Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Burgess Australia Donation
Burgess Australia has made a generous donation of their rabbit pellets "Excel Nuggest with Mind" which the rescue rabbits LOVE! See our facebook post showing a photo of rescue rabbit Petal trying to sit on her bunny castle amongst the many bags of Burgess Rabbit Pellets! Thank you to Burgess Australia for their generosity and support of our rabbit rescue.
Myxomatosis rabbit immunity
There has been a study on rabbit immunity to the rabbit virus, Myxomatosis with results published in "Science". The Natural History Museum in the UK has published an article about the way rabbit genes have evolved since the time of Charles Darwin who studied this in his own rabbit.
'Often evolution works through big changes in single genes,' explains Joel, 'but our findings show that resistance to myxomatosis likely evolved through lots of small effects spread across the genome.'
Symptoms of Myxomatosis are: reddening of both eyes, a pinkness and swelling of nose, ears and anus. The rabbit's ears will be hot. Gradually lesions appear. Finally the eyes will swell shut, the swelling in the rabbit's mouth will stop eating and drinking.
If a rabbit is found with Myxomatosis, it should be taken to a vet for humane euthanasia as there is no treatment and no cure.
'Often evolution works through big changes in single genes,' explains Joel, 'but our findings show that resistance to myxomatosis likely evolved through lots of small effects spread across the genome.'
Crucially, these all occurred in the same genes relating to immunity.
Hopefully, for our pet rabbits in Australia, the genes will continue to evolve until there is complete immunity to the dreaded, incurable rabbit Myxomatosis virus. Symptoms of Myxomatosis are: reddening of both eyes, a pinkness and swelling of nose, ears and anus. The rabbit's ears will be hot. Gradually lesions appear. Finally the eyes will swell shut, the swelling in the rabbit's mouth will stop eating and drinking.
If a rabbit is found with Myxomatosis, it should be taken to a vet for humane euthanasia as there is no treatment and no cure.
Should a Rabbit be Caged?
Show a rabbit in a small cage over and over again and that is what becomes normal.
There is nothing more natural about a rabbit in a cage, than a woman in a kitchen.
Pet shops continue to show rabbits in cages. They sell small cages that they call "Rabbit Cages" which are cruel homes for pet rabbits because of their small size and the bunnies can't hop around freely and in some cages they can't even stand up.
People think that caging a rabbit is ok because that is the way the pet shops market them, as caged rabbits rather than as needing space to hop around in an enriched playpen or room in the house.
Pet shops continue to show rabbits in cages. They sell small cages that they call "Rabbit Cages" which are cruel homes for pet rabbits because of their small size and the bunnies can't hop around freely and in some cages they can't even stand up.
People think that caging a rabbit is ok because that is the way the pet shops market them, as caged rabbits rather than as needing space to hop around in an enriched playpen or room in the house.
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