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"On a besoin de bons managers, pour être heureux·ses au travail"

Pour ce 4e épisode, je vais à la rencontre de Mathias Bouvant, manager d'une équipe de développeurs UBISOFT à Bordeaux. 1) Dans cet épisode, il parle de son parcours : - Ses débuts dans l'informatique avec un PC ZX80 - Les spécificités du secteur du développement de jeux vidéos dans une grosse entreprise - La mission de son équipe : la création de micro services à destination des jeux Ubisoft - Cette culture de l'agilité qui l'anime au quotidien et qui facilite la vie des projets - Son rôle de manager d'une équipe technique Donc si vous suivez le podcast, évidemment ça parle tech. Mais nous faisons des focus plus précis autour du management des équipes IT, du Scrum et du secteur du gaming. 2) Le Scrum, un sujet vaste et passionnant : - Comment la méthode Scrum peut-elle vraiment réussir (sans lasser les équipes) ? - Le point de vue Mathias : “Le Scrum doit être basé sur l'entraide. Si tu commences ton Sprint et qu'on se revoit dans 2 semaines et on regarde ce que tu as fait : ça risque de ne pas marcher.” - Il y voit un vrai gain de temps sur les projets grâce à des cycles plus courts et donc des process itératifs de plus en plus efficace. 3) Comment fonctionne son service ? - Les journées débutent par les Daily (max 15 minutes) - La revue de code : pour chaque tâche une revue de code - Coder à 2 voire à 3 (”Pair Programming”) : le travail en binôme avec un expert et l'autre qui l'est moins est le meilleur moyen pour faire monter en compétences (et améliorer la qualité du code au passage). 4) Et son métier de manager ? - Très humble, Mathias à une vision très humaine du management. - Il coconstruit et challenge les développements en place avec ses équipes. - Il intègre les nouveaux arrivants et s'inspire de leurs anciennes expériences pour nourrir les méthodologies en place dans son service (notamment l'esprit agile). - Les points en One & One : essentiels pour limiter la frustration et faire progresser. - Un souci avec un collaborateur ? Il faut poser des questions, détecter les points de frictions. Et surtout : apprendre à faire des feedback positifs pour ne pas casser le collaborateur ! Au contraire : il faut l'aider à s'améliorer. 5) Et le code dans tout ça ? - Clairement, ce n'est pas coder qui prend le plus de temps ! Le code représente environ 15 à 20% du job… - Et le reste ? Les tests, les tests et les tests ! C'est la revue de code qui est la tâche la plus longue. Donc le maître mot : Patience ! Merci encore Mathias pour ton temps. Allez c'est parti pour ce nouvel épisode ! Bonne écoute et à dans 15 jours ! P.S : pour en savoir encore plus sur l'agilité et Scrum, vous pouvez écouter l'épisode numéro 2 avec Jean Pierre Lambert, créateur de la chaîne YouTube “Scrum Life”. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Soutenez ce super podcast dédié à la tech' : - Abonnez-vous - Laissez un avis et 5 ⭐ - Merci beaucoup ! - Inscrivez-vous sur On part en prod pour ne louper aucun épisode Les informations mentionnées dans cet épisode - PC ZX80 - UBISOFT - ALCATEL - Pair/Peer Programming - SHADOW (boitier de streaming de jeux vidéo) - Agile, Scrum - MIRO, RETROMAT, Google STADIA, Jira, Elasticsearch, Kibana, Grafana, Splunk, Voice Chat - Jeux vidéo cités : Assassin's Creed, Street Fighter 2, Rainbow Six, Just Dance - Livre "La règle ? Pas de règles !: Netflix et la culture de la réinvention” de Reed Hastings - Livre “Dream Team: Les meilleurs secrets des managers pour recruter et fidéliser votre équipe idéale” de Ludovic Girodon - Série “Drôle” de Fanny HERRERO : https://www.captainwatch.com/serie/157726/drole - DELUXE : groupe de musique originaire d'Aix en Provence - GHOST : groupe de musique Pour suivre l'actualité de Mathias LinkedIn de Mathias : https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathias-bouvant-8346a6132/ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Postproduction Audio : Guillaume Lefebvre Music by MADiRFAN from Pixabay

At one point, Maintenance and Asset Management may have been viewed as just another cost center within a company. However, today's customers seek to maintain and maximize the health and performance of their assets via intelligent technologies – such as IoT, machine learning, mobility, as well as advanced and predictive analytics. Which is why today I'm joined by none other than the innovative Jasper Luickx. Joining us today from Belgium, Jasper is a digital supply chain solution advisor, with a focus on SAP's asset maintenance and service portfolio. During his master's in Management & IT, Jasper interned at a startup in New York as well as SAP. Soon after he joined the SAP Presales Academy, where he was felicitated as the most innovative associate of his cohort. He has been a solution advisor ever since. As always, my name Akshi Mohla, and you're listening to SAP Experts Podcast.

