This can be a sign of obesity or diarrhea. If it is a nursing doe, check mammary system for any signs of mastitis or congestion (hardness, redness, swelling). Check the external sex organs to be sure that there are no rashes, sores, scabs or infections. Finally look at the bunny from the top. The bunny should usually be slightly pear shaped. If your bunny looks more like an apple with a head, it is probably too fat and needs to go on a diet. Take the rabbit s rectal temperature. A normal temperature is in the 39 C to 39.5 C range. When disease occurs, consult a veterinarian and ask first whether treatment will be a practical and economical procedure. Be sure he/she knows the true economic value of the animal(s) involved, so he/she can recommend treatments. A sick animal can be taken to the veterinarian s office, but sometimes the vet may want to visit your house. Diseases are caused by living organisms, such as bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses. Some organisms may be present in healthy animals and do not cause illness unless the animal s resistance is lowered. Other organisms make the animal sick immediately. An animal s resistance can be lowered by drafts, heat, cold, over feeding, being frightened, over handling, sudden changes of environment and feeding practices, crowding and poor nutrition. These are sometimes called predisposing causes or stress factors. While stress is not a disease, it is a contributing factor to many health problems among rabbits. Stress is generally defined as a pressure or strain caused by an adverse force. Early signs of stress are difficult to detect in the individual rabbit. Young animals seem to tolerate and recover from stress better than older ones. Different diseases may cause similar symptoms or conditions. Since the unskilled eye can not determine seriousness, losses could be severe before proper treatment is administered. Contact a veterinarian when doubtful about the illness, when deaths occur suddenly or when illness persists. Also, consult with a vet before animals are sick for advise on added disease control practices important in your area. 42

43 The Healthy Rabbit The Sick Rabbit Eyes clear and bright Nose - clean (no discharge) Ears - clean with smooth skin inside Head - held in normal position Coat - smooth, shiny Skin - soft and supple Feet - claws unbroken, pads healthy Temperature - between 39C and 39.5C Respiration - normal Droppings - normal Appetite - normal Thirst - normal Behavior - alert Movement -normal functions Eyes - dull, cloudy, runny Nose - nasal discharge or mucous Ears - crusty brown discharge or any other discharge Ears - drooping (except on Lops) Head - tilted to one side Coat - dry, dull, patchy hair Skin - dull, tight, hard Feet - claws broken and infected, sores on feet Temperature - above 39.5C Respiration - much faster or slower Dropping - diarrhea Appetite - does not touch food Thirst - does not drink or drinking all the time, laying with front feet in water dish Behavior - listless Movement - scratching at different part of the body - signs of paralysis - twitching When members know how to recognize when a rabbit is not healthy, the next step is to try to find out exactly what the problem is. 43

44 Ear Mites - A brownish crusty discharge in the ear canal. Rabbit will scratch at its ears. Further bacterial infection may set in. Cause - A tiny parasite known as an ear mite will invade the rabbit s ear canal and cause infection and irritation. Treatment - Ear mite solutions are available to treat this problem. Treatment must be repeated several times to rid a rabbit of the mites. Isolate infected rabbits. Weepy Eyes - Eyelids become swollen and reddened. There may be clear or yellowish discharge. Eyes will weep tears which make the rabbit s fur wet around and below the eyes. Common in young rabbits which are still in the nest box. Cause - Irritants in the air such as dust, ammonia vapors (from urine), or from a bacterial or viral infection. Treatment - Eliminate cause of irritation. Eyes may be treated with an eye ointment. Do not use any type of ointment or drops not made specifically for the eyes. Sore Hocks - Loss of hair on bottom of foot pads. Very irritated skin with thick sores which can become infected. The rabbit may be very reluctant to walk on affected feet. Cause - Rabbits which have a thin hair covering on their feet are much more susceptible to this problem. Poor cage sanitation is also responsible. Rusted floor wire also grinds hair off foot pad. Treatment - Antibiotic ointment may help, as well as keeping cages clean and well bedded with fresh straw. It is best to cull affected rabbits as poor hair covering on the feet is a hereditary problem. New floor wire if needed. Ringworm - Crusty, circular shaped patches which appear in areas on the rabbit s face or feet. Hair loss will occur. Cause - Despite the name, ringworm is not caused by a worm. It is caused by a contagious fungus infection (which can be transmitted to other types of animals and to humans). Care must be taken when handling infected animals. Treatment - Treat rabbit with a fungicidal cream or lotion. Be sure to disinfect cage and feeder. NOTE: To be sure of diagnosis for this disease, you may wish to have a skin scraping taken ad analyzed (a small patch of infected skin is scraped and cultured for a few days to ascertain the cause). Skin Mange - Reddened scaly skin, intense itching and scratching with some loss of fur. Cause - fur mites. Treatment - A good mite powder used throughout the rabbitry might work, or treatment by veterinarian may be required. Best to destroy animals and blow-torch cages. 44

45 Fungus Infection - Scaly skin over shoulders or along back, hair thin, dandruff. Cause - Fungus Treatment - Apply commercial fungicide or 2% solution of Lysol to affected areas every other day for 1 week. Hutch Burn - Severe skin inflammation around the external sex organs and the anus. This may be further complicated by a bacterial infection. Cause - Usually caused by poor sanitation of the cage. The rabbit may not have a clean, dry place to sit or lie down. Treatment - Clean out cages properly. Apply a soothing antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly to coat the affected areas to prevent further irritation. Mastitis (also known as blue bag ) - Mammary system is swollen, reddened, hard, painful. Doe will go off her feed. Temperature will be very high (over 39 C). If untreated, doe will stop milk production and litter will die. Cause - Commonly caused by injury to udder from scratches, especially caused by slivers or rough edges of nest box, or from rough wire cage floors. Poor sanitation can also be responsible. Treatment - Doe must be treated immediately with antibiotics to prevent loss of milk production. Do not foster her young to another doe as they will spread the mastitis to the healthy doe. You may wish to cull the infected doe after her litter is raised as the problem may return after the next kindling. Caked Breast - Breasts become firm and congested with hard knots at sides of nipples. Cause - Milk not drawn from glands as fast as formed. Treatment - Do not wean young abruptly. Snuffles/Pasteurella/Multicida - Snuffles will cause cold-like pneumonia symptoms. Running nose, sneezing, difficult respiration. Hair on front feet will be wet and matted from rubbing nose. Can cause other problems such as abscesses, weepy eyes, and internal infections. Cause - Pasteurella multocida organism is extremely contagious and easily introduced to the rabbitry when purchasing new stock. Treatment - No effective method of treatment. Cull infected rabbits. Poor sanitation, poor ventilation, high ammonia levels and careless disease transmission practices help cause the disease. Pneumonia - Dullness; quick labored breathing with nose held high. Bluish color to eyes and ears. Lungs congested. Cause - Bacterial infection of the lungs. Treatment - Penicillin effective if administered early. 45

46 Wry Neck - The neck is bent to one side or twisted at an odd angle. Rabbit has difficult time eating and cannot straighten its head and neck. Cause - Can be an injury or many times it is caused by an inner ear infection. The balance is affected. Treatment - There is no effective treatment for wry neck. Abscesses and Boils - Lumps occurring under skin over ribs and back, neck, dewlap, mammary glands. Cause - Various bacteria. Treatment - May break and drain naturally,. Ask vet for treatment. Metritis - White sticky discharge from female organs. Palpation indicates enlarged uterus. Cause - Infection of uterus by variety of bacteria. Treatment - Destroy infected does and disinfect cages. Replace bucks, as they are carriers. Orchitis - Infection or inflammation of the testicles. Cause - Pus-forming bacteria. Treatment - Destroy afflicted bucks. Breeding bucks with orchitis may produce metritis in does and vice versa. Enteritis - Severe diarrhea, dehydration, death Cause - Can be caused by many types of bacteria and viruses. It is also very often caused by poor feeding practices. Treatment - Try to find possible reason or cause for an outbreak. Have post mortem done on dead rabbits. Isolate affected rabbits. Try feeding hay to reduce problems from enteritis. Consult with vet about possible preventative treatments. Coccidiosis - Diarrhea, weight loss in the young rabbits even though the rabbit is eating well, a potbellied look even though the rest of the body is thin, sudden death in rabbits when showed no signs of illness. Cause - Coccidia are microscopic protozoan (single celled) parasites. There are several different species. Some attach the liver and some attack the intestinal living. They destroy digestive tract tissue and make it very difficult for the rabbit to absorb nutrients. Treatment - Prevention is the key word. Proper sanitation will help reduce and control coccidian contamination in the environment. Almost all rabbits have coccidian and are carriers. Older rabbits are not usually affected, but young rabbits cannot survive a severe infection. Fecal samples may be taken to a local vet lab for analysis to check for coccidian levels. Various medications for feed or water can be used to control coccidian. 46

