Rabbit Due Date Calculator

Pet Rabbits May 15, 2013 Comments: 2

I’ve discovered it’s pretty helpful to be able to count the days of your rabbits gestation. I recently came across this tool that could be useful for you. Print it out and keep it with your records and you’ll be able to predict your rabbits due date, based on a 31 day gestation.

Just go down to the month and date your rabbit was bred, then the next number to your right is the date they are due. Easy peasy!

Easy Peasy Rabbit Breeding Schedule

Easy Peasy Rabbit Breeding Schedule

Thanks to Hannah from Aim High Photography for creating the background for this!

Games Bunnies Play

Pet Rabbits May 1, 2013 Leave a comment
Richard Dawson hosts - Games Rabbits Play!

Richard Dawson hosts – Games Bunnies Play!

Thanks to M. Marshall for sharing this via the ARBA Facebook page!

 

We’re talking mind games here, folks, not binkies.

Here are a few that my bunnies like to play:

Are there Buns in my Oven? A simple guessing game that does like to play. She shows no signs of pregnancy up until the very last moment… and then when you figure she’s not pregnant after all, she presents you with a fine litter and a bunny smirk of satisfaction.

The Dead Buck Game. You go into the rabbitry and your favourite buck is flat out on his side, seemingly not breathing. No amount of calling his name or prodding seems to get a response. Just when you’re ready to go dig a hole out back, he stirs slightly, gives himself a shake and asks what’s for supper.

Nya-nya! You Can’t Make Me! A game enjoyed by all rabbits of all ages. The object is simple: drive the bunny caregiver crazy by refusing to do the simplest things. Can be applied to eating, drinking, breeding, caring for kits or any other aspect of daily bunny life.

Cold Butt aka The Great Bunny Snit. You do some small thing that offends one of your rabbits. The rabbit immediately turns his back on you and shuns you for hours or days, depending on the degree of offendedness. Half the time, you don’t even know what you did wrong.

What Sex Am I This Week? A fun little game played by youngsters. They really enjoy this one when you have a waiting list of buyers.

Escape Hatch Hurry up! “If we get all of this food eaten, we can squirrel our way out through the J-feeder! That crazy woman LOVES to play chase!!!”

Are there Buns in my Oven? Version Two. The object is to drive the bunny caregiver mad with frustration. Bunny lifts for the buck, acts pregnant for the next month getting away with all kinds of crankiness, builds a lovely nest, pulls fur… and then nothing.

How’d They Do That? To keep you guessing, they accomplish impossible things that have no explanation. A good example of this was when we found one of our youngsters roaming around the flower pots one morning. The hutch door that closes with barrel bolts was open, and all the other youngsters were leaning out of the doorway. At least in “Escape Hatch,” there is an explanation!

What Color Am I Going To Be When I Grow Up? In this game,  a black bunny decides that it needs to turn into a rabbit with tipping, or an agouti, or who knows what?!
“I am the Guru Bunny.” One of the kits sits all by itself, eyes closed, usually in a corner, while all the rest of the kits come running up to see ya when you arrive, all bouncing and acting like…well..bunnies… ..ya can almost hear the “Ohm…Ohm….”coming from that back corner.
How Many Ways Can We Waste Feed? This includes digging in the feeder, throwing hay out of the rack, pooping in the feeder….tipping bowls of treats, etc. (My response is to cut back on the amounts. If they aren’t hungry, they can afford to play with food!)

 

Big thank you to M. Marshall for sharing the creativity!

Rare and Heritage Breeds

Pet Rabbits April 24, 2013 Leave a comment
Credit Devon Mary Ward / The Whimsy Dog Studio

Credit Devon Mary Ward / The Whimsy Dog Studio

As our rabbitry evolves, we find our attention shifting to those breeds classified as Rare or Heritage.

 

A “Rare” breed is self-explanatory. These rabbits are extremely difficult to find and in danger of extinction. The “heritage” breed classification is monitored by the American Livestock Breeds Conservatory and designates the animals were developed in the United States. These classifications make note of animals that offer something special to the rabbit world and to the United States.

 

We raise Silver Fox and Cinnamon rabbits and are very proud to do so. Additionally, the Champagne d’Argent is a breed that has flirted with the rare breeds list over the years, although it is very common in Europe. We love the personality of these rabbits and their usefulness as a multi-purpose animal, both cuddly, showable, and nutritious!