Michael is the CEO of Foxford Capital a strategic financial advisory and investment firm. He is also a General Partner at Eastward Capital Access Fund, a late-stage venture debt fund, serves on several Boards including the board of Veritiv Corporation, a public company where he is the chair of the Audit Committee, iAnthus Capital Holdings, Epicenter Experience, and he serves as a member of the board of advisors to Dubai-based Botho Emerging Markets Group. Michael has also been a guest lecturer at Harvard Business School since 2011.     In this episode he discusses different roles boards and board members play and the importance of treating being a board member as a job.   Quotes: Relationship between Board and Management “I think fundamentally having an open channels of communication where the board is free to express their perspective and opinions and advice is ideal, and this is beyond just a pure governance role.”   Big Ideas/Thoughts: I want to just get back to the amount of time you're spending as chair of the audit committee. We talk a lot on some of these podcasts about the fact that being a board member is a job.  When boards are seeking new members, they often write job descriptions, and that's an appropriate thing to do. This job, chair of a public company audit committee, takes ten percent of your available time, which is something like twenty days a year. So not only is it a job a job – but it definitely not a nine-to-five job!   Risk assessment I think boards tend to be risk averse in the sense that their role is to safeguard the assets of the enterprise, a role, it's not necessarily the only role.  The general approach is to look at enterprise risk, financial risk, operational risk, anything that could impair an asset or create liabilities for the company.  In general, what that often entails is looking at a heat map, which would identify all the various vulnerabilities a company could face and then trying to assess the likelihood of that occurrence taking place as well as the severity. So, depending on where the high risk, high severity initiatives come into play, the focus would be on trying to mitigate those risks from a risk management perspective.   Yes, but the job of a really effective board is to consider how aggressive a company should be in taking risk - not just avoiding risk.  How much risk is a company willing to accept, how much should it accept, in creating value for its stakeholders.   Relationship between Board and Management It’s important that the management team and the CEO are comfortable reaching out to an individual board member or multiple board members to bounce ideas off of them or discuss thorny issues that they're facing to try to get perspective on whether that board member has encountered the particular issue or what advice they may have outside of a formal board setting.

Hello Listener! Thank you for listening.  If you would like to support the podcast, and keep the lights on, you can support us whenever you use Amazon through the link below: It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what. Or you can become a Fluffle Supporter by donating through Patreon.com at the link below: Patreon/Hare of the Rabbit What's this Patreon? Patreon is an established online platform that allows fans to provide regular financial support to creators. Patreon was created by a musician who needed a easy way for fans to support his band. What do you need? Please support Hare of the Rabbit Podcast financially by becoming a Patron. Patrons agree to a regular contribution, starting at $1 per episode. Patreon.com takes a token amount as a small processing fee, but most of your money will go directly towards supporting the Hare of the Rabbit Podcast. You can change or stop your payments at any time. You can also support by donating through PayPal.com at the link below: Hare of the Rabbit PayPal Thank you for your support, Jeff Hittinger.   Breeding Rabbits Definitions A female rabbit is called a doe. A male rabbit is called a buck. When referring to the parents of a rabbit, the mother is called the dam, and the father is called the sire. When you mate two rabbits together, this is called breeding. When you check to see if the doe is pregnant or when you breed her again before she is due to give birth, this is called testing. When you put a box in the hutch that is lined with hay, this is called nesting. When the doe gives birth, this is called kindling. The period of time between breeding and kindling is called the gestation period. She gives birth to a bunch of bunnies called kits. This bunch of bunnies is called a litter. When you take the young rabbits away from the mother, this is called weaning. Breeding Plan - Discuss This With Your Parents! Before we begin to discuss breeding rabbits, it is important to understand that there are several reasons NOT to breed your rabbits. Some of these are very good reasons. If you are a beginning rabbit owner, or have rabbits as pets only, there are a lot more justifications for NOT breeding your rabbit than to go ahead with it! One major consideration when deciding to breed any animals is the overpopulation of pets in general. Some others include the extra expense, health considerations of your animals, and having to find homes for young rabbits you cannot keep. However, if you are an experienced rabbit raiser (or you are a beginner with help), have sound knowledge of rabbit care and health, and want to produce rabbits for showing, meat, or fiber, then it could be an excellent decision to start a breeding program, or at least try it out! Determine the best time to start your breeding program! Be sure your rabbits are healthy. Choose the rabbits you wish to breed. Another wise thing to do when just starting out is to contact a breeder that raises your chosen breed, and offer to purchase a pregnant doe from him or her. Ask to have her bred to one of the breeder’s best bucks, although with an increase in quality comes an increase in price. It can be a great investment though, and get you started with young rabbits you know were bred well. When To Breed There is a reason for the expression, “breeds like a rabbit!” Rabbits are notoriously fertile from a young age, and easy to breed. Their young grow quickly, and the mothers and young do not require a lot of human intervention, for the most part. However, in order to ensure the health of your animals, it is prudent to wait until they reach full body and reproductive maturity before breeding. There are four main weight classes of rabbits: small, medium, large, and giant breeds. The age at which the rabbit is ready to reproduce depends highly on the maximum weight they are expected to achieve as an adult. Smaller breeds tend to sexually mature faster than the larger breeds. The general rule for the proper age to begin breeding at is as follows: Small breeds (under 6 pounds max) – 4 ½ months Medium to Large Breeds (6-11 pounds max) – 6 months Giant Breeds (Over 11 pounds max) – 9 months Also in general, bucks tend to be about a month behind does in maturing. So, if you want to mate a purebred Polish buck and doe, she might be ready at 4 ½ months of age to reproduce, but it would be advisable to wait until he is closer to 6 months of age. Waiting is worth it – your animals will be much more productive, or perhaps “reproductive,” if you are patient and wait until they’re really ready! Health Check And Signs That A Doe Is Ready For Breeding It is important to check each rabbit before breeding to be sure that the rabbit is healthy and in good physical condition. The weight should be appropriate for the sex and breed of your rabbit. Never breed your rabbit if it shows signs of a sickness or illness. If a doe is ready to breed, they will begin to rub their chin on their food dish to mark their territory. Before breeding, check the bottom of the cage of both the doe and buck for evidence of diarrhea or loose stools. Do not breed the rabbit having this condition until it has been adequately treated. Also check the genitals of both rabbits for any signs of disease or infection (for example, extreme redness, discharge, sores or scabbiness). A good reference is the ARBA Official Guidebook section on diseases. Selecting Breed Pairs You should know as much as possible about the rabbit you are choosing to breed. It is more likely to pass on good traits with two healthy and qualified rabbits. Check the pedigree background for the rabbit’s strong points; such as strong shoulder, good body, and excellent type. It's usually a good idea to select rabbits to breed whose ancestry has evidence of good productivity and good genetics. That is where productivity records and pedigrees listing show winnings come in handy. Keep productivity and show records of your herd just for this purpose. Only mate rabbits of the same breed. Exceptions to this include breeding for meat, pets or genetic experimentation. You cannot sell a pedigree rabbit that has mixed blood in its background going back 4 generations. It is advisable to breed only purebred, pedigreed rabbits. The main reason for this is because pedigreed rabbits have documented bloodlines, characteristics, and a general history you can look back on that will help you better predict the outcome of the breeding you have planned. When breeding two rabbits of unknown heritage, there is a much bigger potential for birthing problems and genetic defects. It is also easier to find homes and interested buyers for well-bred stock. Be advised though, that even having two purebred, pedigreed rabbits does not ensure a good cross – the goal should always be for the animals to out-produce themselves. The hope is that the offspring will be of better quality and meet the ideal of the breed standard more closely than their parents. Therefore, you must carefully evaluate your pairing to make sure the rabbits complement one another in confirmation (body type) and if it matters to the breed, color and markings as well. Choose the rabbits based on their strengths and weaknesses. A buck with strong shoulders would be matched with a doe with weak shoulders but good size. Try to offset any weaknesses with strengths. Try not to put two weak features together since that will only fix the weak feature in the blood line. Who Can Be Bred To Whom? Never breed brothers to sisters. Other combinations are fine: father-to-daughter, mother-to-son, cousins, etc. Until you gain some knowledge as to how genetics works with inbreeding, I would recommend your not breeding closely related pairs. As mentioned before, mate the same breeds together unless you are trying to get meat rabbits with certain characteristics or you are doing genetic experiments or you don't care about the fate of the offspring. You cannot sell the offspring as pedigree if their ancestry is not of the same breed going back four generations. You may mate rabbits of the same breed having different colors. Keep in mind, though, that there are many combinations of possibilities when mixing colors. Some of the offspring may have colors that are not recognized by ARBA. It is usually best to mate rabbits having the same color to start off with until you know more about how the colors interact. You can also, join the national specialty group for the breed you are interested in raising. They usually have literature on how to develop the best color, size, and shape of your rabbit. Avoid breeding rabbits that have genetic defects such as tooth malocclusion (wolf teeth) or moon eye (cloudy cornea), or produces offspring whose skull does not come together (except in dwarfs, where approximately 25% are born too small with deformed head or legs - the offspring are called peanuts). Determine whether the sire or dam is responsible for passing the genetic defect and eliminate it for breeding purposes. Strive to meet the perfect standard for the breed you are mating. You can order the ARBA Standard of Perfection Booklet to know exactly what is expected of the breed. Gauging Interest Rabbits have a reputation for being ready to breed all the time. This is not necessarily the case! Bucks are typically a bit more consistently ready. You can tell that your buck is interested in mating when he starts vigorously sniffing around a table you’ve just placed a doe on moments ago, or if through cages, the buck begins acting more excited and slightly aggressive when he smells a neighboring doe. He may also begin acting amorous toward other objects when he is out and about! Does, however, are not quite as obvious about expressing their desires. A doe rabbit is atypical from most mammals, as she is polyestrous, meaning she has no regular heat cycles. The eggs of a female rabbit are not shed at regular intervals – instead, ovulation is stimulated by mating. This offers the breeder a lot of flexibility in terms of what time of year and how frequently they will breed members of their herd. Some signs that a doe may be more willing to breed are restlessness, and “chinning,” which is the act of her rubbing her chin on the cage or piece of equipment inside the cage. Mating Process Because does are not as willing to breed and they are very territorial, you always bring the doe to the