Animal-World’s Featured Pet of the Week: The Dwarf Hotot Rabbit!

Animal-World’s Featured Pet for this week is: The Dwarf Hotot Rabbit!

Here is an adorable, small, and playful bunny rabbit! A little late for Easter, but these Dwarf Hotot Rabbits actually make fantastic pets! They are not quite as common as some other pet rabbits, but they are oh-so-cute! I am not sure if we ever kept any of these rabbits at our pet store, but they were available for special order and I’ve definitely run into them at rabbit shows. Many people like them to show them! Being petite and a beautiful pure white color with black bands around their eyes, they really stand out. Their name is pronounced Dwarf “Oh-Toe” Rabbit and are also known as Eyes of the Fancy.

Many people think Dwarf Hotot Rabbits make good pets because they are so playful. In fact they enjoy playing with both people and toys! They usually are quite affectionate with their owners if held regularly and are easy to hold. Because of this they are one of the better pet rabbits for children. They are a dwarf breed and so do not get as large as a regular full-sized rabbit. They only reach 2 to 3.5 pounds and can live in a smaller enclosure than a 10 to 15 pound rabbit could. They can live to be around 7 to 10 years old.

Dwarf Hotot Rabbits do not have a straightforward background history. It is often assumed that they are just a “mini” version of the regular sized Hotot Rabbit. This is not the case, however. While they do have the larger Hotot Rabbit in their genes, it took quite a bit of cross-breeding before the Dwarf Hotot Rabbit was declared. Baroness Bernard of France developed the very first Hotot Rabbit near the beginning of the 20th century. After this breeders in both West and East Germany were cross-breeding the Hotot Rabbit with several different breeds of rabbits. These included the Netherland Dwarf Rabbit and the Blanc De Hotot Rabbit. After these efforts were continued for some time the Germany breeders came together to try a combined effort in the 1970′s. The dwarf size first appeared when they crossed black Netherland Dwarfs with albino red-eyed rabbits. The German breeders crossed the two separate breeds they had come up with, and this is where our current Dwarf Hotot Rabbit originated from! Very interesting.

The American Dwarf Hotot Rabbit Club (ADHRC) was established in the United States in 1981. This was after Elizabeth Forstinger brought 7 rabbits from Germany to California to show them. The Dwarf Hotot Rabbit was officially recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in 1983. And ever since then, they have been a popular show rabbit in the United States! Some things to note when showing these rabbits. A show specimen cannot be over 3 pounds in weight and they should appear to have no neck. They also cannot have black anywhere on their bodies (including their ears) except around their eyes. Other color varieties are recognized, such as chocolate and black, they just cannot be shown.

The care and maintenance of Dwarf Hotot Rabbits is typical of most other pet rabbits. As I mentioned above, they don’t need a large enclosure. A 2X2 foot cage would be sufficient. Especially if you let them out of their cage regularly! They also love to play so make sure to provide them with a couple toys. Feed these rabbits the same fare you would feed regular rabbits. They do well on a diet of commercial rabbit pellets with some fresh vegetables thrown in on occasion. Treats would also be welcomed on occasion. Dwarf Hotot Rabbits do need to be groomed. Ideally this should be done weekly to prevent them from accidentally ingesting too much fur. Intestinal blockages are a common problem in this breed if excess hair is not removed often.

Other than intestinal blockages, another health problem these rabbits run into is called malocclusion. This is when their lower teeth are directly below their front teeth, instead of behind them. This can cause them to have trouble eating or to accidentally snag their teeth on something, making them lose them. The remedy is having a veterinarian trim their teeth as they grow every 6 to 8 weeks. This is a simple solution, but it does take commitment to making sure it is done regularly.

Dwarf Hotot Rabbits are great little bunnies, for both showing and as pets! Breeders are usually easy to find online and prices range from $15 to $75 depending on whether you want a show animal or just a pet. I hope you enjoyed reading about these adorable rabbits!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

Animal-World’s Featured Pet of the Week: The African Pygmy Hedgehog!

