Tag Archives: Baby Bunny

by | August 2, 2012 · 2:12 am

Value

I am very excited to announce my debut as a featured writer on PetFinder.my’s newly launched online magazine – WAGazine!!! If you have not already read it, click here to read. This is part 1 of a series of articles that I will be writing all about rabbits! I hope everyone enjoys the article as they are written based on my experiences raising rabbits in Malaysia.

On the other hand, most of you might have heard that Tru-Luv Rabbitry is going through a major herd reduction. I will post pictures of rabbits available. I have also sold a set of 3 feet cages together with the shelf unit. What a hot item it was.

Please do not misunderstand this for a sell out. I am not selling out of rabbits but instead it is a downsizing exercise. I shall explain the reason why I am downsizing and also why I will never sell out.

I am sure some of you might have experienced the “light bulb” moment. A sudden surge of awareness or sometimes referred to as wake up call. I experienced not only once but a few “wake up calls” during the past few months. Many incidents that took place somehow enlightened me and I shall share them with you.

All these wake up calls evolved around the word VALUE and thus, the title of this post.

Back in the days when I first started raising my first pet rabbit, I only had one rabbit and we both became best buddies. Somehow when you have just one pet, you tend to get very attached and the pet will also be very attached to you. I believe most breeders will tell you that somewhere among the many rabbits that they have, there is sure to be one “heart” bunny. The special one that we all get attached to.

My first wake up call came a couple of weeks before the rabbit show in June. The rabbit show was organized in conjunction with the pet fair. One of the pet product supplier approached me and asked if I can loan him my “smartest” rabbit. That caught me off guard and made me think for a while. What should we expect from a smart rabbit? Must it be able to solve puzzles?

Now, I am sure that if a rabbit spend enough time, get enough attention and training, it can do some sort of tricks. I did train chickens to fly unto my hands when I stretch them out when I was just 9 years old. Chickens have the brain and I strongly believe rabbits do too. Looking at the rate how the rabbit hopping hobby is growing there is no doubt that rabbits are trainable. I did mention about Tinga and Tridus being habitual “food beggars” in my article as well.

The 2nd wake up call came when I was asked to judge the fun show at the recent rabbit gathering. I did mention the interesting judging criteria i.e. creative movement, obedience, following instructions and etc. These are possible although I do not think I will make an effort to do all that.

And that got me wondering what is lacking in my hobby. The problem I realize lies in the number of rabbits that I have to care for. There is not enough time to bond with my pets. With so many, it has become a chore more than an enjoyable past time. How in the world did I get to this point? Simply because I was trying so hard to produce that one “perfect” rabbit according to the standard. And that made me miss out on the fun of truly enjoying my pets. I spend more time cleaning up than interacting with my pets.

If you look around you, there is something that you will surely notice – DIVERSITY. In a litter of rabbits, every kit is different for that reason. And unfortunately, by subscribing to adhere to strive for the one “perfect” standard, we are discarding what we are taught to be undesirable. I have learned to accept that this “perfection” will never come about simply because how mother nature intends to be diverse. Going against mother nature is like trying to make earth turn the other direction. I am not only referring to the case of rabbits but any pets in the “show” world in general.

When I look at show animals in general, this image comes to my mind…

A goldfish?

The goldfish is a type of ornamental fish. The ornamental fish market makes up quite a huge percentage in the pet industry. Fishes in a well decorated tank can be a very relaxing sight to behold after a hard day’s work. If you ask a fish to swim on command, most probably you will get much disappointment.

That is how it is when you have too many rabbits in cages. They just look like ornamental rabbits and sit in cages looking pretty. I believe that when we keep animal as pets, there should be interaction.

Thinking back about how things used to be, I was able to share on this blog the different personalities that I see in my rabbits. I no longer able to do that because I realized that I do not spend enough time to notice them anymore. That is not how it suppose to be.

It is funny how sometimes we contradict ourselves. I am sure you have come across “REASONS NOT TO BREED YOUR …” articles and one of the DON’T is not to breed if you think your pet is the best and you want to produce another one like it. But if you take a step back and think about it, that’s exactly what most breeders are doing. They are trying to produce that “best” to replace the “bests” before the “best”.

Now the question is, will I still breed? Of course I will but I shall breed for what I like in terms of health and general disposition.

