Monthly Archives: May 2016

Blame it on the Wind

Health, Meat Rabbits, Pet Rabbits, Show Rabbits May 6, 2016 Leave a comment

Someone please tell me they are also hearing Milli Vanilli singing in their brains after reading the post title? Please?! Just in case you missed the joys of being a 90s kid, here you go, in it’s full non-rabbit related splendor:

 

 

 

That’s good stuff, that.

 

Now, about the rabbits. Do you know what? My area has a “red flag warning” issued by the National Weather Service today, regular wind gusts of 40mph-50mph are expected with isolated gusts even higher!

 

Friends, that’s strong enough that our 3 year old could be knocked off his feet.

 

Maybe it’s a sad statement, but my immediate reaction to this news was to think of the rabbits in two major areas:

  1. Protection
  2. Sneezing

 

Protection. Wind is a more threatening weather condition than cold to a rabbit. Rabbits, with their nice warm coats of fur, can be extremely happy in below freezing weather. They thrive in brisk temperatures and breeders in very extreme cold climate report great success with their rabbits. Give them a bunch of hay or a box and they can withstand almost any temperatures (assuming they also have access to non-frozen water).

 

But the wind. Oh the wind.

 

There is something about wind that can take a rabbit’s life in an afternoon. I don’t fully understand it myself but I know it is true because of the experiences of multiple friends in our town. When the rabbits don’t have a wind break they can go fast.

 

Please, give your rabbits a wind break. A wind break that won’t go flying in the gusts! Our location has strong winds all spring and we’ve actually had to put several things in place to shelter the rabbits. One is the tall fence of our yard, another is a structure to block the wind, another is using the natural vegetation to block the wind. In areas that might still get wind we also put corrugated metal sheeting.

 

The tricky part is to block the wind while not removing the potential air flow that is also necessary for your rabbit’s health! Study where your wind typically hits and adjust on that side accordingly!

 

Sneezing. If you’ve been reading this blog for long you’ll know that we have a zero tolerance attitude toward rabbits with respiratory issues. If we suspect something is off we remove them from the herd. We practice quarantine religiously. We are those types of anal retentive people.

 

That being said, we occasionally have rabbits who sneeze. Our first spring having rabbits I heard a sneeze and that rabbit went directly to the cull block … where we found not a single thing awry with it upon autopsy. The second rabbit sneezed…. and we had a repeat, second verse, same as the first.

 

When the third rabbit sneezed my spouse (who tends to be pretty reasonable) said, “The last few days have been the windiest this year so far… and we have a dirt yard… and your own eyes are almost swollen shut with allergies… and I think we need to stop bopping them on the head only to discover they’re totally healthy. Animals sneeze. That’s life… not always a pure indication of illness!”

bunny

And he is right. Completely accurate. We need to be reasonable in our animal raising. If there is crazy wind and something sneezes, it’s absolutely possible they have dust in their nose and are trying to clear the way they’ve been designed to clear dust: by sneezing it out. If a rabbit sneezes after drinking water, it’s absolutely logical that it has water up its nose and it’s using its natural defense structure against drowning correctly: by sneezing it out.

 

It’s absolutely wise to isolate a rabbit that’s sneezing and observe it. If it’s just wind then the sneezing will subside. If the rabbit is unhealthy, it will become evident within a few days. Don’t be hasty.

 

It is right to be vigilant about the health of your herd, but also remember to be reasonable. It’s an Occam’s Razor idea: “Among competing hypothesis, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected” or — in other words — don’t bop the bunny on a windy day!

 

 

 

 

 

Roundup of Rabbit Pedigree Programs

Meat Rabbits, Record Keeping, Show Rabbits May 5, 2016 1 Comment

One of the basic needs for a rabbit breeder is the ability to track rabbits genealogy over time. This is one of the first tenets of rabbit raising we picked up from Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits. KEEP ACCURATE RECORDS.

 

The problem with this, however, is how you plan to do it. If a rabbit is going to have an accurate pedigree, there are a lot of ways to store the information! This post will serve as a compilation of the rabbit pedigree programs that exist to date (as shown by internet searching. Hopefully it’s accurate, don’t shoot the messenger if something is forgotten!)

 

pedigree1

Traditional Pedigrees

The traditional way of pedigree record keeping is a handwritten pedigree. These are available from the ARBA store (https://www.arba.net/store/) and include the required three generations, complete with spaces to fill out weight, color, tattoo number, registration and grand champion numbers.

Another option is to use a pedigree template, like this one from The Nature Trail Custom Rabbit Pedigree Design. They will design a template that can be used repeatedly, each time you can type in the rabbit’s information. Pricing: $30 (as of post publication).

 

Database-based Pedigrees

Over time, smart folks have come up with the idea of creating a database pedigree program. Instead of having to write every bit of information in the pedigree, the rabbit’s information is entered into a database. Then, anytime that particular rabbit is selected in a pedigree it will automatically load and the information will populate!

As long as the original information entered is accurate, you have accurate pedigrees from that point forward, easy-peasey. The following are simply listings. We don’t have personal experience with each one of them! (We have used Kintraks for years because we have Mac computers.)

