Pedigree For One's Rabbit example essay topic

Rabbits are one of the oldest known animals to exist. Rabbits appear in so many places in our history. In fact, these animals are so old that geologists have proved them to date back 30 or 40 million years. Perhaps, the most well known on appearance in history is the legend of the Easter Bunny. This legend is so well known and so well loved by children everywhere, that it is safe to say that the rabbit is a considerably important part of our history.

This fact alone proves that the rabbit deserves our attention. The rabbit is well known throughout the history of mankind. The Romans, at one time, thought that rabbit meat contributed to the beauty of Roman women. Fortunately they were correct. French monks of the middle ages also raised rabbits as meat for food and their fur for their robes.

Both of these cultures enjoyed eating the unborn rabbit. Early Norman raiders introduced rabbits to England. Here, they were first caught with rabbits, and then, as rabbit hunting became a sport, they were hunted by ladies with bows and arrows and dogs. There are also many artifacts in history that include the rabbit.

For example, a sphinx in Turkey, built in 1500 B.C., has been standing on the figures of two rabbits for about 3500 years. There are numerous superstitions and legends pertaining to rabbits. The Emperor of the Balearic Islands, Had arian, appears on coins of that era along with the rabbit. There is no doubt that rabbits are important to our history and deserve our attention.

It is hard to say where the rabbit was originally domesticated because there are so many accounts of this occurrence in so many countries, but it is generally accepted that the Phoenicians (traders from Spain) must receive credit for spreading the domestic rabbit throughout the world. There has also been much debate as to what order the rabbit should belong to. It seems that rabbits have cause much confusion for mankind throughout history. Rabbits were once placed in the order of Rodentia. However, scientists soon noted that rabbits had many anatomical differences from rodents. The largest and most significant one being tooth structure.

Rabbits were then given their own order. This is the order of Lagomorph a. This order is further divided into two smaller groups. They are Leporidae, which is made up of rabbits and hares, and Ochotonidae, containing only the small rock rabbit, the pika. the Leporidae is divided even further into three more groups: Lepus, this includes hares, Sylvilagus, the American cottontail, and Oryctolagus. Rabbits are mammals with long ears and short tails. They are often characterized by their helpless offspring.

(They are helpless because they are born without hair and with closed eyes.) Rabbits are also considered social animals because they generally live in large colonies in underground burrows. (The only exception to this is the North American Cottontail.) They have a life span of approximately ten years and feed on herbs, tree bark and vegetables. Wild rabbits prefer to live where there is an abundance of loose soil and brush to offer them shelter. Domesticated rabbits are rather different from wild rabbits though. The domestic rabbit is a direct descendent of the wild European rabbit, but is an entirely different species from the cottontails. There are at least 66 known varieties of this species.

Of these 66 varieties approximately 50 of them are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). They vary in color, coat, size, and style of ears. After knowing a brief history on rabbits, the next thing to consider is the proper housing and care of a rabbit. There are some basic requirements that must be met for housing a rabbit, regardless of where a person lives. The housing must be comfortable, yet it must confine them. It must protect them from the weather, but not be too expensive to the owner.

Also, the housing should always provide easy access for the owner and be easily cleaned. If the owner does not meet these requirements, it is certain that he will not succeed. To make sure that the cage is comfortable for the rabbit, several things must be kept in mind. The first is the size. A rule of thumb by rabbit breeders is to allow 3/4 square foot of floor area for each pound of mature weight.

The second thing to remember is to make sure that the pen will not injure the rabbit. There should not be any sharp edges, or rough floors. If there are, they should be removed or sanded. The final thing to keep in mind is that the housing must allow plenty of fresh air and ventilation. The rabbits should get direct sunlight, and the level of ammonia should be kept as low as possible. (Ammonia becomes a problem because rabbits urine contains a compound called urea.

