RABBIT RAISING

       When it comes to choosing rabbits to keep as pets,many bunny lovers often reach an impasse as they have no idea of how to pick the right breed that best suits their lifestyle and personal tastes. Their predicament is aggravated by the wide range of adorable bunnies that have made their way to the Kingdom.
       Like dogs and cats, rabbits have become popular household pets due to the availability of many species and because they are easy to look after and care for. In addition to these two factors, these fluffy friends make a long-lasting, positive impression wherever they are, just as other traditional pets do.
       Rabbit breeder Sumanthip Vachiravarakan said that about 45 breeds of bunnies have been recognised by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (Arba).
       Many of these are bred in Thailand, and most of them have no problem winning the hearts of rabbit enthusiasts quickly due to their cute looks and personalities.
       "At present, a rabbit is as popular as a dog or cat mainly because it requires very little space and is easy to take care of. Besides, the rabbit is a sociable animal, and can develop an attachment to humans in a short time," added the rabbit lover.
       Of the 45 certified breeds, the most-popular categories that receive a warm welcome from bunny devotees in Thailand include the Giant Angora, Jersey Wooly, French Lop, Holland Lop, English Lop, Giant Chinchilla, Flemish Giant, Harlequin, Mini Satin, Mini Rex and Netherland Dwarf.
       According to Mr Sumanthip, foreign bunnies are categorised into four main sizes: Small, middle, large and giant.
       To help potential owners make up their minds when faced with a choice, here are a few of the external features of the well-known domesticated breeds.
       SMALL-SIZED BREEDS
       (WEIGHT ABOUT 0.9 TO 2.7KG)
       The Jersey Wool is the smallest longhaired strain with fluffy fur. Its undercoat is curly and covered with guard fur that is about three inches long. It weighs less than 1.6kg. Its coat comes in various tones.A lighter-coloured coat can be found in the areas of the head, ears and feet. Its hairy ears are small and straight.
       The Mini Satin is comparatively small,hitting the scales at between 0.7 and 1kg.It comes in several colours including bluish grey, black, chocolate and lilac. With its long front legs, the Mini Satin likes sitting up straight rather than crouching on the floor.
       The Holland Lop is the smallest droppedear rabbit and has a weight of about 1.2kg.Its fur is usually multi-toned. Muscular and having a beautiful body structure,the Holland Lop is very popular in Thailand.
       The Mini Lop has strong muscles and a compact size. Its fur is thick, smooth and glossy. It has wide shoulders and thick buttocks. Located on the highest part of the head, its ears are folded down and flank its cheeks.
       The Mini Rex has a proportionate,compact and tapered structure. Its thick fur is straight yet flexible. The desired coat thickness should be about 1.6cm. In close proximity to each other, the two ears are straight and upright. The fur of
       the Mini Lop comes in different colours.
       The Netherland Dwarf is termed a dwarf due to its compact body and short yet straight ears. Though small, the Netherland Dwarf is somewhat fluffy. It is one of the most-popular breeds owing to its cuteness and smallness.
       MIDDLE-SIZED BREEDS
       (WEIGHT ABOUT 2.7 TO 4.1KG)
       The English Angora weighs between 2.3 and 3.2kg. With its long, thick and silky fur that makes it look much like a fluffy ball, its body is short and its chest solid.Its shoulders are well balanced with its hips.
       The French Angora is bigger than the English Angora and weighs about 3.4 to 4.8kg. Its shoulders are narrower than its hips, making it more slender. Its head is oval and proportionate with its body. Its fur has darker tones than that of the English breed.
       The Harlequin has V-shaped ears. What also make it remarkable are the beautiful markings along its body. Normally, its face is white on one side and bluish grey on the other. Its back, body and legs bear white and bluish-grey stripes, too.
       The Satin Angora has the silkiest and most beautiful coat compared with other Angora breeds, hence its name. The Satin has a tapered body and an oval and proportionate head. It weighs about 3 to 4.3kg.
       LARGE-SIZED BREEDS
       (WEIGHT ABOUT 4.1 TO 5KG)
       The English Lop has the longest dropped ears, which make it look lovely and striking.Normally, its ears, about 21 inches long or longer, flank its head in an outward stretching fashion. Both the male and the female have wattles. This breed has a well-structured shoulder, stomach part and rear legs.
       The Giant Angora is the biggest longhaired breed. Its weight varies from about 3 to 5kg. This breed has a three-layered coat. The inner coat is smooth and soft.The guard hair is hard and straight. The downy hair between the guard hair and the inner coat is rough and curly.
       The Satin has comparatively transparent fur, making it more noticeable and magnificent. A preferable coat thickness is about 2.5 to 2.9cm-long. Its hairy ears are straight. The Satin has a mediumlength body and a highly-curved back.
       The American Chinchilla has a silky and gleaming coat. The ideal coat thickness is about 1.25 inches. It has a round body, a chubby face and chin and big round eyes.The tone of its eyebrows is pearl while the tip of its tail is black.
       GIANT-SIZED BREEDS
       (WEIGHT MORE THAN 5KG)
       The French Lop is the biggest droppedear bunny with a muscular body. Its hips are longer and thicker than the shoulders.Only the female bunny has wattle under its chin. Its head is broad and strong. It weighs about 5kg or more. Its colours are varied.
       The Giant Chinchilla is categorised in the group of giant rabbits in view of its weight of about 7.3kg. This breed has a robust and muscular structure. It also has a long body with round buttocks. Its back is highly curved.
       The Flemish Giant has a big and long body but it is very proportionate. Straight ears make the breed conspicuous. Their length is about 6 inches long, or longer.The female has a very large wattle.
       Next week's Pet Page will feature a story on how to carefully select a rabbit from among the many breeds available and take proper care of it.