Animal-World’s Featured Pet for this week is: The African Pygmy Hedgehog!

I decided to talk about a pet that is a little more on the exotic side this week. The African Pygmy Hedgehog! Many people who have owned these little critters will give you glowing recommendations of how great they are to keep as pets! While we did not carry Hedgehogs in the pet store I worked at, I did have a friend who owned one. I was able to regularly see and interact with her hedgehog named Dizzy! Dizzy was almost always asleep when I came to visit. This is because Hedgehogs are nocturnal. Sometimes my friend would wake Dizzy up just so I could hold her, and she would act very sleepy until she was allowed to go back and rest!

The African Pygmy Hedgehog Atelerix albiventris, is a small animal that can fit easily inside of an adults palm. They don’t make much noise or cause much odor. As long as you hold them regularly they will be unafraid and friendly towards you. They are a good pet for adults and children who are responsible. If you are a very busy person, a Hedgehog can be a great pet because they don’t need much attention. You can work or be out all day and not worry about them being lonely. They are solitary creatures in their natural habitats and only become active at night. They don’t need a huge environment or a lot of room to roam in, which makes them appeal to apartment dwellers as well.

African Pygmy Hedgehogs are part of the Erinaceidae family, which is the oldest living insectivore family. Yes, Hedgehogs are insectivores, not rodents. However they do not only eat insects. They will also eat many fruits, vegetables and sometimes even frogs or snakes or bird eggs. Their natural habitats are located in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Their preferred environments are fields, woods, hedgerows and gardens or farms. Although they are not native to North America, they were imported regularly until 1990, when importation of Hedgehogs was banned. Because of this ban, people came together to form the North American Hedgehog Association (NAHA). This organization was dedicated to the continued breeding and keeping healthy of Hedgehogs in North America.

Housing your African Pygmy Hedgehog is simple. They can be provided with a relatively small enclosure (with no wire bottoms) about the size of a rabbit cage. They love to have a regular place to sleep and “hide” so a sleeping hut or other cave type hiding place is a must! They will not feel at home or feel very comfortable without one! Provide bedding on the floor of the enclosure. Many Hedgehogs can be litter-box trained, so you may want to provide a litter box as well. Change out the bedding and thoroughly clean out the cage at least once a week to keep your Hedgehog’s home healthy. If you would like to keep more than one Hedgehog, it is best to keep two females in a large cage and to give them separate sleeping huts. Two males are much more likely to fight. Remember that in the wild Hedgehogs are solitary animals!

The care and feeding of domesticated African Pygmy Hedgehogs is also fairly simple. As a base, it is best to offer them a commercially prepared Hedgehog food, to ensure they are getting proper nutrition. In addition to this you can offer them small amounts of fresh vegetables, fruits, and insects such as crickets and mealworms. They need fresh water daily too, and the best way you can provide this is with a water bottle.

The African Pygmy Hedghog is available almost everywhere in the United Sates. Some places require you to have a permit to own them, and they are illegal in California and Arizona.

Here is some additional information on Breeding Hedgehogs and on Common Hedgehog Health Problems. If you have more specific questions or concerns regarding these topics, these are good places to start.

Has anyone reading this owned an African Pygmy Hedgehog or had experience with them before? If so what do you think about them? Would you recommend them as a pet?

Thanks for reading!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

Animal-World’s Featured Animal of the Week: The Groundhog

Animal-World’s Featured Animal for this week is:
The Groundhog!

Photo Wiki Commons
Courtesy Reinhard Kraasch
Licensed under Creative Commons ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

In commemoration of Groundhog Day I figured that the Groundhog is the perfect animal to talk about this week! Although Groundhogs are not considered a normal pet, they are very well-known little animals. Groundhog Day falls on February 2nd every year and is traditionally a forecast of when spring will arrive. Groundhogs will hibernate throughout the winter and then pop up on Groundhog Day. The theory goes that if the groundhog sees its shadow then there will be 6 weeks of winter left. If it cannot see its shadow, then spring is just about to start! Of course, it doesn’t always work out this perfectly, but it is a somewhat helpful tradition!