47 SHOWMANSHIP WORDS TO LEARN Showmanship Grandstanding The act of displaying an exhibit (rabbit) to the best of one s ability Overshowing of either the member or the rabbit, i.e. taking or moving the rabbit around while the class is being judged Tips for Members for Show Day 1. The rabbit must be clean. Members must make sure there are no stains on the legs or paws. Prior to show day, it may be necessary to clip the nails. Regular nail clippers will work well on the rabbit s nails. Members must be careful not to clip them too short. If they do, the rabbit will find it painful to put pressure on its feet, which will affect how well it shows. 2. The inside of the rabbit s ears should be cleaned using a slightly damp cloth. Excess water in the rabbit s ears will cause the ear to droop over and the rabbit will constantly be shaking its head to remove the water from the ear. 4. Members must also look well groomed. They should be neat and clean and should wear a white lab coat over their clothes, or a long sleeved white shirt and pants. Fifteen minutes is lots of time to get the rabbit ready for show, providing it was cleaned before it left home. All that should be required are last minute touch-ups. 47

48 5. Members must be prepared to promptly bring their rabbits into the ring once the class is called. The rabbits should be properly carried into the ring in the member s arms. No cages should be in the ring. To carry a rabbit, tuck its head under your arm while still supporting its hindquarters. 6. The rabbits will all be placed on a table as illustrated on the next page. Remind members to be sure to leave approximately two feet between their rabbit and the next one on the table. 7. Once the rabbit is sitting on the table, members should quickly set the animal up. Place the rabbit s feet squarely under the animal with the legs set straight. The rabbit s head should be facing the judge. When the rabbit is set up properly, members should place their hands on either side of the rabbit on the table. 8. When asked to turn their rabbit from side to side, members place their hands on either side of the rabbit and pivot it on the table. 9. Members must keep one eye on the judge and one eye on their rabbit at all times. 10. Members must not be distracted from showing by side noises, the audience, or the exhibitors beside them. 11. Members should not pet their rabbits in the show ring. 12. When the judge asks a member to change position in the line, member should pick up the rabbit and go to the correct position, moving behind the other exhibitors. When moving the rabbit, grasp the loose skin over the shoulders with one hand and place the other hand under the rump so that most of the weight will be supported from beneath. 13. The rabbit should be properly set up after each time it has been moved. 14. As the class is placed, the judge will ask each member to move into the respective position. The class placing decreases as you move from left to right as the audience looks at the class. 15. Once the judge has given his/her reasons for placing the class, members will leave the show area in the order in which they placed, first, second, and so on. 48

49 Stress to your members the importance of practice. In order to feel comfortable showing their rabbit and for the rabbit to feel at ease as well, it is necessary for the members to work with their animal daily. Members should practice posing the rabbit. You, as leader, may want to feel the rabbits while the members are posing them so that the animals will get used to being handled by someone other than the member. Members should carry out actions in a confident manner always being considerate of their rabbit, fellow showpersons and the judge. The judge should have the attention of the member at all times. It is important that the judge doesn t have to go to the member to get their attention to move their rabbit or take some other action in the show ring. Members should also be prepared to answer questions about their rabbits with reference to birthdate, breed, parts, defects, characteristics, and general information that members learn while taking the rabbit project. Suggested Things to do Have members show you how to carry a rabbit set up a rabbit pivot a rabbit show a rabbit s teeth show a rabbit s legs, toe nails and hocks be able to indicate major parts on a rabbit 49

50 MEMBERS SHOW DAY DO S AND DON T S 1. Do take water, clover or hay with your rabbit to the exhibition. 2. Do wear a pair of white pants and a white shirt with long sleeves or a white lab coat. 3. Do NOT wear a hat in the ring. 4. Do NOT chew gum while you are showing your rabbit. 5. Do NOT bring the cage into the ring. Leave the rabbit in the cage and remove it before you are called into the ring. Carrying your rabbit around will cause it to get too hot. 6. Do have your harness on before entering the ring. 7. Be prompt! Listen to the announcements of when the rabbit show is to begin and listen very carefully for the announcement of the classes in which you, the member, are showing. 8. Keep alert! Watch the judge at all times. 9. Do NOT over handle your rabbit at the show table. Give your attention to the judge. This is where the practice pays off. 10. Take your own piece of carpet. Don t assume they are provided for entrants. 11. Do not talk unless spoken to by the judge. 12. Walk behind other entrants when moving position. 13. Don t let your rabbit interfere with the other rabbits. Allow a space of two feet, if possible, between rabbits. Move positions before judging begins if two males are acting aggressive. 14. Be prepared to answer questions the judge may ask. 15. Handle your rabbit with confidence and a touch of showmanship. Be On The Ball! 16. Be a good loser and a gracious winner. 50

51 Show Ring Technique Checklist The judge may as the members to: 1. Carry the rabbit 2. Set the rabbit up making sure the feet are squarely set up under the rabbit, member s hands placed on the table at the rabbit s sides 3. Pivot the rabbit giving the judge the opportunity to view the rabbit from all sides 4. Show the rabbit s teeth Cradle the rabbit with one arm. Keep the rabbit s body pinned again your body with the animal s head outwards. Using the hand cradling its head, use your fingers to pull back its lips to its teeth. Checking the rabbit s teeth is important when buying a rabbit to use as breeding stock since improper teeth can be passed on to offspring. Poor teeth (one tooth crossed over another, one tooth longer than another, etc.) may interfere with proper eating and hence the ability to put on weight. 5. Show rabbit s legs, toe nails and hocks. 6. Be able to indicate some of the major parts of the rabbit if the judge asks 7. Be able to answer questions the judge may ask about the rabbit Score Card for Rabbit Showmanship Appearance and Condition of Rabbit 25 Cleanliness, Fleshing, Condition of Fur, and Training Appearance and Attitude of Member 25 Clean, Courteous, Attentive Showing the Rabbit 40 Ability to pick up, carry, pose and handle the rabbit Knowledge about Rabbit 10 Ability to answer questions regarding the rabbit and the parts of a rabbit 100 points 51

52 Basic Rabbit Showmanship Positions: Carry Step 1 This is the normal underarm carry used when moving your animal from one place to another. Grasp the loose skin over the shoulder, enclosing the ears with one hand. Put your other hand under the rabbit s rump. Step 2 Lift the animal and pull it toward you so its body rests on your forearm and against your body. Step 3 Tuck the rabbit s head under your arm while still grasping the next for security. Sitting This is the normal crouched position of the rabbit; all four feet and the stomach are on the table. This position is used as a starting point for posing your rabbit or for relaxing. It is also used when checking the ear tattoo or examining for ear mites or canker. English Spot and Checkered Giant breeds may prefer to sit in an upright position (the rump down and front legs up). Posed A posed rabbit is an eager-to-please, alert rabbit with ears up, head in, paws firmly placed under the body and tail straight. Pose each rabbit to its best show ability. Animals can be posed in either a front, rear, or side view position. The posed position for English Spots and Checkered Giants also should allow them to run the length of the table. If this procedure is followed, the English Spots and Checkered Giants should be judged separately so as not to disturb the other breeds. A combination of judging then can determine overall winners of the showmanship class. Pivot Step 1 - This is a method of lifting or aligning the rabbit during showmanship or carrying. Grasp the animal over the shoulders. Lift it straight up. Place the palm of your other hand under its hindquarters to support its body. Step 2 - You can now turn it to face any direction. An alternate method is to place both hands under the rabbit s stomach, lift and turn, or return it to the original position. During the show, if your rabbit becomes restless, pick it up, pivot it and then replace it on the table. This often serves to relieve any tension and allows the animal to pose properly. 52

53 Roll Step 1 - This position allows you to check the teeth, toenails, sex and straightness of leg and tail and to examine for body tumors and ruptures. Grasp the loose skin on the shoulders, enclosing the ears with one hand. Place your other hand firmly on the rabbit s rump and slowly turn it on its back. Step 2 - Lift the rabbit and place it firmly against your stomach, cradling it with your arm. Small exhibitors with large rabbits can place the rabbit on its back on the table. You can now use the hand that was on the rump to do the previously mentioned checks. 53