Preparing for the Rabbit Show

Show Rabbits April 12, 2013 Leave a comment
Are YOU READY for the Show?!

Are YOU READY for the Show?!

‘Tis the season for national-level shows and I thought it would be nice to put together a list of items needed to be fully prepared when you travel to that rabbit show of your dreams!

 

1. Complete Extra Set of Clothes. At no point should you assume that your normally sweet and docile rabbit actually wants the day to go well. In fact, that charming dear you’ve been feeding Black Oil Sunflower Seeds to and brushing on a regular basis is actually planning your humiliation. At the first opportunity it will pee all over you. No warning, no apology. Just pee. Everywhere. The prepared show goer will expect this evil trick and pack an extra set of clothes… just in case.

 

2. Bucket of Cold Water. While this is a useful tool for keeping your lagomorphs hydrated, the true usefulness of the bucket of ice water comes when your rabbit gets the scent and wants to make some whoopie on the show table. Or that tarp you toted into the showroom so your carriers can’t scrape the finish off the floor. Yes, shows are an exciting time. And no one is more excited than the Flemish Giant buck who just caught sight of that Lionheaded beauty. If you have a desire to stop the shenanigans of horny rabbits, nothing will be more handy than a bucket of cold water.

 

3. Rabbit-adorned Attire, Head Gear, and Hand Bags. Nothing speaks obsession louder than a lady wearing bunny ears bedazzled with blinking LED lights toting a bag emblazoned with Netherland Dwarfs. Granted, all of us at the show are obsessed with rabbits – but only a select few can take that fascination and enjoy it to the hilt… and those people literally wear rabbits. Silk screen, tapestry, you name it. If it has a rabbit on it, it belongs at the show!

 

4. Handlers. Only a few can con enough people into traveling to a show with them to justify a job opening for a “handler.” But if you can swing it, do it! A handler offers you someone to wipe down bunny paws and another set of ears for when you’re standing at the Champagne d’Argent table and the call goes out for Britanna Petites! Plus, clapping your hands and yelling, “Handler!” gives a certain Hollywood-esque glamour to the whole rabbit show process… which is especially important if you happen to be covered in urine. (See suggestion #1)

 

Perhaps I should take my tongue out of my cheek and mention a few things that are actually useful if you’re attending your first show.

 

 

1. A Chair. I was surprised by the amount of down time at a triple show. Having a camp chair was a wonderful help when it came to taking a breather.

 

2. Cash. Bring some cash with you to enjoy the concession stand, enter the rabbit raffle, or find a bun you just have to bring home with you! Cash is a wonderful tool and the currency of choice at the show.

 

3. Hearing Aids. There’s no doubt everyone takes care of one another and the person with the megaphone tries their best to be heard… but man, oh man! It’s hard to hear when it’s your turn to show! Being prepared to be an attentive listener is very important.

 

4. Great Attitude. When we went to our first show I was NOT expecting to enjoy the process. I felt more like a person preparing for a day of people-watching at a mall. Little did I know I would find it a fantastic experience! I love the cross section of type of people at shows, and the animals are incredibly beautiful! Attending the show with the expectation of learning what a judge things and values, plus the time to enjoy meeting new friends… that’s the fun of the show. (And it’s pretty cool when your rabbit is recognized for being awesome, I’m not going to lie!)

 

 

Classified

Meat Rabbits, Pet Rabbits, Show Rabbits March 24, 2013 Leave a comment
Carin / stock.xchng

Carin / stock.xchng

To Whom It May Concern:

I am seeking a bunny ribbit, preferably a dough that is bread or already peruvian, with legs. This dow will be the start of my heard and I would love it if she could be a loop-eared bred. Would prefer the animal to come with it’s own bowel and food for at least a moth. I am not interested in a spade do, as she will be used mostly for bredding. Am also open to a Rex, both the velveteen and regular kind, for the pellets. Please let me know if you are sailing your bunnee, as I would like to have it run free in my pastor as soon as possible.

Tank U.

(This post was inspired by the many classified listings for rabbits filled with misspellings and the humor of my fellow rabbit lovers! This is intended to be humorous, not mean-spirited!)

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The Fight of the Easter Bunny

Meat Rabbits, Pet Rabbits, Show Rabbits March 17, 2013 Comments: 2
thea0211 / stock.xchng

thea0211 / stock.xchng

Once upon a time it was the season of eggs and pastels, spring was right around the corner. Parents began to wonder if little Susie would like a bunny for Easter and rabbit breeders far and wide began to bicker.