This reacts to water, forming ammonia gas.) These factors must always be kept in mind. There are several types of housing for rabbits. The first factor that one must decide is whether or not he wants to house his rabbits inside or outside. Outdoor housing is generally less expensive, and it provides better ventilation for the rabbits.

However, there is little protection from weather and predators in outdoor housing. Housing the rabbits outside also provides difficulty in regulating the amount of light that the rabbits will receive. While indoor housing solves all of the above mentioned problems along with better efficiency, it also is much more costly, and it is difficult to control the temperature and the humidity of the rabbitry. The second factor that one must consider, is the type of pens to use.

Wire cages are the most popular kind to use for indoor housing. Wire cages are easy to clean and are very durable. Droppings and urine fall through the floor into a dropping pan that can simply be dumped out every week. Also, the feeders do not steal any of the cage space from the rabbit. The downfall though, of course, is the cost. Wire cages are usually very expensive.

The most popular kind of housing for outdoor use is the wooden and wire combination hutch. These hutches generally have wire floors and / or wire sides. The downfall of using wood though, is that rabbits tend to gnaw on it. The manager should make sure that the rabbits cannot chew on the wood, and pressure treat it as well.

This will protect the hutch from weather and decay. Wood also absorbs urine, which will be difficult to clean out, and will create a foul odor. The daily care of a rabbit may seem very long at first and tedious, but it is not difficult. The manager must always check the water dish and the food dish to be certain that the rabbit has enough of both. Also, the first signs of failing health is the refusal to drink or eat. The manager must also check the droppings from the rabbits.

He may find that the rabbits have diarrhea, which is the cause of death for many rabbits, especially young ones. Checking it's eyes, ears, nose, teeth, feet, coat, and general demeanor are important. Only the individual manager knows what is the normal behavior for his rabbit. The owner must also be sure to keep the nails trimmed short and manageable. These responsibilities may appear to be a very long and annoying task at first, but they son become routine, and quick. They also will prove to be very important for anyone who breeds any kind of animal.

(Show Bunny 1-3) The next thing one must do is choose his rabbits. Choosing the right rabbit can be a difficult task. There are numerous accepted breeds, and all are adorable. However, the buyer must always remember to select a rabbit better suited for himself. He must take into consideration the climate of his area and the laws in the ordinance in which he lives. The first decision to be made is for what purpose is the person choosing to breed rabbits.

There are five basic fields for which rabbits are bred. They are meat and fur production, wool production, laboratory purposes, pets, and exhibition. The next step is choosing the size of rabbit the person wishes to raise. The five sizes are dwarf, small, medium, large, and giant. (ARBA, 2) Once the buyer has decided upon these two factor, he has eliminated many breeds. The final step is in choosing your breeding stock.

It is recommended that you purchase a minimum of four rabbits (a couple of junior bucks, a junior doe, and a bred senior doe). (Bennett, 32) With this method, the new owner is sure to get off to a good start. now it's time to breed the new rabbits. Breeding rabbits is not a difficult task by far, but there are several things to keep in mind. The first thing to keep in mind is the age of the rabbits. For smaller breeds, both does and bucks must be at least 5 months, the medium breeds should be 6 months, and the giant breeds must be at least 8 months old. (Bennett, 69) When the manager decides that his rabbits are old enough to be bred, he should always remember that the doe must be brought to the buck.

This must be done so that the scent of the buck is not present in the doe's cage when she kindles her young. If the buck's scent is present, she may kill all of her young. This would be a disastrous end to the first attempt of a breeding. Once the pair have been placed together, and the owner is sure that the doe is bred, he must palpate her.

Palpating a doe is simply the procedure of squeezing and pinching the area of the uterus, searching for babies. The manager will be able to tell if the doe is pregnant by feeling for small lumps that feel like marbles. (Bennett, 69-74) These lumps will also move. Palpation should be done during the third week of pregnancy to ensure that the manager will be able to feel the offspring inside of her. A doe is pregnant for 28 to 34 days.