54 MORE SHOWMANSHIP INFORMATION What the Judge Evaluates What 4-H Member Does Carrying the rabbit to and from the table and moving it to a different spot on the table The proper way to carry a rabbit is to grasp the fold of skin over the shoulder with the right hand (include the ears) and support the rabbit s weight by placing the left hand under the rump, Tuck head under the left elbow. Moving to a different spot on the table Show ears Show eyes Picks up the rabbit for carrying before moving to the new location. Grasps the fold of skin over the shoulders with the right hand (include ears) and lift into place with left hand placing rabbit s head under left elbow and clamp forearm against rabbit extending it along the side of rabbit with the left hand under rump for support. Hind feet should be pointed away from body with a twist of the left hand to prevent being scratched if the rabbit struggles. Open ears so that judge can see deep into ears, right and then left ear. Pick up rabbit and show the eyes, turning the rabbit to show the opposite side. Show nose and checking for snuffles Turn the rabbit over and tilt head toward the judge to show nose clearly. If checking for snuffles, also check the inside of the front feet for signs of caked mucus. Show teeth Show straightness of front legs Turn the rabbit over and while tilting head toward judge, using thumb and index finger, gently part the lips to show teeth. Your hand should be behind rather than in front of the mouth. With the rabbit facing the judge, place your hands just behind the front legs, while lifting front of the rabbit slightly. You can also do this by turning the rabbit over and with your hand behind the front legs, push both elbows forward causing the rabbit to straighten out the legs. 54

55 Show straightness of hind legs With the rear of the rabbit toward the judge and your hands just in front of the hind legs, lift the hind end slightly off the table, while at the same time push on the knee to straighten the legs out toward the judge. You can also do this by turning the rabbit over and placing your hand in front of the legs and pushing toward the back which will straighten the legs. Show toenails Flip the rabbit over and show the toenails by pushing the thumb into the centre of the paw. Push back fur with index finger if necessary to see the toenails. Don t forget to show the dewclaw on the front feet. Be sure to show all four feet unless instructed otherwise. Check the hocks Show bottom of back feet to judge, rubbing the fur to check for thickness of fur on the hock for signs of soreness or bare patches. Check the sex Show the sex to the judge. Clamp tail between index and second finger, place thumb below vent area, and push toward front of rabbit. Check the testicles if a male. Return to posted position. Show the tail Turn the rabbit to have the hind end facing the judge. Straighten the tail by gently pulling upward. Check for ruptures and abscesses Run your hand over the chest and abdomen area to check for any abnormal lumps. Turn the rabbit upright and run your hands over the entire body as well. Check fur quality, cleanliness, condition and density Stroke the fur toward the rabbit s head showing fur going back to normal position to show quality and cleanliness. Stroke rabbit from head to rear and show your clean hand to the judge to show the fur condition. Blow into the fur to show the density. On Rex rabbits, pat the fur to show the density. 55

56 Using your right hand, firmly grip the rabbit near the base of the ears. Your index finger should be between the ears with the other fingers just behind the ears. Place the left hand underneath the hindquarters to provide support and slowly roll the rabbit unto its back. Continue to maintain a firm grip with right hand. Rest the weight of the rabbit on the table. Check the rabbit s eyes for color and for blindness. Check the rabbit s nose for discharge. Check the teeth for malocclusion, butting or wolf s teeth. Check the chin for lumps, sores and absesses. Check the abdomen for lumps and absesses. Check for broken nails, missing nails, and nails that are not consistent in color. Check for sore hocks. Check the tail carriage. Make sure there are no breaks and that the tail does not curve to one side 56

57 Check the sex of the rabbit and look to make sure the rabbit has no sign of vent disease. Carrying the Rabbit to the Return your rabbit to a sitting position. Check for ear mites, ear canker. Showmanship Table Pose the rabbit and groom with your hand. Rabbit needs to have its head tucked under the 4-Her s arm. Rabbit needs to be have its weight supported by the same arm. Proper way to carry a rabbit, notice rabbit s head tucked under member s arm The rabbit is said to be tucked and carried like a football. 57

58 Training a rabbit for show will be accompanied by repeatedly going through the steps that the judge will ask the members to put the rabbit through during the show. The rabbit will then know what to expect and not be nervous. Members should practice proper posing of their rabbits. The front feet should be lined up even with the eyes and hind feet even with its hips. Set up the animal so that it is facing the judge. Each time members practice with their animals, have them check the rabbits general condition. They should examine the ears for canker. Run hands over the body to evaluate fullness of loin and rump. Keep the other hand in front of the rabbit to keep it still. Stoke the fur against its normal laying position to see how quickly it will fall back into place and what condition the fur is in. Turn the rabbit over. Open the mouth with the left hand and check for clean teeth and look for clear, alert eyes. Check nose for sniffles. Spread the toes to check claws and broken nails. Extend each foreleg to check for straightness. This is done only for practice. Crooked legs should have been noticed at time of purchase and passed by. Check the sex organ and look for infection. Check the hocks for sores or bald spots. Feel the tail for any broken tail bones. Rub belly to test for abscesses and ruptures. Return the rabbit to pose position. Place the rabbit on its back and push its hind legs back by placing left hand in front of legs. Both its legs should straighten out for the judge to see. Rabbits should be handled frequently in a gentle but firm manner to better show the rabbit in the ring. 58

59 BREEDING AND REPRODUCTION People breed rabbits for many reasons. They might like to raise rabbits to eat, to use their wool for knitting, to sell as pets or even to use as for their 4-H rabbit. But remind members that there are only so many homes for the rabbits that aren t needed, so they shouldn t breed more babies than they can find homes for. The doe rabbit is polyestrous (no regular estrus or heat cycle). Their eggs are not shed (ovulation) at regular intervals, as with many other domestic animals, but instead ovulation is stimulated by mating. Some signs when a doe may be more willing to breed are restlessness, rubbing her chin on the cage or equipment, or a moist, slightly swollen and purplish colour vulva (female sex organ). The actual age to start breeding rabbits depends mainly on their breed. Smaller breeds mature sexually at a faster rate, so can be used for mating at an earlier age than larger rabbits. On average, smaller breeds may be bred when the bucks and does are from 5 to 6 months old. Medium weight breeds can be mated at 6 to 8 months; and giant breeds at 8 to 12 months. Always take the doe to the buck s hutch for service. If you take the buck to the doe s hutch, she is likely to fight him and not accept service. Plus the buck will spend his time sniffing around her cage and trying to mark everything with his scent. Mating should occur almost immediately when the doe is placed in the buck s hutch. After the buck mounts and falls over on his side, the mating is accomplished and the doe should be returned to her own hutch. Make a record of the date of mating, and the name or number of the buck and doe. The number of eggs that can be fertilized depends on the parents ages. The doe and buck have maximum egg/sperm production between the ages of 6 months and 3 years. After this, egg/sperm production decreases, as does the chances of conception and bringing the little ones to birth. Temperature extremes decreases the chances of conception. At high temperatures, the buck stops producing viable sperm. When the buck is exposed to temperatures above 92 degrees, he may become temporarily sterile. It may take up to 4 weeks for him to recover. Extremely cold temperatures causes the doe not to conceive because her system is concerned with taking care of herself rather than nurturing young. The period between October and December is considered molting season. It is when the amount of sunlight is decreasing and the rabbit is getting ready to put on its winter coat. This decrease in daylight affects reproduction, and the conception rate usually goes way down. You may artificially stimulate the rabbit to continue producing by keeping it in a building with the lights on. 59

60 Determining Pregnancy An accurate method of determining pregnancy is important in managing the breeding herd. Test mating (placing the doe in the buck s hutch periodically) is not accurate because some does will accept service when pregnant and others will refuse service when not pregnant. Diagnosing pregnancy by the development of the abdominal region and the gain in flesh is not dependable until late in the pregnancy period. Pregnancy can be quickly and accurately determined by palpating the doe 12 to 14 day after mating. The does must be handled gently as palpating means feeling. Hold the ears and the fold of skin over the shoulders in the right hand; place the hand between the hind legs, slightly in front of the pelvis; place the thump on the right side and fingers on the left side of the abdomen; exert light pressure and move the fingers and thumb gently back and forward. If the doe is pregnant, the embryos and marbleshaped forms will be distinguishable as they slip between the thumb and fingers. Handle the doe gently, and use only light pressure on the abdomen cavity. Accurate determination of pregnancy by palpation takes practice. An inexperienced person can repalpate does diagnosed as nonpregnant a week later. If a mistake has been made in the first palpation, the doe can be put on a full ration and provided with a nest box at the proper kindling time. With practice, enough skill can be developed to diagnose pregnancy as early as the 10th or 11th day. Does diagnosed as pregnant should be given all the feed they will eat. Non pregnant does should be rebred and kept on a maintenance ration until they are diagnosed as pregnant. The gestation period, or period from mating to kindling, is usually 31 to 32 days. In some cases the doe will litter (kindle) at 29 days and some times as late as the 35th day after mating. 60