male’s cage. If the doe does not show interest in mating after ten minutes, you should take her out of the cage and try again in a couple days. When ready to breed the doe, take it to the buck's cage. Never bring the buck to the doe's cage. The reason for this is that the buck has less tendency to breed in the doe's cage. He's too busy sniffing around the cage. Most often, rabbit mating is a quick and painless process, requiring little to no assistance on the part of their human handlers. When you are ready to have the doe bred, the most important thing to remember is to bring the doe to the buck’s cage – NOT the other way around. Sexually mature does are incredibly territorial, and can do severe damage to a buck that suddenly enters her territory. It only helps to have good equipment. A wire cage, that open from the front and are all wire allow for easy access and easy monitoring. Most often, once the doe is placed in the cage housing the buck, he will circle her briefly, and then mount her. If she is receptive, she will lift her tail for him. Keep a close eye on both rabbits, to ensure that the doe remains on good behavior. Be ready to remove her immediately if she starts growling or even attacking the buck. Try to breed at least two does on the same day, hopefully from different breeds or colors. This way you can move babies from litters around if we need to foster any kits. Having different breeds or different colors in the nest box makes it easier to see who came from which litter. If the doe runs around in a circle, this is not so bad. I’ll let her run a few laps then I’ll put my hand in the cage and stop her for the buck to breed her. Most of the time the doe will accept the buck. If the doe sits down or tries to climb the sides of the cage, I’ll wait for 5 minutes . If she won’t stand still and accept the buck, I’ll take the doe out and try her again in a few hours or the next day. And the next day if necessary. If she doesn’t accept the buck, I will wait for the next week to try her again. A really good sign is when the buck gives a grunt when he’s done doing his thing, and falls off of the doe onto his side. Once this has occurred, it is wise to get the doe out of there. Although some bucks are more aggressive than others, they will rarely hurt the doe. If you do not see the ritual just described take place within a minute or so of placing them together, and it looks like they are getting along, you can leave the doe in there for a few minutes to see what will happen. If you’re not sure if the mating was successful, it is a good idea to try again anywhere from 6 to 10 hours later, and simply repeat what you did the first time. If you are unsure about whether or not a successful breeding took place, you can carefully introduce the doe to the buck again in about 7-10 days. If she is uninterested in him, or acts grouchy, she is probably pregnant. The buck will breed with the doe, usually immediately. After a few sniffs which apprise him of the situation, the buck promptly circles around to the hind end of the doe, mounts the doe, accomplishes the rabbit mating, and then falls off the doe with a grunt. Signs of success: the grunt and fall-off. The buck might also get all macho, and thump the cage floor a couple times. A second rabbit mating before removing the doe seems to increase the success rate and litter size. Just leave the doe in the cage. The buck will catch his breath, lose interest in thumping the floor, and regain interest in the doe. He’ll remount her, she’ll lift her hind end, and a second mating will occur. Some breeders like to see a third breeding. And frequently a third breeding might take place during the half-hour we leave the buck and doe together. But we are usually satisfied with two matings. Remove the doe to her cage. Toss hay into her cage, and a little bit of black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) or whole oats into the feeder as a reward. There’s another reason too: to keep her mind off the condition of her bladder. She’ll go straight to the feeder or to the hay, instead of heading to the back of her cage where her toilet area is. It's just one more trick to give the doe the best chance at a big litter. Some leave the doe with the buck overnight. Others put the doe in, watch it, and when they have mated, remove the doe. If you do the latter, put the doe back in with the buck 1 to 12 hours after the initial breeding. This will increase the likelihood of pregnancy and may increase the number of offspring. Although in most temperate climates, most rabbits will willingly mate year-round, cold weather does tend to put a damper on their libido. Some rabbits aren’t affected, but females especially seem to be less receptive to the males during the winter months. Providing a heat lamp on the doe a day or two before mating, extending the daylight hours in your rabbitry with artificial light, or keeping her cage located next to a window with lots of light can help with this. Keep in mind also, that the better overall condition your animals are in, the better breeders they will be. Try to avoid mating bucks and does that are molting their coats, or are experiencing weak or thin flesh condition. Rabbit Mating: What do you do when the doe doesn't cooperate with the buck? In my area, late autumn is when does want to just hunker into the corner of the buck's cage, and no amount of sweet-talking or complaining on the buck's part can coax cooperation out of the doe. Here are a few tricks that might help convince the doe: Retry the rabbit mating in a day or two. The doe may be ready then. Check the weather forecast. If the doe spurned an attempt at rabbit mating, you could plan to re-try the breeding when the barometer is rising or the temperature is warming. This works some of the time. You could try swapping cages. Put the buck in the doe's cage, and the doe in the buck's cage for an overnight stay. In the morning, or when you return to the animals, put the doe back into her own cage where the buck is waiting. She may be willing this time, since she is now familiar with the buck's scent. If the doe's tail begins to twitch, or if the doe begins circling to mount the buck, the doe is 'in the mood,' even if she circles the buck's cage at first. After Mating The doe may become very cranky over the next few days. This is okay! Do give her space. Leave her in her cage. Leave her alone, if this is what she wants. Always be sure to put the doe back to her cage where she is going to kindle. After 14 days into the pregnancy, you can use a stethoscope to listen for the heartbeats. If your doe is pregnant, you can expect the babies to be born in 28 to 32 days. Palpating can be done 10 days after mating in her cage to make it less stressful. At 3 weeks or more you may see an increase in the size of your doe’s belly. You may keep a ratio of one buck to 10 does if you wish. The buck may be bred up to 7 times a week effectively. Sometimes, you can use the buck twice in one day. The most I use a buck is twice a week. Palpating It can be frustrating to find that you waited nearly an entire month, and your female rabbit was never pregnant! You can avoid some of this wait time by palpating your doe 10-14 days after mating to see if you can feel any babies. Learning to palpate takes a little practice. Older does are easier to practice on than first litter does, as their muscles are a bit more relaxed, and they are generally more patient. Take the doe out of her cage and place her on a carpeted table. With one hand, grasp the doe over the shoulders and take the other hand with the thumb and fingers opposing each other push up into the abdomen just in front of the pelvis. This can feel awkward at first, and most people don’t want to push hard enough to actually feel anything. Enough pressure can be used to raise the doe's hindquarters nearly off the table. People who fail at palpation usually do so out of fear of hurting the doe her babies. The chances of that happening are very slim. Each embryo is cushioned in its own amniotic sac, so what you are actually feeling is the fluid filled amnion-not the embryo itself. Once you are secure in your position, move your hand back and forth along each side of the abdomen and slightly towards the middle. At 10 days, the embryo feels like a firm blueberry. At 12 days, they feel more like marbles, and at 14 days, they should feel more like large grapes or olives. Once you feel an embryo or two, it is wise to stop and pet the doe, and let her go back to her home. The entire procedure takes only seconds to perform once you know how. A common palpation mistake occurs when people confuse the round fecal pellets for embryos. Confusion can be avoided by remembering that the fecal pellets are small, very hard, and are found closer to the backbone, while embryos are found about midway into the abdominal cavity. If you squeeze these pellets instead of embryos, they will feel very hard, almost like rocks. Developing babies have more of a firm-fruit feel. Care Of Pregnant Doe Make sure the doe has plenty of fresh water and food in a clean house. Do not over feed your doe during the early stages of pregnancy. Keep a calendar and accurate records of the day you breed the doe. You should test her for pregnancy between the 10th and 14th day after the initial breeding. There are two ways to do this. The overall preferred method is to palpate the lower abdomen of the doe with your thumb and forefinger checking for nodules about the size of a marble. The other method is not only more risky but also more inaccurate, and not recommended. This method is to mate the doe with the buck again. This can cause problems because the doe has two uterine horns, each of which can carry babies. It is possible for one horn to be fertilized on the first mating and the second to be fertilized on the second mating. This will create a hormonal imbalance and cause the babies in both uteri to not form right, causing her to pass blobs instead of babies at the date of kindling. There is also a chance these "mummified" blobs could cause complications leading to the death of the doe. Nest Box Nest boxes can be made in a variety of sizes and types. Nest boxes can be made of wood, wire, or metal. Suggested sizes of the nest boxes are: Small breeds – 14” long, 8” wide, 7” high Med. breeds – 18” long, 10” wide, 8”high Lg. breeds – 20” long, 12” wide, 10” high Hay and straw is most often used for the nesting in the nest box. You can use less bedding in the summer. You need to use more hay and shavings during the cold winter months. Gestation in rabbits is typically 28-34 days. However, many breeders will tell you that their rabbits nearly always kindle (give birth) on the 31st day! Around day 26, you should place a nest box in the doe’s cage so that she can begin to prepare a nest. Pre Kindling Behavior Before kindling, the doe will prepare a nest. Some does will carry a mouthful of hay around to prepare for her new litter. She may also pull fur form her chest and belly for nesting materials and to prepare for nursing. You should place a nest box in her cage on the 29th day after breeding. I have placed it even earlier if the Doe is showing any signs of kindling. Thirty-one days after breeding, she should kindle her litter. Every rabbit is different in the way she prepares to kindle her kits. You can provide a wooden nest box, or a metal one that is easy to clean and sanitize. They come in a variety of sizes, and it is important to get the right size for the breed of rabbit you have. The rule of thumb is that it only needs to be large enough for the doe to comfortably turn her body around in. The idea is that it is a cozy den for the babies to stay warm and dry. If the nest box is too large, it may also lead the female to start using it as a toilet, which is not healthy for her litter. The nest box should be filled with wood shavings, and plenty of fresh grass hay. The doe will instinctively begin to pull fur from her chest and back to line the nest she is preparing for her babies. Some does pull hair a bit gradually, and some wait until right before they kindle. It is important, during these last few days, that the doe have ample access to fresh hay and water, along with her regular pellet feed. It is also important to keep her environment free from unusual or sudden loud noises, as this can spook the doe, and cause her to stomp on or even eat her kits (babies) at birth. Checking The New Litter It is important to check the young when they are born. It’s important to keep the area where the kits are quiet. A nervous doe may protect her young by jumping in the nest box. Kits are born without fur and with their eyes closed. Eyes should open within 10-14 days. At least once a day, look carefully at the nest box. There is no need to disturb it, or pull it out to look at it. You are looking for movement. Most rabbits kindle late at night, or in the early hours of the morning. You will know that the babies have arrived, when you see the fluff in the nest box moving, seemingly on its own! There are varying opinions around when the nest box should be pulled out and looked at. Ideally, this should be done in the first 