The Fight of the Easter Bunny divides into two large camps with a scattered few opinions in between. One one side you have the people who appreciate the pet rabbit buyers. On the other side are those who take the high ground that pet bunnies are the next thing to evil, mix breed rabbits are best used for meat, and anyone who sells to anyone other than a reputable breeder is hypocritical.

And the scattered few in between scratch their heads and wonder out loud, “Can’t we all just get along?!”

Both camps have valid arguments. Anyone who cares about the sanctity of any life recognizes that an animal purchased on a whim then left unattended in a cage that fills with feces is not acceptable. Rabbits have a 7-10 year life span and require the same sense of commitment and care that a dog or a cat need. If veterinary care is needed there’s a large price tag that comes with the professional; letting a rabbit loose in an empty field or dropping it off at a shelter is a sure-fire way to prove you’re a pretty low human being yourself.

On the other side, many, many people fall in love with their rabbit companions and treat them with love and affection! Most rabbit breeders begin their love of the animal with a mixed breed bun they picked up at the pet or feed store for a few bucks. It is unfair to assume there is no purpose for a pet rabbit in this world.

At Mad Hatter Rabbits we’ve decided to straddle the fence between these two camps (and I’m sure we’ll get a splinter or two on occasion). We will never breed more rabbits than we can personally provide excellent, loving, and humane care for. We also provide a blanket guarantee to accept any rabbit we have bred back if their new owner can no longer adequately meet their rabbits needs. Each animal that leaves our rabbitry goes with a booklet with recommendations of how to care for your bunny at the bare minimum requirements of the Animal Welfare Act and recommendations for how to go beyond the bare minimum into to a truly enriching relationship with a furry friend.

We don’t see the Fight of the Easter Bunny as black and white. Our primary reason for beginning to breed rabbits was to provide a healthy, organic meat source free of antibiotics and such things for our family. This is a rabbit’s natural role in the life cycle – at the bottom of the food chain as a meal for larger predators. But in our rabbit journey, we found we really enjoy rabbit shows – and it takes the same amount of feed to raise a show rabbit as it does a less type-y rabbit so we may as well work toward having excellent show rabbits with sweet dispositions, fun personalities, and great pedigrees! Finally, for those rabbits that aren’t quite up to snuff on a show table for one reason or another, their attitudes make them a reasonable option for a person who wants a companion.

If we don’t limit human beings to only one point and purpose of life – if we can comprehend a life where there is a capability to wear multiple hats – then there’s space in this world for our livestock to fulfill a multitude of purposes as well!

Anyone want to join us on the middle ground?

Common Terminology for Rabbits and Rabbit Shows

Meat Rabbits, Pet Rabbits, Show Rabbits March 14, 2013 1 Comment
Sometimes terms can be confusing. Use this guide to help!

Sometimes terms can be confusing. Use this guide to help!

A HUGE “Thank You” to Kim’s Rabbit Hutch for this helpful guide to rabbit terminology.

Buck – A male rabbit
Doe – A female rabbit
Junior – A rabbit under 6 months of age
Senior – A rabbit over 6 months of age
Intermediate or 6/8 – A rabbit between 6-8 months of age. Most common in larger breeds

Varierty – Color of a rabbit
Class – Age group of the rabbit. Either Junior, Intermediate or Senior
Broken – A color in conjunction with white. With either a blanket or spotted pattern of the color on the body.

Solid – A color of a rabbit that is covering the entire body
Agouti – A type of color that has bands and ticking. Most common colors are Chestnut and Chinchilla

Shaded – Refers to colors like Sable Point. These colors have darker colors on the nose, ears, and other parts of the body. While the whole of the body is one solid lighter color.

Molt – A coat that is shedding and out of condition.
Finish – A coat of a rabbit that either lacks finish (poor condition, molting, etc) or has a good finish (well groomed, not molting) could mean the difference between winning and losing.

Pedigree – A piece of paper charting 3 generations of the rabbit with ancestory history.

Registration – A piece of paper also charting 3 generations of the rabbit with ancestory history. This paper however states (for the rabbit it is issued to) that it has free of disqualifications and has been deamed an acceptable representation of said breed. The rabbit also recieves a registration number unqiue to that rabbit.