61 Kindling Kindling is a critical period in a doe s life. At this time and for a day or two afterward, the doe and young should not be disturbed except for regular feeding and watering. Place a nest box in the hutch about 28 days after the doe is mated, unless you see her pulling hair before that time. This allows the doe to prepare a nest in advance and assures a proper place for birth of the young. If you put the nest box in too soon she will sit in it and may use it as a litter box, destroying the good environment it was meant to be. A nest box can be made of 1/4 plywood. The best dimension for it is: Dwarfs - 12 long x 8 wide x 8 tall Medium - 15 long x 10 wide x 10 tall Large - 18 long x 12 wide x 12 tall Round out the top of one of the narrow sides to allow her to enter easily. Do not come down too far, though, because the babies may escape. You can line the nest box 1 from the bottom with absorbent pine shavings (do not use cedar) and then put alfalfa or another good hay in the rest of the way. Hollow out a hole in the hay that she can get in and put the young. When you put a nest box in, the doe will start taking up hay in her mouth to prepare her nest. Watch carefully to make sure that she is putting it in the nest box and not spreading it on the floor of the hutch. If she is spreading it on the floor, she is intending to have the litter on the floor instead of in the box. If you move the nest box to where she is spreading the hay on the floor, she may move in the nest box. Make sure you watch for this because if she has her litter outside the box, the odds of their surviving are very slim. If you discover the young in time, you may be able to save them by warming them if they appear to be lifeless. A heating pad, set on low covered with a towel draped over the kit; under a heat lamp (at least 18 inches above kit); over furnace heat vent; or held in the hand are ways to warm the kits. No matter which way you choose, do not leave the kits alone. Keep an eye on them. If you have been successful in reviving them then place them in the nest or if you have had to pluck fur and build the nest yourself because the doe didn t, then drive your fist into the hay at an angle making a hole and then line the nest with the fur. Place the kits in it and cover them with the fur left over. They and the doe will sort it out into a proper nest. Usually the doe will pull her fur from her upper abdomen and around the shoulders just before she is to give birth. Sometimes does fail to pull fur to cover their litter. If this happens, you can pull enough from her body to cover the litter in the nest. The doe usually will take over from there. The doe s fur is easily removed at kindling time. It is advisable to keep extra fur on hand for such cases. Remove some fur from nests where does have pulled an excessive amount and keep it handy in a bag or box so it will remain clean. It is not necessary to sterilize or to deodorize the fur, or take any special measures to prevent the doe from smelling the strange fur. 61

62 A day or two before kindling, the doe usually consumes less food than normally. Do not disturb her, but make her as comfortable as possible. You may tempt her at that time with small quantities of green feed. This will have a beneficial effect on her digestive system. The doe will give birth any time of the day, with the most births being at night. It takes about ten minutes for her to deliver all of her young. If everything goes right, she will birth them in the nest box on a bed of fur in a depression of the hay. Once she has them, she will cover them with fur and get out of the nest box. As long as she has had 3 or more bunnies and they have adequate fur protection in the box, they should survive even in cold winters. Babies are born with their eyes closed and nearly hairless. They must be protected from exposure and must be confined together with their litter mates. The difference in size between a dwarf and a giant baby is not significant, though the different can be seen. A doe will never move her babies anywhere. If they are on the cage floor, on the cage floor they will remain. The owner must move them. If they must be moved, make sure they are lying on fur in a good depression in the hay where they cannot climb out of the box. If they climb out before their eyes open, their chances of survival are slim. Remember, the mother will never move them, so it is up to their human to ensure that they are in the right position. After kindling, the doe may be restless. Do not disturb her until she has quieted down. She may not feed her bunnies for 2 days after giving birth. Kindling Time Complications Anterior, or breech presentation of young at birth is normal. If the doe is in proper condition for kindling, complications are rare. Pregnancy, however, makes a heavy demand on the doe and lowers her vitality, making her more susceptible to disease. A few days before or several days following kindling, pneumonia may develop. If you are to treat pneumonia successfully, you must detect it early. The doe s head is held high and tilted backwards. Breathing is difficult. Make the doe comfortable and add a little green feed to the ration if possible. Antibiotic injections are effective in treating colds and pneumonia and reducing mortality. Mastitis, or blue breast is caused by bacterial infection and may be very contagious. The doe fails to consume her feed and is inactive. The breast is congested and feverish, turns red or purple, and the teats are discolored. Reduced feed, some green feed, and antibiotic injections are the best known treatment 62

63 Caked breast may be caused by the milk not being removed from the breast, or by injuries. Early symptoms of caked breast are firm, pink breasts that feel feverish to the touch. As caked breast develops, the tissues around the involved teats become enlarged and hard. The skin turns dark, the ends of the teats become discolored and tender, and the doe refuses to allow the young to nurse. Rub lanolin on the teats and massage the involved portion of the breast. You may restrain the doe to allow her own young or those from other liters to remove the milk. You may also strip the milk from the teats, taking care not to use too much pressure. Do not lance the tissues. Care of the Young On the day of kindling, or soon after, inspect the litter and remove any deformed, undersized, or dead young. If you are careful and quiet making the inspection, the doe generally will not object. There is no danger of causing her to disown the young. If she is nervous and irritable, place some tempting feed in the hutch immediately after inspection to distract her attention and quiet her. Litters vary in size. The commercial breeds usually average eight young. Some may number 12 to 18. For commercial purposes 7, 8, 9 may be left with the doe. Does from strains that have been developed for heavy production may care for 9 or 10. You can transfer some of the baby rabbits from a large litter to a foster mother that has a small litter. Adjusting the number of young to the capacity of the doe insures more uniform development and finish at weaning time. Mate several does so that they will kindle at about the same time. For best results, the young that are transferred should be within 3 or 4 days of the age of the foster mother s young. The bunnies may be transferred between birth and 12 days of age. You will have problems if you transfer after they are 12 days old. Their scent is different and the foster mother may attack them. As bunnies go from birth to 10 days, they get more and more of their own fur. They are born almost hairless, but develop enough fur to keep themselves warm by the ninth day. On the tenth or eleventh day, their eyes are open and sometimes they will come out of the nest box. They will start to eat solids between the 11th and 14th days. 63

64 Causes of Losses in Newborn Litters If the doe is disturbed, she may kindle on the hutch floor and the young may die from exposure. Even if predators cats, snakes, rats, weasels, minks, strange dogs cannot gain access to the hutch, they may be close enough for the doe to detect their presence and she may be frightened and kindle prematurely. If she is disturbed after the litter is born and jumps into the nest box, she may stamp with her back feed and injure or kill the newborn rabbits. Occasionally a doe fails to produce milk. In such cases, the young will starve within 2 or 3 days unless the condition is noted and the young transferred to foster mothers. Keep a close check on newborn litters for several days after birth to make sure they are being fed and cared for properly. Does sometimes eat their young. They may result from a ration inadequate in either quantity or quality, or from the nervousness of a doe disturbed after kindling. It is also possible that the doe is of a strain that exhibits poor maternal instincts. Does usually do not kill and eat healthy young, but limit their cannibalism to young born dead, or those that are injured and have died. Proper feeding and handling during pregnancy will do more than anything else to prevent this tendency. Give another chance to a valuable doe that destroys her first litter; if she continues the practice, dispose of her. Do not expect to see a doe nurse. She will feed her kits only once a day. She stands over the young in the nesting box and the bunnies jump up to catch a teat. Some rabbit breeders place escape boards in a cage after nesting. This shelf is suspended about 9 above the floor of the cage. This perch allows does to escape the continuous demands of a growing, hungry litter. If unduly harassed by their young, some does will become quite aggressive and kill their offspring. 64

