Animal Science II- Small Animal

1. Animal Science II- Small Animal Unit D3- Animal Breeds and Basic Management

2. Essential Standard 9.00 • Select the best pocket pet or bird for a given use.

3. Objective 9.01 • Discuss major breeds of pocket pets and birds.

4. Rabbits • Developed into forty-five recognized breeds • Divided into five weight categories • Dwarf or Miniature • Small • Medium • Large • Giant

5. Dwarf or Miniature Breeds • Britannia Petite • Netherland Dwarf • Himalayan

6. Himalayan • One of the oldest and widest distributions • Young rabbits are white and slightly tinged with silver-gray • Matures rabbits become snow white with deep black nose, ears, feet, and tail

7. Small Breeds • Dutch • Tan • Florida White

8. Dutch • Originated in Holland and developed in England • Unique color markings • colored patches on each side of the head that encircle the eyes and ears • rear half is also colored the same as the head

9. Florida White • Developed in Florida • Crossed with Dutch, Polish, and New Zealand Whites • Short and compact • well-rounded hips and hindquarters • Bred for a small meat rabbit or a laboratory rabbit

10. Medium Breeds • English Spot • Standard Chinchilla • English Angora • Belgian Hare • Rhinelander • Rex

11. English Spot • Introduced to US from England • A unique chair of markings, the size of a pea, run from the base of the ear to the rear flank

12. Belgian Hare • Originated in Flanders, Belgium • Has a long, fine body, long, straight and slender legs

13. Rex • Short hair coat, with guard hairs being the same length as the under fur • The fur has a very soft, flush feel

14. Large Breeds • Californian • Cinnamon • American • English Lop • New Zealand • Silver Fox

15. Californian • Cross of a Himalayan and a Chinchilla and crossed with White New Zealand • White with black colored nose, ears, feet, and tail, and the eyes are red

16. English Lop • Oldest domestic rabbit breed known • Body is medium length with well arched back and low head carriage

17. New Zealand • Leading choice for commercial meat production • White is preferred because the small hairs that remain cannot be seen

18. Giant • Giant Angora • French Lop • Flemish Giant

19. Giant Angora • Developed for maximum amount of wool production • Has the body structure of a commercial animal with a unique coat structure

20. French Lop • Ears are shorter than the English Lop and hang down in a horseshoe shape from the crown approximately 1 ½ inches or more below the muzzle

21. Flemish Giant • Originated in Belgium • This is the largest of all the domestic rabbit breeds

22. Pocket Pets • Not defined by breeds • Grouped by colors and/or color patterns

23. Golden Hamster • Adults reach 5" -6" long • weigh about 4 ounces • Rich mahogany or orange color on the back with a white or creamy colored underside • A black patch is usually present along the side of the cheeks • Long-haired or “teddy bear” hamsters have long, silky fur

24. Dwarf/small desert Hamster • Light gray with a dark stripe down the back • Smaller than the Golden • 4" -4 ½" long • These are active friendly pets • Due to their smaller size, they are more difficult for children to handle

25. Gerbils • Adult gerbils reach 6"- 8" long nose to tail • Weigh 3 – 4 ounces • Mongolian Gerbil • reddish brown to dark brown

26. Rats • Black • tail is longer than the head and body • ears are about half as long as the head • color is usually black or dark gray with a brown or gray-white underside • Brown • larger than the black rat • tail is always shorter than the head and body • thicker and more robust • short and more rounded ears • fur is dark to gray brown on the back with lighter colors on the underside

27. Mice • Self colors • one color • Tans • any color with tan belly • Piebald or pied marked mice • spots, patches or broken patterns • Satins • any color or markings with satin coat

28. Guinea Pig • Adults guinea pigs • reach 8 -14" in length • weigh from 1 to 4 pounds. • Guinea pigs have very sensitive hearing and can detect frequencies beyond the human ear • Self-defense for guinea pigs is to stand on hind legs and chatter with their teeth

29. Guinea Pig • Types: • Abyssinian • rough, wiry hair coat • the hair is made up of swirls or cowlicks called rosettes • American • hair is short, very glossy and fine in texture • Peruvian • longhaired variety that may reach 20"in length • since guinea pigs do not have a tail it is difficult to distinguish the front from the back of the Peruvian. It looks like an animated mop • Satin • coat is fine, dense, and soft

30. Chinchillas • Adults range in length from 9 -15 inches • tail of 3 – 10 inches • weigh 1 – 2 pounds • Standard • blue-gray that is most popular • White • mutation with black eyes • Beige • pearl colored to pastel colored • Black • has a black undercoat, very narrow gray-white band, jet-black veil (tips of fur) and high density

