I am proud to inform that the #1 issue of MROC quarterly newsletter has been rolled out for those who have submitted their completed application forms.
For those who have requested for the form and yet to submit them, please do so in order for you to receive the newsletter. I have also attached the application form in WORD format. Please complete the form the best you can and submit it to malaysianrabbitownersclub@gmail.com. Thank you!
Download form here:
Filed under MROC
It saddens me very much that after 3 years of relentless efforts by a group of us to promote good rabbit diet through the internet, “business” seemed to ruin it for us.
Here I was walking down the aisle of the major Pet Store in Klang Valley and suddenly, my browsing pleasure was interrupted by the sales assistant who was sitting on the floor tagging prices on some rabbit food. She said, “Try this brand, it is what I use and my rabbits love it”. On closer inspection, I can only make out one word – JUNK!
This brand of rabbit food seemed to be a big hit among the local rabbit owners. And the best part is, the pellets come in 2 colors – green and orange. The green suppose to denote certain vegetable and the orange as you can guess, denotes carrots. Time and time again, we are sending very clear message to the general public that CARROTS are NOT suppose to be the staple diet of rabbits. And to top it all off, when I turn the package to the back to scrutinize the ingredients further, CORN was listed as one of the major part of the rabbit food. Corn is a major NO in a rabbit’s diet because it is extremely fattening. And usually, when ingredients like these are listed as the first few ingredients, their portions are normally above desired amount. What we need to lookout for are ingredients such as Alfalfa Meal or Timothy Hay/Meal.
Sometimes I really do not blame ignorant customers for buying these junk foodstuff for their pets. They are after all, in the mercy of what the sales assistants promote to them. And what sales assistants do best? SELL!
I told the sales assistant off, “This is junk food, good luck with your rabbits”. Well, in my heart, I wouldn’t expect more from this pet store and its chains because people at the top are ignorant too. Things will never change as long as the money rolls in continuously. Although many pet store names suggest that they care a whole lots about your pets, more often then not, they DO NOT and all they care about is money off your pockets!
As I walk further down the aisle, I was again shocked by another product that they were carrying. It was filled with seeds of all kinds and dried fruits. They are selling these as staple food. It is so disheartening to know that they can’t even separate staple food from conditioning mix.
Let me tell you what conditioning mix is. Whenever you do not see green pellets and alfalfa/timothy hay as one of the ingredients, more often than not, the product is a form of conditioning mix. Most obvious when they are made up of different seeds like sunflower seeds, black oil sunflower seeds, oats, wheat, dried banana, dried papaya and etc.
So when you see a packet of mixed seeds with little or no pellets, be positive that this is not staple food for your bunny. Besides, the real staple food for a bunny is hay. Pellets are just fillers to keep their stomach filled.
Why do we need conditioning mix? Rabbit pellets are suppose to consist all the nutrients a rabbit needs to thrive. By right, a rabbit do not need anything extra besides the pellets. True – but if you can be absolutely sure that the pellets are fresh as in they are longer than 3 months out of the mills. As time goes by, pellets like any other food stuff loses its nutritional values. Conditioning mix are usually used to make up for all nutrients that has been lost or to give some extra shine to the rabbit’s coat.
There are many types of conditioning mix used by breeders especially show breeders and they even make their own. The question is, do we need them? I believe in moderation. I have friends who feed their rabbits raisins and some other treats once in a while. Of course it is permitted and conditioning mix can be used similarly as treats.
Now I hope you know what staple food is and what conditioning mix is all about.
Filed under Rabbit Diet
We’re about to roll out our club’s first official newsletter. Each issue runs for 3 months and this issue will be for the months of October, November & December 2009!
For those that has yet to register themselves for absolutely FREE, please send an email to malaysianrabbitownersclub@gmail.com with the subject “I Want To MROC!”.
Here’s a little sneak preview of what is to come.
Only members will be receiving a clear version of this newsletter! LOL!
Filed under MROC
We brought Skor to visit one of our dear friends and his children – Tridus, Tinga and Truffles. Truffles and Bugsy are boarding over with D & TJ. That’s the amazing thing about having bunny friends. Traveling couldn’t be much easier without friends to look after our furkids.
Truffles and Bugsy’s owners are out of town celebrating Eid with their families. I was suppose to take them in for boarding but had some last minute changes and they ended up with D and TJ. Since we can’t have them over for boarding, we decided to drop by their house for a little gathering.
I was looking forward to putting Skor with his two sons together for a little family portrait.
Can you recognize them? Tridus, Truffles & Skor in that order!