65 A doe does not care for her young other than to feed them. If they wander out of the nest box, they will soon die of exposure or lack of stimulation from the other bunnies crawling over them. The doe cannot place the kit back in the box. If you are concerned if the doe is feeding her kits, just look at them. If they are fat and full in their skins, they are nursing well. If they are a bag of loose skin with empty bellies, they may not be getting enough milk. They will squeal if they are starving. Having another nursing doe will help as you may be able to transfer some of the bunnies. Even a mother cat is said to adopt bunnies. It is a very hard job to hand feed bunnies but it can be done. Every 3-4 hours they need a mixture of 50% condensed milk, 50% water and a teaspoon of corn syrup fed in an eye dropper. Too strong a mixture can result in diarrhea. Hand feeding is not feasible in a large operation. A doe who cannot raise her litter will be no good in a breeding program and should be sold as a pet or meat. Weaning Under most management programs, the young are weaned at 8 weeks of age. At that age, young meat rabbits should average 4 pounds in weight and be ready for market. Some commercial producers leave the young with the doe for 9 or 10 weeks to get a 41/2-51/2 pound fryer. Small litters (fewer than five young) can be weaned at an earlier age and the doe rebred. Also, under accelerated breeding programs where does are bred less than 35 days following kindling, it is advisable to wean the young at 5, 6 or 7 weeks of age to allow the doe to prepare for her next litter. It is best to allow a few days between removal of one litter and birth of the next. For example, if a doe is bred 28 days after kindling, it is possible to leave the litter with her until they are 56 days of age, allowing for kindling about 3 days later. It depends upon the condition of the doe and her ability to stand up under this type of program. You may wish to remove the young at 7 weeks of age and give the doe 7 to 10 days to prepare for the next kindling. 65

66 NESTING BOXES All pregnant does should be put in their own cage with a nest box. Baby rabbits are born without hair, blind, and deaf. Nest boxes protect and save them by keeping the kits warm while providing good ventilation and moisture drainage. The box should be large enough for the doe s comfort and the kits protection. Medium sized breeds require a nest box approximately (45 50 cm) long; 12 (30 cm) wide; 8-10 ( cm) high. Wood boxes are preferred but wire boxes with disposable cardboard liners will do. For instructions on building nest boxes, check Wooden nest boxes are ideal for cold climates and can be made out of scrap lumber. A cover for the box may also be used. The all wire nest box with corrugated cardboard liner To construct a nest box, use 1 1/2 plywood for sides and bottom and 3/4 plywood for ends. Drill holes in bottom 1/2 in diameter for drainage. A layer of insulation board can be attached to the bottom for added cold protection. Commercial breeders prefer wire boxes as they provide better ventilation in indoor settings and are more easily cleaned. Wooden boxes have to be thoroughly washed, disinfected and dried in the sun after each use. If you are worried about the cold, you can use fine straw that the doe will mix with her fur to form a nest. Fine wood shavings in the bottom of the nesting box also adds warmth and moisture adsorption. Place the nesting box in the doe s cage about 28 days after mating. If placed in the cage sooner, the doe may adopt it as a toilet. Remove the nesting box when the bunnies are about 3 weeks old to allow them more room. 66

67 Breeding Systems Line Breeding - Mating of related individuals who have a common ancestor. The purpose is to perpetuate outstanding characteristics such as show qualities or reproductive ability of this common ancestor. Inbreeding - An intense form of line breeding that mates very closely related individuals; father-daughter; son-mother; brother-sister. Used to produce offspring whose appearance and performance are almost identical. Only very desirable or superior rabbits should be used in this practice. Outcrossing or Outbreeding - Mating unrelated individuals of the same breed. Useful to mask an undesirable trait or adding desirable traits to a rabbit family such as greater litter size, healthiness or growth traits. This practice adds vigor to the rabbit family. Crossbreeding - Mating individuals of two or more different breeds. This practice increases the hybrid vigor and types of genes in the gene pool available. Breeding Cycle If purchasing an older rabbit, look closely at her productiveness, type, and quality as those characteristics are easily observable. Buying a doe who has already successfully raised a litter or two guarantees you are buying productive, healthy stock. Prime breeding stock are 6-8 months old as they will have a longer production life. Breeders of show stock will mate a doe only 4 or 5 times a year. This allows the offspring to develop to their potential and allows them to be the proper age and weight for a particular show. This means rebreeding days after kindling and weaning bunnies at 56 days of age. Commercial producers are interested in producing the most amount of marketable rabbit meat as possible. They rebreed 14 days after kindling resulting in 8 litters a year. They wean litters at 35 days giving does 10 days rest from milking. This results in does reaching the end of their productiveness at an earlier age. Beginning producers are recommended to give does 2 weeks of rest after weaning before being rebred. 67

68 Culling Does should be culled or replaced in a breeding program is they: are difficult breeders have fewer than 8 young per litter after the second breeding do not care for their young or often lose litters are poor milkers have health problems are excessively nervous Introducing new females is the best way to introduce new characteristics or blood into the rabbit family. Always select the best breeding stock available that has the genetic ability to reproduce itself with a minimum of health problems. Genetics For good reproduction management, a rabbit raiser must understand the genetics involved in how parents pass on characteristics to their offspring. If a gene which is the basic unit of inheritance for various traits such as coat color, eye color, body conformation, is changed, a mutation is said to have occurred. These mutations may be harmful or helpful. Helpful mutations have resulted in new breeds. Harmful mutations result in disqualifications for the breed or undesirable traits for any rabbit. The trait of albinism or white color in rabbits is a dominant trait. This means that even if a rabbit carries other gene colors, it will be white if it has this albino gene. Other traits, like buck teeth, are recessive. This means that if a rabbit has a dominant gene for normal teeth and a recessive gene for buck teeth, the rabbit will have normal teeth. Only if the rabbit has two recessive buck teeth genes will the rabbit exhibit buck teeth. Color in rabbits is very complex. The genes are located at different places on the chromosomes. They interact to produce different colors. A chocolate and a blue rabbit will produce all black babies. If these offspring are mated, 56% will be black, 19% will be blue, 19% will be chocolate and 6% will be lilac. 68

69 This diagram shows the offspring from the mating of a normal-toothed buck that does not carry the recessive gene (b) with a normal-toothed doe that does carry it. although buck-toothed offspring do not appear, the buck-toothed gene (b) has not be eliminated. 69

70 Determining the Sex of Young Rabbits Separate the sexes at weaning, if you are saving junior replacements or breeding stock. It is possible to determine accurately the sex of baby rabbits less than a week of age, but it is easier to do so when they are weaned. To keep the rabbit from struggling, restrain it firmly, yet gently. A commonly used method is to hold the rabbit on its back between your legs with the head up. With your left hand restrain the rabbit around the chest holding the front legs forward alongside the head. Use the right hand, place the thumb behind the right hind leg and use the index and middle finger to depress the tail backward and downward. The thumb is then used to gently depress the area in front of the sex organs to expose the reddish mucous membrane. The doe will display a slit or central line running up and down. Each side of the slit will be banded in pink. The buck, if less than 5 weeks old, will display a white tube without a central line. It will not have pink traversing either side of a centre line. Older bucks will present a pink tube with a pointed end that resembles a bullet. A buck s testicles can be seen on a hot day. The testicles must be kept at a certain temperature in order for sperm to be produced. The testicles descend further on hot days and are brought back toward the body on cool days. In this way, their temperature is regulated. With small rabbits you can cradle them in one hand Buck over 9 70

71 Doe over 9 months Buck four weeks old Doe 4 weeks old Netherland Dward Buck 3 weeks old Netherland Doe 3 weeks old 71

72 JUDGING A RABBIT When evaluating a rabbit, members should look at the following points: medium to long body well-filled in loins full hips and wide back deep, firm flesh covering uniform, well-balanced and proportional alert eyes healthy appearance dense fur with thick undercoat, interspersed with heavy guard hairs does should have a large evenly carried dewlap The following pictures illustrate good and poor conformation. POOR POOR GOOD 72

73 HEAD TYPES Good Head - strong, broad muzzle, base of ears wide enough to support alert, erect ears. DESIRABLE Poor Ear Carriage - floppy ears (belled) in upright eared breeds UNDESIRABLE Pear-Shaped Head - too narrow between eyes. UNDESIRABLE TAIL TYPES Good Tail Carriage The tail should extend straight up in line with the spine. DESIRABLE Wry Tail - avoid tails which are turned like a corkscrew, turned to one side, or wry tailed. Broken tails and bob tails should also be avoided. UNDESIRABLE 73

74 LEG TYPES Front legs should be straight and squarely placed under chest. The rear legs should be parallel to the spine, not turned outward or cow hocked. bowed outward UNDESIRABLE bowed inward UNDESIRABLE good straight limbs DESIRABLE good parallel hind feet DESIRABLE cow-hocked hind feet UNDESIRABLE 74

