小蛙家的3+1兔日記

作者: frannica (我是贅肉肥河豚) 看板: Rabbits
標題: RABBITS AS PETS (From FDA 網站)
時間: Mon Oct  3 00:11:04 2005

http://www.fda.gov/cvm/rabbits.htm

我笑了...有一陣子為了工作得一直上 FDA 網站
去查醫療器材上市許可的規定 (公司要用)
沒想到網站上竟然有這麼可愛的東西...

INFORMATION FOR CONSUMERS
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
CENTER FOR VETERINARY MEDICINE

美國食物與藥品管理局
動物用藥中心
消費者資訊

RABBITS AS PETS

寵物兔飼養

The following consumer information is provided by Karen A. Kandra,
Communications Staff, Center for Veterinary Medicine.

下列資訊是動物用藥中心通訊專員卡倫.A.坎德拉提供

May 1997

1997年5月

Rabbits make excellent pets, and offer a wonderful alternative where
it may be impossible to keep dogs or cats. Rabbits are clean, docile,
and intelligent. However, they still require responsible care and daily
attention. Basic needs are a warm, dry hutch, clean, wholesome food,
and fresh water to drink. Rabbits may live 10 to 15 years. Since there
are over 40 recognized breeds of rabbits, check with a reliable breeder
to determine what type would fit in with your lifestyle. The most 
popular are the smaller breeds, such as the Dutch, Holland Lop, Mini Lop,
Netherland Dwarf, and Polish. Rabbits may be taught to use a litter 
box,and may be leash trained for trips outside the house.

兔子是絕佳的寵物, 而且可說是不能飼養狗貓的人一個很棒的選擇.
兔子既清潔, 溫馴, 又聰明. 但是, 牠們一樣需要負責任的主人每天照顧和關注.
基本上牠們需要一個溫暖, 乾燥的小窩, 有益健康的食物, 以及乾淨的飲水.

兔子可以活 10~15 年. 因為有 40 多個不同品種的兔子, 所以飼養前不妨找個
可靠的繁殖者 (此指販賣兔子的人) 來詢問並找出適合您生活方式的兔子.
小型兔如道奇, 荷蘭垂耳兔, 迷你垂耳兔, 荷蘭侏儒兔, 波蘭兔都是頗受歡迎
的兔種. 主人可以訓練兔子使用兔廁, 也可以訓練牠們綁上鍊繩到外面蹓兔

Housing

Rabbits may be safely housed indoors or outdoors, as long as they have
protection from rain, wind, and direct sunlight. Extremes in 
temperature should be avoided. High temperatures may cause overheating and death in
rabbits of all ages. Good ventilation is essential, and cages should be easily accessible for daily care. Since rabbits are natural gnawers,  cage material must be tough enough to withstand constant chewing. Wire pens  or wooden hutches are acceptable, and should be large enough to allow the rabbit to move around freely for exercise. Ideally, cages should be
cleaned daily, or at least three times a week. To avoid boredom, toys and chewing materials should be provided. Fruit tree branches make good chewsticks. In addition, rabbits should be protected from predators (dogs,foxes), and avoid contact with wild rodents and insects which can transmit disease.

居住環境

只要可以提供遮風擋雨, 避開直接日照的安全環境, 
那麼兔子養在室外或室內都可以.

要避免太過高溫或低溫, 任何年齡的兔子都無法抵擋高溫, 會因此中暑甚至死亡
環境必須通風, 籠子的設置必須要便於日常的照顧. 因為兔子天性喜愛啃咬, 
籠子必需要夠堅固, 可以抵擋兔子不停的破壞才行. 鐵絲圍欄或木製小屋都可以, 
但是要夠大, 好讓兔子可以自由活動或運動. 籠子最好要每天清理, 不然至一個禮拜要清個
三次. 要提供玩具跟可供啃咬的東西, 兔子才不會無聊.