Truffles & Tridus
Skor chilling on the beautiful grass
Tridus spotted with a curious look
Truffles going through a super major molt
Are you getting bored of just looking at black and whites? Let’s add some colors to our photos shall we?
Here's Bugsy. He's an amazing little rabbit. According to D, he's really human oriented and always enjoy having contact with her. An attention seeker he is...
Here's Tinga!
Filed under Bucks, Friends Of Tru-Luv
What's up with the Canon?
Seven little rabbits share my little heart at the moment. I have my favorite moments with each and everyone of them. It is almost like a certain entertainment channel that features certain artiste at certain time. Instead of having the “artiste of the month”, I have “Bunny of the Month” at Meadow Haven.
My current favorite is Miller’s Clark. In between other chores in the rabbitry, I took him out for grooming today and I really like this little guy just like all the rest of my rabbits – LOL! And since Thunder is now bald, this guy has got no competition. He is a real cutie!
Just look at these pictures and tell me what do you think.
Miller's Clark being cheeky!
CROWN, CROWN, CROWN!
Natural Poser!
Snap Away!
Filed under Random Topics
I feel the need to mention 2 families that raises Holland Lops and I hold extremely close to my heart. Being a family oriented person, I feel proud and honored to know these 2 families. They are some of the nicest Holland Lop breeders that has inspired me in both raising rabbits and also as role models in raising children.
The first family that I would love to mention is the Usakowski family. I first knew about them when I stumbled upon their wonderful website and blog at http://threelittleladiesrabbitry.com/. Their blog is phenomenal and mine is nothing compared to theirs. And as you can see, the rabbitry is named after the 3 daughters in this family. The three girls are award winners in the 4-H program for showmanship. Their rabbits has been doing very well on the show table as well. If you remember, I did wrote about their youngest daughter Taylor and how she should be a role model for all children in the hobby of raising rabbits. I am extremely honored to have known this wonderful family. They are always there giving me great advice and encouragements. I want to take this opportunity to thank the 4 wonderful ladies and 1 very kind man of Three Little Ladies Rabbitry, collectively known as the Usakowski family.
The 2nd family that I am extreme honored to know is the Butler family from Michigan. Like the Usakowski family, they also raise Holland Lops. Harley and Raven are two beautiful daughters to Sydney who together do most of the bunny chores at Butler Boot Camp rabbitry. I particularly like the styles in Harley’s Holland Lop herd which hails from different competitive lines in the area they live in.
There are so many things in common between these 2 families but one major issue that I find very appalling and disappointed is the need for the parents to shield their children from very nasty people (adults!). There is a saying that goes “Live and Let Live”. What the saying means to me personally is that it simply tells us to give someone else a lifeline and in return we are given ours as well. How many times do we find ourselves caught up in the “CULTURE OF DEATH”? We want so much for others to die and be unsuccessful, and in doing so, we tend to cut off someone’s lifeline. I can understand how nasty things can happen between adults but some adults don’t even give children the chance to shine. How selfish is that? There is only 1 reason to act nasty in the midst of competitiveness. It is for recognition that could lead to someone being able to earn tons of money riding on the recognition. I totally don’t believe in that bull crap although I just wrote it. But do not be surprise why people “slit throats” at rabbit shows for that reason. It does get to that level believe it or not (although this is not Ripley’s).
Life is so much bigger than all the trophies one can collect. I have reasons to believe that nasty people are highly insecure people. They have a facade. Their facade is in their rabbits. They hide behind the rabbits and trophies obtained through their rabbits. And that seemed to mean the world to them. What is the rational in that I wonder as I just can’t find the relevance sometimes. A facade will never ever reflect the true person we are.
There is so much to life than all these petty issues and didn’t God say, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”
I know we tend to suppress our conscience to get away with things or even to achieve our selfish desires by cutting edges. If that is what we need to do, the least we could do is to leave the children out of it. If you are an adult without the presence of a conscience and as I feel sorry for you, I urge you to go pick on someone your own age if you are that childish and such a sore loser amidst the competition. I pray that God will have mercy on your sold out soul.
Let’s quit targeting gracious parents that spend most of their time/hard work nurturing their children the best they can by conveniently passing remarks such as them using their children to gain glory off a few trophies and titles. Glory is only made for God mind you!
And as for all families raising the Holland Lops, keep up the great job!
Filed under Friends Of Tru-Luv
I used to help my wife groom our 2 dogs and we did buy the tools need for grooming. Till today, we still have the shaver and I thought of making good use of it. I have been putting this on hold for quite a long time. So today, I spent almost 2 hours grooming just one bunny. How did I decide who to give a shave? Well…
Thunder is having a major molt and I thought of helping him out. So I wrapped myself up and started cutting away!