What about wanting to win at show?

I have come to realize that my pets are LARGER than the shows. They are much more valuable than the fee I pay to enter them into shows and have a judge or two spending just 2 minutes looking at them and conclude they are worthless! I am very contented that I have produced show worthy rabbits.

And do allow me tell you how valuable my rabbits are. Each time I decide to cut the numbers down in my rabbitry, those left behind are the old barren does or the 3 years old bucks that I have grown to love. Why do I keep those that have no “production” value and pass along those that can still produce? That really boils down as to what is the objective of you wanting to keep these animals as pets.

The hardest decisions for me really is when I have to pass along the imports. These rabbits have sentimental values that I hold dearly to my heart. Each time I look at them, it reminds me of those who sent them to me. I have met each one of them and have hugged them in person. Having these rabbits with me is the closest I can be with these lovely people. This is the only reason why I will never sell out. Perhaps when all my favorite bunnies have left for rainbow bridge, that could be the day I will declare that I am done.

What I am trying to say is that, you can never put a price tag on a rabbit that means a lot to you. They are not just soft toys on the shelves that you can pick and pay at the counter. Each and every one of my rabbits are invaluable to me.

It is sure nice to obtain a Grand Champion leg or two in this lifetime but Grand Champion rabbits come and go in droves. Even the best bunnies will have to die eventually. What do you make out of all the papers?

How much we lose ourselves when we lose focus on what matters.

For me, what matters most is being able to share unique bunnies to individuals who truly appreciates the joy of having them as pets. Being able to build friendships that last a lifetime. Being able to travel across the globe to hug a bunny friend. Going through life’s ups and downs encouraging each other and sharing the joy.

The truth to the matter is, there will be no rabbits without the people to share with. And the value of things is in where we prefer value is to be placed.

The following rabbits are available and please email me at truluvrabbitry@gmail.com for more information. Thank you!

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by | July 27, 2012 · 5:54 pm

What’s the difference?

I shall try to answer the following questions in this post:-

1) Why pedigree rabbits raised in Malaysia look different from those raised in UK or USA?

2) What is selective breeding?

3) What is natural selection?

Recently, a fellow rabbit enthusiast asked why there is a vast difference in the appearance of Netherland Dwarfs in Malaysia compared to those in the USA and UK. Even those imported tend to look different after a while living in Malaysia.

The question brought back memories when I first started raising imported Holland Lops. When shown a photo of a Holland Lop, the first question a colleague of mine (who have no interest at all in the rabbit hobby) asked was whether the climate/weather here in Malaysia is suitable. An optimistic me at that point of time confidently said yes because I am a strong believer that genetics alone governs every living being. It is a very good question simply because weather is one of the factor that governs adaptability. The topic of weather was also raised during a visit by a breeder friend a few years back. I was still very optimistic and adamant about my stand that genetic is still the main determining factor. But of course, the thought has always been lingering at the back of my mind and I have always been open to the possibilities.

Another thing that needs to be considered is the natural food chain. Rabbits fall under the lower level of the food chain as they are prey animals. That is the reason why they have higher reproduction rate to increase the chances of survival. Reproduction rate is not the only way prey animals increase their chances of survival of the species. They must also be highly adaptive to their surroundings, climate and weather included!

I would like to start off this “proof of concept” post by looking at another species in the animal kingdom. We know that dogs are one of the domesticated animals that has been around for a very long time. To date, there are more than 150 different dog breeds registered under the American Kennel Club. Why do we have so many different breed of dogs? The answer is simple. They not only come from different parts of the world but they all have different functions or usages. Some as guard dogs, gun dogs or just companion dogs. Every dog breed is said to be traced back to the wolf.

So how did we derive so many dog breeds from this…

A grey wolf. Picture taken from National Geographic (http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/wolf/).

To this…

The Dachshund. Image taken from Dog Family (http://www.dogfamily.org/dachshund-5.html)

And to this?

The Chihuahua, smallest dog in the world. Picture by Katie Mancine.

From the wolf to the Chihuahua lies many years of Selective Breeding. In my own words, Selective Breeding means choosing to propagate a certain “desired” trait. For example, if smaller animals are desired, specimens exhibiting such traits are bred in order to reproduce more of the same kind. Those exhibiting unwanted traits will not be used in the breeding program.

