Rabbits are fast-moving, big-eared mammals. There are about 25 different species of Rabbits. They live in a variety of environments, including deserts, swamps, marshes, forests, grasslands, and prairies. Rabbits are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world. There are seven different genera in the family classified as Rabbits, including the European Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), Cottontail Rabbits (genus Sylvilagus; 13 species), and the Amami Rabbits (Pentalagus furnessi, endangered species on Amami Ōshima, Japan). There are many other species of Rabbits, and these, along with pikas and hares, make up the order Lagomorpha.
Most Rabbits live for about a year in the wild. They are hunted by dogs, foxes, raccoons, weasels, bobcats, lynxes, hawks, and eagles. They have a fast reproductive rate.
Anatomy: Rabbits range in size from 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 cm) long. They have very big and powerful hind legs which they use for hopping and for digging burrows.
Diet: Rabbits are herbivores (plant-eaters). They eat grass, leaves, bark, and twigs.
Classification: Kingdom Animalia (animals), Phylum Chordata (having a notochord), Class Mammalia (mammals), order Lagomorpha (Rabbits, hares, and pikas), Family Leporidae (Rabbits and hares), many Genera.
Rabbits are raised world-wide for a variety of reasons. In Europe and Asia they are an important source of food. Rabbits produce white meat that is fine-grained, high in protein, low in fat, highly palatable, low in cholesterol, and that can be substituted for poultry in most recipes. Rabbits carcasses are only 20 percent bone. In the United States Rabbits are raised predominantly for nonfood purposes. High quality Rabbits skins are used in fur garments and trimmings. Medical and cosmetic research also requires a large number of Rabbits each year. Many people raise Rabbits for show or as pets.
for:http://www.rabbits-house.com
2008年9月17日星期三
2008年9月5日星期五
Dogs And Pets Provide Health Benefits
Do dogs provide health benefits? Believe it or not they do! Did you know that owning a dog and pet ownership in general, can help a person in many ways? Owning a pet can improve your mental wellness, reduce your visits to the doctor, improve your cardiovascular health and allow for faster recovery time from surgery as well as higher survival rates. Recent research suggests that dogs may be able to detect cancer on a person's breath! Lets' explore these amazing health benefits of pet ownership:
It has been proven that dog owners have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than non-dog owners. These factors, in turn, reduce the chance of cardiovascular diseases. In fact, just stroking a pet has long been known to reduce blood pressure. Furthermore, a study from the New York State University concluded that these benefits continue even without the pet being present!
Hospital studies have shown that senior citizens and recent post-op patients respond better to treatment and recover faster while in contact with dogs and other therapy animals. Did you know that dog owners have a greater chance to survive a serious illness than non-dog owners? In fact, a study revealed that a pet affected a person's survival rate even more than the presence or company of family members or friends!
Studies conducted at Cambridge and UCLA concluded that there is a direct correlation between pet ownership and improved overall health, which leads to fewer visits to the doctor. The Journal of American Geriatrics Society notes that pet ownership has a positive effect on a senior's physical and emotional well being. Additionally, a Medicare study of elderly patients also shows that people who own a dog have fewer doctor visits than patients who do not.
Pet owners have better emotional health and mental wellness than people who do not own a pet. Pets offer unconditional love and affection and their presence alone helps reduce loneliness. For people who are isolated, disabled or handicapped, a pet offers friendship and can even add a element of safety to their lives. Dogs are used as a form of therapy in hospices, nursing homes and as companions for the disabled and blind. In fact, there are studies that prove that people with a major illness fight the stress of having the illness better by having a dog as a pet.
There is new research that suggests that dogs may be able to detect certain types of cancer. Researchers at the Pine Street Foundation in San Anselmo, California and the Polish Academy of Sciences exposed dogs to breath samples from breast and lung cancer patients and samples from healthy people. They claim that the dogs were able to detect cancer with astonishing results and accuracy. The dogs were able to identify 99% of lung cancer breath samples (which included early stage cancer patients) as well as 88% of breast cancer samples. The study, which has been met with skepticism, will be released early in 2006 and published in the March edition of the Journal for Integrative Cancer Therapies. Experts agree that this holds promise, but must be evaluated and researched further.