The Groundhog Marmota monax is native to North America and can be found over most of the United States. Some people know them as Woodchucks and they are actually rodents! These are one of 14 species of marmots and marmots belong to the Squirrel family. Groundhogs are the biggest members. Their average weight varies anywhere from 4 to 9 pounds and in some regions they can even reach upwards of 30 pounds! In length they are in the general range of 16 to 26 inches. The fur of a Groundhog has two layers. One dense and short undercoat, and one longer and thinner overcoat which consists of banded guard hairs.

They tend to stuff themselves full of food all through the summer time. This way they will have enough fat built up in their body to keep them going through winter. They reach their heaviest mass around the end of summer. By October they are becoming lethargic and looking for a place to burrow down for the winter. They then spend all winter hibernating and asleep in their underground dens. While sleeping their heart rate slows way down, allowing their body temperature to drop. Their temperature can actually get down to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s pretty low! This keeps them from needing as much energy. When they wake up in February Groundhogs have often lost about half of their body weight.

Groundhogs usually live in grassland areas near woods and rivers. This suits their diet well because they have access to a large variety of plants, grasses, and fruits. They also get their water from eating luscious plants. Farms are a favorite place of theirs as well because this helps ensure they have food! Which of course can be quite a dilemma for farmers, who depend on these crops. During their non-hibernation time Groundhogs are very active little critters! Believe it or not, they can climb trees and swim through water! Every Groundhog digs out a burrow with their powerful arms and thick claws. Often more than one groundhog can be seen living together and they will build very large burrows. These burrows will have several entrances to allow quick escape from predators.

Groundhogs can live around 6 years in the wild but in captive environments have been noted to live as long as 14 years. Most Groundhogs can begin breeding in their second year of life. In March or April, after they’ve awoken from hibernation, a pair of Groundhogs will mate and then stay in a burrow together. Mother Groundhogs produce litters of around two to six young after 31 or 32 days of gestation. It takes a couple months for the young to open their eyes, grow fur, wean, and begin searching for their own areas to burrow. During this time the babies mimic their mothers behavior to learn how to fend for themselves. Many young are preyed on by snakes. Older Groundhogs have to look out for other predators as well, such as foxes, hawks and bears.

Groundhogs are not usually kept as pets. However many zoos and other wildlife habitats do keep them for the general public to come and see. And of course many farmers are familiar with them as well. Farmers consider them pests and deal with them as such. Groundhogs are also hunted for sport in many places. This helps somewhat in keeping their numbers in check.

If you think the Groundhog is cute and would like to keep a similar animal as a pet, check out all these different types of Small Animals! I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit more about the Groundhog!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

Sources Used

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/groundhog/

http://www.news.cornell.edu/chronicle/96/2.1.96/facts.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog

Animal-World’s Featured Pet of the Week: The Netherland Dwarf Rabbit!

Animal-World’s Featured Pet for this week is: The Netherland Dwarf Rabbit!

The Netherland Dwarf Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus is one of the most popular show rabbits. Many people who love rabbits breed and buy these guys simply for the love of showing them. At our pet store, we almost always had one or two baby Netherland Dwarfs available and they always went out the door quickly. I, of course, loved them! Rabbits are one of my favorite pets and I never passed up a chance to hold one of these little guys!

The first thing about these rabbits that pops out to many people is the dwarf part. These are very small rabbits! Even at full-grown size they only reach 2 or 2.5 pounds. This is part of their initial appeal for many people. They are cute as babies and they stay super cute as adults, as well! In general the Netherland Dwarf Rabbit is a friendly rabbit and easy to tame. One of the downsides is that they can get rather testy once they reach breeding age. So unless you plan to breed, it is a good idea to have your rabbit spayed or neutered to avoid negative behaviors. You can do this anytime after 4 months of age.

