Safer Sheep Shearing

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Grass hay is better than alfalfa hay as the latter may contribute too much protein or calcium to rabbits. You may also feed them little bits of rolled oats, crackers, or bread. Some rabbits enjoy tree branches or a boiled round steak bone to chew on.

Rabbits produce "night feces," small, soft, green, mucus-covered feces. These need to be ingested directly from the anus during the night and early morning hours as rabbits derive important proteins, vita mins, and minerals from them. Thus, make sure your rabbit is not housed on chicken wire which may allow the feces to escape consumption as they are an extremely important part of the rabbit's diet.

Feeding fresh pineapple juice or pineapple once or twice a week to a rabbit is a great idea as the enzyme, Papain, contained therein may help him digest hairballs. Some owners also supplement with small quantities of live-culture plain yogurt, which helps to maintain the normal bacterial flora in the digestive tract. Don't forget to check your rabbit's teeth on a regular basis to make sure they are not overgrown and causing difficult chewing.

Please help settle a dispute between my husband and me. He feels we're depriving our animals of their God-given rights by taking away their reproductive capacity. I feel we would be irresponsible pet owners not to spay and neuter our dogs and cats. Where do you stand?

-Ernma Greene
Moab, UT

Dear Emma:

Despite what many folks think, motherhood does not "round out" a pet's personality. As a mother, your pet must divide attention between you and her new family. Often, a pet's personality may change drastically during the course of "heat" or pregnancy. Parenthood for your pet really means parenthood for you as well. You must share the burden of caring for the newcomers, particularly if they become ill or have other problems that mom can't cope with. More importantly, you must find a good home for each new kitten or pup. The number of dogs and cats born each year in the United States alone is staggering, and most animal shelters are overflowing with already unwanted dogs and cats.

Aside from the possibilities of unwanted pregnancy or litters, there are several aspects of dogs' and cats' natural reproductive processes and mating instincts that might interfere with the joys of owning a pet. For example, many of you may have already endured the nervous pacing and plaintive meowing of a female cat "in heat." Or is your tomcat one of the many that has developed the annoying habit of spraying foul-smelling urine on furniture and draperies to "stake out his territory" during the breeding season? Your male pet's desire for romance may call him away from his locality, possibly resulting in an accident or injury to him, other animals, or people in the process. Female animals in season are often injured in the breeding process or in attempts to ward off male animals. Owners who attempt to control their pets' reproductive efforts often find their frustrated pets exhibiting signs of aggression towards them.

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