Now let’s take a look at the rabbit species. The hare or wild rabbit can be seen as the root of which the domesticated rabbits originated from.

A Belgian Hare.  A rare breed and closest to the hare in the wild.

In between the Hare, and along the way we specially selected this…

Gimli the Dwarf Lord. Picture taken from the internet.

We did not breed Gimli into rabbits but we chose to breed more of the DWARF gene in the breeding program and produced the like of this…

A Netherland Dwarf rabbit. Picture courtesy of Chestnut Pictures.

And of course the Holland Lop…

A Holland Lop rabbit. Another well known dwarf breed.

Comparing between the Belgian Hare and the Holland Lop, one may ask how in the world can an animal with huge, long ears and long back feet be turned into one that has a rounded body with short and lopped ears?

As much as we like to tweak nature by using selective breeding, we are of no threat to Mother Nature. The #1 opponent of selective breeding is NATURAL SELECTION. Natural selection in my own words is when a living being changes its own characteristic(s) to thrive in different (extremes) environment. Rabbits as we all know regulate their body temperature through their ears since they have no means of sweating. The ears are where the major veins are and that helps bring temperature down.

Even with the dwarf gene, most Holland Lops bred locally in Malaysia tend to have longer ears.

A Holland Lop needs longer ears to keep itself cool?

Or is it?

Part of me tells me that genetics govern how large a rabbit should grow, how long their ears and large their heads should be. And part of me also tells me that being animal of prey, they need to be highly adaptable. The difference can be seen rather clearly in the next generation itself. In fact, the changes to external appearances can already be seen in the imports as well.

Look at the above picture carefully. The first picture was taken on the day this Netherland Dwarf arrived in Malaysia. The bottom left picture was taken after a few months living in Malaysia. The picture on the right with red dotted line shows what the rabbit lost after a few months living in Malaysia. The question is, what has the rabbit lost?

The answer is obvious, nothing but its fur! Without 20% of fur on its head, the ears suddenly look much longer and the muzzle looks narrower.

Can you see how fast an animal of prey needs to adapt in order to survive?

Do you see ladies dressing up in mink coats walking down Kuala Lumpur town? NO…

Do you see Siberian Huskies in Malaysia looking like those living in the Arctic? NO…

Will you find Polar Bears in the dessert? NO…

So I can safely conclude that we can never produce Holland Lop rabbits that are better than those in the USA unless like the penguins in their special temperature controlled enclosure (at Zoo Negara), we provide a simulated environment. The question is, should we produce air-conditioned rabbits here in Malaysia? Or should we allow natural selection to take its course and love our rabbits as they are?

As for me, I submit to the fact that weather and natural selection do play its role in changing the physical appearances of our rabbits. There is no way we can avoid that happening. But instead of providing a simulated environment, the best solution we have found lies in Genesis Ultra Premium Rabbit Food.

The weather plays a great role in the rabbit’s appetite. Besides from losing fur condition, our rabbits loose their appetite and thus, loses flesh condition at the same time. We can never force our rabbits to eat more when they do not want to. As the saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink”. But before I divulge the details, allow me to tell you more about squirrels. We all know that squirrels are often found collecting seeds and food during spring time. The food stuff is consumed during the cooler days.

Even for humans, we tend to have better appetite while being in a cooler location. The steamboat dinner up in the highlands taste extra good and I even found myself eating larger portions at Indianapolis (Autumn/Fall).

Without air-conditioning, what can we do when our rabbits do not have appetite? They are of course thinner/leaner than we like them to be. Can we boost the energy content in their daily ration? How do we do that when they do not have the appetite in the first place? Feeding a diet that is too rich may upset their sensitive stomach.

This is where the Genesis Ultra Premium Rabbit food play its role to help keep our rabbits in better condition here in Malaysia. The Omega 3 & 6 is to help boost the coat condition. The only rabbit food in the market containing Omega 3 & 6. Genesis promotes healthy digestion through digestive enzymes, probiotics and prebiotics.

And remember that I mentioned that rabbits eat less due to decreased appetite in warmer condition?