31. Ferrets • Common Sable • ranges from light to dark, depending on the shade of both the underfur and guard hairs • the underfur ranges from white to beige • White • red-eyed is referred to as a true albino • there are a few black-eyed white • Sliver Mitt • underfur of white with guard hairs of black and white • gives a silvery appearance

32. Ferrets • Sterling Silver • similar to Silver Mitt but with more white guard hairs • Butterscotch • underfur is same as sable but the guard hairs, mask, and hood colorings are butterscotch instead of black • Cinnamon • underfur is white or off-white and guard hairs that are rich red-brown or cinnamon color

33. Rabbit Use • Meat • High in protein • Low in cholesterol, fat, sodium • Very palatable

34. Rabbit Use • Research and laboratory • Florida White • Developed as a small meat and laboratory animal • Used to produce disease fighting antibodies • Study reproduction • Research several human diseases • Skin irritation tests • test the reaction of chemicals on the skin

35. Rabbits- research • Have been used in tests for cosmetics • do not have tear ducts • cannot shed tears to dilute chemicals put into their eyes • Most companies do not use this test anymore

36. Rabbit Use • Fur/wool-divided into four types • Normal • regular rabbit • Rex • short • Angora • like wool • Satin • mutation fur • smaller in diameter • transparent outer shell

37. Rabbit Use • Compared to sheep’s wool, rabbit’s wool is finer, lighter, warmer, and softer • Does not cause irritation to skin • Not as scratchy • Used in the manufacturing • Clothing • Toys • Coats • Hats • Gloves

38. Rabbit Use • Pets • With diversity in size they can fit into different home situations • Trainable to use litter box • Require little special care • Clean, gentle, and lovable pets

39. Hamsters • Used in medical research since 1931 • Found that they could be tamed and made into a pet • Golden hamster • most abundant hamster used for research and pets • Dwarf/small desert hamsters • make good pets • Children have more problem handling them due to their small size

40. Gerbils • Japanese scientists were the first to breed in captivity • easy to work with • gentle • active during the day • have no special food or housing requirements • drink little water, virtually odorless, and would seldom bite • popular pets

41. Rats • White albino rats • Have been of major importance in medical, biological, and psychological research • used in developing drugs • studying diseases, nutrition, aging, and other topics • Intelligent and have the ability to learn so have been used in behavioral studies • Colored rats • especially have been accepted as pets

42. Mice • Used for medical and biological research • especially with hereditary studies • Pet mice are relatively free of disease • When handled frequently, show little tendency to bite or escape

43. Guinea pigs • Bred originally for meat production • Still used by the native people of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia as a food source • Used for research on pathology, nutrition, genetics, toxicology, and serum development • Used by Louis Pasteur in his research on rabies • Used also as a pet

44. Chinchillas • Used as a source of fur for thousands of years • Brought to California from South America to breed for their fur • Many furs are sold as a group • Requires 120 to 150 pelts to make a full-length coat • Used as pets since the 1950s

45. Ferrets • Recently been found to be wonderful pets • have a musky smell and need to be descented • males also need to be castrated • Used in the 1800s for rodent control • run into holds and run the rodents out • leave a scent behind that would trigger fear • Help wire airplanes in hard to reach places • Used in scientific research • catch the same colds as humans

46. Objective 9.02 • Use care techniques that improve the well-being of pocket pets and birds.

47. Rabbit Housing and Equipment • Hutch size depends on the size of the animal • small rabbits need cages 24“ wide x 24" long x 14" high • large rabbits (over 12 pounds) needing 24" x 48"x 18" high • The Belgian Hare is an active breed that needs even more space • Solid wood floors are needed for large breeds (over 12 pounds) to prevent sore hocks • Absorbent materials for solid floors should be replaced weekly, but cages should be cleaned daily

48. Rabbit Housing and Equipment • Wire floors are easier to keep clean because urine and feces drop to a removable tray below • Cages for small rabbits will need to be cleaned once or twice a week • Control urine odor with baking soda sprinkled in the corners of the collection tray • replace absorbent material on a regular basis • Raise rabbits outside year-round • protect from winter wind • provide air movement in hot weather if temperature goes above 90°F • A frozen water bottle and fans can help keep the rabbit cool in hot weather

49. Rabbit Housing and Equipment • Ventilation is a must • avoid cool, damp, drafts • Sixteen hours of daylight or artificial lighting promotes breeding • Galvanized metal self-feeders that clip on the outside of the cage allow quick feeding and help eliminate waste • Bowls take up cage space and are subject to be tipped over

50. Rabbit Housing and Equipment • Rabbits need a lot of water • 16 ounce water bottle is minimum • 32 ounce bottle is better • Vaccum-type water bottles • clip on the outside of the cage • best for eliminating wet dewlaps and spills that can spoil bedding and result in lack of water for the pet