June 27/2018

Feature:
20 Fascinating Facts About Rabbits

“Rabbits are intelligent, social, very clean…
1. Rabbits are not the same species as hares, which, among other characteristics, are larger & less social.

2. Rabbits, hares  pikas, a mouselike burrowing animal, belong to the order of lagomorphs. They were classified as rodents until 1912.

3. You probably know a doe as a female deer, but it’s also true …that a doe is a rabbit, a female rabbit. And, just like deer, a male rabbit is called a buck.

4. Rabbits are most similar to horses, according to MSPCA-Angell, which notes, ‘They have similar eyes, teeth, & ears (those belonging to many prey animals), as well as a similar diet & behavior…’

5. Rabbits are born blind & spend their first few days in a nest lined with grass & their mother’s fur…

6. …Does are pregnant for 30 days & may have a litter of 4 to 12 babies, called kits — short for kittens. Bunnies can start reproducing as young as 4 months old, & they can have 800 children, grandchildren, & great-grandchildren during their lifetimes.

7. …another good reason to spay or neuter pet rabbits is because it will make them live longer. Rabbits that have been sterilized can live 10 to 12 years — up to 4 years longer than those that haven’t undergone the procedure…

8. Scary fact: A rabbit’s teeth never stop growing. Fortunately, they’re naturally kept short by the normal wear & tear of chewing. Lots & lots of chewing, that is — about 120 times a minute.

9. Like cats, rabbits can be trained to use a litter box.

10. Also like cats, rabbits will groom themselves — as well as any rabbit they’re bonded with — as often as 5 times a day.

11. Bunnies don’t have the ability to vomit, so it’s critical to only feed them healthy, appropriate food like hay, grass, & vegetables. They also can’t cough up hairballs after all that grooming, so it’s important to regularly brush their coats to prevent shedding.

12. Rabbits eat their poop. Icky, yes, but they have to do it. They need to digest some of their food twice, so they eat their soft ‘cecotropes’, or nutrient-packed droppings. What’s commonly known as ‘rabbit pellets’ comes out after their 2nd round of digestion.

13. Happy rabbits will do what’s called a ‘binky’: They’ll jump in the air & spin around, kind of like a bunny Baryshnikov.

14. Happy rabbits will also ‘purr’, making a chattering noise with their teeth.

15. Rabbits are crepuscular…they’re the most active in the early morning & early evening. This makes them good pets for working people.

16. Rabbits need about 4 hours of exercise & playtime a day to keep them happy & help prevent osteoporosis.

17. Just like TV antennas used to be called ‘rabbit ears’, real rabbit ears serve as a kind of antenna. They can pick up sounds from every direction & are capable of hearing from 2 directions at the same time.

18. In the wild, rabbits live in burrows called warrens. One warren in Europe contained 450 rabbits & 2,000 entrances, according to the RSPCA.

19. After cats & dogs, rabbits are the 3rd most popular pet in the United States…

20. It’s not a good idea to give bunnies — … or any live animals — as Easter gifts.” 

Laura Goldman

March 31, 2018

Care2.com

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

June 20/2018

Feature:
10 Fascinating Facts About Squirrels
“…1. Squirrels are rodents.
They’re members of the family Sciuridae, which includes small- & medium-sized rodents like tree squirrels, ground squirrels, flying squirrels, chipmunks, & prairie dogs…

2. A squirrel’s front teeth don’t stop growing.
To prevent those 4 teeth from getting too long, squirrels must frequently gnaw on things. (The same is true of other rodents. In fact, ‘rodent’ is derived from ‘rodere’ in Latin, which means just that: to gnaw.)

3. Other squirrels (& birds) steal ¼ of a squirrel’s hidden food.
… Squirrels can also have difficulty keeping track of their buried stash, which is good news not only for other animals but for the environment as well, since those forgotten acorns grow into oaks in the forest.

4. Squirrels use something called ‘deceptive caching’ to deter thieves. 
Squirrels will sometimes cleverly pretend to bury nuts by digging a hole & then covering it up with nothing inside.

5. Squirrels have powerful senses of smell. 
In the wintertime, some squirrel species are able to smell food that’s buried under a foot of snow. They can then dig a tunnel to reach the food, whether it belongs to them or another squirrel.