24 hours, to check on the health and well being of the newborns. Any dead kits, or remaining placenta should be removed immediately and disposed of. A sign of a successful, healthy delivery is little to no trace of blood, and kits that appear to be clean, dry, and have big round bellies. The young are very vulnerable, as they are born naked, blind, and deaf. It is okay to handle each kit gently, as the mother rabbit is likely used to your scent. Also, rabbits only nurse their young twice a day, for 5-10 minutes at a time, so don’t interrupt if you see that happening! Fostering Kits When you have larger litters some of the kits are unable to get the amount of food they need. To prepare for this, breeders breed more than one doe to kindle at the same time. If a doe has an unusually large litter, they can move some kits to the smaller litter, and this is called fostering. Fostering should be done in the morning. Newborn Care And Checking The Litter Most doe’s only feed once every 24 hours. You will want to continue to check your newborn’s daily. Be sure that all kits stay with the warmth of the other kits. As the kits begin to grow, you need to check to be sure that their belly’s are round. Baby rabbits begin to grow their fur within a few days, and by 2 weeks they are completely furred. Hand Feeding A Rabbit Sometimes a doe dies after her kits are born. If this happens you may wish to try to feed and care for the babies until they can care for themselves. There are mixes available at many pet stores. The formula for hand fed babies is: 1 pint skim milk 2 egg yolks 2 tablespoons Karo syrup 1 tablespoon bonemeal (available in garden supply centers) Use an eyedropper to feed the kits twice a day. You must also be sure that the kits urinate regularly. To do this, gently rub their genitals with a cotton ball after they’re fed. Continue this procedure until they’re 14 days old. Eye Problems Rabbits eyes open between 10 and 14 days Sometimes help is needed to open a rabbits eyes To do this, take your fingers and gently separate the eyelids, and then wash away any crusty materials. Handling Kits At three weeks of age, kits begin to come out of the nest box. No need to worry! They can now maneuver in and out of the box. Kits begin to eats pellets and drink water at three weeks of age, even though they are still nursing from their mother. More food and water should now be available to the kits. This is an excellent time to begin to handle the young. They may be jumpy at first, but the more you hold them the calmer they will be. Sexing The Litter Kits need to be separated by sex around 6-8 weeks. Making this distinction is called sexing and may call for an experienced 4H member or a breeder’s assistance Sexing the litter Procedure: 1.) One hand restrains the rabbits head. 2.) Place your finger and second fingers of the other hand around the base of the tail. Use your thumb to press down gently in front of the sexual organ. 3.) If a rabbit is a doe, you will see a slit like opening. This opening will begin near your thumb and slope down towards the rabbit’s tail. 4.) If the rabbit is a buck, the opening will look rounded and protrude slightly. Good Bye Nest Box When rabbits are self sufficient, eating pellets, and drinking water, it is time to remove the nest box. Leaving it in longer will allow them to use it as a litter box. Weaning Bucks And Does Weaning is changing the way a kit is nourished form nursing to eating other food. Young are separated from their mother, and no longer nurse from her. This is done in 6 to 8 weeks from birth. A doe’s body needs to rest because producing milk is work for a rabbit’s body. The doe needs a break before she can raise another litter. Littermates will mature as they approach 8 weeks of age. Rabbits have mature instincts about their territory and breeding. Rabbits can mate and produce litters before they are full grown. (This would be very stressful on a doe if she is young.) Do not keep more than one rabbit in each cage when the rabbit is 3 months or older. Rabbits mature faster when alone, do not fight, and do not breed, thus eliminating unexpected results. Tattooing Tattooing is done at weaning. It is done for identification purposes, and purebreds should be tattooed. Pedigrees All purebred rabbits should have pedigree papers showing that they are pure bred. Try to complete your pedigrees as part of the overall weaning process. Evaluating A Rabbit's Reproductive Life After the doe has kindled, some breeders normally re-breed her at 6 weeks and wean the litter at 5-7 weeks. This cycle continues until she is about 4 years old or until her production is unsatisfactory. Review the herd records every quarter to determine which rabbits are not producing up to par and eliminate them. In October through December, some rabbits go into what is called moulting. At this period, many do not conceive. If you have lights on all the time in your rabbitry, this will help. Rabbits are like chickens that lay eggs only if there is enough light. Raising most of my rabbits outside, I would take this problem into consideration when evaluating them. Also, if it gets too hot in the summer, especially for those who live in the Southern U.S., the buck produces less viable sperm and the conception rate goes down. Some people keep their bucks air conditioned to keep the conception rate high. Some breederd standards for a doe is that she produce at least the following number of rabbits per year all the way to weaning: Dwarfs: 8 Small Breeds: 14 Medium Breeds: 16 Meat Type: 20 Giants: 16 Good luck in your endeavors to produce fine rabbits! http://sussex4h.org/Clubs/sc4h_allstar_rabbits_breeding.html http://www.debmark.com/rabbits/breeding.htm https://qualitycage.com/blogs/quality-rabbit-care/the-basics-of-breeding-rabbits-part-one https://www.raising-rabbits.com/rabbit-mating.html http://www.rabbitgeek.com/breedingtips.html https://thehomesteadinghippy.com/breed-rabbits/ Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Infections in Rabbit Treponematosis in Rabbits Treponematosis is a sexually transmitted infection in rabbits that is caused by a bacterial organism called Treponema paraluis cuniculi. This bacterium is spread by sexual contact between rabbits, from direct contact with lesions from another animal, and from mother to newborn during development or birth. This bacterial organism is closely related in form and character to the human species Treponema pallidum (syphilis), but is confined to rabbits; it is not transmissible between species. If this infection is caught early, before systemic damage can