Monthly Archives: May 2012

In Genesis We Trust!

Tru-Luv’s Murdoch is one of my homegrown Holland Lop, meaning that he is produced in Malaysia. He was awarded #1 Broken Junior Buck at the age of only 16 weeks in both Show A & Show B and is blossoming into a very handsome young senior buck.

His consistent growth is attributed to Genesis Ultra Premium Alfalfa Rabbit Food. The result is obvious because in just 1 week, his flesh and fur condition has improved tremendously. This is definitely a highly recommended feed for both pet and show rabbits!

The future is so very bright for these youngsters! We call them the Genesis Generation!

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Let’s THRIVE!

I believe this is why Tru-Luv Rabbitry strives to be different. We can make a difference in this world.

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Pet or Commercial

There has been many questions lately regarding the best rabbit food to purchase. We are truly blessed and should be grateful that we now have a wide range of varieties to choose from compared to just four (4) years ago when all we have are the locally milled pellets. I have nothing against the locally milled pellets except for the occasional sand that I tasted before giving the pellets to my rabbits.

When given the choice to choose which rabbit food to use for my rabbits, I usually ask myself what should be the purpose of the rabbit food, whether it is for pet purpose or for commercial purpose. To further help me answer that question, I ask myself how many rabbits do I have?

For most of us, we are pet owners at the end of the day. We usually keep one or two lovely pet rabbits at home as companion animals. We spend a lot of time with them and most importantly, we give them our best. That in itself speaks the volume that you need and will help you answer the question as to which rabbit food to use.

We also need to understand the functions of the many rabbit food brands in the market right now.

When I was at the ARBA Convention in Indianapolis last year (and I did mention it as well), what I witnessed was that, although raising rabbits is a hobby there, it is also a part of the agriculture industry. What I mean by agriculture industry is that, some of the rabbit breeds are raised for meat and other functions. And the point to take away is that, rabbits are raised by the HUNDREDS in the USA.

When they are raised by the hundreds, breeders do not buy 1kg or 2kg of rabbit food per month, they purchase in bulk like 50 bags of 50lbs (approx. 22.6kg) of feed at one time. There are also a large varieties of rabbit feed for the purpose of agriculture and each has got its own special formula. I cannot deny the fact that some of these feed are formulated with good quality and ensures the needs of the rabbits on them are met (or exceeded).

In Malaysia, some of the brands are repackaging of certain commercial rabbit feed imported in 50lbs bags. The problem does not lie in the feed itself but these repackaged feed is being sold at inflated prices. Just imagine a 50lbs bag in the USA may cost anywhere between USD$ 15 to USD$ 18 per bag and converted it would be between RM 39 and RM 65. These bags are then repacked into 22 x 1kg packets and sold for between RM 24 to RM 60 per packet!

On the other hand, pet rabbit food are specially formulated for the pet rabbits and the ingredients used are much more superior in quality. The prices truly justify the true value of the feed in terms of quality. That is the difference between premium and ULTRA PREMIUM brands. When you pay RM 28.50, you get what RM 28.50 is worth and that is exactly how much it would cost for good feed.

Today, in helping us to decide, let’s ask ourselves the following questions:

1. How much do we love our pet and if they deserve better?

2. Do we pay ULTRA PREMIUM prices for commercial rabbit food?

As far as I am concerned, I am still a pet owner given the number of rabbits raised here is not by the hundreds and even if I have hundreds of rabbits, they all deserve the VERY best.

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Chow Down!

KRIK! KRUK! KRIK! KRUK!

Glorious food!

That’s what I am hearing coming in unison from the rabbits at dinner time everyday! The freshness is outrageous and the rabbits simply love it!

Pictures speak a thousand words. Get 3 sent to your doorstep today! Buy 3 and shipping is FREE!

Please don’t deny your rabbit(s) this ultra goodness they truly deserve! Place your order today!

Got to LUV it!

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Get Ultra Premium Today!

Much has been said about this Ultra Premium rabbit food. Now it is time to act, take the leap and admire the results!

Now, get 3 packets and get them sent to your doorsteps for FREE!

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What Lies Between Man & Beast

We humans are always intrigued by animals. I can remember very clearly how excited I was whenever my parents brought me to the pet stores and the zoo. I believe that one of the reasons why we are so drawn to animals is because they seemed to be very mysterious in the sense that they are not able to communicate verbally through spoken words but at the same time have the capacity to show affection.

Take for example Pudsey from the Ashleigh & Pudsey winning act at this year’s Britain’s Got Talent. No doubt both Ashleigh and Pudsey are talented, I strongly believe that the “interesting” factor further boost their number of votes. To be honest, how often do we see a dancing dog, right?