As you can see pet ownership or having a dog comes with many benefits for an individual. Owning a pet encourages social interaction, reduces stress levels, boosts self-confidence and self-esteem and encourages exercise. Having a pet is a great investment, not only in the joy and pleasure that the animal brings into your life, but the many health benefits that come with the territory!
It has been proven that dog owners have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than non-dog owners. These factors, in turn, reduce the chance of cardiovascular diseases. In fact, just stroking a pet has long been known to reduce blood pressure. Furthermore, a study from the New York State University concluded that these benefits continue even without the pet being present!
Hospital studies have shown that senior citizens and recent post-op patients respond better to treatment and recover faster while in contact with dogs and other therapy animals. Did you know that dog owners have a greater chance to survive a serious illness than non-dog owners? In fact, a study revealed that a pet affected a person's survival rate even more than the presence or company of family members or friends!
Studies conducted at Cambridge and UCLA concluded that there is a direct correlation between pet ownership and improved overall health, which leads to fewer visits to the doctor. The Journal of American Geriatrics Society notes that pet ownership has a positive effect on a senior's physical and emotional well being. Additionally, a Medicare study of elderly patients also shows that people who own a dog have fewer doctor visits than patients who do not.
Pet owners have better emotional health and mental wellness than people who do not own a pet. Pets offer unconditional love and affection and their presence alone helps reduce loneliness. For people who are isolated, disabled or handicapped, a pet offers friendship and can even add a element of safety to their lives. Dogs are used as a form of therapy in hospices, nursing homes and as companions for the disabled and blind. In fact, there are studies that prove that people with a major illness fight the stress of having the illness better by having a dog as a pet.
There is new research that suggests that dogs may be able to detect certain types of cancer. Researchers at the Pine Street Foundation in San Anselmo, California and the Polish Academy of Sciences exposed dogs to breath samples from breast and lung cancer patients and samples from healthy people. They claim that the dogs were able to detect cancer with astonishing results and accuracy. The dogs were able to identify 99% of lung cancer breath samples (which included early stage cancer patients) as well as 88% of breast cancer samples. The study, which has been met with skepticism, will be released early in 2006 and published in the March edition of the Journal for Integrative Cancer Therapies. Experts agree that this holds promise, but must be evaluated and researched further.
As you can see pet ownership or having a dog comes with many benefits for an individual. Owning a pet encourages social interaction, reduces stress levels, boosts self-confidence and self-esteem and encourages exercise. Having a pet is a great investment, not only in the joy and pleasure that the animal brings into your life, but the many health benefits that come with the territory!
2008年9月2日星期二
Tips For Awesome Looking Pet Portraits
We love our pets. They do such cute, adorable, and funny things. They are more often than not, an integral part of our family. As such, you probably want to capture your beloved friend with great pet pictures. What if, when you go to take those perfect pet portraits, they run and hide, or simply won't cooperate? In this article we give some great tips to help you next time you go for that dog photo or pet picture of your best friend.
Here are some tips to help you to get some great pet pictures.
1. The first and most important step that will help the most is training. Your pet does not need to enroll for a 4-year pet school degree with an online dog picture heralding his success, but some simple commands will help. Simple commands like stand, stay, lay down or sit are easy to teach, with some patience added, and will help in taking your pet pictures.
2. Awaking a pet out of a deep sleep and forcing him to face a camera will not give you good results. If you wish to take pictures of your pet, try to take photos while they are playing or relaxing by that nicely lit window. It's a good idea to have your camera nearby at all times, not just one moment when you decide now is the time to have pet portraits. Take some time with it.
3. Using natural lighting is best. If enough, do not use your flash. Pets often times do not like the flash of a camera; they can learn to squint or run away when they see that camera come out.
4. If your pet is already camera-shy, try being as discreet as possible by not making it so obvious to your pet that you are up to something. Of course, with a cat this can be easier considering the attention span of a cat, but then again, they can be more wise to your ways, knowing that you are indeed up to something...it all depends on the personality of the pet. You can get a great, expressional dog photo just by saying the right word, in the right tone of voice, to a dog, but nice try with a cat.
Go for a nice, sophisticated shot of your cat if he's a snob. (Remember, you want to capture the essence of your pet in the best 'light' possible. If your cat does not fit that stereotype, a relaxed, playful or 'thoughtful' look is great. That's applies not just to cats, but dogs and whatnot too...well, maybe not if your pet is...oh, a snake perhaps.