occur, it can usually be treated successfully with antibiotics. Symptoms and Types The signs and symptoms of treponematosis are varied and may include the following: History of swelling and redness around the vulva or anus, lips and nose History of possible abortion or loss of pregnancy, long and difficult deliveries, or appearance of stress during pregnancy Swelling early on of the area near and around the genital regions, the eyes, and around the grooming regions Lesions are often on the face only Raised bumps and crusting on the skin surface Causes Treponematosis comes from the bacterial species Treponema cuniculi and is spread through direct contact with the organism. It is possible for the disease to be in a latent stage, and for the infected rabbit to pass the disease on to other rabbits, even though the infected rabbit is not showing any apparent symptoms. Therefore, it is not always possible to determine with a normal inspection whether a potential breeding partner is infected before allowing sexual contact between the two rabbits. If you have recently bred your rabbit, or your rabbit has been paired with a different sexual partner, there is a possibility that your rabbit has come into contact with an infected partner. Conversely, infection can also be seen in younger animals that may not have had sexual contact and thus may have caught the infection congenitally/in utero, or through direct contact with the lesions in the passage of the birth canal. Diagnosis To formally diagnose your rabbit's condition, your veterinarian will need to rule out other conditions that might cause similar symptoms, such as ear mites. Some of the common outer symptoms, such as dry crusts that form with excessive saliva in and around the face, matting of hair around the face, and lesions around the face, will need to be closely inspected, with fluid and tissue samples taken for biopsy. Along with the thorough physical exam, your veterinarian will need you to give a thorough history of your rabbit's health and onset of symptoms. Your doctor's initial diagnosis will take into account the background history of symptoms and possible incidents that might have led to this condition. If the final diagnosis is treponematosis, all of the rabbits that have come into contact with the infected rabbits will need to receive medical treatment. Treatment Treatment in the form of a topical treatment is necessary. It is also necessary to keep the lesions clean and dry to help them heal quickly. While this is not always necessary, it can help speed the recovery. A simple topical (external) antibiotic can also be used to speed healing. Only medications that can be applied topically may be used, as oral applications can be fatal, unless your veterinarian advises otherwise. Your rabbit will require follow-up monitoring and care to ensure complete resolution of the symptoms. Living and Management It is important to follow-up with your health provider to ensure the rabbit avoids exposure to other rabbits that may still carry this infection, which can result in recontamination, and to avoid infecting other animals until your veterinarian is confident that your rabbit is clear of the Treponema cuniculi bacteria. If you have other rabbits, there is a good possibility that they are also infected and should also receive treatment. Even if they are not showing symptoms, your veterinarian may choose to err on the side of prophylactic treatment to avoid further complications. The prognosis for rabbits with treponematosis is excellent provided treatment commences immediately and that all rabbits with the T. cuniculi infection receive treatment promptly. https://www.petmd.com/rabbit/conditions/reproductive/c_rb_treponematosis Rabbit Dance an Oneida legend retold by Desiree Barber Long ago, two hunters went hunting deer for their village. They hunted for a very long time without seeing any signs of deer, but they didn't return to the village for they knew they had to provide food for the winter. Suddenly, they heard a very loud thump! They stopped and listened to see if there would be another thump, and sure enough, they heard it again! This time the thump was louder, "THUMP!" One hunter said to the other, "What is that?" The other hunter said, "I don't know, but IT sounds very close!" So, both hunters got on their bellies and crawled to a nearby clearing surrounded by bushes. In the center of the clearing they saw the biggest rabbit they had ever seen! The first hunter started to aim his bow and arrow at the huge rabbit, but the second hunter stopped him and said, "Let's wait to see what he is going to do." Both hunters waited and watched the huge rabbit as he lifted one of his big back legs and thumped it three times on the ground. Then, out from every direction hopped regular sized rabbits. The hunters watched very closely not wanting to miss anything. The little rabbits gathered around the big rabbit, and the big rabbit began to thump his back leg in a pattern as the little rabbits danced. The hunters watched in awe as the rabbits danced. Then the big rabbit thumped his leg in the directions in which the hunters lay. The huge rabbit looked in that direction and leaped into the sky. Then all the rabbits quickly hopped away. The hunters watched still in awe. They realized they had to go back to the village and tell the people what they had seen and heard. They ran all the way to the village and asked if they could speak to the elders. After they told their story, one of the elders said, "Show us how the beat and the dance went." The hunters showed them exactly what the rabbits did. Another elder said, "The rabbits gave this dance to tell us to show them respect and appreciation for what they give to us. We will name the dance after them, and we will dance it at our socials to show them our gratitude." So this is the way it was then and is now. That is how the rabbit dance came to be. http://www.uwosh.edu/coehs/cmagproject/ethnomath/legend/legend16.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneida_people   © Copyrighted

