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I am starting a series on bunnies. I am just going to post some of the things I have learned from my new book, Rabbits For Dummies. I thought I would start by telling you the breeds and all about where they originated.

American
Compact in appearance, the American is a medium-sized rabbit, weighing around ten pounds. Its mandolin-shaped body provides a slight over the loins and hindquarters and a taper from the hindquarters to the shoulders. In existence nearly 100 years, the American breeds come in two colours varieties: blue or white. The blue variety has blue-gray eyes, and the white version has pink eyes.

American Fuzzy Lop
The Fuzzy Lop, which is related to the Holland Lop and the Angora, is available in many colours. This along with its furry coat and long, floppy ears makes it a popular breed with rabbit lovers. The American Fuzzy Lop is shown in six different groups based on its colour pattern: broken, pointed white, wide band, agouti, shaded, and self. Within those groups, the agouti colours of chestnut, chinchilla, opal, and lynx can be seen. The broken colours of any are recognized rabbit breed are allowed, as are the solid colours of black, white, lilac, blue and chocolate. A number of other colour patterns are also available in this small rabbit, whose body is short and stocky. This cobby (stocky) little rabbit’s coat is long and woolly, requiring frequent grooming.

American Sable
The ears, face, legs, and tail of the American Sable are darker than the main part of its body. This rabbit is well named because its coat is a beautiful dark brown -- the result of crosses with the Chinchilla. A medium-sized rabbit sporting a lightly arched back, the American Sable is an attractive pet, weighing around nine pounds.

Angora
Angora rabbits come in one of four types:
English Angora: Originating in Turkey, the English Angora breed is at least 200 years old, if not older. This rabbit comes in six colour groups: the pointed white, self, agouti, shaded, wide band, and ticked. Within these groups, the colours available are white with black; blue lilac or chocolate points; solid blue, black, chestnut, agouti, chinchilla, chocolate agouti, chocolate chinchilla, copper, lilac, lilac chinchilla, lynx, squirrel, opal, and wild gray; (lots of other ones that I don’t want to type up right now!) Compact in size and stature, the English Angora weighs in at around six pounds.

French Angora: The French Angora was developed before the English Angora, specifically for its wool. The French people used to hand pluck it wool and spin it for clothing. This breed comes in the same four-colour varieties as the English Angora and is somewhat bigger than the English, weighing in are around nine pounds. The French Angora also has less hair on its head, ears, and legs.

Giant Angora: Bathed in fur, the Giant Angora, with its dramatic appearance, tends to stand out among the rest of the Angora breeds. Unlike the other Angoras, the Giant is only available in white, with blue eyes or ruby eyes. It’s larger than the English or the Satin, weighing in at around nine pounds. Its coat is similar to the English Angora in that has longer furnishings (hair on its ears, face, and legs.

Satin Angora: Slightly smaller than the English Angora, Satin Angoras usually weigh around seven pounds. The Satin Angora comes in the same colour varieties as the English and French Angoras. The main difference between the Satin and the other Angoras is its coat. The Satin, as its name would imply, has shinier, silkier hair than its counterparts.

Ok, I hope you liked learning about the breeds of rabbits. I had no idea their were so many breeds and different looking rabbits when I first wanted one. I know that I wanted one with floppy ears, and that was about it. I will post the floppy-eared breeds next time I post breeds, so you decide which one you like best.

There is also pictures from when the Suarez's came last up at my other blog, so go check it out!

  Rachel

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It seems like I have had Carrots and Buggs for a long time now. I give them fresh clover in the morning and during the day, and before I go to bed. Just this morning when I was giving them their breakfast of clover, grass and dandelion leaves, I noticed how big Carrots has grown. He is bigger than Buggs now, and when I had first gotten him, he was smaller than Buggs.

Buggs is the tamer one and so I hold him more. I have started taking Carrots out of the cage and hold him for a few minutes then put him back to jump into their favourite corner. The corner they like most, and they spend a good deal of time in it, is on the right side of the cage in the back. I have a small cardboard box that I took apart on one side, so now it's a long, flat piece of cardboard. It was supposed to keep the hay and grass in, but it doesn't help much. They like sleeping on it, so its doing some good, I guess.

I like to sit and watch them eat after I give them their meals, and after they've eaten a little, I'd take one out and hold him for a bit. Buggs will sit for a while, then he'll get inquisitive about where he is. He runs along the side of cage where the door is, looking for a place to get out, I don't doubt. He goes behind the cardboard and hides. Right now, I can see him on his hind legs, looking over the cardboard and chewing on the side of the cage. Its so fun to watch them jump around and eat.

Buggs has really long ears, well, not super long ears, but a good size for his body. He is not as fat as Carrots, but his ears are wider and longer than Carrots. Carrots, now, is fatter and bigger than Buggs. I'm still not sure what s*x they are, I refer to them as "hims". I guess I'll find out when they are a bit older.

Coming soon: pictures! I'll take some of them and post them on here for you all to see how big Carrots has gotten, and Buggs of course!

Oh, and I have poison ivy on my right arm. I put calmine lotion on it everyday... so hopefully it'll go away!

Rachel

Ps. I'm thinking about changing my template to rabbits, any ideas? Thanks!
Make sure you check over and post a comment on my homeschoolblogger blog: The Milk and Honey Tea-House. I would very pleased to know you were there!