The Netherland Dwarf Rabbits are believed to have been bred form the British Polish Rabbit breeds. They were developed in Europe, mostly likely being first recognized in Holland. This is where the Netherland part of their name comes from. In Europe the Netherland Dwarfs are also called European Poles. In 1969 the United States decided to recognize them as a breed and they are now shown all over the states.

These rabbits look very similar to the the Polish Dwarf Rabbits. However, they are smaller than them. They are the smallest known rabbits! They have short and dense fur with short ears which stand straight up. As I said before they only reach 2 to 2.5 pounds and are popular show rabbits as well as pets. There are also 36 different color variations of the Netherland Dwarf Rabbit! Only 24 of these are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association, however. Just to give you an idea, these colors include blue, chocolate, silver marten, lynx, opal, black, otter, fawn, tan, steel, lilac, and white. The white rabbits can have either red eyes or blue eyes!

To care for a Netherland Dwarf just follow the recommended Standard of Care. They require pretty much the same attention and care as most other rabbits. Keep them in a rabbit-friendly environment, which can be an indoor enclosure or an outdoor hutch. If outdoors, make sure it does not get too cold or too hot and that you provide protection from the elements. If indoors, make sure they have a large enough cage to get some exercise or that you let them out on a regular basis to roam. Clean their cage out once or twice a week and provide them with fresh water and food.

Rabbits need three main things in their diets: grass hays, cecotropes, and green foods. Purchasing a commercial pellet food can work fine in providing them with their grass hays. Cecotropes are actually their droppings! Their bodies produce a certain type of dropping which contains microorganisms to help break down their food. So you do not have to provide them with that part of their diet, they do it all by themselves! Green foods should be offered regularly and can include kale, cabbage, romaine lettuce, broccoli, mustard greens, and many others. You may also provide them with occasional supplements or treats, but these should be on a limited basis.

Are you looking for a show rabbit? If so, the Netherland Dwarf Rabbit may be a perfect choice!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

Do Rats Make Good Pets?

When it comes to classroom pets or even pets for small kids, we think of gerbils, hamsters and sometimes guinea pigs. What about rats? Do they make good pets?

The last rat you may have seen could have been in a tray in your biology class stuck down with pins. But, rats are more complicated and fascinating than you may first think. You might even consider them as your new family pet.

The past has given them a bad image in people’s eyes. There was that thing in the Middle Ages and the bubonic plague but that can’t all be blamed on rodentia. Here are a few interesting facts you might want to know about rats.

Rat Facts both Interesting and True

1. Rats are clean animals – This might be refuted by their perceived history with humans, but actually they are very clean. Much like cats, they groom themselves. In their habitat, they are careful to keep their nest away from the place where they “use the facilities.” If you own a pet rat, it will make for easier cleanup if you provide a separate area for the facilities.

2. Rats are smart – This is one reason that they make good research models. Pet rats can be taught tricks like running though mazes and how to jump.

3. Rats love affection – If you own a pet rat, they will always want to cuddle and be around you. Because of their intelligence, they are interested in everything. A rat would love to sit on your shoulder and watch you cook or even read a book. They will be your constant companion.

4. Rats can swim – Ever heard of following rats on a sinking ship? They will find the way out. What they don’t tell you is that they can swim farther than you can.

5. They can survive without water – This doesn’t last indefinitely but they can survive for long periods of time without drinking water if none is available.

6. Rats like company – They enjoy being with their owners, but are more social with another rat. Try to always have at least two pet rats (of the same sex). They would love more but you might not.

7. Rats don’t live long – Even at their best, their life expectancy is only a couple of years. During those years, you can experience a lot of fun from your pet.