5. If you are looking for that thoughtful or playful look, look to a friend or family member to help. A string with catnip or honeysuckle works great for a cat, squeaky toys work well with dogs.
6. Stay patient. If you are getting frustrated, time to take a break. It should be a fun, enjoyable time. You want to remember your pet...not the day you worked up a sweat, dusted the floor with your clothes, banged your knee, and yelled at your kids or whatever else trying to get that perfect dog photo. Plus, your pets can pick up on your stress and they may start to associate that camera, or how YOU behave with that camera with a bad time...like teenagers during family portrait time...NOT fun usually.
7. Take your pets coloring into consideration when choosing backgrounds. The less 'busy' the scene, the better, as well.
Remember; do not put pressure on your pet to face the camera. If you do want a shot looking directly into the camera, best way to achieve this is by first getting the camera and crop prepared. Once ready to 'snap', a louder, unusual sound just before shooting, works best for dogs. A soft, quiet sound, works best for cats to get their attention.
Be prepared to take a lot of bad photos to get a really good one. It will be better if you use a digital camera. With a digital camera you have lots of room for trial and error. You will be able to select your favorites and dispose the rest. Of course, that can be a problem too. If you are anything like me, you hate to erase any photos of your pet.
Most of all see it as fun, not a chore and before you know it you'll have awesome looking perfect pet portraits of your pet and maybe other pets too!
Here are some tips to help you to get some great pet pictures.
1. The first and most important step that will help the most is training. Your pet does not need to enroll for a 4-year pet school degree with an online dog picture heralding his success, but some simple commands will help. Simple commands like stand, stay, lay down or sit are easy to teach, with some patience added, and will help in taking your pet pictures.
2. Awaking a pet out of a deep sleep and forcing him to face a camera will not give you good results. If you wish to take pictures of your pet, try to take photos while they are playing or relaxing by that nicely lit window. It's a good idea to have your camera nearby at all times, not just one moment when you decide now is the time to have pet portraits. Take some time with it.
3. Using natural lighting is best. If enough, do not use your flash. Pets often times do not like the flash of a camera; they can learn to squint or run away when they see that camera come out.
4. If your pet is already camera-shy, try being as discreet as possible by not making it so obvious to your pet that you are up to something. Of course, with a cat this can be easier considering the attention span of a cat, but then again, they can be more wise to your ways, knowing that you are indeed up to something...it all depends on the personality of the pet. You can get a great, expressional dog photo just by saying the right word, in the right tone of voice, to a dog, but nice try with a cat.
Go for a nice, sophisticated shot of your cat if he's a snob. (Remember, you want to capture the essence of your pet in the best 'light' possible. If your cat does not fit that stereotype, a relaxed, playful or 'thoughtful' look is great. That's applies not just to cats, but dogs and whatnot too...well, maybe not if your pet is...oh, a snake perhaps.
5. If you are looking for that thoughtful or playful look, look to a friend or family member to help. A string with catnip or honeysuckle works great for a cat, squeaky toys work well with dogs.
6. Stay patient. If you are getting frustrated, time to take a break. It should be a fun, enjoyable time. You want to remember your pet...not the day you worked up a sweat, dusted the floor with your clothes, banged your knee, and yelled at your kids or whatever else trying to get that perfect dog photo. Plus, your pets can pick up on your stress and they may start to associate that camera, or how YOU behave with that camera with a bad time...like teenagers during family portrait time...NOT fun usually.
7. Take your pets coloring into consideration when choosing backgrounds. The less 'busy' the scene, the better, as well.
Remember; do not put pressure on your pet to face the camera. If you do want a shot looking directly into the camera, best way to achieve this is by first getting the camera and crop prepared. Once ready to 'snap', a louder, unusual sound just before shooting, works best for dogs. A soft, quiet sound, works best for cats to get their attention.
Be prepared to take a lot of bad photos to get a really good one. It will be better if you use a digital camera. With a digital camera you have lots of room for trial and error. You will be able to select your favorites and dispose the rest. Of course, that can be a problem too. If you are anything like me, you hate to erase any photos of your pet.
Most of all see it as fun, not a chore and before you know it you'll have awesome looking perfect pet portraits of your pet and maybe other pets too!
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