Rabbit Facts - Clements Agriculture



Rabbit Facts

Terms

Albino- White animal with red or blue iris and pink or blue pupils

ARBA- American Rabbit Breeders Association

Buck- Male rabbit

Bunny- Baby rabbit

Carrying cages- small transportation cages

Dewlap- A pendulous fold or folds of loose skin hanging from the throat

Doe- Female Rabbit

Ear canker- inflamed swollen scabby condition of the inside of ear caused by mites.

Fancy breeds- Used for exhibition and pets.

Fryer- 75 day old meat type bunny that weighs from 3 ½ to 5 pounds

Fur type- breeds used for their pelt or fur.

Gestation- time of pregnancy-from breeding to birth- 30 days in rabbits

Junior- a rabbit under 6 months old

Kindle- to give birth

Litter- baby rabbits from one doe- usually 4-10 bunnies in litter.

Meat type- breeds of rabbits bred and raised for meat

Molt- The act of shedding the fur. Usually occurs twice per year

Nest box- box put into rabbit cage for doe to kindle in

Pelt- hide from animal-sometimes called fur.

Pen of rabbits- usually 3 fryers shown together as one entry.

Tattooing- method of identification where numbers and letters are put into the ear of rabbits with permanent ink inserted under the skin.

Senior- a rabbit 6 months old and older in most breeds

Sore hocks- common problem with rabbits caused from genetics, poor cage design or moisture. The bottom of feet may become raw and abscessed.

Sterile- unable to reproduce- bucks go sterile if weather is too hot.

Trio- two does and one buck

Wean- to take from doe (usually 3-6 weeks)

Wire cages- best type of cage for rabbits is from welded ½ in X1 in wire

Wolf Teeth- Protruding or elongated teeth

Wool type- type of rabbit used for the fiber they produce (angora)

New Zealand and Californians are the two breeds of rabbits that can be shown at the Fort Bend County fair. They show as fryer rabbit pens of three. These bunnies must weigh between 3½ and 5 pounds each at fair time. If one doesn’t weigh in correct, the whole pen is disqualified. Tattooing is done in Mid August. All bunnies must be tattooed at an official validation or they don’t get to show.

Rabbits must be kept cool in the summer to be able to function properly. Adverse effects of heat include sterility, non-lactation of does, and poor growth rate of bunnies. Cold weather is what rabbits prefer as long as they remain dry.

Does pull hair from their underlines and line their nests to keep the young warm. The young bunnies are born without hair, eyes closed and have non-developed ears. Fire ants will kill baby bunnies if you don’t control them.

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