That can be solved with Genesis Ultra Premium Rabbit food because it is formulated to promote optimal nutrient absorption! Which means, your rabbit gets all it needs nutritionally to thrive and bloom with a small portion of the food and without supplements. Eating less is exactly what is desired here. Ever heard of the saying “Less is more”?

Well, at least this is one of my proven findings working with imported rabbits for the past 5 years.

Don’t believe what I say, try it out today!

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by | July 21, 2012 · 1:52 pm

Our Time Shall Come To Pass

I count my blessings because I do not remember at any point of time in my life growing up as a child, there was no pets in the household. My parents are animal lovers and have encouraged me to have pets since I was young. I have learned to be responsible for another living being since then and I did not go through the “look after an egg” phase. Instead I went straight into keeping animals alive as long as I am able to.

Growing up, I remember saving up my daily allowances in order to buy food for my pets. When relatives visit, they never bring me chocolates or toys but instead brought me to the pet shops to get supplies. As a teenager in school, besides from the regular extra school activities and “dating”, I was never interested in cars and the regular things other boys do. I will always have time for my pets. So much so, I trained chickens to “fly” onto my hands when I stretch them out. My world came crashing down when the authorities banned rearing chicken in residential areas and they ended up as part of the curry dish. Gone are the days when we are able to obtain colourful chicks at the night market and that was how I got my pet chickens from. 🙂

Waking up this morning, I feel very happy looking at how my little family have come to love animals as well. My eldest daughter is almost an expert in holding young rabbits. The sight of her holding Drogo our new Mini Rex rabbit reminded me of our role as parents to nurture compassion and love in our next generation.

I know some of us did not have the opportunity to own our first pet until we were adults. Perhaps we were not allowed to have them or we just couldn’t afford them previously. There are many aspects and advantages keeping animals as pets. We know how therapeutic they are and our responsibility is to ensure that they are well taken care of.

Today I read an eulogy written (by Ellen Whyte) for the late Ms. Sabrina Yeap of Furry Friend’s Farm. I have never met Sabrina in person but the closest I got was a phone call from her seeking more details on a complain I lodged with SPCA many years back regarding a puppy mill. I believe she did investigate and was on the case because I later received a threatening phone call from the puppy mill operator. After so many years and for the fact that Sabrina has worked so tirelessly (until her death) for the welfare of strays speak strongly the importance of compassion and love for the voiceless. I am sure Sabrina herself found solace in helping all the strays in a world drowned by the need for material things and riches. May her soul rest in peace and her good works continue by those with similar capacity to love.

What we sow today we shall reap in days to come. We have to start educating the younger generation the importance of being responsible for other living creatures. We must take into consideration each time we choose to breed our pets and realize the possibilities that we are contributing to the universal sufferings of abandoned animals in our community, nation and world at large. What are we leaving behind for our children and their children?

Our time here on earth shall come to pass and I hope to see my children live in a world filled with love and mutual respect towards the entire living world. One which is balanced and thriving when we no longer exist.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

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by | July 19, 2012 · 7:51 pm

Welcome R.O.B.’s Khal Drogo

Whenever I was faced with the challenges of raising Holland Lops, I was tempted to start raising another breed to take my mind off the difficulties. Many Holland Lop breeders are known to raise at least another breed to minimize the frustration. I have always held back my intention until recently when I saw the cutest little broken blue mini rex. It was in fact love at first sight.

I have been working on a rabbit breed that looks so much like a dog (short muzzle) and that made me wanted to raise another breed that actually looks like a rabbit. I not only found that in the mini rex but I also like the soft plush rex fur in the breed.

I do not claim to be an expert but there will be more to learn about this breed and today, I start my journey with the Mini Rex breed by welcoming R.O.B.’s Khal Drogo. For those who have watched Game of Thrones on HBO will find this name familiar. I like this TV series and wanted a macho name to go with my little new buck. I found it fitting to name him after the vicious warrior character.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my friend Khairul of Republic Of Bunnies (R.O.B.) for allowing me to have this beautiful little buck.

Not sure if that’s the right way to pose. He’s too tiny!

Isn’t he cute!?

🙂

New breed standard to learn…

If you like to own a beautiful Mini Rex, please get in touch with me at truluvrabbitry@gmail.com.