Rats are better pets than their other rodent counterparts because they are clean and even tempered. They require a lot of attention but give back that love in return. If you are considering a pet for your home for young children, think about a rat. Just don’t own any cats at the same time.

Read Animal-World’s Guide to Pet Rats to learn even more about them!

Animal-World’s Featured Pet of the Week: The Hamster!

Animal-World’s Featured Pet for this week is: The Hamster!

So, did you have a hamster growing up? Or maybe your best friend had a hamster? Most people have had some experience with hamsters, and those experiences often leave lasting impressions! Guess what: I had hamsters growing up, too! They were one of many small animal types I kept. I really liked the typical “Teddy Bear” hamsters. But I also kept Dwarf hamsters and Angora hamsters. I handled them all and bred them all. I loved all the hamsters!

Hamsters are a common first pet for youngsters. They provide an excellent learning experience in teaching responsibility. Children learn to care for and love another being. Especially if gotten while young, hamsters can be handled often and become very friendly and affectionate towards their owners. These rodents are also small, don’t take up much room, are inexpensive, easy to care for, and only live to be around 3 years old. They are clean animals with little odor. They come in a variety of types, colors, and sizes.

Hamsters have been kept as pets since the 1930′s! They were discovered to be easily tameable and affectionate and quickly became popular pets. Their name means “to hoard” and is derived from the German word “hamstern.” And believe me, hamsters know how to hoard! They have large pouches in their cheeks which allow them to store and move around large quantities of food and nesting materials. In fact after you’ve had your hamster for a while you will probably know where is favorite “hoarding” spot is!

Caring for and maintaining a healthy and engaging environment for hamsters is generally very easy. They don’t need a huge enclosure, but large enough that they can run around in. Metal cages and aquariums make good homes for them. Be careful of using wood and plastic enclosures, because hamsters are great at chewing and escaping! There are many metal cages available that also have custom expansion parts you can use to change things up. Hamsters love these! Keep some purchased bedding (such as aspen wood shavings) on the bottom of the cage and clean it out once or twice a week.

Provide fresh water (a water bottle works well) and fresh food every day. Hamster food mixes purchased at a pet store or online are the best bet for providing your pet with optimal nutrition. You can give fresh fruits and vegetables once or twice a week as a treat. Also, provide them with chew sticks for their constantly growing teeth! Hamsters enjoy exercise. They are nocturnal and usually do most of their activities at night. One of the best toys you can give them is an exercise wheel. A hamster ball is also lots of fun if you want to watch them roll around the house!

Hamsters are mostly solitary creatures. So plan on only putting one in a cage unless you plan to breed them. Sometimes they will do alright together if they grow up together, but that is not always the case. And never introduce two adult hamsters into the same enclosure unless you want a fight on your hands! A hamsters best friend in captivity is usually: you! If you begin handling them while young, you can have a loving and fun to handle little critter.

Hamsters are available almost everywhere and are inexpensive. As long as you keep their cage clean, give them fresh food and water, give them play time and social time, they will most likely have very few problems!

Read more on Animal-World’s Hamster page!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

Animal-World’s Featured Pet of the Week: The Pet Mouse!

Animal-World’s Featured Pet for this week is: The Pet Mouse!

The Pet Mouse. Ahhh. I cannot say enough good things about mice. I love them and could write a book based on my experiences alone! The first thing that comes to mind is, “This is what started it all!” Because, really, the mouse is the rodent that marks the beginning of my complete fascination with animals. I got my first pet mouse when I was in 4th grade. I remember begging my parents to let me have one. They reluctantly said yes. Then one mouse turned into getting two mice so that the first one would not be lonely! And from there, two mice turned into a litter, and then a second litter, and then into a whole roomful of many small pets. I have fond memories with my pet mice from my childhood. As a matter of fact, the mouse pictured here is one of my mice that I had in high school! Her name was Dora.

