/24-7/ -- Many people give adorable baby bunnies as pets at Easter. In a few weeks the babies grow up, the children lose interest and the rabbits are evicted to fend for themselves or end up in shelters. Thousands of rabbits are waiting in shelters for loving homes. Some of these rabbits have become Super Bunnies and their entertaining show can be found at www.clickerbunny.com and on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE9OXATfF0o). This Easter, give a plush or chocolate bunny as a gift and then visit local shelters as a family to find the perfect bunny for a pet.
Rabbits can make wonderful pets. They are smart and entertaining, each with its own distinct personality. Many baby bunnies are purchased on impulse at Easter without consideration for the long term commitment and care required. Rabbits can live up to 12 years, must be fed and housed properly and require attention, training and vet care just like a cat or dog. The adorable baby bunny grows to an adult in a few weeks and many are neglected, abandoned or surrendered to shelters. Once a family has decided that they want a rabbit for a pet, the best place to look is the local animal shelter or rabbit rescue organization.
Rabbits can be trained to come when called, go into a carrier, use a litter box and other useful and entertaining behaviors. Canadian authors and animal trainers, Joan Orr and Teresa Lewin wrote the book, "Getting Started: Clicking with Your Rabbit" published by Karen Pryor Clickertraining. This is the first ever book on the subject of clicker training rabbits. "We have been getting a terrific response to the bunny book," said Joan Orr. "Many people did not know that rabbits can be trained and can learn as well as dogs can". "Clicking with Your Rabbit is an eye-opening adventure into the minds of rabbits!", said pet journalist Janice Biniok. "I'm for anything that helps us enjoy our pets more, encourages us to build stronger human-animal relationships, or deepens our understanding and appreciation of our fuzzy companions, and this book does it all." The www.clickerbunny.com website provides information, resources and videos for those interested in clicker training their rabbit, ferret or other small pet.
In order to promote adoption of shelter rabbits and to showcase the talents of clicker training rabbits, Andrea Bratt-Frick of BUNS (Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter) in Santa Barbara California (www.bunssb.com) has created the entertaining Super Bunnies video which can be viewed on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE9OXATfF0o). More amazing bunny tricks can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgDHWLyztCI&feature=channel. The House Rabbit Society is promoting the purchase of chocolate rather than live bunnies for Easter through the "Make Mine Chocolate" campaign (www.makeminechocolate.org).
Give a chocolate or plush bunny for Easter and then do some research into the care and raising of rabbits and visit your local shelter as a family to pick out the perfect bunny pet.
For information about clicker rabbit training and to see videos of trained rabbits visit www.clickerbunny.com.
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Showing posts with label rabbits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rabbits. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Safe and Natural Ways to Fight Four-legged Foes in Your Gardens
(ARA) - You love the great outdoors, especially gardening. But sometimes wildlife can be just a bit too wild, with rabbits munching prized plants to the ground, deer devouring petals of roses and azaleas, and cats rolling over seedlings and leaving their “calling cards” throughout your landscaping.
Unfortunately, these critters are a common, perpetual annoyance to home gardeners. Learning a little more about their habits and identifying the culprits is your first step to critter control. First, you’ll need to recognize your four-legged foraging foe. Here are some tips to help you determine the critters you’ll need to thwart:
Rabbits: Bunnies don’t just dine on clover and grass, they’ll also wreak havoc on your vegetable plants and can even damage woody plants in your landscape. Tell-tale signs that bunnies are bountiful include damage that is usually no higher than 2 1/2 feet above the ground, and sharp cuts at 45-degree angles on plants.
Deer: A lovely sight almost anywhere other than in your backyard. Deer can, and do, cause major damage to plants, landscapes and vegetable gardens, consuming about 12 pounds of foliage in a single day. To determine if your flowers and vegetables are disappearing due to deer damage, look closely at the half-eaten plants. If you see a jagged, rough edge, you can be sure the damage was done by deer as they have no incisor teeth and tear at the food source, leaving proof of their presence.
Squirrels: These furry, funny, cute creatures can be quite destructive when it comes to your gardens and landscapes. Squirrels are burrowing animals; they usually feed on bulbs and green leafy material during the spring and summer, switching to seeds and grains during the fall and winter. They love wild bird feeders and have a reputation for driving away the very birds you put the feeder out to attract. You have squirrel damage if you see gnawing marks on tree bark and outside wiring, and signs of digging and burrowing. You’ll also see them in the light of day sitting atop your birdfeeder.
Cats: Cats love to dig in soft already-tilled soil, making gardens just perfect for their digging desires. Most cats think the outdoors is their litter box, and a patch of dirt is an invitation to come do their business. It also makes a great place to play or roll. They’ll roll over your plants, breaking new shoots and foliage. A sure sign you have a cantankerous cat frolicking in your flowerbeds is cat droppings.