6. Squirrels are not social animals. 

… these creatures want to be alone. They are territorial & rarely interact with one another.

7. Squirrels will raise orphaned pups. 

If an orphaned baby squirrel is closely related to a female adult squirrel, she may adopt it as her own… This is surprising because… ‘Although adoptions occur among species that live in extended family groups, it’s much less common among asocial animals.’

8. Squirrels run in a unique pattern to escape predators. 

Running (even along tree branches) in a zigzag pattern makes it more difficult for squirrels to be snatched by hawks & other animals.

                                   

9. Before the 1800s, there were no squirrels in U.S. parks.

…In the early 19th century, they were introduced to New York’s Central Park to create ‘a bucolic atmosphere that was entertaining, enlightening & salubrious,’ Popular Science reports, quoting an article in the Journal of American History.

10. There are no squirrels in Australia.

But there are more than 200 species all over the rest of the world.”

Laura Goldman

Jan. 20/2018

Care2.com

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

June 13/2018

Feature:
5 Underappreciated Birds to Celebrate

“…Far below the prettier species are the ones many prefer to demonize. They scavenge on carcasses of dead animals. They annoy people.

…Here are 5 commonly misunderstood birds we should celebrate, not decry.

1. Vultures
Vultures overall play a vital role in their ecosystems. Their scavenging prevents diseases from spreading & cleans up the areas they live…

‘People tend to think they’re ugly, dirty, & smelly, & they’re far from it & they’re absolutely crucial to the environment,’ said the International Centre for Birds of Prey’s Jemima Parry-Jones…

2. Magpies
…a lot of people consider the magpie a pest, but they have a lot of positives going for them.

Take their intelligence. Unlike most animals, they recognize themselves in mirrors. That makes them among the 7 known non-human species who can do that.

3. American Crow
The American crow has long been tied with bad luck. Their signature caw is a far cry from the popular birds’ pleasant chirping.

Still, they’re another bird whose intelligence you should respect. According to one study, they’re as smart as a 7-year-old kid.

4. Cormorants
…The seabird competes with fishermen, significantly cutting down on fish species like walleyes.

However, in the Great Lakes, they tend to feed on invasive species & aren’t the biggest problem affecting fish populations, next to pollution & other issues...

5. European Starlings
Even birding authority Audubon has sanctioned hating starlings. They’re invasive, loud, & destructive…

Keep in mind starlings do have redeeming qualities. As Washington State University News notes, they eat pests. They’re also skilled in teamwork, sometimes flying in groups of hundreds to stay safe from predators.”

Emily Zak

Dec. 27/ 2017

Care2.com

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

June 6/2018

Feature:
Dog Wins Prize For Valour Under Fire in Afghanistan

     “A British military dog that saved the lives of troops in Afghanistan in 2012 was decorated…for bravery.

     Mali, an 8 year old Belgian Malinois, won the Dickin medal- a prize awarded by the PDSA veterinary charity & billed as the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.

     The charity says Mali was twice sent through direct fire to conduct searches for explosives. He also detected the presence of insurgents, giving troops key seconds to ‘engage the enemy in close-quarter combat’. He carried on despite being hurt by grenade blasts that injured his chest, legs, and ear. He has since fully recovered.

   The dog is the 69th recipient of the prize since 1943.”

Associated Press
The Gazette, Montreal
Nov. 18/2017   

U.S. Army Dog Gets Medal For Battle Bravery

     “A U.S. Army dog that attacked a machine-gun nest during the Second World War was posthumously awarded Britain’s highest honor for animal bravery…Chips, a German shepherd- husky cross, was awarded the Dickin Medal for actions during a 1943 beach landing in Sicily. According to the U.S. soldiers, Chips raced into an Italian machine-gun nest, attacking an enemy soldier & pulling the gun from its mount. The medal was    awarded by veterinary charity PDSA in a ceremony in London.
     U.S. Army Lt. Col. Alan Throop said that shortly after the battle Chips was recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross, the silver Star, & the Purple Heart…”

Associated Press
The Gazette, Montreal
Jan. 16/2018

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle