CDRA Canterbury Tails 2023 Christmas Edition

Canterbury Tails

Christmas 2023

Dates to remember February

Saturday 10

Hopping practise

May

Saturday 11

Autumn Show

July

Saturday 27

Winter Show – RCNZ & Support Show

August

Saturday 3

Hopping practise

September

Saturday 7

Spring Show – RCNZ & Support Show

October

Saturday 19

CDRA Campionship Show – RCNZ South Island Nationals

December

Christmas Show

Saturday 7

All shows held at Burwood Scout Den Hall, 16 Travis Road Christchurch.

If there are changes to the venue or date you will be notified via the schedule and Facebook page.

Contact: c.d.r.a.inc@gmail.com Club magazine – Canterbury Tails Editors: cdra.tails@gmail.com

A reminder...

Shows are stopping over summer because of RCD. Make sure you don’t wear the same clothes you work in, or visit others’ places, before you visit your own rabbits.

Keep your vaccinations up-to-date.

Member profile Dave Fairbrother-Clarke How old were you when you got your first rabbit?

“Gosh, can’t really remember, think it was about 2004 or 2005, so I would of been 31/32.”

What rabbit breed is your favourite and why?

“Satins are my favourite breed, love the shine of their coat. I like many other breeds but don’t have time or space for them all. “ How many rabbits do you own?

Best thing… when they just want to be cuddly or come up and want their nose rubbed.”

Do you have any plans or projects for yourself, or your rabbit?

“Plan is to breed a show winner, but that’s the plan of most show breeder, lol.

Also get more interest and recognition for the satin breed.

Projects are fun, but I lack space for that.”

“I have about 10 adults at the moment.”

What is the best and naughtiest thing your rabbit can do?

“Naughtiest is easy to point out… when they throw their food bowls around (usually still full of food or water).

One of Dave’s satins, Tatiana

Plush Lop Standard This year the Plush Lop was put forward to The British Rabbit Council and has been accepted in one colour only, Agouti.

and South Island over the past couple of years.

This list of accepted colours that NZ will accept, is to help breeders with the small gene pool they are work with, and hopefully with the new standards we will see more of them at the shows. Previously they were shown in the Under Developement Class, in the North

> Self colour group

Ring Size: C Type Weight Head Ears Coat Colour Condition Total

legs are short strong and straight.

The hind legs are short strong and carried parallel to the body. The tail is straight and well furred.

Points 20 10 15 15 20 15 5 100

Type Body compact, firm fleshed with well rounded loins. Deep broad chest with wide shoulders, creates a strong well muscled appearance.

The Rabbit Council of NZ will accept Plush Lop Colours in: > Shaded colour group > Agouti colour group > Tan Pattern colour group Roughly around 23 different colour will be accpeted in NZ.

A small dewlap in does is permissible but not desirable.

Weight Adult, ideal weight 2.3 – 2.6 kgs.

Points 8 Kgs 1.9

9 2.1

10 8 2.3 – 2.6 2.7

Head, Crown and Eye Head: Bold and well developed.

Good width between the eyes, full cheeks and a broad muzzle.

Ideally the shoulders and hindquarters should be roughly the same width.

Crown: The basal ridge of the ears should appear prominent across the top of the skull to form a crown.

Head set well on the shoulders with little visible neck. The front

Eye: Bold round, bright and large.

Matching.

Ears Ears should be broad, thick, well furred and rounded at the end.

They should be carried close to the cheeks, straight behind the eyes and not pointing forwards or backwards, giving a horseshoe like outline when viewed from the front.

The inside of the ears should not be visible when carried correctly.

The ears are not measured.

Coat Approximately 1.27cm (1/2 in) in length. Fine silky texture, free from harshness, good density,

smooth and level over the body, of a lustrous sheen, firm and plush like character, devoid of projecting guard hairs.

Colour – Agouti A rich chestnut top colour with black ticking over an intermediate orange band with dark slate under colour.

Condition The exhibit should be in a perfect state of health and bodily condition, free from soiling, particularly on the feet, ears and genitals. The coat should reflect the overall

good health of the animal which should appear alert and vigorous.

Faults Narrow shoulders, body too long, head shape narrow and snipy.

Ears not properly lopped. Ears damaged or folded. Excessive wear on the pads but skin unbroken. Rear feet not parallel with the body. Excessive dewlap.

Light soiling on the feet, ears or genitals, fur stained or matted.

White toenails. Lack of vitality.

Crooked or screw tail. Weight over the maximum limit to be a fault not a disqualification.

Coat, lack of density, harsh, wavy, wooly or curly. Excessive white hairs.

Disqualifications Weight under the very minimum, ill health, poor condition, malocclusion or deformed teeth, white patches in coat, bent or bowed feet or legs, any discernable illness or disease, blindness, parasite infections, much soiling. Sore pads (where the skin on the feet is broken or scabbed).

Runny, speckled, wall or odd eyes.

Evidence of irregular show preparation such as trimming or dying.

Breed in the spotlight Satin Rabbits with shiny coats first appeared in the 1930’s when Indiana (USA) breeder Walter Huey accidentally bred them while trying to improve the coat colour of his Havana rabbits.

Harvard University then discovered that these rabbits had a recessive gene mutation, which gave them their glittery coats.

The National Havana club then decided to identify them as a seperate breed called Satin Rabbits.

Today satins are found worldwide, though in New Zealand their numbers are low, with just a handful of dedicated breeders.

Satins are a medium sized breed, about 2.5 to 3.5 kgs, of moderate length and inclined to cobbiness.