On the other hand, it has proven that temperature does affect fertility in buck and by shaving him clean, I hope to experiment if it helps with fertility. I guess with a few ounces lighter, Thunder would be able to “perform” better with the does. LOL!
Let’s allow the photos to do all the talking. I was going for the lamb cut but somehow it didn’t turn out like how I expected.
BEFORE
The Slaughter Begins
Increase the count of "you-know-what" or be snipped!
The end product….
Lamb Cut turned out to be Lamb Chop as Susie puts it. Thunder looked like an old goat now...LOL!
Being few ounces lighter I am sure he'll be able to perform extremely well with the does. Just like the Energizer bunny!
I set out hoping to get Thunder looking clean shaved like this little Min Schnauzer we used to have
Grooming a rabbit is harder than I thought. And the amount of fur was a much as that of 4 little dogs. Will I do it again? Absolutely! It was fun and it should be nice if I could even things out!
Filed under Bucks, General Care
I have never ever imagined how this hobby can bring so many people close together when I first started off having Holland Lops. I am really talking about friends that you will probably not meet in real life but always there to lend a helping hand.
I am very please, proud and extremely happy to chat with at least two or three bunny friends a day over the internet. That means either I am being a “night owl” or my friend is staying up late for a particular reason. 90% of my bunny friends are from the US and boy am I proud to say the finest in the hobby too. Somehow I just get so attracted to all of them and the number of Holland Lop breeder friends kept on growing and growing. It is a true honor to know each and everyone of them. All of them are winners in their own rights.
Whenever I am down, they will always give me a little nudge to get my spirit up. I guess we’re like a big herd of rabbits looking out for each other. We share joy and sorrow together.
I really hope that MROC will be a platform for all bunny owners to stay closely knitted together. It feels really good to be hanging out with people of the same passion. I so wish that I could be there in person to give a hug to all my bunny friends in US. I love all of them very much and it will not be enough room to fill all of their names on a single post. I will introduce them one by one on separate posts in future.
My heartfelt condolences goes out to 2 young ladies and their families especially. My prayers and thoughts are with Heather & the Washburn family and also Lauren Nicholas & her family. Both have lost someone very dear to them in the past weeks. God bless all of you.
I thank God for each and everyone of my bunny friends all around the world. They are so very generous to me in words and deeds that I do not think I will ever have the time in this world to repay their kindness.
It is never about getting on the show table and feeling good beating someone else, it is like what Keat told me in his comments on one of my posts – “it is the JOURNEY that we should enjoy”. The dynamics of a rabbit herd will always be positive with nice people in it. And I know how competitive it gets on the show tables but I do hope we be ever closer being of good sportsmanship.
Filed under Random Topics
Some women have depression after giving birth. They have a sudden onset of inadequacy and feeling of hopelessness. This do not happen to rabbits fortunately but it just happened to me. That was the reason for the previous post.
I guess it suddenly dawned on me that I must be the unluckiest Holland Lop breeder in the entire planet. They are breeding in Japan, they are breeding in Thailand and loads are produced in US. Why am I not getting any viable kits that thrive?
2009 is definitely not a good year for me in terms of breeding. I only had 2 litters so far – one by Holly Hope producing Truffles and another litter by Noobie producing Seychel, Milkyway & Camior. I just can’t believe my misfortune.
Many friends came forward and I really appreciate them for being so concern. Thank you very much, you know who you are especially those that posted comments on my last post.
It is really hard being the pioneer of raising Holland Lops in Malaysia. It is definitely a game of numbers and numbers are just what I do not have enough.
Would like to wish all friends who are traveling this festive season a safe journey!
Filed under Ramblings
This is something Holland Lop breeders go through occassionally. It is a type of depression most Holland Lop breeders go through once in a while. I just can’t believe it but basically this is what Holland Lops can do to a perfectly sane person over time.
I woke up this morning wanting to get rid of all my rabbits. I figured that I could make better use of the space where they are kept and it saves me tons of trouble, heartaches and everything in between.
Right now, my exact thoughts are that I am quite far from where I have started off but the future is too far ahead. I just can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. I believe if I quit now, at least I could have some damage control in place instead of continuing the journey that eats me up slowly but surely.
This may just be a phase but I am not too sure about it. Afterall, this is my blog and I share whatever that goes through my head at this very moment. Anyone interested in rabbits, email me and offer me your best price. Let’s see how much my rabbits are worth to you.
Oh no, I could imagine the number of hits to this blog will skyrocket right about now….
Filed under Ramblings
Tru-Luv Rabbitry: Quality Holland Lops in Malaysia 