75 For every recognized breed of purebred rabbit there is a written standard which describes, in detail, exactly what the breed should look like. It describes all of the breed s physical features and exactly how they are to look and fit together. The purpose for the written standard is so everyone raising that breed will be working towards raising the same typed rabbit for that breed. A recognized breed of rabbit has gone through a lengthy process which takes 3 years to complete. Each of the 3 years must show an improvement in conformation, using its temporary written standard. At the end of the 3 years, if all has gone well, then the breed becomes recognized and its standard is then placed in a Standard of Perfection. There will be four rabbits used in the judging class. If at all possible, they should all be from the Fancy category or all from the Commercial category, and be the same breed (New Zealand, Californian, Netherlands, etc.). The reason for this is so they will all be judged for the same qualities. You ll need to know the individual breed characteristics if you re judging a fancy breed, or what meat qualities to look for if judging a commercial breed, as well as the general disqualifications (example, missing toe nail) that all rabbits are subject to. You, or a judge will place a number in the rabbits ears or on their cages 1,2,3,4. Then you or the judge will judge the class and place them 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and write down the reasons why. Now the members will judge the class and place them 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th and give their reasons for the placings. When judging and giving reasons, it s very important to know the proper terminology for the parts of a rabbit. Members should take some time to learn the parts on the diagram on the following page. Judging Card Name Class Judged Age of Member (as of January 1) Club Judging cards are available at the Provincial 4-H Office First Second Third Fourth PLACINGS 75

76 Rabbit Disqualifications There are a variety of disqualifications to watch for when judging rabbits. Always check each rabbit in the class. If a disqualification is found, the rabbit will be placed at the bottom of the class. Permanent Disqualifications are those which are permanent problems with the rabbit s conformation. Blindness in one or both eyes, eye specks, wall eyes, unmatched eyes Buck teeth, missing teeth Droop ears (except in Lops), torn ears White or foreign patches on solid colored, marked or ticked varieties Putty nose Crooked or deformed bones - missing tail Missing toenails (including dew claw), white toe nails (except as required by standard) Wry neck Orchidism (undescended testicles) in bucks Rupture or tumor Cross-bred or mongrel animals or animals so lacking in breed characteristics so as to make their classification doubtful 76

77 Temporary Disqualifications are those which are temporary problems with the rabbit s health, classification, etc. Runny eyes staining area of fur below eye or eyes ear canker Snuffles or colds Infected hocks, boils, bad cuts, abscesses and other signs of ill health Obvious signs of trimming or attempts to mask defects Does heavy in young Wrong classification General Faults will not disqualify a rabbit, but will cause it to be marked down. Sore eyes Weak or improper ear carriage Stray white or foreign coloured hairs, mealiness or ticking on solid coloured varieties Poorly developed loin and hindquarter on meat breeds Poor example of breed Cow hocks Excessive masculinity in females - excessive femininity in males Hutch stains Poor show-table manners 77

78 GIVING REASONS Following the judging and placing of a class, members must be prepared to give reasons to justify their placings. They should always be willing to give a set of reasons for any placing made and therefore, should not make a placing unless they can back it up with sound reasons. Whether the reasons be oral or written, they should be reasonably brief but accurate, paying attention to the obvious points of difference. Unless there is something of general interest to the entire class, consider only two animals at a time - compare rather than describe the two different animals. Give your reasons for each pair of the two animals, starting with the top pair the two you consider first and second. Then give reasons for the middle pair, i.e. second and third animals, and finish judging by comparing the third and fourth animals. Fabrication of reasons must also be avoided. For example, do not make up reasons just for the sake of sounding good. A good judge knows what each animal looks like and the faults or good points of each animal, and therefore, he/she will know if reasons have been fabricated. When giving reasons orally, do not use notes but rather try to remember or picture the class in your mind s eye or memory. Try to train yourself to give a set of reasons in two minutes or less. Using this system will make it much easier to give an understandable set of comparative reasons. Begin your reasons when the judge tells you to and look directly at him/her while speaking. Be as calm and confident as possible, speaking in a natural tone and stand or sit easily. When giving reasons, keep the following in mind: Speaking with confidence tells the judge you believe in what you are saying and that you have sound reasons for your placings Stand or sit with good posture and look the judge in the eye. Relax using gestures and a natural voice, loud enough to be understood but not too loudly Do not chew gum or wear a hat unless for sun protection Use correct terminology and grammar Organize your reasons in a logical order. Begin with obvious differences and then mention the less obvious points Use comparisons to tell why one item is placed higher than another. Use comparative terms when giving reasons. Words like bigger, brighter, taller, straighter, and phrases like more than and less than ensure comparisons are made Give accurate reasons, do not give ones that do not apply. You will be penalized for using wrong information 78

79 Sample Reasons: As a reference in establishing a more uniform pattern in giving either written or oral reasons when judging rabbits, study the reasons given below: Commercial class I place this class of Commercial Rabbits 2,1,3,4 I place #2 at the top of the class and over #1 because he carries a deep, firm, flesh covering over the hind quarters. He also has more uniform width from front to rear, carrying out wide in the back loin and hind quarters I place #1 over #3 because he is stronger in the back than #3. He also has a smoother flesh covering and more finish over the loin than #3. I will grant, however, that #3 is a somewhat larger animal than #1. I place #3 over #4. This is a very easy placing because #3 is not only a much larger animal than #4, with considerably greater length of body and width of back, but also has well-developed hind quarters. I place #4 at the bottom of the class because he lacks finish. #4 is also short, a narrow -bodied animal. It is however very bright and alert and would therefore be a good pet rabbit. For these reasons, I place this class of Commercial Rabbits 2, 1, 3, 4 79

80 Judging and giving reasons to others not only helps select rabbits, but is an excellent way to practice making decisions. In order to be a good judge and decision-maker, members need to know the situation or the purpose of the items being judged, the standards or criteria to judge against, and be able to carefully observe, compare and finally decided. Using the four rabbits shown on the following page, have members determine in which order they would place them using the criteria listed from the Satin Standard of Perfection. Have members fill out the oral reasons card and use it to practice presenting, if necessary. Have members orally present reasons. Placing a class of four rabbits involves making choices by making comparisons. Figuring out the score In a judging competition with four animals in a class, the judge will announce the placing for the class (e.g ) and the cuts or differences between animals in each pair (e.g ). The larger the cut number (from 1 to 8 points) the more differences. The total of the three cut numbers cannot exceed 15. Given the following, see if you can figure what your score out of the 50 possible points would be: Your placing Official placing Cuts Did you place 1 over 2? No Lose 3 pts 2. Did you place 1 over 3? No Lose 3 pts + 2 pts 3. Did you place 1 over 4? Yes Lose 0 pts 4. Did you place 2 over 3? No Lose 2 pts 5. Did you place 2 over 4? Yes Lose 0 points 6. Did you place 3 over 4? Yes Lose 0 Points Total Lost 10 points Score = 40 points 80

81 SATIN STANDARD OF PERFECTION Rabbit 1 Rabbit 2 Rabbit 3 Rabbit 4 Body Type: a) compact body with depth and width that balance, tapering slightly from the hindquarters to the shoulders. b) Very plump and full over and around the hips. c) Size of head, ears and bone in proportion to the general composition for proper balance. d) Firm, meaty saddle carried as full and meaty as possible to nape of neck. Meaty over ribs and shoulders. HEAD: Well shaped, well filled face and jaws, set on a short neck. EARS Carried erect and well together, strong at base, rounded tips. Well furred. 81

82 THE RABBIT INDUSTRY Rabbit raisers started years ago raising Belgian Hares as a hobby. Since then, it has grown into a real industry. Americans eat 50 to 60 million pounds of domestic rabbit meat each year and are asking for more. A small breeder can raise rabbits for this purpose as easily as a large commercial breeder. Rabbit meat is pearly white and fine grained, palatable and nutritious. It is a convenient source of high quality protein and has about the same food value as beef. It is also low in fat and caloric content. Before starting to produce rabbits, you must identify your market. Rabbits are raised not only for meat, laboratory use, breeding stock, and Angora wool, but also for their skins. When raising rabbits for meat, consider the availability of slaughtering facilities, type of packaging required, transportation costs and potential buyers. Rabbits are typically slaughtered as fryers at 5 pounds (about 10 weeks of age). Often considered a delicacy, rabbit meat is white, fine grained, and delicately flavored. It is high in protein and low in fat, cholesterol, sodium and calories. The business approach to raising rabbits is to keep complete and accurate records. All the top producers agree that good record keeping and use of these records can make the difference between success and failure in the rabbit business. All breedings, kindlings and litter weights should be carefully noted. Records should be kept on production of bucks and does, feed they consume, the growth of litters. Constant checking on litter weights will show you whether the young are developing as they should. 82

83 A Comparison Edible Portion of Rabbit and Other Meats NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF RABBIT AND OTHER MEATS Edible Portion of Meat Protein (%) Fat (%) Calories/lb Cholesterol mg/oz Rabbit Chicken Turkey , Lamb , Beef , Pork , Remember Rabbit meat is all white meat 83