Their coats are to have an exquisite satin like texture and sheen with a roll back coat.

Satins come in a wide variety of colours and patterns, some

of which have different names to other breeds, such as Ivory (white), Brown (chocolate) and Bronze (chocolate tort).

The satin gene has also been used in other breeds which have achieved their own breed recognition such as satin rex, and satin angoras. New Zealand at one time recognised satin giant chinchillas. Also many years ago, this author had the satin gene pop out in a litter of dwarf lops (blue eyed white lines).

Satins are definitely a striking rabbit with their shining coats, especially in the right lighting.

If you are interested in this breed and want further information, consult your set of standards or get in touch with one of us breeders and we can set you in the direction to become a member of Team Sheen.

Dave Fairbrother-Clarke

(Photo: One of Dave’s satins, Timmy)

Difficult weather: Protecting your rabbits Heat and flystrike Hot weather can be very stressful for rabbits as they do not have much tolerance for high temperatures.

bring rabbit indoors where the temperature can be more effectively controlled.

Providing plenty of water, shade and ventilation is critical. As rabbits do not sweat or pant to cool down when overheated it can difficult for them to cool down without some help.

Ceramic tiles are great as a bunny safe cooling pad.

Signs of heat exhaustion > Wetness around nostrils > Very hot ears > Rapid shallow breathing/ breathing with mouth open > Listlessness/unresponsiveness > Tossing head back

Prevention Make sure your rabbit has access to shade at all times. Keeping the hutch cool is preferable.

Regular grooming to ensure your rabbit does not have excess fur that will insulate.

Keeping rabbit at a healthy weight.

An overweight rabbit will overheat faster.

If you are concerned your rabbit is not coping outdoors in hot weather,

Place frozen bottles of water inside hutch/enclosure A fan blowing across the front of a hutch/enclosure to move air – not aimed directly at rabbit

Cooling down a hot rabbit Frozen water bottles to lie near.

A fan blowing near rabbit to move air past – not directly at rabbit.

Gentle misting with cool water – do not wet rabbit by dipping in water, this is extremely stressful.

Small amounts of chilled food – do not overfeed chilled /frozen foods as this can affect the gut.

If your efforts to cool rabbit down do not seem to be working or you are concerned it is always best to seek veterinary advice.

Flystrike Unfortunately sometimes the warmer weather also results in

more flies around and flystrike can occur extremely quickly.

Signs to watch out for: > Maggots in the fur or under the skin > Patches of wet fur – often around rear of rabbit/behind tail > Open sores/wounds with fly eggs or maggots > Bad smell coming from rabbit > lack of interest in food > Low energy

to groom themselves and as a result are more likely to get dirty bottoms.

Observation. If you notice your rabbit is less active or is off its food, be sure to check its coat for signs of eggs.

Treatment

Regular grooming. Making sure rabbits bottom is clean and there is no soft droppings or urine around tail area.

Occasionally the affected areas may only have unhatched eggs in the fur which can be clippered off and monitored. More often however veterinary treatment is required and the faster the vet can get the rabbit clippered and treated the better chance of recovery. Flystrike can kill quickly and there is often an underlying infection which will need a course of antibiotics to treat.

Maintaining a healthy weight; Overweight rabbits often struggle

Seek veterinary advice if you think your rabbit may have flystrike.

Prevention Good husbandry. Keeping hutch clean and dry.

Homemade treats for rabbits Carrot Truffles

Dried Apple Slices > Apples

> 1 cup rabbit pellets > 2 carrots > 1 banana

Preheat oven to 90 degrees.

Slice apples thinly then cut in half.

Preheat oven to 176 degrees.

Grind the pellets. Puree the carrots and banana together.

Combine all ingredients. (A little water may need to be added so the mixture doesn’t crumble.)

Spread out on a baking sheet on oven tray without overlapping.

Bake for 1 hour.

Take out of oven and turn pieces over.

Bake for another 30 minutes.

Roll the mixture into balls.

Keep in a jar.

Place the balls on a baking sheet on oven tray and bake for 30 minutes.

Banana Skewers

Turn off the oven and leave balls inside oven for another hour to dry out. Refrigerate to keep fresh.

Servings of treats: 1 per day

> Banana > Hay strands (strong strands, not too flimsy) Slice banana into around 2cm disks.

Skewer each slice of banana with strands of hay.

Best served fresh.

Simple and easy enrichment toys Egg Carton Sandwich > Plain egg carton (remove any stickers) > Hay > Veggie treats Place veggies at the bottom of the egg carton.

Top the veggies with a generous amount of hay to make it more challenging and fun for your bunny.

Close the egg carton to make it more difficult to get to the treats.

Braided Willow Branch Chew Toy > a handful of willow branches > Vinegar > Scissors > String Soak branches in water and vinegar for 30 minutes then rinse.

Other ideas > Cardboard play house > Pine cones > Clothes line with wooden pegs holding fruit or veggie pieces > Autumn leaves or screwed up newspaper ina box > cardboard tubes with treats inside > Rabbit maze or tunnel using paper or cardboard > Sticks stuck into toilet paper roll

Let branches dry for a few hours or put them in the over at 200 degrees for 1 hour.

Cut branches into 20-25 cm lengths. Braid together using 3 pieces. Tie off both ends with string or knot branch ends.

“Bronsen“ Blue Tan • 4 years Owned by: Willow Roberts Photgrapher: Evie Hutton Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Canterbury Domestic Rabbit Association Inc. Which disclaims any responsibility or liability for the contents of this magazine.