These critters don't have to be the enemy of your gardens, and trapping them won't solve the problem. The arrival of warm weather means the arrival of new foliage, green grass and pesky critters in our backyards and gardens. As spring is sprung, we’re suddenly faced with long gardening to-do lists and a wide variety of unwanted animals in our garden beds. As a rule of thumb, it’s far better to prevent animal damage than to wait until it occurs and try to combat it.
There are a number of less-than-ideal approaches for dealing with these frustrating problems. Messy, dangerous chemicals pose unacceptable risks for most homeowners, considering pets and children. Sealing off entire areas of your landscape would be impractical, inconvenient and potentially very costly. Trapping is a lot of effort, and again, it would be a perpetual labor as trapping does nothing to prevent new pests.
All-natural alternatives can help keep critters out of your gardens and landscape. Look for 100 percent certified organic products like those made by Messina Wildlife Management. Easily applied in ready-to-use spray bottles, these organic products dry clear, smell good and work for 30 days before reapplication is needed, no matter the weather. They’re safe to use on vegetables and none will harm the animals they’re intended to repel. Natural products use taste and smell aversions to keep critters like rabbits, deer, squirrel, cats, groundhogs, moles and even armadillos out of your backyard.
For most animals scent and taste are the primary senses that attract them to food sources. If you disrupt the animal’s sense of smell and taste, you have won the battle against the constant parade of pesky critters in your landscapes. Visit Messinawildlife.com for more information on natural, safe, effective pest repellents.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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Unfortunately, these critters are a common, perpetual annoyance to home gardeners. Learning a little more about their habits and identifying the culprits is your first step to critter control. First, you’ll need to recognize your four-legged foraging foe. Here are some tips to help you determine the critters you’ll need to thwart:
Rabbits: Bunnies don’t just dine on clover and grass, they’ll also wreak havoc on your vegetable plants and can even damage woody plants in your landscape. Tell-tale signs that bunnies are bountiful include damage that is usually no higher than 2 1/2 feet above the ground, and sharp cuts at 45-degree angles on plants.
Deer: A lovely sight almost anywhere other than in your backyard. Deer can, and do, cause major damage to plants, landscapes and vegetable gardens, consuming about 12 pounds of foliage in a single day. To determine if your flowers and vegetables are disappearing due to deer damage, look closely at the half-eaten plants. If you see a jagged, rough edge, you can be sure the damage was done by deer as they have no incisor teeth and tear at the food source, leaving proof of their presence.
Squirrels: These furry, funny, cute creatures can be quite destructive when it comes to your gardens and landscapes. Squirrels are burrowing animals; they usually feed on bulbs and green leafy material during the spring and summer, switching to seeds and grains during the fall and winter. They love wild bird feeders and have a reputation for driving away the very birds you put the feeder out to attract. You have squirrel damage if you see gnawing marks on tree bark and outside wiring, and signs of digging and burrowing. You’ll also see them in the light of day sitting atop your birdfeeder.
Cats: Cats love to dig in soft already-tilled soil, making gardens just perfect for their digging desires. Most cats think the outdoors is their litter box, and a patch of dirt is an invitation to come do their business. It also makes a great place to play or roll. They’ll roll over your plants, breaking new shoots and foliage. A sure sign you have a cantankerous cat frolicking in your flowerbeds is cat droppings.
These critters don't have to be the enemy of your gardens, and trapping them won't solve the problem. The arrival of warm weather means the arrival of new foliage, green grass and pesky critters in our backyards and gardens. As spring is sprung, we’re suddenly faced with long gardening to-do lists and a wide variety of unwanted animals in our garden beds. As a rule of thumb, it’s far better to prevent animal damage than to wait until it occurs and try to combat it.
There are a number of less-than-ideal approaches for dealing with these frustrating problems. Messy, dangerous chemicals pose unacceptable risks for most homeowners, considering pets and children. Sealing off entire areas of your landscape would be impractical, inconvenient and potentially very costly. Trapping is a lot of effort, and again, it would be a perpetual labor as trapping does nothing to prevent new pests.
All-natural alternatives can help keep critters out of your gardens and landscape. Look for 100 percent certified organic products like those made by Messina Wildlife Management. Easily applied in ready-to-use spray bottles, these organic products dry clear, smell good and work for 30 days before reapplication is needed, no matter the weather. They’re safe to use on vegetables and none will harm the animals they’re intended to repel. Natural products use taste and smell aversions to keep critters like rabbits, deer, squirrel, cats, groundhogs, moles and even armadillos out of your backyard.
For most animals scent and taste are the primary senses that attract them to food sources. If you disrupt the animal’s sense of smell and taste, you have won the battle against the constant parade of pesky critters in your landscapes. Visit Messinawildlife.com for more information on natural, safe, effective pest repellents.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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