arraisingrabbits

Note- This is a composition that I had to write about 5 or so years ago for school.

Six Reasons To Raise Rabbits

People think rabbits are just a balls of fluffs that you get for your kids; especially at Easter time. But did you know that rabbits are used for much more than just a pet? There are six different reasons to have rabbits.
The first I will talk about is the common pet rabbit. Rabbits are the third most popular animal, right after dogs and cats. Rabbits can make great pets for kids. But with the wrong kid, they can be a nightmare. Keep in mind, rabbits do scratch and bite. They like to feel secure as they are being held, not hanging barely in your arm like a cat. The best way to hold them, is to have one hand supporting the bottom and the other behind their shoulders.
With pet rabbits, you can even litter box train them like a cat. At pet stores, they have special litter boxes that fit into the corner of the rabbit�s cage, then use shavings or some kind of bedding in it. Rabbit�s usually go to the bathroom in the same place every time, usually in one of the corners of the cage. After the rabbit gets use to going in the litter box,
you can bring the rabbit in the house to let it run around. Make sure that the litter box is in the same room with the rabbit. Never leave the rabbit alone, when letting it run free. Rabbits do chew on furniture or electrical cords. Have a spray bottle ready to spray it when it does this. Rabbits do not like getting wet. Have a cage for when you are not at home, to
put the rabbit in.
Something that is very popular in the United States is showing rabbits. People of all ages are active in this hobby. At open shows, they usually have two different shows. There will be the open show, where anyone can show. This is where adults show. Kids can show in it too, but the competition is very tough. They usually have a youth show also at open shows. This is for kids eighteen and under. At open and youth shows, they have type judging, which is where the judge chooses which rabbit is better than the other.
The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) puts out a �Standard of Perfection� which tells you what the perfect rabbit and cavy (guinea pig) is. This is what the type judges use when judging the rabbits on the type table. The ARBA revises the Standard every five years, since it is constantly changing. There is a total of forty-five breeds right now, but
there is always new breeds being added, or old ones being dropped.
Open shows have to be sanctioned by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. By being sanctioned, if the rabbit gets a big win, it can receive what is called a leg. If the rabbit receives three of these and gets registered, it becomes a Grand Champion.
Rabbits have to have their ear tattooed to be able to show. This is for identification reasons. If they have twenty rabbits that all look alike on the show table, how can you tell which one is yours? They tattoo their left ear. The right ear is where they put the registration number. You can get your rabbit tattooed at the show before it starts. You can even buy a tattoo kit and tattoo your rabbits yourself.
For kids, they have an organization called 4-H. It is for kids in third through twelfth grade. They can be in 4-H for any kind of animal or even for computers, sewing, cooking, rocketry, etc.
For rabbit 4-H they teach you the proper handling, how to take care of your rabbit, knowledge on your breed and other breeds. 4-H also puts on shows. Their shows are different from the open shows. For one thing, they are not sanctioned by the American Rabbit Breeder�s Association, so you can not win legs towards grand championship. There is another competition at these shows besides just type, it is called fit and show, also known as showmanship. This is where the kids are judged on how well they handle their rabbit, how much knowledge they have, and how well their rabbit sits still on the table.
The third reason to raise rabbits is for meat. Unlike chickens, rabbits produce all white meat. It is the Commercial type breeds that are used for meat, because they have more meat on their bones than a rabbit with the full arch type, even though all rabbits can be used for meat. Meat rabbits are divided into three groups. The single fryers are not to be over ten
weeks of age, weighing in-between three to five pounds. The roasters class are to be under six months of age and weigh between five or eight pounds. The stewers class is to be six months of age or over and weigh eight pounds or over.
For showing in a meat pen, there should be three fryers all of the same breed and variety. The first thing that they are judged on is their meat type which is worth forty points, out of one hundred. Next they are judged on the condition of flesh which is thirty points. Next is the uniformity of body and weight which is twenty points. Then final is fur which is ten
points.
Three does (female) and one buck (male) can produce more meat annually than the average cow.
The fourth reason to raise rabbits is for their fur. There are four different fur types. There is Rex, which the breeds Rex and Mini Rex fall under. This fur is very soft to the touch. They have shorter fur which is to be between 1 to Q inch in length. Ideal is N inch. This is the fur type that they use to make fur coats with.
Next is the Satin Fur, which has only one breed, the Satin are under. They have silky, fine, dense, thick, soft fur. Their fur is to be between Q to 13 inch. The ideal length is to be 17 inch.
Then there is the Angora wool, which consists of the English Angora, French Angora, Giant Angora, Satin Angora, American Fuzzy Lop, and Jersey Wooly. These breeds have to be brushed a lot more than other breeds. The English Angora, French Angora, Giant Angora, and the Satin Angora�s wool is used for spinning. The Satin Angora�s wool is more stronger than the English or French Angora�s, and is more like yarn.
The final fur type is normal. This consists of the rest of the breeds. They have normal fur. They have normal fur, nothing special about it like the rest. The American, American Sable, Belgian Hare, Beveren, Britannia Petite, Californian, Champagne D�Argent, Checkered Giant, American Chinchilla, Giant Chinchilla, Standard Chinchilla, Cinnamon, Cream D�Argent, Dutch, Dwarf Hotot, English Spot, Flemish Giant, Florida White, Harlequin, Havana, Himalayan, Holland Lop, Hotot, Lilac, English Lop, French Lop, Mini Lop, Netherland Dwarf, New Zealand, Palomino, Polish, Rhinelander, Silver, Silver Fox, Silver Marten and Tan are the breeds in this group.
These breeds are divided into two groups, rollback and flyback. When you pet a rabbit�s fur backwards on rollback breeds it will slowly rollback into place, and with flyback it will immediately fly back into place. The only breed that does not fall into this is the Silver Fox, whose fur when pet backwards will remain standing up until petted back into position. This
is called standing fur.
The fifth reason to raise rabbits is for their manure. It is really good fertilizer for the garden. Click here to learn about how to compost your manure for your garden.
The sixth and final reason that rabbits are raised is for scientific testing. Other animals used than just rabbits are primates, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, ground squirrels, ferrets, frogs, birds, fish, rats, and mice.
None of the testing can be used on man first, which leaves animals. Many diseases that affect human also affect animals. These diseases do not affect insects, plants, or bacteria though.
Many people are against animal testing, calling it cruelty to animals. Without animal testing many conditions could never have been over come. Many things that they developed from animals for humans are now used in veterinary medicine. The vaccines, antibiotics, anesthetics, and surgical procedures, are just some of the things used for both man and animal.
They have even developed treatments especially for the animals. There is vaccines for rabies, canine parvovirus, distemper, and feline leukemia virus. These have stopped the animals from contracting fatal diseases.
Sadly, in most cases, the animals used in the testing are euthanized at the end of the project. In very few cases, the animals are sometimes put up for adoption.

NOTE: Once again, this is a report I had to do for school, and even though I don't like the thought of it, animal testing is one of the things rabbits are raised for.

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