Ear Number / Tattoo – A series of numbers and/or letters tattooed into the rabbits left ear. Usually no more then 5 are in the ear. A circled R may be tattooed in the left ear if the rabbit has been registered.

Leg – A leg is earned by winning in an ARBA-sanctioned show as long as there are three exhibitors and five rabbits competing for the win. For example, first place in a class of five or more bunnies showed by three or more different exhibitors would earn a leg. For classes without enough exhibitors and/or bunnies, it may be possible to earn a leg by winning BOSV (if there are sufficient numbers of the related sex in the variety), BOV (if there are sufficient numbers in the entire variety), BOS (if there are sufficient number in the related sex of the breed) or BOB (if there are sufficient numbers in the entire breed). A rabbit may only earn one leg per judging.

BOB – Best of Breed
BOS – Best Opposite Sex of Breed (ie. If the BOB rabbit is a buck, BOS winner must be a doe. Which is why it’s called Opposite Sex

BOV – Best of Varierty
BOSV – Best Opposite Sex of Varierty (ie. If the BOV rabbit is a buck, BOSV winner must be a doe. Which is why it’s called Opposite Sex

BOV and BOSV winners go on to compete for BOB and BOS
BIS – Best in Show (this is big. To win it, your rabbit must get BOB. At the end of the show, all of the breeds who had a BOB winner compete to see who is the best of the best.)

1st Runner Up / Reserve to BIS – This is the 2nd place rabbit to who won BIS
2nd Runner Up – This is the 3rd place rabbit to who won BIS
DQ – Disqualification. A rabbit can be disqualified for many reasons. Most common is over the weight limit, bad teeth, or illness present.

Flesh condition – Just like it sounds. If a rabbit is “rough” in flesh it means the skin over the backbone is very loose and thin. Bones are easily felt. Most common in rabbits suffering from some illness, not being fed enough, or does coming off weaning litters.

Open – Usually refers to an all “adult show.” Which means anyone of any age is allowed to enter, but it is usually adults competing with other adults. They will usually add the letters: A, B and C to the end of “Open Show” if they are having multiple shows.

Youth – An all youth only show. Only those 18 and under are allowed to enter these shows. Youth breeders must put their own rabbits on the judging table.

Cull – A breeder goes through a litter selecting ones he/she wishes to keep. The rest are sold (or eaten, if they’re a meat breed.)

Kindling – Term used to mean giving birth to baby rabbits.
Kits – Term describing baby rabbits.
Cavy / Cavies – These are not rabbits. They are shown sometimes at rabbit shows. They are basically guinea pigs.

Running Totals

Pet Rabbits March 10, 2013 Leave a comment
kodakgold / stock.xchng

kodakgold / stock.xchng

I was watching the Hurt Locker last week. If you haven’t seen it, the movie traces the life of a man who is a demolitions expert as he disarms bombs overseas. At one point a commanding officer asks him how many bombs he has disarmed and the man tries to dodge the question. However, the C.O. pushes and suddenly a very specific number comes out of his mouth. Each bomb, even though he has disarmed many, many, has a special significance to him.

 

You may feel this is a strange way to start a blog post about rabbits, but stick with me – my point is coming! Rabbits are not bombs, but I keep a running count of these little animals in my heart. Just like that movie character, I know without a pause each little life I have been responsible for, even if only for a short while.

 

Yes, here at Mad Hatter we breed rabbits primarily as a healthy food source for our family, but that in no way means we don’t care for them deeply. Each day, often many times a day, we are out visiting them, checking on their welfare, and watching their personalities develop. Each rabbit is special to us.

 

And when it comes to numbers, I can’t tell you off the top of my head exactly how many baby bunnies we’ve bred this year to date, but I can tell you without a pause that we’ve lost 20 kits. I hate seeing a baby bunny die, I just hate it.

 

The reality? Natural selection is true and there are some babies that simply fail to thrive. Other times we have to face a hard reality that a rabbit mother does not have the same maternal instincts that a human mother would have. She can refuse to feed her litter or even eat portions of them! In our circumstances we’ve lost babies to freezing weather.

 

Some animal lovers like to think of their friends as passing over the “Rainbow Bridge.” It seems like a silly concept to me, this Rainbow Bridge… and yet it isn’t at all. There is something very wholesome about recognizing the value of life in all forms. Part of valuing life is recognizing the significance of death.