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by | July 10, 2012 · 9:56 pm

Regarding Animal Welfare

One of the toughest questions to answer in life is the “Chicken or Egg first?” question. I for one do not think that I will ever be able to answer this question. The thought of  whether the first ever chicken on earth was in fact hatched from an egg can bring further confusion when one wonders about which chicken laid that first egg itself.

When I think about animal welfare, the question that comes to mind is whether animal shelters come first or breeders come first and who is responsible for the overpopulation of unwanted animals.

Do breeders encourage shelters to thrive and vice versa?

My other question is, will shelters and welfare societies be happy to relinquish themselves if there are no more animals to rescue? Ideally, we hope to have a world that is without strays and unwanted animals. Today, welfare organizations and shelters are heavily supported by donations and sponsorship and it makes me wonder if their existence indirectly encourages breeders to breed knowing well that they will cease to exist without unwanted animals.

When animal shelters put hundreds of animals to sleep through euthanasia, it is deemed justifiable because there is not enough space to accommodate the unwanted animals. But when the thought is shifted to the source of the unwanted animals – the breeders, it is a different labeling altogether if they are found to cull unwanted animals. It turns out to be animal cruelty. I just cannot make sense out of this double standard.

We are always told to solve problems by targeting the root cause. In this case, if we target the root cause, the responsibility will fall onto the breeders’ hands and if the problem is solved at the root level, shelters and welfare organizations will cease to exist. Wouldn’t that be an ideal situation?

One suggestion to rehabilitate people found being cruel to animals is to send them to work at shelters. I suggest that we go a little further when dealing with unscrupulous breeders.

Breeders found to be operating animal mills with animals living in bad conditions should be sent to shelters to administer the euthanasia procedure for unwanted animals. The number of animals that they euthanize commensurate with the degree of their “cruelty”. For example, for every animal found living under deplorable condition, they are required to euthanize 2 unwanted animal in the shelter.

In imposing such regulations, it is hoped that these irresponsible individuals will come to their senses and eventually, we shall live in a shelter and welfare free world.

But after all said and done, enforcement is still key.

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by | June 30, 2012 · 2:12 pm

The Young & Old

Posting a blog post takes quite a bit of effort these days. I believe that I am slowly, slowing down – ROFL. I finally had the time and was in the right shade of mood to update my blog today. Sorry for the long hiatus (a week or two is a long time by my standard).

Once in a while, a little kit pops up and steals my heart from day 1. I guess like many breeders out there who has been breeding rabbits long enough can roughly tell which baby is going to grow up to be competitive on the show table or not. I had my eyes on Blaze right from the start and looking back at his development, it is pretty consistent. Many people thinks that I am rather crazy taking photos of kits and young baby rabbits. To be honest, that is just how I keep track visually how my Hollands develop through time. I believe that photos have helped me identify promising babies as well.

Blaze at 4 months. I just love those cheeks!

Blaze is solid like a rock!

Blaze getting cute as days go by

On the other hand, my little Murdoch is maturing into a very nice little buck. He just turned 6 months not too long ago and I am expecting him to have a huge head when he matures more in the next few months.

Murdoch’s head is getting really huge!

I also have the opportunity to snap a photo of my oldest favourite home grown – Tru-Luv’s Balian! Holding up his huge head has always been a problem for Balian and now that he is 2 years 8 months, it gets even harder just like how I myself is slowing down. Nonetheless, he is still the cute little boy that I know. I cannot believe that it is almost 3 years now and I hope that he lives for many more years for his little owner.

Tru-Luv’s Balian turned 2 years and 8 months!

On a very happy note, I have been invited to be a featured writer for an online pet magazine that will be launched soon. I shall keep everyone updated as soon as I am allowed to. I am very happy to be able to continue educating, sharing and building awareness using another effective channel. Stay tuned…

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by | June 18, 2012 · 12:01 am

TruLuvRabbitry.com turns 5!

WOW! Who would have thought that with a blink of an eye, it has been a good 5 years filled with ups and downs. I have learned so much along the way and there is still so much to learn!

All I want to say right now is a huge THANK YOU to my huge bunny family both in Malaysia and all around the world mainly USA, Canada & the UK! Every single one of you have contributed and generously imparted knowledge in me. Every single piece of advice fitted together to complete this 5 year puzzle. The encouragements and support has been overwhelming and have indeed pulled me through the many challenges this hobby brings.