 

For Windows-based computers (PC):

Evan’s Software. Arguably the most popular pedigree software, particularly designed for those using a PC, Massechusetts-based Evan’s is reported to have excellent customer service; their webpage text exhibits a strong sense of humor on the part of the developers. Evan’s offers a service to import existing pedigree information from other databases. Pricing: $69-$89 (as of post publication).

ZooEasy. Designed for those using Windows-based computers, ZooEasy allows you to report pedigree information, medical data, finances, contacts and serves both ARBA members as well as members of the British Rabbit Council. Pricing: $59 (as of post publication).

Breeder’s Assistant. Designed specifically for dog and cat pedigrees using a Windows platform, Breeder’s Assistant can be used for all sorts of animals, including rabbits. The Breeder’s Assistant also included information stating it can import data from the Church of Latter Day Saint’s genealogical database. They offer several different types of pedigree formats, including a circular pedigree. So unique. Pricing: $99 and up (as of post publication).

Easy Rabbit Pedigree Generator. This CD-based software designed for Windows computers may be what you’re looking for if you can get past the gimmicky sales pitch of their website and want a simple, functional pedigree design. Pricing: $17 (as of post publication).

 

PC or Mac computers:

KinTraks. For many years, KinTraks was the only pedigree program available for Mac users – this is why we originally chose it for our rabbitry. Over the years, though, we have appreciated that it was a one-time purchase, the customer support is quick and personal, and the interface is very easy to use. There are a lot of ways to customize the pedigrees as well. Trial version of 100 records offered for free. Pricing: $18 (as of post publication).

Bunny Trails Software. Bunny Trails can run on Windows, Mac, or Linux systems, and was created by rabbit breeders for rabbit breeders. Includes a free app that will work on the iPhone, iPad, or iTouch and offers support for tracking show points and performances (this could be very handy for recording information during the show). Pricing: $59 – $79 (as of post publication).

Global Pedigree Project. The Global Pedigree Project is cloud-based, meaning that if you have an internet connection you can use it, regardless of whether you’re accessing the internet on a Mac or PC. Once a part of the Global Pedigree Project, users can search any rabbit within the database, whether it is in their barn or not. (I have asked my friend with Global Pedigree to double check factual information on rabbits for me – a really handy feature!) The upside? Lots of shared information and the ability to look at what other breeders have uploaded. The downside? It could be really easy for people to falsify their pedigrees using data from other rabbits. The emailed pedigrees are very well designed. Subscription based service. Pricing: $12.50 – $75 (as of post publication).

 

Do you have any pedigree programs to add to this list? What are your personal experiences using them? Leave your response in the comments!

When Rabbit People Become Family

Meat Rabbits, Show Rabbits May 2, 2016 Comments: 2

keep calmThere was a really big rabbit show this weekend, Ohio Mini Convention. People from literally all four corners of the country gathered to show off their bunnies, but something else really interesting happened – they renewed friendships, caught up on life, and (contrary to what some might imagine happens at a show) admired the quality animals on the show table simply because… a well-formed rabbit is a thing of beauty.

 

One of my friends posted on facebook, “It’s almost impossible to explain to ANYONE why you show rabbits. Why you drive hundreds of miles and spend a lot of money so someone can give you their opinion on your rabbit that you are most likely going to keep loving no matter what.

“It’s about feeling part of a community, feeling like you belong even though you all come from different places, occupations, upbringings. It’s acceptance. It’s laughter. It’s getting to know and care about someone you might not have ever met any other way. I am humbled by the kindness. I am even more thrilled that it still exists.”

 

When I read this, I can’t lie, my eyes got a little watery (or perhaps I was just preparing to wash my face like a caveman… either way, I was moved). Those words my friend wrote are true.

 

I look back to our very first show, when we attended wondering what on Earth kind of wierd people would spend an entire Saturday in a barn with rabbits?! It didn’t take long for us to see the value in an environment that offered all sorts of people coming together for their quirky hobby. We were hooked.

 

This past January our state show secretary became life-threateningly ill. I was talking to my husband about it when our 8-year-old daughter came up. “Ms. Joan is sick?” she asked. “Yes, very,” we replied. That night… and every single night until Ms. Joan was released from the hospital, one of the kids would pipe up during prayer, “And God, please protect Ms. Joan and heal her body and let her know she is loved.”

Rabbit show

The rabbit show kids with Ms. Joan’s life-sized get well card.

When we attended Arizona State Convention, people had buttons made to support her, a larger-than-life-sized get well card was passed around, Ms. Joan’s first facebook post on the state group was greeted with responses that involved many exclamation points. We have become family.

 

Rabbit people tend to be good, compassionate people. I have seen support raised for rabbit families in car accidents, fires, etc. This strange grouping of people who love their furballs has managed to create something that is hard to find in our current culture of status updates and sanitized photo opportunities: community and relationship that stretched across differences.

 

One sign we saw at the National ARBA show this past year? “For five days you don’t have to explain to anyone why you raise rabbits.” Admittedly, it’s a funny hobby, but man, it’s one worth exploring. Yes, it takes a bit of time to get to know people, and a willingness to carry on conversations, but our favorite aspect of rabbit shows has become the people we meet and the conversations taking place around the tables. Try it!

five days