During this time, she should be given as much food as she desires. The owner should make sure that her water bottle is full at all times. Also fresh greens are very good for her right now. They provide many nutrients, and a healthful snack for her. Approximately 3 1/2 weeks before the doe is due, a nest box should be placed inside with her.

The nest box is simply a metal or wooden rectangular box with straw placed in it. This is where the doe will have her bunnies. The nest box should be checked to make sure that the doe is pulling her fur out of her and placing it in the nest box to make her nest. If she is not doing so, it is a good idea to remove some hair from her chest and stomach for her.

This will not hurt the rabbit, because her fur has become loosened and is ready to be removed. The fur serves as protection and provides warmth for the helpless offspring. After kindling (the birth of the offspring) the doe may be re-bred after about 4-6 weeks. It is easier for the doe to conceive while her young are still hopping around inside her pen. (Bennett, 74-78) There is no set date for which the offspring must be weaned.

They may be weaned as early as 6 weeks, or as late as 8 weeks. Either way, they may not be legally sold until they are 8 weeks of age. However, it is a good idea to wean the offspring one at a time, so as not to dry up the doe's milk all at once. (Bennett, 78) The owner must be sure to keep all greens away from the young until they are approximately 3-4 months of age. This is because the young are so susceptible to diarrhea. If the offspring catch this sickness, it generally ends in death.

If the new manager wants to be successful with his rabbitry, he will be sure to pedigree all of his rabbits. A pedigree is a written history of a rabbit. It goes back three generations into the rabbit's lineage. Only purebred rabbits may be pedigreed. (Bennett, 24) It the rabbit is a cross between two or more breeds, the pedigree is useless and means nothing. Having a pedigree for one's rabbit, also raises the value of it.

It shows that the manager is serious about his breeding, and that he has kept accurate records. The manager may also want to have his rabbits registered. One must be sure not to confuse the term pedigreed with the term registered. They are two entirely different things. However, a rabbit must be pedigreed in order to be registered.

In order for a manger to have his rabbit registered, he must contact a licensed ARBA register. The register must determine whether the rabbit meets the minimum standards for that breed or not. If the register believes that rabbit meets the minimum requirements, he will fill out a form, stating the registration of the rabbit. Whether he decides that the rabbit meets those standards, or not, a $3 fee must be paid; $2 goes to the register, and $1 goes to ARBA. Selling the offspring is the final step in breeding rabbits. One may wish to advertise through newspapers and bulletin boards.

Another way to advertise is to contact a local feed store and request permission to bring in his rabbits. The individual could hold a drawing to win a bag of feed for the customers. (This would draw more attention to the event.) He could also provide information on rabbits, and information on breeding them. Most store owners will allow this because it brings them more business. (Bennett, 101) Rabbits can also be sold privately to family and friends. Another place that one could sell a rabbit is an animal auction.

The unfortunate thing about that is one cannot set his own price on the offspring. Price is definitely something to consider. After raising a litter and spending money on the feed and general care of a rabbitry, one wants to benefit from his hard work. There is of course, no set price by which a rabbit must be sold. However, the prices should be set according to the demand for the particular breed and color, and the availability of it. Raising and breeding rabbits can be quite a challenge.

It is definitely a great responsibility for one to take upon himself. However, it is an enjoyable thing to open the pen of one's rabbit, and see little bunnies balled up in the straw. There are many joys and responsibilities that go along with breeding rabbits, but for those who choose to do this, the joys, by far, out number the responsibilities and the annoyances.

Bibliography

Daily Rabbit Care". Show Bunny. 8 Nov 1999, "Rabbits and Hares".
Encarta. 12 Jan 2000, Bennet, Bob.
Raising Rabbits the Modern Way. Pow nal, Vermont: STOREY BOOKS, 1975.
Domestic Rabbit Guide Reynolds, Oren. Official Guidebook to Raising Better Rabbits and Cavies. Henry, Illinois: M&D Printing Co., 1996.