84 If members plan to increase to several does and keep some of their young for breeding, then ear tag or tattoo the rabbits for identification purposes. Tattooing the ears is a satisfactory method. When properly done, it is permanent and will not disfigure the ears. Instruments for tattooing can be purchased from livestock supply stores. Ear tags and clips are not satisfactory as they tear out and disfigure the ear. An adjustable box is convenient for restraining the rabbits for tattooing. With this equipment, one person can do the job. The most profitable method of selling rabbits is through the sale of breeding stock. The key to success in selling breeding stock is to purchase outstanding breeding stock when you start. Pedigree or registered parents are best. The offspring can then carry pedigrees and registration papers. You can develop a reputation through showing your rabbits at rabbit shows. Sale of Pet Rabbits This kind of business appeals to young rabbiters. Small breeds like dwarfs or minis are the best for pets. This market is seasonal and would be best in the spring, around Easter. Rabbits can be sold to local pet stores and have a reliable year round market. Some pet shops will sell on consignment. They pay when they sell the rabbits. It is best not to sell directly to the purchaser. The main problem with selling pets is getting the purchasers to take proper care of the rabbits, unless you provide instructions for care when they pick up the rabbits. Some people also sell equipment and fed for the proper care of the rabbits. Rabbit meat can be very beneficial to those people who have special dietary requirements. The low cholesterol and sodium levels make rabbit meat a very attractive alternative to health conscious individuals. 84

85 Sale of Fur or Wool Rabbit fur is normally marketed as raw skins. Raw skins have been dried but not tanned. Most of the skins are used to make coats or other clothing accessories. Angora wool has to be graded and packaged for sale. Some producers market their wool either as spun yarn or as knitted garments. Other Markets Rabbit manure can be mulched in a compost to produce excellent peat moss in three months. Rabbit manure is called cold manure because it is high in nitrogen but will not burn plants, no matter how tender. Earthworms can be successfully raised using rabbit manure as food supply. The processed manure can also be sold as peat moss. Rabbit offal, the remains from slaughtering in a meat operation, can be sold as a protein supplement used in swine and poultry feed. Rabbit parts are used in the pharmaceutical industry. Brains are a good source of the drug Thromboplastin used in establishing a patient s blood clotting time. This reagent, prepared from rabbit brains, aids in the prevention of heart attacks, phlebitis, and other blood clothing abnormalities in the human body. Canadian Hunter Rabbit Stew 2 to 3 lbs. tender young rabbit 1/4 cup parsley, chopped 1/4 cup shortening 1 medium onion, sliced 3 cups boiling water 2 tsp. salt 3 medium potatoes, diced 1/4 tsp. pepper 3 medium carrots, diced 1/4 cup flour 1/2 cup celery 1/2 cup cold water Brown rabbit in hot shortening in Dutch oven. Add 3 cups boiling water. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes (1 hour for mature rabbit) or until almost tender. Add vegetables and seasonings; cook until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Blend together flour and cold water to form a paste. Stir into stew, cooking until slightly thickened. Dumplings may be steamed with the stew if desired. 4 to 6 servings 85

86 The market for Angora wool is small, and the wool is usually sold directly to individuals or organizations buying for mills. Some producers choose to spin the wool into yarn and market it directly to the general public. Angora is a high-quality wool often used to manufacture luxury garments and therapeutic clothing for people with arthritis and other joint diseases. Commercial rabbit breeds Breed Size Use Mature Weight Angora medium wool; meat 9-12 lbs Americal Chinchilla medium fur 9-12 lbs Californian medium meat 8-11 lbs Champagne d Argent medium meat 9-12 lbs Checkered Giants large fur 11+ Dutch small pet 3-6 lbs English Spot medium meat;lab 9-13 lbs Flemish Giants large meat 13+ lbs Himalayan small lab 2-6 lbs New Zealand medium meat 9-12 lb Polish small lab 3-4 lbs Rex medium fur 8-11 lbs Silver Martens medium fur 6-10 lbs Members must decide if they want a rabbit for show, for meat or fur, or perhaps for both. If the members are looking to purchase a doe, they should try to get one already bred or at least of breeding age, so that during the year they will have the opportunity of caring for more than one rabbit. Since the gestation period of a rabbit is 30 days and they mature at around six months, members will have the opportunity to see the results of the breeding operation. 86

87 RABBIT TALK The following are some words used in discussing rabbits. Back - The entire top part of the rabbit from neck to tail. The backbone and vertebrae are in the back. Belly - The lower part of the body containing the intestines - the stomach. (When defining color area: the underbody of the rabbit from the forelegs to the crotch area.) Balanced Ration - A ration that has the proper proportions of individual ingredients to provide for nutritional needs of the rabbit. Blemishes - Flaws or defects, especially those that affect appearance. Breed - A race or special class of domestic rabbits that reproduces distinctive characteristics of fur color, markings, and texture; shape; size; and growth. A breed may be subdivided into varieties, such as the black, blue and tortoise varieties of the Dutch breed. Breeder - One who breeds or raises a special variety or varieties of rabbits. Buck - Male Rabbit Buckteeth - Teeth that grow beyond others and protrude. Bunny - A young rabbit. Cannibalism - When a doe eats her own young. Cheeks - The sides of the face beneath the eyes. Chest - The front part of the body between the forelegs ad neck the breast. Choppy - Back and loin fall two short at the tail not as meaty at hindquarters. Coccidiosis - A disease caused by protozoan parasites or one-celled animals that injure the lining of the bile ducts of the liver, intestines. Condition - The physical state of a rabbit in reference to health, cleanliness, texture and molt of fur, and grooming. Conformation Shape of the parts of a rabbit determined by the skeleton and muscular development. Crossbred - The rabbit has two different purebred breeds of rabbits as parents. Dam - Mother, usually in reference to pedigree. Dewlap - A fold of loose skin hanging from the throat. Disqualify - One or more defects, deformities, or blemishes that prevent a rabbit from being registered or shown in competition. Doe - Female rabbit. Dominant - A characteristic of one parent that, when transmitted to offspring, covers up a subordinate or recessive characteristic. Eliminations - Conditions which eliminate an animal from show competitions or registration until corrected. 87

88 Fertility - The ability to reproduce or have young. Finish - The desired condition of flesh and coat for market on show rabbits. Flank - The sides of the rabbit, between the ribs and hips, above the belly. Fostering - The use of a doe other than the dam to nurse and develop young. Full Feeding - Supplying each rabbit with all the feed it will consume each day without wasting any food. Gestation - Carrying the young in the uterus, pregnancy. Guard Hairs - The long still hairs in the fur. Hock - Section between the toes and the leg joint. Inbreeding - Mating brother and sister or parent and offspring. Intermediate - A show term for rabbits that are 6 to 8 months of age. Junior - Young rabbit under 6 months of age. Kindle - Give birth. Litter - A number of young being raised by one doe Linebreeding - A breeding program involving the mating of rabbits that are descended from the same animal, but several generations back. Lop Ear - Ear not carried in the normal way. Luster - The term used to designate bright and brilliant fur. Malocclusion - An inherited defect where the upper and lower jaw do not let the teeth meet, resulting in long, uneven teeth extending out of the rabbit s mouth as in wolf or buck teeth. Mandolin - As applied to type, having the appearance of the body of a mandolin laid face down back and saddle arching toward the loins to make noticeable larger and broad hindquarters. Meaty - The ability to carry a goodly portion of meat in proportion to the size of the rabbit. Molt - Shedding or changing the fur, usually 3 times a year. Outbred - No specific lineage or record of ancestors of a rabbit. Outcross - Mating unrelated stock. Nest box - A kindling box inside or attached outside the hutch or cage where the kits aer born and live for the first 18 to 21 days. Normally placed with the doe 28 days after she is bred. Pad - The foot area in contact with the cage or hutch that protects the foot and hock. Pair - A male and female rabbit. Palpate - To examine by feel or test for embryos to see if a doe is pregnant. Pedigree - Written record of the last three generations; parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents of a purebred rabbit. Pregnant - A doe carrying young, a bred doe. Purebred - Rabbits which are developed from successive matings of the same breed with at least the last three generations being recorded on a pedigree. 88