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Ok, I was cleaning out the dropping pan from under the rabbits' cage today, I took it out and cleaned it, then I put it back and I opened the door to look at them. I decided I would get them some clover to munch on, so I went outside to get it.

I had a handful of clover and was heading back toward the house. Eric was coming out of the house, and he came over to me and said, "You almost let the rabbits' loose! YOU LEFT THE DOOR ON THE CAGE OPEN!"

"I left the what open?!"
"The DOOR, and Carrots was sitting right outside the door on the TABLE!" I ran in house and Eric had shut the door, thank the Lord!

I opened the door a second time and put the clover in, and I shut the door that time. It was very scary to think I could've let them loose and not been able to find them, but the Lord was very gracious to show me how careless I can be. He doesn't want to just punish you for those kinds of things, He wants to show them to you so you can correct them and not be careless or unkind to someone.

It's like the children of Israel. He had to correct them and correct them until they just wouldn't listen to Him anymore. Those who did not want to listen to the Lord, He destroyed, and if we do not listen to Him, we are in BIG TROUBLE! He gives us the choice of obeying or not obeying the voice of our parents wo he puts over us to guide and protect us. We need to listen to the intructions that are given to us by our parents.

I am still learning about some things, and I will continue to learn all my life, but somethings I can change now and not wait to change them. Thank you, Lord, for showing your grace and not punishing me for being careless, and letting the rabbits get out! I will make sure to shut the door from now on, and WILL not leave it open again (hopefully!)

Oh, yes, the Suarezs' are coming up again TODAY! I am so HAPPY! I can't wait to see them again! Did everyone know they are expecting again? Well, they are!

Rachel

Ps. I couldn't get the links to work! Oi!

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Ok, so I wanted to post some pictures of Carrots, then Amanda found Bugs Bunny (Eric's bunny) down in the pasture. Pemberly was chasing it, and she called him over to her and stopped him from chasing him.

Carrots in the new cage

Carrots (left) and Bugs Bunny (right)


Bugs is bigger than Carrots, I think about two weeks maybe


Their new cage

I got the cage kit that included a water bottle, small feed bowl, toy, salt and mineral wheels, small bag of feed, bag of absorbant stuff to put in the droppings pan. So, what do you think? Did I do good? I hope so!

I hope you have enjoyed reading the thoughts of a thirteen-year-old girl from the country."You can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens you!" Philippians 4:13

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The Lord works in mighty ways, doesn't he? As you've read from my previous posts I have been wanting rabbits. Well, God has a plan for everything! He knew exactly what, where, and if I would be able to get one and I did! So here is the story:  

Eric was getting the weed-eater from the back of the house and stopped to look at something. It was a baby rabbit. He brought it to the porch, yelling for us to come see. I rushed over, holding Cabug, and saw this little furry thing. It looked kind of like a mouse, but it wasn't because the ears too long.
 
I set Cabug down, ran outside on the porch and kept telling him, "Give me the rabbit!". He did eventually. Afterward, we got a box and put some grass in it for the bunny. The Littles were so excited we had a bunny in a box in our living room. They all wanted to hold it, of course. Who wouldn't? 

When I previously posted that I wanted rabbits, Chas told me the kinds of rabbits she has, and I also looked up info on them. The we have is, of course, wild and small. It is also scared, especially of all the faces hovering over it. Mom did some research online for taking care of wild rabbits and found that rabbit feed their babies in the middle of the night. We decided that we should put it back where we found it and go check on it in a couple hours, (it was 10:30 then) Eric and I put it right back where he found it, by a peony bush, and went back to the house.

Mom sent the Littles to bed right after because it was 10:40-something. Mom, Amanda, Jocelyn, and I were up 'til 12am, watching Mom on the computer. Amanda and Jocelyn went to bed, and I stayed up with Mom, holding Queen Lucy, the Valiant! (I like calling her that! and plus, she is!) Queen Lucy went to sleep and Mom was just about sleeping herself. Before she closed her eyes, I asked her,
"Mom, do you want me to go look and see if the rabbit is still there?"
MOM: "You don't want to go by yourself, do you?"
ME: "I will."
MOM: "Because I'm not going."
ME: "Eric will be mad at me if I don't check it."
MOM: "No, just leave it alone."

I helped Mom get the laptop upstairs and got a cup of water, changed Queen Lucy's diaper. Then off to bed I went!

I woke up the next morning, yesterday, and no one else was up. Dad had the day off from the PO, but was still in bed. I set my alarm for 8am the night before, hoping I'd be able to get up at that time. I did go to bed at 1am though. I went downstairs and got my shoes on and went back outside. I looked by the bush, and my heart sank. The bunny was gone. I thought to myself, "God knows best... I guess it wasn't He didn't want me to have a rabbit right now." I decided to go back in, but, I saw a pretty yellow flower. I bent down to pick a small flower, and there was the bunny! Just sitting there - under some weeds! I was so thrilled!
 
Mom said I could keep it and I named it Carrots. We don't know if it is a him or a her yet so Carrots will be perfect if its either.

I got up this morning and gave Carrots some warm goats' milk. Then let it walk around a bit on the floor and held it before I put it back into the box. i also gave it some carrot shreds and it ate a few. I want Carrots to be used to handling if it's going to be a pet.
I'll be taking more pictures! I'll keep you updated. 
Rachel

I hope you have enjoyed reading the thoughts of a thirteen-year-old girl from the country."You can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens you!" Philippians 4:13

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