 

Many times there are no explanations for the loss of baby rabbits, but that usually isn’t a comfort to the rabbit breeder. We grieve over the loss of life and second guess ourselves for how we could have prevented it or try to come up with strategies, get advice from long-time breeders for the healthiest, most successful ways to care for our animals.

 

We have seven litters expected this week and even though I’m terribly excited for the babies, there is also a piece of me worried about what the week will bring in terms of success rates. We have three first-time moms expecting and the reality for us is most of our first timers lose one (if not all!) of their kits. So, if you think of it, send positive thoughts our way… we’re sending the same to all the other breeders we know!

 

Birthday Parties and Petting Zoos

Pet Rabbits March 7, 2013 Comments: 2
Bunny Parties are a Hit!

Bunny Parties are a Hit!

I have a sense of uneasiness about most people, and that unease turns fairly regularly into alarm when I look at small people. Specifically children.

 

I am head over heels in love with my own children but they’re very strange. And other people’s children… well, it’s hit and miss.

 

This distrust is why I first paused when we talked about doing Bunny Birthday Parties. Going to someone’s house and spending a few hours while children touched, squished, and smeared cake into our precious little buns had all the allure of walking over hot coals barefoot. Possible? Definitely. Wise? Questionable.

 

However, our good friends asked if we would participate in their bunny party and we said yes. The theme was wonderfully played out, the invitations were bunny rabbit Pinterest-worthy, the cake could practically have hopped off the table it was so life-like, and I enjoyed having brocolli, carrots, and cauliflower with dip served in addition to the typical birthday sweets.

 

We brought our rabbits to the house and waited for everyone to arrive. I pulled out one rabbit and did a quick talk about how to handle it with care and avoid the possibility of scratches, talked about how rabbits can serve multiple roles as pets, shows, or nutrition, and described the breed we brought (Rex). Then I handed a bunny to each kid (we were fortunate to work out the numbers so each child had a rabbit) and let them be.

 

The kids were great with the rabbits! They were gentle, considerate, and a few didn’t want to play the party games because it meant giving up their cuddly ball of fluff. The rabbits were the stars of the show for about an hour.

 

This has given me the courage to try Bunny Birthday Parties again – and I may… possibly… even participate with the buns in the petting zoo our 4H club is sponsoring at our local garden center next month. Wonders never cease!

 

 

The Quirky Art of Tattooing

Show Rabbits March 5, 2013 Comments: 3
Every show rabbit must had an identifying tattoo in its ear.

Every show rabbit must had an identifying tattoo in its ear.

As a kid raising rabbits, we never worried about tattoos in their ears – we knew which rabbits we had and which cages they called home. No biggie!

 

As an adult coming back into raising rabbits the need for tattoos has become apparent. Not only are tattoos required for any rabbit in a show, having permanent ear markings can come in quite handy when you’re trying to discern just which all black bunny you’re you’re checking out!

 

Almost every rabbit we have has an ear tattoo now. ARBA requires the tattoo to be in the rabbit’s left ear. If you choose to register the rabbit, they receive another tattoo in their right ear. Tattoos can be words, letters, numbers, or combinations and can be applied using a clamp or a tattoo pen.

 

We have chosen to use the KBtatts Tattoo Pen. This is the only tattoo device we’ve used so I don’t have a basis of comparison, but I don’t want to use another one… ever! I was expecting the rabbits to twitch or jump while tattooing… and they don’t. In fact, I began to wonder if I was actually tattooing correctly because they didn’t move a bit. Turns out it’s just a great pen with a quiet motor and needles that get the job done quickly and efficiently.

 

Trying to decide how to tattoo is another fun occupation. We’ve decided to use a system that begins with “H,” representing Mad Hatter Rabbitry, the number of the month the rabbit is born in (using letters for any two digit numbers), the last digit of the year, the number of the rabbit in the litter, first letter of the name of the sire and first letter of the name of the dam.

 

So, Mister, who was born in November 2012 and is the first kit out of Bucky and Duchess, has the tattoo: HB21BD.

 

Other people will use their own system or the name of the rabbit. Judges at shows get an eyeful when they see rabbits with names like “HOT STUFF,” “DINNER 4 5,” or “HONEY BEW BEW.” Hopefully judges keep a good sense of humor and breeders use common sense in their tattooing!