I wish that I have done something BIGGER to celebrate the half decade mark but I feel that I owe it to the rabbits for this wonderful journey. I just wanted to take a step back to remember and reminisce the best moments in the past 5 years. Here are some of the yearly highlights that I will cherish for the rest of my life:

2007

Obtaining my first “Holland Lop” and embarking on this wonderful journey. She was a locally bred lop ear rabbit that almost have the traits of a Holland Lop. It was then that I started searching for the real Holland Lop and stumbled across The Nature Trail blog.

Unix – The Photogenic Bunny.

2008

In 2008, the Tru-Luv Rabbitry blog was discovered by the New Straits Times & Malay Mail dailies. Featured in both the dailies.

I officially became a member of the Holland Lop Rabbit Specialty Club (HLRSC).

 2009

2009 is a very wonderful year for me. It started off with an importation of 4 very gorgeous and handsome rabbits. Thanks to Scott Rodriguez, Kay Miller and Teri Reymann. The feeling of owning these rabbits was phenomenal and they became the cornerstone of my herd today.

It was also the time when I first introduced my dad’s painting to the rabbit world through my blog (Rabbit Brush Painting).

Getting a gift from my dearest momma was indeed one of the best moments in 2009 (A Gift From Mommy Dearest). Also not forgetting my first HLRSC T-Shirt from Aunt Karen (Goodies Day).

Not forgetting my first home grown Tru-Luv’s Truffles winning the Best Reserve In Show at the 1st Malaysia Rabbit Show (Non-ARBA). Back then there were only a handful of rabbit breeders and the show was an unofficial show based on ARBA judging criteria. I only entered one bunny and the earlier imported ones stayed home. Not long after winning his trophy, we bid Truffles goodbye to a nice pet home (Farewell Truffles).

To end the year, my lovely friend Teri sent me two beautiful rabbits in Goodie Two Shoes and Brown Sugar (The Future of TLR).

2010

The year started off with one of the Tru-Luv kits featured in CuteOverload.com (TLR on CuteOverload.com).

We received a few more media coverage namely in The Star Newspaper regarding Pet Ethics (interviewed by Ellen Whyte) and also being featured on National TV for the very first time (The 1st TV Interview). And to top it up, it was also a very special day when my 2nd daughter was born (29th May is a very good day).

Dad and I successfully sent some beautiful paintings over to the USA for awards and for the ARBA library. Lionheads paintings in ARBA Library. HLRSC Hall-A-Fame award (Proud of my dad).

2010 also mark the most heartbreaking year for me especially when I lost Miller’s Clark. I still miss my Clark very much. He will always be remembered for his super crown!

2011

Year 2011 is by far the best year ever! It was the rabbit year and Tru-Luv rabbits were featured in almost all the dailies during the Chinese New Year season (The Star Newspaper). Even in the bangsar shopping mall magazine – Retale Magazine. There were more interview and media coverages.

It was also the same year that TinyCritterz.com was established to offer small animal lovers especially rabbit lovers a platform to purchase good products.

One of the unforgettable events for 2011 is the arrival of 8 new Holland Lops to Tru-Luv Rabbitry. They have been the foundation stocks since and have brought about a lot of improvements to the herd. I am forever grateful to my wonderful Holland Lop family.

Dad’s was commissioned to paint for the HLRSC Nationals awards.

An idea of visiting the USA to attend the 88th ARBA Convention was conceptualized back at the end of 2010.

The ultimate highlight for 2011 was definitely the 88th ARBA Convention at Indianapolis. I still have no words good enough to express the feeling. The memories will be forever be in my soul for the rest of my life. It was definitely a dream come true for me.

Some of the posts I wrote about my experience at convention:

As a closing note, I would like to reuse a phrase that came to my mind the night before I left Indianapolis and it is a statement I hold close to my heart.

“When your BIG Dream is fulfilled, you become a BIGGER person. You then dream LARGER dreams, work towards getting them fulfilled and you keep on GROWING!”

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by | June 16, 2012 · 11:06 pm

The Best Rabbit Show Thus Far

Today, rabbit enthusiasts from all over Malaysia gathered at Mid Valley Convention Centre for the 2nd MARBA National Rabbit Show. I really like how well organized this show is and kudos to MARBA for such a well organized rabbit show. Having had experienced the ARBA Convention at Indianapolis last year, I felt like it was a mini convention back home!