89 Rabbitry - The area or building in which a group of hutches and rabbits are kept. Racy - As applied to type: slim, trim, alert, active Recessive - A characteristic of one parent that, when transmitted to offpsring, is subordinate to the dominant characteristic of the other parent. Registered Rabbits - Only purebred rabbits which are without disqualifications, are tattooed and recorded in the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) Studbook are considered registered. Reproduce - To have young. Ribs - The curved parts of the side of the body immediately back of the shoulders and above the belly that protect the organs on the side. Ringworm - A fungus infection of the skin usually in a circular form. Rump - The hind or rear parts of the back. Saddle - The rounded intermediate portion of the back between the loin and the shoulder. Senior - A rabbit 6 months of age or older. Service - The mating act of the buck with the doe. Sexing a rabbit - The process of determining if a rabbit is a doe or a buck. Sire - Father usually in reference to pedigree. Shoulder - The upper joint of the foreleg, connecting it with the body. Snuffles - A virulent contagious infection of the nasal passages and respiratory organs, usually terminating in chronic illness. Indicated by fever, heavy breathing, sneezing and discharge of thick, creamy pus from the nostrils. Sterile - Unable to produce young. Trio - One buck and two does Under-color - Fur color next to the skin. Uterus - The reproductive organ in the doe in which developing kits are carried and nourished before birth. Also called the womb. Weaning - The process by which young rabbits are removed from the doe to prevent nursing. A young rabbit is weaned when it is between four and eight weeks old, depending on breeding schedule and breed of rabbit. Wolf Teeth - Protruding or elongated teeth in the upper and lower jaw caused by improper alignment of the upper and lower front teeth, preventing normal eating action. Wry Tail - Abnormally bent, curled or twisted permanently to one side; a corkscrew tail with one or more turns. 89

90 ACTIVITIES SECTION The following pages contain activities that you, as 4-H Rabbit Leader, might like to do with your members. It is not necessary to do all or any of these activities. 90

91 LABEL THE PARTS OF A RABBIT 1. nose 2. forehead 3. eye 4. ear 5. dewlap 6. breast 7. neck 8. shoulder 9. belly 10. saddle 11. loin 12. rump 13. tail 14. thigh 15. foreleg 16. hock 17. toes 18. foot 19. body 20. flank 91

92 BREEDS OF RABBITS ~Unscramble to words~ XRE GAARON NCALAIIROFN ELFSIHM ANTIG TISAN WNE DALZEAN GLHSNEI PLO THNADLRENE WFARD UCHTD RVLISE NTAMRI ANSWERS: Rex French angora Californian Giant Fllemish Satin New Zealand English Lop Netherland Dwarf Dutch Silver Martin 92

93 QUESTIONS ON BREEDS 1. What breed of rabbit has long floppy ears 2. What is a pedigree? 3. When does the Rabbit Animal Identification form have to be into the Provincial 4-H Office? 4. The smallest breeds of rabbits are called 5. The Dutch Breed fits into which breed size dwarf, small, medium, meat or giants? 6. Rabbits in the Giant breeds can weigh up to 25 pounds True or False? 7. How many distinct and different fur structures are there in rabbits? Name them. 8. What are the two categories that breeds or rabbit may be divided into? 9. Is the New Zealand breed a commercial or a fancy breed? 10. Is the Silver Martin breed a commercial or a fancy breed? 11. What classes would a member show in at 4-H exhibitions if they had a rabbit that was a cross between two or more breeds? 12. Which breed of rabbit has a fluffy, snowball like body? ANSWERS: 1. Lop 2. A record giving the date or birth and three generations of ancestors. 3. May Dwarf 5. small 6. True 7. Four...angora, satin, rex and multi-color fur 8. Commercial and fancy 9. Commercial 10. Fancy 11. Pet 12. Angora 93

94 GENETICS ~ Work through the following ~ If a blue-eyed woman marries a brown-eyed man and they have four children, what is the probability of the children s eye color? B = brown eyes (dominant) b = blue eyes (recessive) b B Bb B (man) Bb b Bb Bb woman If their brown-eyed children (Bb), who carry the recessive gene, marry people who also carry the recessive gene, what is the probability of a blue-eyed child from their marriages? What would happen in the next generation if their blue-eyed child marries another blue-eyed person? B B BB Bb Bb b Bb bb woman 94

95 QUESTIONS ON FEEDING 1. Which of the feeds listed below fall under: Carbohydrates Fats Proteins Choose your answers from this list: legume hays, wheat, milk, flax seed, molasses, soybean seed, pasture grasses, oats, corn. 2. Which one of the above could fit into all three groups? 3. Which vitamin is known as the Sunshine Vitamin? 4. What one item must be kept in front of rabbits at all times? 5. The one prepared ration that can supply almost all a rabbit s needs is.? 6. A good diet for a rabbit would be? 7. What are some treats a person might feed a rabbit sparingly? 8. Would a rabbit be fed properly if it was supplies: a) pellets, water and hay each day yes or no b) carrots, grass, oats and water each day yes or no 9. What weed is toxic to rabbits? 10. Why do animals required food? ANSWERS: 1. Carbohydrates - oats, wheat, corn, molasses Fats - soybean, oats, wheat, flax seed Proteins - legume hays, milk, wheat, oats and pasture grasses 2. Oats 3. Vitamin D 4. Water 5. Complete pellet 6. Complete pellets, handful of hay, water 7. carrots, bread, grass, lettuce, piece of apple 8. a yes b no 9. goldenrod 10. feed builds and maintains the body s resistance to viruses and diseases, gives heat and energy t o the body, provides essentials for building various body tissues and supplies material for bone building 95

96 RABBIT CROSSWORD PUZZLE DOWN 1. Clover is rich in 2. A kind of roughage feed 3. Comparing one rabbit to another is called 4. A race of rabbits with the same characteristics is called a 5. The side of a rabbit between the ribs and hips, above the belly is called 6. A female rabbit is called a ACROSS 1. A rabbit required in its dish at all times. 2. One name used to describe a rabbit s home 3. Another word for once a yea 4. A male rabbit is called 5. The coat of the rabbit is called 6. One form of identification is called a 7. A word to describe rough or coarse food with fibre Words to use: fur, water, hutch, protein, breed, buck, roughage, doe, tattoo, flank, hay, annual, judging. 96

97 FEED TRIVIA 1. What one nutrient makes up more than 2/3 of our body material? 2. What is the name given to animals that only eat vegetation? 3. What is the name given to animals that eat only meat? 4. What nutrient is mainly responsible for cell growth in animals? 5. Animals require food for what three purposes? 6. What does the term nutrient apply to? 7. What four minerals are important to livestock development? 8. What does a proper diet help the body do? 9. What are some good sources of carbohydrates? 10. What three main groups can feeds be divided into? 11. Can rabbits be over fed? 12. To be healthy rabbits need what three things? ANSWERS: 1. Water 2. Herbivores 3. Carnivores 4. Protein 5. To give heat and energy to the body; to provide essentials for building various body tissues; to supply materials for bone building 6. The term nutrient is applied to any chemical compound (natural or man-made) or a group of compounds of the same general chemical compositions that aids in the support of animal life. 7. Sodium, chlorine, calcium, phosphorus 8. Helps the body fight viruses and diseases 9. Oats, barley, wheat, corn and molasses 10. Concentrates, dry roughages, and succulent feeds 11. Yes 12. Water, pellets and hay 97

98 QUESTIONS ON HOUSING FOR RABBITS True or False T F Rabbit housing is also very elaborate and very expensive. T F A rabbit s cage should be 4-5 times the size of the full grown rabbit when he is stretched out. T F A rabbit can get sore feet from his cage floor. T F Rabbits do not require exercise. T F Rabbits will not chew wood. T F House plants are good for rabbits. T F You only need to clean a rabbit s cage once a month. T F Outside hutches are usually built on the ground. T F Outside hutches do not require ventilation. T F Outdoor rabbits can also be litter trained. T F Certain types of kitty litter may be used as litter box lining for rabbits. T F Rabbits like to mark the area around their cages. ANSWERS: F T T F F F F F F T T T 98

99 RABBIT S HEALTH WHAT S WRONG WITH ME? 1. I have been scratching at my ears for a few days. I have brown, crumbly discharge in my ears. I don t feel very happy. What s wrong with me? 3. My back feet are sore. I don t feel like walking around my cage. What could be wrong with me? 2. I am a nursing doe. I have a fever and don t feel like eating. What could be wrong? 4. I have been sneezing all day. My front feet are all wet. I just moved to this place a couple of days ago. What could be wrong with me? 5. My head is bent to one side. I can t seem to walk right and keep falling over to one side. What could be wrong? 6. I have a good appetite but I keep losing weight and have a pot belly. What might be wrong? 7. I am a young rabbit living in a nest box. I have red, swollen irritated eyes. What is my problem? 8. I have had digestive problems all day. My owner just changed us over to a new feed two days ago. I m not the only one feeling sick? What could be wrong? ANSWERS: 1. ear mites 2. mastitis 3. sore hocks 4. snuffles 5. wry neck 6. coccidiosis 7. weepy eyes 8. enteritis 99