-
GET UPDATES
-
Photo Submissions
-
Video Page
-
Stickers Giveaway
by Jacki
It never ceases to amaze me when I find out quirky little things about our furry friends. And it’s always fun to share. So, here’s a ‘top 10’ of peculiar rabbit related facts that you may or may not have been aware of.
(Wonder if they have a ’10 things you never knew about humans’ list hidden away somewhere…)
1. There are more than 50 species of rabbit. When it comes to domestic rabbits, there are currently 47 species recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.
2. Rabbits are unable to vomit. This is one reason why hairballs are so dangerous to rabbits as, unlike other animals such as cats, they can’t remove chewed hair in this manner
3. Bugs Bunny was the first cartoon character to ever appear on a US postage stamp (in 1997 – go Bugs!)
Picture by Enokson and reproduced under attribution license courtesy of Creative Commons and Flickr
4. … 
by Jacki
Okay, so the fact that rabbits are probably one of (if not the!) coolest pets on the planet is something that none of us need to be convinced of. But it got me wondering what it was exactly that inspired people to get their very first rabbit.
Was it just seeing those incredibly cute, twitching noses? The desire to bury your fingers their soft fur, or have one of those special, rabbit cuddle moments?
Perhaps your parents had rabbits, or a friend? Or maybe you visited a rescue center and got seduced by all those gorgeous, deserving bunny faces staring up at you (and picking just one or two is sooooo hard)?
Maybe you fell in love with rabbits because of stories you read as a child? …
by Jacki
It’s always a tough day when you and your rabbit have to visit the vet. Even if it’s just for something as innocuous as an annual checkup, both bunnies their owners can suffer from “white coat syndrome,” causing stress and behavior changes to a sometimes shocking degree.
But unfortunately visiting the vet is a necessary part of owning a pet. However there are steps that can be taken to make it as un-stressful for your bunnies as possible. These include
- Leave plenty of time to get to the vets, allowing yourself to arrive in good time.
- If possible, try to get your rabbit used to his carry case or cage before you actually use this to transport him to the vets. Of course, in an emergency situation this won’t be possible, but for regular check-ups you’ll know in advance when the appointment is, so you can gradually introduce him to his mode of transport.…
by Jacki
Wow! That’s the first word that springs to mind when you clap eyes on Darius, officially the world’s biggest rabbit – again.
Weighing in at a hefty 3 ½ stone (49 lbs.) and measuring 4ft 4 ins long, this Continental giant lives in Worcester, England. He was already the Guinness Book of Records largest rabbit, but last month was measured again and broke his own record having grown another inch. His owner, Alice Edwards, has a history of breeding large bunnies, but against Darius, every other rabbit has to live in his towering shadow. His mom, Alice, was a previous holder of this title, as was his grandmother, Amy.
This beautiful boy is certainly not cheap to keep. As well as munching his way through a considerable amount of hay each day, he scoffs 12 carrots, two meals of rabbit pellets, three apples and a cabbage. …
by Jacki
Okay, so if you already share your life with a rabbit or two then here’s betting that you don’t need any convincing that bunnies are one of, if not the, best friends a person can have.
So here at Small Pet Select, we thought it might be fun to compile a ‘Top 10’ list of why rabbits are such great pets. And it also might help those who considering if a rabbit would be a pet that might fit in with their lifestyle. Of course, this list is subject to change if you guys can come up with some better reasons as to why our rabbits top the leader board when it comes to choosing a new pet.
#1 Rabbits are fab pets for all ages. …
by Jacki
Do you sometimes wish it were easier to take your rabbit with you wherever you go? After all, we’re always talking about how important it is to ensure that your bunnies get enough playtime. Well, if you were to live in Japan, you could take your bunny with you when visiting the local café – if it was a rabbit café, that is.
Crazy? You might think so at first, but when you delve a little deeper into the reasoning behind the success of cafes such as the one shown in the video below, it begins to get clearer as to why the Japanese people are embracing such locations with such a passion.
Firstly, many young (and not so young) Japanese live in apartments that have strict regulations about keeping animals. …
by Jacki
This has just been brought to my attention, and all of us at Small Pet Select felt it was our duty to share this with our community. It goes without saying that we’re all carefully checking our own rabbits to ensure that none have been duped in this heinous manner…
Please let us know if any of these identity theft culprits have made their way into your lives.
Till next time – love those bunnies…
Oh! And I almost forgot… We’d love it if you’d help us in our mission to make the nation’s small pets the best kept in the world. If you’ve enjoyed this blog then it’d be awesome if you could share it on Twitter or Facebook. And if you fancy leaving a comment then we’d love to hear from you.…
by Jacki
As Easter fast approaches and people look towards chocolate eggs and Easter bunnies, (not forgetting that it’s a religious festival, of course), have you ever wondered where on earth the tradition of the Easter bunny came from?
After all, Easter Eggs definitely don’t come from the Easter bunny – so what’s that all about then?
Well, as we all know, rabbits – if left to their own devices – breed like, em, rabbits! Now, being as many traditions for Christian festivals have their roots in pagan beliefs, this led to the rabbit being seen as a sign of fertility – for obvious reasons. Easter is a festival of re-birth – so if you think about it, it kind of makes sense that the bunny became a symbol of Easter. …
by Jacki
Rabbits are social animals, and prefer to be in the company of other rabbits. In fact, it can be extremely detrimental to a rabbit to be kept in solitary confinement (unless, of course, it’s for reasons advised by your veterinary surgeon).
But there’s always a worry that if you get your rabbit a new housemate that they won’t get on. So what’s the answer?
Rescue centers are very aware of the difficulties involved in bonding rabbits and are highly likely to offer help in this process. If you have a rabbit and are considering getting another, then having a chat with the staff at your local shelter is a great idea. Most centers allow you to bring your rabbit along to introduce him or her to another rabbit that you’re considering adopting. …
by Jacki
Being as rabbits are often seen as a food source for other animals, it makes sense that we need to take care when keeping our rabbit safe from other pets in the home. For instance, dogs and cats could cause rabbits a fair amount of stress if they’re allowed to mix when neither is used to the other animals. Rabbits can easily become extremely nervous when “predators” are allowed to roam around very closely to them. After all, in the wild carnivores such as dogs and cats would look upon our bunnies as food.
One thing we talk about a lot here at SPS is about allowing our rabbits enough free time. This might be in a secure back yard or a specifically designed play pen that you can place on a nice grassy patch of your lawn. …