Mice are great pets. They are great for young children as a first pet and great for older people who just want to have a small, easy to care for, companion. Mice are inexpensive and clean. They do not need a lot of room or a ton of attention. They are clean and don’t usually have much of an odor to them. They only live for 1-3 years and so do not require a life time commitment. They can become quite tame and handle-able if you wish.

Some background on mice. There are several different mouse types. These include house mice, field mice, harvest mice, and pet mice or fancy mice. They all have their own scientific names, with the Pet Mouse being Mus musculus domesticus. It is believed that house mice originally came from parts of Asia and from there began to spread throughout the world. Mice are very adaptable, making their spread easy and natural. In the 1800′s people began using the term “fancy mice” because of the rising popularity of exchanging colored mouse fur. The National Mouse Club was founded in England around 1900 by Walter Maxey. Over the years mice have been used for several purposes. They have been used for everything from religious rituals to being test subjects in studying disease. Today, they are even specially bred by mouse enthusiasts to come up with new coat and color combinations. Did you know that there are over 700 different color and coat varieties in mice?!

The care and feeding of mice is simple. Find or purchase a mouse cage (many different types are available) and line the bottom with wood shavings or other purchased litter preparations. You can provide them with a wheel for daily exercise and other decorations/hiding places if you wish. Change out the bedding at least once or twice a week and clean their food and water dishes out daily. The easiest way to feed your pet mouse is to simply provide them with a nutritionally balanced mouse food mix that can be found at a pet store. They will also appreciate occasional treats such as vegetables, seeds, cheese, or other prepared treats from a pet store. Provide them with sticks of wood as well, to help keep their constantly growing teeth trimmed. Mice are also very social and do well with companions. For this reason, you may want to consider having at least 2 mice in a cage to keep them from becoming lonely. Females usually do great together, but you may have to watch putting males together because they will often fight.

Mice are fairly healthy if taken care of properly. As long as they have clean and dry bedding, food and water, and are kept away from drafts, they don’t usually have too many health problems. Things to keep an eye out for include sneezing, not eating, lethargy, and diarrhea. If they have any of these or other concerning symptoms, check out this list of Mouse Ailments.

The Pet Mouse is a common and wonderful small pet. They are great first pets for children. For more information, Animal-World’s Pet Mouse page gives a thorough run-down of everything mouse related!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

Animal-World’s Featured Pet of The Week: The American Guinea Pig

Animal-World’s Featured Pet for this week is: The American Guinea Pig!

The American Guinea Pig Cavia porcellus, or just Guinea Pig, is a popular small animal pet, for both adults and children. Guinea Pigs are another one of the pets that I had several of! I bred them for a time as well as had a few strictly for pets. I loved them! They are notorious for “not biting.” Meaning they very rarely bite (although they can!), which is a desirous trait, especially for a child’s pet.

Guinea Pigs are adorable, personable, and easy-to-care-for pets. They are easy to love and handle, are hardy, and can live 8 to 10 years in captivity. Most of them get along well with each other, as well. The American Guinea Pig is the most common breed of guinea pig, however there are several different varieties. They come in many sizes, colors and hair textures. Different hair styles include the silky coat, the rosette coat, and the skinny (hairless!) coat. Check out this Guinea Pig Care and Breeds page to learn more on the different types of guinea pigs.

I will start with some background on the American Guinea Pig. First, the name “guinea pig” is somewhat of a misnomer because they are not pigs, nor are they from Guinea! They are actually rodents! The American Guinea Pig was first noted as being domesticated around 5000 BC in the Andes Mountains and is the oldest known breed of guinea pig. In the sixteenth century different varieties started appearing as people began to selectively breed them. The American Guinea Pig is a short-hair variety and was initially called the English Guinea Pig. It became The American Guinea Pig in the 1960′s by the American Cavy Breeders Association.