On the other hand, I heard about the story of Lawrence Anthony. He is also known as the elephant whisperer and was responsible of saving herds of wild elephants facing prosecution. What made the story an amazing one is not only Lawrence’s success in rehabilitating these wild animals, but it was the miraculous event that unfolded when Lawrence passed away recently. Some of the elephants traveled as long as 12 hours to mourn and pay their last respect to Lawrence.

Read more here – Wild Elephants Mourn Author’s Death.

I believe that both these stories say a lot about how human and animals can be interconnected in a special way. We really are apart of this world and we must recognize the power we have to help those that cannot speak for themselves along in life.

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Life Bearers

In the past, I have written about brood does being the unsung heroin of many rabbit herds around the world. They are an important part of every breeder’s breeding program. Today as we celebrate Mother’s Day, I cannot help but to remember and think about all the brood does around the world making positive impact by producing amazing rabbits for breeders.

Just like some of our own mothers, they may not be perfect but they have given their lives for all of us. They have taken the risk of child birth and their responsibility for us last a lifetime. Seeing a doe nursing and nurturing its young shows me that even rabbits have the capacity to love and care. Without mothers, this planet will not have so many amazing people and animals.

“I would like to wish all mothers out there the Happiest Mother’s Day. Do know that you have produced what the entire world holds today – LIFE! God bless each and everyone of you! Thank you for saying YES to LIFE!”

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Genesis

The long wait will finally come to an end in the next couple of days. An ULTRA PREMIUM rabbit food at last! It has been more than a year of extensive research (on the distributor’s part) and Tru-Luv rabbits has been specially selected to try out samples for a couple of months. The results were so extraordinary that not only the rabbits gave their nod in approval, I highly recommend that every rabbit owner in Malaysia use the Genesis Ultra Premium Rabbit Food for their  rabbit(s).

The result is obvious and clearly visible. Smaller poop denotes high absorption, less wastage. Even though less is being consumed, the coat and flesh condition on the rabbits can be seen and felt. The rabbits molt lesser than the usual and those that appear to be going through molting regain their beautiful coat in a shorter time.

There is just too many benefits using this feed for just a couple of months and it is unbelievable that Genesis Ultra Premium Rabbit Food will be made available in Malaysia! Kudos to the distributor for taking this giant leap to provide us with nothing less than ULTRA PREMIUM products!

Timothy formula retails at RM 28.50 for 1kg

Some information and facts about the Timothy formula – click to enlarge

Alfalfa formula retails at RM 26.50 for 1kg

Some information and facts about the Alfalfa formula – click to enlarge

Product Benefits summary!

Last but not least, Genesis Ultra Premium rabbit food is manufactured through the extrusion process and no wonder it can stay fresh for much longer compared to pelleted rabbit food. That is because cooking the quality ingredients with heat helps to ensure freshness at all time. Conventional pellets tend to go stale and mouldy after a while because of the manufacturing method. This is not the case with Genesis Ultra Premium rabbit food.

The facts has been clearly laid down and to get more updates on availability and how to purchase, please visit the official Genesis Malaysia facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/GenesisPet. Or visit TinyCritterz.com to pre-order today!

TinyCritterz.com will be offering FREE SHIPPING packages for both the Timothy and Alfalfa formula. Please click on picture to start shopping today!

MONTHLY HASSLE FREE PACKAGES:

Timothy Formula

Alfalfa Formula

Alternatively, you can order manually (bank transfer) through http://www.tinycritterz.com.my/.

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We’re Going Ultra!

I am sure most of you know who is Ultraman and if you do not know who or what is Ultraman, please get up to speed by reading about this super hero – here. There are many variances of Ultraman from Ultraman Taro to Ultraman Gaia. Yes, there is a huge Ultraman family if you have been following. Though many different Ultraman, every series that appear only have one thing in common, the BEEP! Most of the Ultraman have a little light on his/her chest. The episode always and usually starts with a monster attacking the city and Ultraman will soon come to the rescue. What cannon cannot kill, Ultraman can by just playing karate!  Sometimes, Ultraman loses his energy and the light on the chest would blink and BEEP! as a sign of weakness. The fight will always end up with Ultraman summoning all his energy for a finishing move either through a Spacium Ray or an Ultra Slash!

I am sure that brings back a lot of childhood memories but there are two folds as to what I would like to write about today. Firstly, I would like to focus on the word Ultra which I believe denotes the highest level of goodness. Before I elaborate more on the word Ultra, please allow me to digress. We are indeed in the BEEP! situation as far as the varieties of good rabbit food is concerned. Therefore, we summoned all our energy and effort in bringing only the BEST OF THE BEST into Malaysia. I personally is fed up firstly with inconsistent stocks and most disgustingly, those that does not have the least passion for our pet rabbits. The outcome – brands that appear and disappear on the shelves like Chipsmore cookies and people who deny our rabbits of their rightful basic needs.

Tru-Luv Rabbitry’s long presence clearly shows that I (or we) are dead serious about the welfare of our rabbits. I am committed to my rabbits by providing them only the best. We know that there are many brands of rabbit food in the market and often find ourselves asking the question – WHICH ONE TO BUY?