Prizes and the backdrop

The Show Arena

Nice DIY Show Coops

There are a few things that I really like about the show this time around. Firstly, when I saw the organizers placing comment cards on top of judging coops in the absence of the Judges, I beamed with a huge smile. This is the way it should be as breeders are not suppose to be placing rabbits into judging coops right in front of the judges to avoid any “favoritism” at play. Secondly, even my wife commended on how good the commentary was throughout the show. The general public that attended the show not only was able to watch the judging process but the explanation was spot on which helps everyone understand what was going on.

Comparing to 3 years ago, there has been a huge improvement and this is by far the best rabbit show to date!

ARBA President – Mr. Mike Avesing & Mr. Wade Burkhalter judged really well today and I was able to learn a lot from listening to both of them during the judging process.

The highlight of the day for me was definitely getting to meet both the judges and to have a few words with them. They are both really nice and friendly.

With Mr. Mike Avesing the ARBA President himself!

A photo with the man himself, Mr. Wade Burkhalter!

Another nice thing about the show is that, there were emphasis on pet rabbits too. There was a fancy dress contest and a dear friend approached me to loan her a couple of rabbits for the costume she hand made. She won in the same contest 3 years ago and it brings back a lot of memories. I was excited that she decided to make the 4 hours trip coming down from up north and agreed without hesitation to offer up Pixie Blu and Ivory Joy to be her models.

Busy dressing up…

Pixie Blu the magician bunny garnering 4th place!

Ivory Joy the Dracula Bunny was crowned 1st place!

Nerq & Company. Notice the color coding!

The winners of the Bunny Dress Up Contest!

And then it was time for the ARBA Rabbit Show. Both Show A and Show B run concurrently with Mike judging Show A while Wade judged Show B. I only entered 2 of my home grown rabbits – a 15 weeks old Solid Junior Buck and a Broken Senior Buck that turned 6 months (exactly) today. I did not expect my 6 months old Broken Senior Buck to do well in a class that was made up of mostly top imports in the country. I only wanted him to have more exposure knowing very well he needs time to mature. As mentioned by the commentator, Holland Lop bucks are like wine, they get better as they age.

I noticed that there were many locally bred Holland Lops that are show worthy and competitive. It is very good sign for the future of the hobby knowing that our home grown rabbits are as good as the imports. Right now, it is almost like Perseus taking on the Titans in the movie Clash of the Titans – LOL! Another good indicator is that there are more in the junior classes as compared to the previous shows. Even a first placed junior can obtain a GC Leg now with the rise in numbers in the junior classes.

Mike Judging Murdoch. Placed him 18th out of 19 rabbits in the class.

Wade judging Tru-Luv’s Murdoch.  Turned 6 months today. Placed last under Wade.

On the other hand, my Solid Junior Buck placed pretty well and I am happy with how he is growing up to be a very nice show worthy buck.

A photo taken of Tru-Luv’s Blaze at 14 weeks

Mike judging Blaze. Placed him 4th out of 8 rabbits in class.

Wade judging Blaze. Placed him 3rd out of 8 rabbits in class.

Overall, it was a wonderful Saturday spent with bunny friends sharing and helping each other taking care of the rabbits and having a good time catching up!

Food for thought – “There will not be a rabbit hobby if there is a perfect rabbit”.

Last but not least, congratulations to all winners!

Wade judging Golden Pine’s Gus the little Broken Junior Buck that placed 2nd under Mike Avesing.

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by | June 13, 2012 · 12:13 am

Specially for all bunny lovers!

With a blink of an eye, this weblog will be turning 5 years old soon. Throughout the 5 years there has been many struggles especially in getting good rabbit products to support the hobby here in Malaysia. Fast forward today, I am thankful for the genuine people I have met along the way and are sincere in providing us with good stuff. We are really doing this for all of you who have read my blog and supported TinyCritterz.com since its establishment. We are always looking for opportunity to provide our best in this circle of RABBIT SUPPORT system.