Now onto their care and feeding. The majority of their diet should be vegetables, grains, and fruits. Guinea pig pellets, which can be purchased at most pet stores, are a good staple diet. Their bodies do not produce Vitamin C and so this vitamin must be provided by their diet. Many people mistakenly feed their guinea pig rabbit pellets – however do not make this mistake not because rabbit pellets do not have the nutrients necessary for guinea pigs. It is still a good idea to offer dark greens (kale, romaine lettuce, etc.) in addition to the pellets to ensure they are getting enough Vitamin C. Their teeth also grow constantly which dictates it necessary for them to be provided with pieces of wood or chew sticks from pet stores. Make sure to provide them with fresh clean water on a daily basis. American Guinea Pigs do not need to be groomed much at all compared to some of the other varieties, and that helps make their care that much easier.

Housing should be taken seriously as well. They need plenty of room to move about, plenty of ventilation inside their enclosure, and it should be easy to keep clean. Try to stay away from wood enclosures because they are much harder to clean and guinea pigs love to chew on wood. Guinea Pigs should be taken out of their cages for play time and interaction several times a week. When you pick them up to handle them make sure to support their whole body with your hands and not just their shoulders. This will help avoid injury. Most can also be housed together, as they are social creatures. You will, however, want to keep an eye on males to make sure they aren’t going to fight.

Health problems with guinea pigs are minimal and are generally caused directly be improper feeding and failure to keep their enclosures clean. Most of their ailments include respiratory infections, pneumonia, diarrhea, scurvy, and parasites.

Read more about American Guinea Pigs on Animal-World’s American Guinea Pig page!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

Animal-World’s Featured Animal of the Week: The Jack Rabbit

Animal-World’s Featured Animal for this week is:
The Jack Rabbit!

Photo Wiki Commons
Courtesy user:pschemp
Licensed under Creative Commons ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

I thought that an appropriate Featured Animal of the Week would be a Jack Rabbit – in the spirit of Easter! Jack Rabbits are not typically kept as pets, however they are widespread in their natural habitats. Many people probably associate a Jack Rabbit with the famous “Tortoise and Hare” tale, where the two animals race against each other. Ultimately the tortoise wins because he is “slow and steady,” whereas the hare uses all his energy up at the beginning of the race. Jack Rabbits are hares, meaning they do not build nests like other rabbits and their babies are born with all of their fur and eyes open. This is not the case with most rabbits. I am going to focus on the Black-tailed Jack Rabbit, scientific name Lepus californicus, because this one is the most common. The Black-tailed Jack Rabbit lives in the deserts of the 4 southwestern states and Northern Mexico. They are quite adaptable and can thrive in areas inhabited by humans as well.

These Jack Rabbits usually have a salt and pepper look with colors of brown and silver and very long brown ears. There is a black stripe going down the tail. Their long ears are to help regulate their temperatures by increasing or decreasing blood flow to them. This is helpful in the desert because of the very hot days and cold nights. They have a lifespan of approximately 1-5 years in the wild (somewhat longer in captivity) and breed prolifically. They usually have four to six litters a year, averaging 2-4 young, or leverets. The mother stops nursing them after 1 month of age. These babies reach sexual maturity by about 8 to 12 months of age and can start breeding soon after this. Males can reach up to 11 pounds and females can reach up to 13 pounds at maturity. Their lengths can reach 28 inches with 5 inch tails.

They have many natural enemies who will prey on them, including coyotes, foxes, hawks, snakes, bobcats, and even human hunters. Jack Rabbits are quite fast, reaching speeds of 36 miles per hour to escape predators. They can also leap about 20 feet into the air. These are just some of the many defensive tactics to help keep themselves safe. They prefer grasslands and large empty areas so they can spot enemies before the enemies spot them. They also spend most of their days crouched down with their ears flat against their backs which helps them to blend in. They mostly are active only at night as well.

Jack Rabbits are herbivores and eat only vegetables, fruits, herbs, grasses, leaves, and shrubs. They eat some of their poop as well, which helps them retain water and get the maximum moisture from their food. In this way they don’t have to drink much water, if any, at all. It is especially helpful in the desert where there often is not much water. Jack Rabbits are considered a problem in agricultural areas because they will snack on many crops and can make huge dents in them. Fences are put up to try and keep them out, however this often does not work and poison is used instead.