I understand that not everyone bothers to go through the ingredients and know exactly what the rabbit food is made of but instead depend very much on word of mouth and “recommendations”. Since ingredients and scientific facts are not our forte, I would like to just distinguish and categorize to make things simple. I believe the scientific facts will be laid down in due time.

Pet Owner or Breeder?

Pet owners love their pets to bit and pieces and always want the best for their furry buddies. The number of animals kept are less than 5 at a time and most of the time, the BEST is well affordable.

Breeders in Malaysia have anywhere from 20 to 300 (farm) animals at a time and that will bring us to the next question.

Commercial or Pet Market?

I can only give the commercial the following formula:-

Low Investment = High Profit

or

Minimum Input = Maximum Output

Let me share with you my observation at the moment and see if it makes sense to you. Most of the rabbit food available in the market at the moment is formulated for the purpose of meeting merely what the rabbit needs so that it can survive to reproduce more. Most of these are used for meat and they do not need to live for a long time as they are slaughtered after reaching a certain age. Therefore, farmers could not care less what are the ingredients used to produce these rabbit food. Some may even include additives so that the rabbits gobble up as much as they can just to gain enough weight to be slaughtered.

On the other hand, rabbit food specially formulated for pets not only provide nutritional needs but enhances the lives of our beloved pets so that they live a long and healthy life. If having a healthy rabbit living a long life is not what you intend to have, then I am not sure why you are keeping a pet to begin with. Therefore, I assume all of us are pet lovers and want the best for our pets. Although the price maybe a little steep, we need to take a step back and understand the reason behind it. Certain rabbit food maybe a little higher in price but the AMOUNT TO FEED is lesser than other rabbit food. In the long run rabbit owners save more! Also, we have to take into consideration the QUALITY of the ingredients used to prepare the rabbit food.

What I find disturbing at the moment is that, the prices of commercial rabbit food formulated for farm animals are selling at a higher price compared to rabbit food formulated for pets!

In the next few days, an ULTRA PREMIUM rabbit food will be unleashed and to be honest, all Tru-Luv rabbits has been anxiously waiting for this after having a couple of months of sample supplies.

I am taking the lead by taking the LEAP, what about you?

https://www.facebook.com/GenesisPet

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Pedigree Problems

First of all I would like to apologize for my long hiatus. I just realized that it has been a while since I wrote a punchy post filled with good information.

There has been a buzz lately surrounding two genetic problems – Split Penis & Malocclusion (Misaligned Teeth). While the former has no explanation, I would like to take some time to write about what I think about the latter. Malocclusion is most common in dwarf breeds like the Netherland Dwarf and Holland Lop.

Before I share my opinion as to why this phenomenon happens, I would like to share the following video:-

Although the video highlights the problems with pedigree dogs, I believe that it does apply to the rabbit hobby to a certain extent. Much has been said and written about selective breeding and the business of producing the perfect show rabbit. If you have the time please browse through the archives and my previous posts.

Why Malocclusion is common among the dwarf breeds?

I do not have a good picture of how Malocclusion looks like but here is the link to an example – http://furrybutts.wordpress.com/2008/10/05/bummer/

And here is a severe case – http://www.rabbit-vet.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/rabbit_malocclusion.jpg

My take on this issue is that, we are indeed changing the skull structure of these breeds. We want them ROUND! Just like the bulldog, when we breed for roundness, we are bound to get undershot jaw (Denoting or having a lower jaw that projects beyond the upper jaw).

Just like how the wild dogs or wolves are domesticated and selectively bred, the natural and wild characteristics of the rabbits has been drastically changed. From a long or narrow muzzled hare to the round “bulldoggish” face of the Holland Lop, these are the obvious physical changes brought about by selective breeding. The breed standard is a visualized blueprint of the physical manifestation desired in certain animals. Just like a vision we place ahead of us and taking actions to achieve it.

Genetics or Dietary?

Often times, this is a genetic issue and manifests itself very early in the rabbit’s life. It can be detected as early as 5 days. I always believe that if it occurs later in the rabbit’s life (after 2 years), it is most probably due to dietary problems. We all know that rabbit teeth grow constantly and the grinding motion through chewing helps in keeping the length of their teeth in check. Even narrow muzzled rabbits can develop malocclusion because they have not been chewing enough.

How often does this happen?

As much as we like to play God, we have no control over this matter except to avoid crossing two rabbits that has the history of such genetic problem.

What is the solution?

As a long term measure, some may opt for extraction of the affected teeth but if the situation is less severe, occasional filing can be done. Sometimes for mild cases, providing more chew toys or food that promotes chewing can be given to help the rabbit cope with the problem.

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Holland Lops available:

For inquiries, please email truluvrabbitry@gmail.com.

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