果樹的樹枝是很好的啃咬木.此外,兔子應該與食肉動物, 如狗, 狐狸隔離, 
也要避免牠們與野鼠或其他會傳染疾病
的昆蟲接觸

Cages should be checked for broken wires or splintered boards, and prompt
repairs made to avoid injury to the rabbit. If rabbits are allowed to run
 loose in the house, make sure electric cords are out of reach, as well 
as any pesticides, or poisons. Also, don't leave rabbits alone with other
pets! As with any animal, prevention is the best medicine.

要檢查籠子裡是否有斷掉的鐵絲, 或是碎裂的木板, 並且要立即修理以避免傷到
兔子. 如果要讓兔子在屋裡自由行動, 要確保兔子不會碰到電線, 殺蟲劑, 毒藥.
還有! 不要讓兔子跟其他寵物獨處! 對於任何的動物都是, 預防是最佳良藥

Feeding

餵食

Rabbits are monogastric herbivores. Young rabbits may be fed 
free-choice quality rabbit pellets, but adults should be limited to 4-6 ounces per 
day. After three months of age, pellets may be supplemented with grass hay,
garden vegetables, e.g., romaine lettuce (not iceberg lettuce),  cabbage,
chicory, cauliflower, spinach, carrots, alfalfa, bread, tender tree 
growth,and some fruits, such as apples. Commercially produced rabbit pellets 
are the most important part of the diet, since they contain all the 
nutrients for proper maintenance. It is best to feed half the daily amount twice 
a day to prevent boredom and obesity. Avoid overfeeding since an 
overweight  rabbit will be prone to health problems. Experts believe the best 
overall pet rabbit diet is a measured daily alfalfa meal-based pellet with a 
hay supplement provided daily and a treat of "greens," or a free-choice hay
diet with vegetable supplement. Clean, mold-free hay is a major source 
of nutrients and provides fiber which promotes normal digestion, and helps
prevent hairballs. Of course, fresh water must be provided at all  times.
Water and feed bowls should be cleaned daily to avoid dirt build-up.

兔子是有多個胃的草食動物. 
可以讓幼兔吃無限量的飼料,但是成兔一天只應吃 4-6 盎司的飼料. 對於三個月大以後的兔子, 除了飼料外, 也要給予乾草, 蔬菜, 如長葉萵苣 (不是球葉萵苣), 甘藍菜, 菊苣, 花椰菜, 波菜, 胡羅蔔,
苜蓿, 麵包(譯者懷疑這是作者一時筆快,因為麵包並不是植物), 柔軟的樹, 還有 水果如蘋果等. 商品化的兔子飼料是兔子日常飲食中最重要的一個部分, 它們會含有所有兔子正常生活所需的營養. 最好將兔子一天所該吃的量分成兩餐餵食, 以免兔子無聊或過胖. 不要餵食過量的飼料, 否則兔子一旦過胖就容易有健康上的問題.

專家相信兔子最好的飲食是限量的苜蓿製飼料及每天大量補充牧草, 
還有新鮮蔬果作為點心. 或是無限量的牧草搭配各種蔬菜. 乾淨, 
沒有發霉的牧草是兔子日常飲食中主要的營養來源, 並且提供纖維促進正常消化, 以及預防毛球症. 當然, 要隨時提供新鮮的飲水, 食盆也要天天清潔乾淨.


Health

健康

Rabbits should be examined daily for any signs of illness. Make sure 
they are drinking water daily and eating their food. Watch for signs of 
fleas,or mites, check for diarrhea, or any unusual lumps. Eyes should appear
bright. Rabbits should be handled regularly so they are accustomed to
human hands. Then if they do require medical attention, it will not be  a
traumatic experience for them to be handled.

主人應該每天檢查兔子, 找出任何生病的徵兆.

 
確認他們每天都有喝水跟吃東西. 注意是否有跳蚤, 瞞蟲, 拉肚子, 或是不尋常的腫塊. 健康的眼睛應該明亮有神. 主人每天都要抱抱兔子, 好讓兔子習慣被抓抱, 如此在兔子需要醫療照顧時, 
牠們 才不會因為人類的抓抱而受到驚嚇.