Although Jack Rabbits are not kept as pets, if you would like to read more about domestic pet rabbits, check out Animal-World’s World of Pet Rabbits!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

Sources Used

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/jackrabbit.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-tailed_jackrabbit

http://www.desertusa.com/july96/du_rabbi.html

Banner Photo
Photo Wiki Commons
Courtesy Jim Harper
Licensed under Creative Commons Share Alike 2.5 Generic.

Animal-World’s Featured Pet of the Week: Polish Rabbits

Animal-World’s Featured Pet for this week is: The Polish Rabbit!

Rabbits make the perfect pet for many people. There are so many different rabbit breeds which all have their own unique characteristics! This makes it easier to choose a rabbit that suits your particular needs and wants. I personally have had several Polish Rabbits, and I enjoyed them very much! They have one of the sweetest dispositions I have come across in all of my rabbits! One of their greatest attributes is that they are one of the smallest rabbit breeds out there (along with Netherland Dwarf Rabbits). This gives them the advantage of not needing as much living space. They can be kept in smaller areas and are better for apartment dwellers. They don’t need as much play room and are easier to pick up and handle than larger rabbits.

There actually are two different types of Polish Rabbits. They are the American Polish Rabbit and the British Polish Rabbit or the Brittania Petite. The British Polish Rabbit is the smaller of these two, with weights only reaching 2 ½ pounds! The American Polish Rabbit can reach 3 ½ pounds. However these are both very small rabbits! The British Polish Rabbit can come in many colors, however in the United States, the only color recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association is white with red eyes. The American Polish Rabbit has many more recognized colors, including chocolate, black, and blue with matching colored eyes, as well as white with either red or blue eyes.

Polish Rabbits have some other intriguing attributes. They are considered to be quite smart and can learn some simple tricks! This is mostly them learning to react to certain hand signals and voice commands by working with them repetitiously. These little rabbits also have great dispositions, making them ideal pets for young children – in fact they often love being pet by them! Their small size makes it easier for children to handle as well.

A little background on the Polish Rabbits. The British Polish Rabbit was first recognized as a breed in 1884 in Hull, Yorkshire. They were so small that they were the first rabbits considered “dwarf” rabbits. The American Polish Rabbits are descended from the British Polish Rabbits but are mixed with some other breeds of rabbit – such as the Netherland Dwarf Rabbit – which has caused them to be a little bigger than the British Polish Rabbits. Also, when you think of magicians pulling rabbits out of their hats, guess which rabbits are most commonly used?! Yes – the Polish Rabbits! Their size and disposition make them the perfect candidate!

Polish Rabbits can thrive if given basic rabbit care. This includes the proper diet, housing, and interaction. A proper diet includes grass hay, green vegetables, and cecotropes (which their digestive systems produce and come out as droppings, which they then consume). I would recommend buying a good commercially prepared rabbit pellet and giving them that along with some fresh green foods (fruits and vegetables) daily. As always, make sure they have access to clean, fresh water daily. Proper housing should include a cage large enough for the rabbit to have some maneuvering room. Give them daily access to an “exercise area” which could be run of the house for a few hours or a safe area prepared for them outside. Make sure to change the bedding regularly (a couple times a week) to keep them healthy. Remember to remove any uneaten green foods each day as well.

Rabbits in general are fairly hardy animals, however you do want to make sure to keep their cages clean. Ensure a proper diet and the correct housing environments to safeguard against them becoming sick. They can get respiratory illnesses, diarrhea, teeth problems, and many other illnesses if not taken care of properly.

Again, Polish Rabbits make great small pet rabbits and if you would like to read more about them and their care, please check out Animal-World’s Polish Rabbit page! Thank you!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

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