IT'S HARE RAISING

       Rabbits of all species require the same attentive care by, and tender love from, their owners.
       "Many breeds of rabbits have been brought into Thailand, and they have become indomitable rivals of other household pets as their popularity continues to soar," said Tananya Chaiyarith, a veteran rabbit breeder.
       Many greenhorns find themselves in a cul-de-sac when it comes to the proper feeding, treatment and care of rabbits. Others lose their young fluffy friends because of negligence and/or ignorance of companionship issues. Holding a rabbit the wrong way can cause the animal to go blind, and only a few rabbit keepers are aware of the life-and-death repercussions of this action as it probably seems to be a trivial matter.
       "Seeing people grab a rabbit's ears and carelessly pulling them up when they want to carry it is a common occurrence. This action can hurt the animal because many nerves run through its ears, thus making them become a most-vulnerable part.
       "The safest way to handle a rabbit is to gently grasp its fur around the upper neck with one hand and support its buttocks with the other hand," suggested Ms Tananya.
       According to the rabbit enthusiast, bunny owners must pay much attention to their pets' well being, including their reproduction process, their living quarters, their food and the diseases they are liable to be afflicted with as all these factors play a vital role in keeping the bunnies happy and healthy throughout their life, which is about a decade.
       "Like humans, rabbits also want to be comfortable, whether physically or mentally. So, it's our responsibility to provide our pets with all the life-supporting amenities that they need as their survival and safety lie in our careful hands and caring heart," advised Ms Tananya.
       By nature, a rabbit's reproductive period occurs every 16 days. Consequently, it's necessary to control the bunny population by neutering the females if the rabbit owner is not in the business of breeding rabbits for commercial purposes.
       On average, pregnancy lasts about one month, and one litter consists of one to 10 leverets. But the mother rabbit has only eight breasts to feed her babies, so rabbit keepers have to help the mother take care of her offspring.
       Following delivery, the mother should be kept with her babies, while the father is moved to another cage because he can distract the female. Under these circumstances, the loving mother may feel tense, turn aggressive and attack her litter.
       "For the safety of all the leverets, two cages are needed so as to keep the male away from the female. By nature, the male doesn't help the female raise their children. On top of that, he will also try to mate with the female all the time," she explained.
       During this period, the rabbit owner should cover the mother rabbit's cage with cloth or cardboard to shield her from any disturbing noise or sight.
       "Don't forget to line her cage with straw or grass to keep all leverets warm. Normally, it takes about 20 days for the young rabbits to become healthy and strong. The mother is very possessive of her children," said the rabbit admirer.
       The most desirable and safest cage has a fine-mesh floor to prevent the rabbit's legs from getting struck in the gaps. Line the floor with grass so the creature can sleep happily and comfortably.
       "The cage must be kept clean all the time because the rabbit is also vulnerable to poor hygiene. Owners who have a big garden should allow the rabbits to exercise regularly and play in the natural environment," she said.
       Food should be available in the cage all the time because the rabbit is a nocturnal animal, and so it likes to come out to forage for food at night. As for drinking water, it should be put in a commercially manufactured bottle specially designed for rabbits.
       "The food must be nutritious, and the water clean. They must be changed daily as germs can accumulate in the feeding bowl and the bottle. Preferably, these containers should also be washed and cleaned daily," she said.
       Generally, a rabbit's food can be divided into three main categories - rough, concentrated, and commercial.
       Rough food provides high levels of fibre and normally comes from grass stalks and blades. Rabbits of different ages need different kinds of grass. Dried grass is suitable for very young rabbits. Rabbits aged one to four months enjoy eating alfalfa, while grown-ups are normally fed on pangola grass.
       "The grass must be free of chemicals. Any grass that is green and yellow in colour is harmful to the animals because it contains pesticides. Apart from grass, their favourite menu includes fresh fruit and vegetables," she said.
       Commercial food consists of both concentrated and rough components, and it is rich in calories and protein. It helps the animals to grow rapidly and to stay productive.
       When it comes to disease, rabbits can be affected by many ailments, and the most common are ear and skin diseases, colds and diarrhoea.
       When a rabbit shakes its head or scratches its ears more frequently than usual, something wrong has happened to its ears, and urgent attention is needed as their ears are now home to mites. If the ears are smelly and ooze pus, the animals are infected with bacteria. Clean their ears, their cage and all the equipment connected with their care regularly and constantly to prevent ear problems.
       Mites can also be found on skin. If they are present, they cause hair loss and skin crust. The best treatment is to apply sulphur ointment on the infected areas.
       Rabbits often catch cold, which results in sneezing and breathing difficulties. Their front legs will become wet because they tend to use their front legs to wipe their face to get rid of the nasal mucus. As a result, the virus can be spread easily and quickly and contaminate their food and/or water. If such a situation arises, the pet owner should take the sick animal to see a vet immediately.
       Rabbits can suffer from diarrhoea when they eat food that has become rotten as a result of having been left in the cage for several days. They will become dehydrated, so the rabbit owner should give them an oral rehydration solution before taking them to a vet.
       "Rabbits owners must keep a close watch over their bunnies all the time so that they can become aware of any abnormalities in the shortest time possible. We have to take good care of them constantly and wholeheartedly as their lives are just as precious as ours," Ms Tananya said.