Rabbits are generally hardy animals, however they can catch colds, 
termed "snuffles." Respiratory disease is a major cause of morbidity and 
mortality in rabbits. If your rabbit is sneezing excessively, and appears to have 
a very wet nose, and signs of nasal discharge on the inside of the front 
feet from rubbing its nose and eyes, consult a rabbit breeder or 
veterinarian  for advice. If overlooked, this infection can progress from the upper
respiratory tract to the lungs and cause pneumonia and death in a  relatively
short time. 

Ear mites may appear at any time, manifested by inflammation and  crusting
in the external ear canal, causing rabbits to scratch the ears and shake
their heads. You should not attempt to clean out the crusts, since this
is painful and will bleed. Therapies can be recommended by your veterinarian,
and may include topical application of mineral oil, liquid acaricides, 
or flea powder. Thorough cleaning of the environment is essential to 
prevent reinfection.

Sore hocks may occur from constant pressure from a wire bottom cage. 
Avoid this by providing a board for the rabbit to sit on. Infections may 
result from a severe case of sore hocks.

Since rabbits continually lick their fur, they may have hair balls in 
their stomach. In some cases, these accumulations may cause clinical 
problems, e.g., off feed, constipation, lethargy, and death. Good quality hay fed
occasionally to increase fiber content of the diet is a good means of
prevention.  The teeth of rabbits grow throughout their lives, so overgrowth of 
upper and lower incisors is quite common. Some rabbits have improper 
alignment which prevents the teeth from wearing on each other, causing 
overgrowth. If this occurs, the teeth must be trimmed regularly to enable the 
animal to eat normally, and to prevent lip, cheek, or gum punctures.

It is normal practice for rabbits to eat "night droppings." These cecal
pellets are an essential part of the rabbit's nutrition, rich in 
vitamins and nutrients necessary to maintain good health.

Owners should NEVER attempt to use antibiotics without veterinary
supervision. The rabbit's gastrointestinal tract is extremely delicate,
and actually depends on large populations of healthy bacteria to digest
food. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics may kill the normal bacteria in
the gut and lead to overgrowth of deadly bacteria, resulting in death 
of the animal.

Currently there are only two FDA-approved drugs for use in rabbits --
sulfaquinoxaline and lasalocid. Both drugs are for treatment or 
prevention of coccidiosis, a common parasitic condition which affects the
gastrointestinal tract causing debilitation. Prevention depends on
maintaining hygienic conditions and avoidance of infected feces. Other
drugs are available for extra-label use by veterinarians under the 
Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA).

The leading cause of death in the female rabbit is uterine cancer.
Unfortunately, this disease has often spread to other organs by the 
time it is diagnosed. Young females may be spayed between 6 months and 2 
years of age to prevent this disease. Unless the animal is to be used for
breeding, it is recommended that she be spayed.

Male rabbits, especially dwarf varieties, may become extremely 
aggressive as they reach sexual maturity. They may bite excessively and spray 
urine outside the litter box area. To avoid this unpleasant behavior, 
castration may be done any time after 5 months of age.

Handling and Grooming

Always hold rabbits with two hands to support the hind legs and prevent
struggling. Fractures of the lumbar spine are commonly encountered from
improper handling.

Rabbits have a low ratio of skeletal mass to muscle mass, and their 
strong hind legs can exert enough pressure on the spine to cause fractures, if
mishandled.

Rabbits experience a molting process once a year, where they shed their
coats and grow a new one. Usually this is a trouble-free process which
begins over the back and progresses towards the rump and down the 
sides.

At the same time the hair on the feet, face and ears is shed. The molt
continues down to the underside and tail, finishing on the chest. 
Regular grooming is essential to free the coat of dead hairs and expedite the
molting process. A soft brush or bare hands may be used. The rabbit's
coat may be kept clean with a little talcum powder or corn flour rubbed
into the coat well and then vigorously brushed out.

With proper care and management, your pet rabbit will live a long and
healthy life, providing years of companionship to you. For further
information about rabbits, contact the American Rabbit Breeders
Association, Inc., P.O. Box 426, Bloomington, IL 61702. They are also 
on
the Internet at http://www.arba.net/.

Web page updated by mdt - 12-01-2004