Angora Rabbits

Rabbits are normally very ordinary, run-of-the-mill creatures, one of the first animals that babies learn to recognize. But some rabbits are totally not ordinary.

Angora rabbits are born looking just like a normal rabbit, they do have longer fur than many rabbit breeds, but that's all.

But just look at these crazy adult Angoras!

Depending on the breed, Angora rabbits usually weigh 6-12 pounds. They usually have a coat length of 3-5 inches.

Over the course of one year a single large Angora can produce enough wool to make an adult sized sweater. Angora sweaters are much more comfortable than wool.

I would like to keep an Angora rabbit, but I think it might be too much work to keep one, since you have you have to groom them every day.

Exercize and Attention for Your Rodent, Rabbit, or Ferret.

Even though these animals may be rather small, they still need plenty of exercise! Since all of these animals are different, here are their basic requirements of time spent out of the cage.

Hamster, gerbil, mouse, rat: A half hour run outside the cage daily will be enough for these small creatures. Handle them every day or else they may lose their tameness. Be very careful not to let them escape! It is better to let them run in a ball around the house instead of letting them run free.

Guinea pig, rabbit: If possible, give a guinea pig or rabbit at least an hour of time outside of its cage. They love to be held and petted. They can go outside if the weather is right. They love to graze in a yard. Outdoors, a guinea pig or rabbit must be watched at all times, or else use a run. 

Chinchilla: At least half an hour of time outside of their cage. They also need attention and petting! They can only go outside in very mild weather.

Ferret: Ferrets should have an hour to run around each day, preferably more. They need lots of attention too. Never let a ferret outside of the house with out a leash on!

Foster a Pet

Pet keeping can be expensive. Would you like to take a pet into your home - free? I have some questions and answers about fostering pets.

Where can I get pets to foster?  Animal shelters or Humane Societies will probably have pets to foster.

What pets can I foster? The animals that are usually fostered are dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits, ferrets, or birds.

You may be able to foster puppies to young to be adopted, like these puppies, along with the litter's mother.

What are some problems with fostering? Eventually you will have to give the pet to someone else. This can be sad, especially if you have had the animal for several months.You will probably also have to pay for some pet keeping costs.

What will the shelter pay for? The shelter will probably cover the following: food, vet bills, and litter (if needed.) If you go on vacation, you can often just return the animal to the shelter, saving you the cost of a pet sitter.

What will I pay for? You will probably have to pay for a cage or kennel, bed (for a dog or cat), and toys.

How can I foster a pet? Anywhere from days to months.Some animals never get adopted. Sometimes the shelter will take the animal back after a while, but you might be able to foster it again later. If someone decides to adopt the pet you are fostering, you will have to, of course, give it to them. then you can foster another pet!

Fostering a pet is a great idea. A house is a much better place for a pet then a shelter. (If you haven't already done so, check out my post A Trip to the Humane Society) I personally would like to foster small birds and small mammals.

A Trip to the Humane Society of Missouri

When we first entered the Humane Society, it seemed like a nice place. Kittens climbed around in a spacious cage. A dog was exploring the lobby. Then we went into a small room. Two gerbils hid themselves. Some guinea pigs walked around in their cage. There were about a dozen dogs and cats in small cages. There was a 10-year- old Yorkie with some grey fur. A kitten pawed at the bars of its cage. A tiny chihuahua mix whimpered and shivered.

We then went into a room marked "dogs". The first thing we noticed was the noise! All the dogs were barking at once. The second thing we noticed was the smell. A beautiful husky mix jumped at the bars of his cage. Many of the cages were very dirty. We left that room quickly. We went into another dog room. It was quieter, but smellier than the first.

The "Cats and Critters" room housed a lot of cats. A large cage contained a large litter of black and white kittens. The rest of the cat cages were tiny. A movie about squirrels played on a t.v. in the room and many cats were watching it closely.  Three cages held rabbits. A cage smaller then the one I use for Kiki had three cockatiels in it.

In the hallway, a bulletin board was covered in papers about lost animals and animals that were being sold. A worker dragged "An aggressive dog" to the "Aggressive Dog Room". Outside a crying lady and her husband led a large dog up to the door.

After we left, my mom, (who is not an animal lover) remarked how the Humane Society made even her feel sad. This experience has made me a  lot more likely to rescue an animal from a shelter.

This link is to the Humane Society of Missouri's website.
 http://www.hsmo.org/