We also know how precious your pet rabbits are to you and have always tried our best to ensure all of them get the best while helping you to save on some cash. Therefore, TinyCritterz.com have come up with a few FREE SHIPPING options to help both you and your bunny/bunnies. The least you could do is show us your love by supporting us in this journey together.

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by | June 3, 2012 · 11:32 pm

Bunny Frenz @ The Park

Rabbit enthusiasts came together for a fun filled afternoon at Titiwangsa Lake Garden, Kuala Lumpur for the Bunny Gathering Event organized by Bunny Frenz. It’s been a long time coming that such event is being organized. We have seen many rabbit shows that emphasizes on pedigree rabbits but today, it was a very laid back event where everyone come together to enjoy and admire their pet rabbits. It was really nice to arrive at the venue seeing rabbits running around freely!

Free And Easy Rabbit Gathering

Coming together to have some fun exchanging views and knowledge

Kudos to Mr. Amza and his team (Bunny Frenz) for their effort in putting up such a wonderful event. I believe everyone went home feeling happy.

The event kicked off with a stripped down version of a rabbit show where three judges has been invited. It was a great pleasure to be invited as one of the judges. When I was briefed about the judging criteria, I was pretty surprised and it totally caught me off guard. The criteria were very unique and made me wonder how it can be achieved. The judges are required to give points for the following:-

1. Creative Movements

We are suppose to rate the movements of the rabbits.

2. Obedience

We are suppose to rate how well the rabbits take instructions.

3. Action Difficulty

We are suppose to rate based on how dangerous the act is (no rabbits were harm in this process).

4. Activeness

We are suppose to rate based on the perkiness of the rabbits.

5. On Owner’s Instruction

We are suppose to rate based on the special instructions the owners give to their rabbits (i.e. whistling).

First up for the Bunny Show is a very beautiful black otter Netherland Dwarf. All three judges were a little stiff because we have no clue how to judge based on the criteria stated above. I tried handling the rabbit wondering how I can make it show a creative move. I successfully made him give me a little flying kick but no somersault. After a while of looking at the rabbit blankly, I suggested to the organizing team that we will be judging the rabbits based on their overall condition and they agreed. I further explained to the crowd of our judging criteria and not based on any standards as this is an event for pet rabbits. We then agreed to go through each rabbit to ensure they have clean ears, good teeth, fur with good lustre, good temperament and free from any ailments.

Being briefed by Mr. Amza about judging criteria. This was when my mind went blank.

Cikgu Syah, Mr. Brandon and I going through each rabbit and making some tough decisions.

It is difficult to pick the best rabbits because each have merits of their own.

The second activity of the day was the Fancy Bunny Contest where owners dress up their rabbits. All who are present are required to cast a vote for their favourite bunny in its costume. I fell in love with a few and take my hats off their owners for such elaborate costumes!

The Little Director!

The Little Pink Princess

A plain white T would do…

I spotted Alvin the Chipmunk’s shirt on a bunny!

Ever wonder how Sherlock Holmes look like if he’s a bunny?

Mr. Kamal with his beautiful bunny princess

Very lady like…

The Aloha Bunny!

The Ultraman Bunny!

The Director again. He’s my favourite bunny of the day!

The third activity was the Bunny Clinic where the three judges were tasked to give talks about certain topics. Once again, I was flattered to be invited to give a talk about the topic of Palpation & Tattoo. I sincerely hope that everyone learn something with what I have presented.

Cikgu Syah demonstrating how to groom a rabbit.

Tattoo and Palpation

Mr. Brandon talking about Common Rabbit Disease and Treatment

After the talks, there was a lucky draw with many wonderful prizes. And the prize giving ceremony followed.

Bunny Show 3rd Prize Winner goes to Rayyan Rabbitry. Prizes sponsored by Genesis & TinyCritterz.com

Bunny Show 2nd Place Winner. Prizes sponsored by Genesis and Golden Pines Rabbitry.

Bunny Show 1st Place Winner. Prizes sponsored by Genesis. And the winner took home a cute live rabbit!

The wonderful event came to an end after Mr. Amza gave us a beautiful souvenir each.

Thank you for the beautiful souvenir!

A mug for me to enjoy my tea!

Thank you very much to everyone for putting up such a wonderful event. I hope there will be more of such an event in future. Have a good week ahead everyone and everybun!

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