Satin Angora - Town of Fools - Labor - Facial Paralysis   Now in this episode we are specifically looking at the Satin Angora, but as the expression goes, I fell down a rabbit hole on the Angora's in general, so there is more info then just the Satin specifically. There are several other Angora breeds that I would like to do individual episodes about as well. The Angora rabbit (Turkish: Ankara tavşanı), which is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbit, is bred for the long fibers of its coat, known as Angora wool, that are gathered by shearing, combing, or plucking. Because rabbits do not possess the same allergy-causing qualities as many other animals, their wool is an important alternative. There are at least 11 distinct breeds of Angora rabbit, four of which are currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). They are gentle in nature, but they are not recommended for those who do not groom their animals. Their wool is very dense and needs to be groomed twice a week. I will be mentioning the other Angora breeds, but again I would like to cover them individually. History Angora rabbits, were developed during Roman times. The gene for long hair exists in many animals, and as it it recessive (in other words hidden in animals who are carriers) it can crop up unexpectedly in places. Heavily-furred (or wooled) rabbits existed during the reign of King Henry VIII (1509-1547). The Angora is said to have originated in Ankara (historically known as Angora), in present-day Turkey, and is known to have been brought to France in 1723. There is much controversy regarding the origin of the Angora rabbit. The story, according to generally accepted theory, goes back to the early 18th century, about 1723 when some sightseeing sailors put into a Turkish port then called Angora. The sailors found the shawls worn by the native women to be remarkable for their beauty, fineness and silkiness. So before the sailors left Angora they secured some of the Angora rabbits to take back to France. The French claim the Angora rabbits were first recorded in France in the Encyclopedia of 1765. In any event, credit must be given to France for seeing the commercial possibilities of Angora wool and for being the first to manufacture this type of wool into yarn. While there are two distinct histories, others believe that the thought that most wooly rabbits were in England, as there was a decree stating that ‘English Silky Hares’ should not be allowed to leave the country, or until smuggled out more likely. Whatever the case is, there seems to be no doubt Angoras ended up in France in the 1700s. The French quickly started breeding them for their wool and the modern day Angora rabbit was on it’s way. The Angora rabbit became a popular pet of the French royalty in the mid-18th century, and Angoras spread to other parts of Europe by the end of that century. They first appeared in the United States in the early 20th century. A noted historian of rabbit breeds, Bob D. Whitman, mentions a purported origin of the Angora breed dating to ten centuries earlier: "It has been written that the indigenous Trelicians, which were small and frail people, first bred the Angora rabbit in the southern Carpathian mountains around the 6th century." This information has not been substantiated and Whitman acknowledges "we will never know for sure". Angoras first came to the United states around 1920, over the years, the American Rabbit Breeder Associated recognized, French Angoras (known for their commercial body type, and low matting coat), English Angoras (a much softer wool with beautiful ear and face furnishings), Giant Angoras (Developed by crossing Angoras with French Lops and Flemish giants). In addition, German Angoras, a non molting (shedding) bunny was popular in hand-spinning and fiber farms, for their tremendous yield. Prior to 1939, there was one breed of "Angora Wooler". In 1939 ARBA reclassified "Angora Wooler" into "English Type" and "French Type". In 1944 ARBA officially separated Angora rabbits into two breeds: English Angora and French Angora. Satin Angora The Satin Angora rabbit can trace it’s linage to famous breeder John C. Fehr, who first created the satinized Angora back in 1930, but gave up on the project because he thought their fur was weak. Whereas the English, French and German angora breeds have their origin in a common European angora rabbit, the satin angora is a young breed created by a Dutch woman living in Ontario, Canada named Mrs. Leopoldina Meyer. Leopoldina Meyer was shown a copper satin doe that had a long, woolly coat. The wool was shiny and satinized, and Mrs. Meyer immediately fell in love with the little doe. She parted with $10 to obtain it. Enchanted with its fur, she paired it with a French Angora and the result was a kindling of Satin Angoras. The Satin Angora was developed in the late 1970s by Mrs. Meyer of Holland Landing Ontario, Canada, who crossed French Angoras with rabbits of the Satin breed. In a litter of short-haired satin rabbits she found a longish haired bunny, which she later bred to a French angora. That is how she was able to bring the wonderful sheen into the angora breed. In 1987, the satin angoras were recognized as a new angora breed by the ARBA. Although the yield of wool may be improved, the breed is truly the royalty of the angoras. In addition to the sheen (for which the Satin is known), true red and copper pigments emerged in the new rabbits. In all "satinized" coats, the hair shaft has a semi-transparent outer shell that reflects light, resulting in deep color, high luster, and an extremely soft and silky texture to the hairs. The Satin Angora (like the French Angora) has no furnishings on the face, ears, or feet. The Satin does not produce as much wool as other Angora breeds, but this trait is being improved upon through selective breeding. While more difficult to keep groomed than the French Angora, the Satin is less difficult than the English or Giant Angoras. Because of the soft texture of the wool and the lower guard-hair count in the coat, matting occurs more readily. Daily combing is therefore recommended. Satin Angora wool is said to be stronger for spinning than other Angora varieties, but because of its slipperiness, it can be more difficult to spin. Other Angora rabbit breeds include: Chinese Angora, Finnish Angora, Japanese Angora, Korean Angora, Russian Angora, St. Lucian Angora, Swiss Angora, English Angora- ARBA, French Angora - ARBA, Giant Angora - ARBA, The Satin Angora - ARBA (which we are covering on this episode), and finally the German Angora - IAGARB accepted. In the 1944-1947 Standard of Perfection, the official names were listed as English Angoras and French Angoras. Prior to this the Standard was listed as ‘Angora Woolers’ without specifying a breed. The Satin Angora was accepted in 1987 and the Giant Angora was accepted in 1988. Thus the 1991-1995 Standard of Perfection brought four breeds of angoras for representation. Satin Angora description The French Angora is very similar to the Satin. Both breeds are on the large side of four-class rabbits and have commercial body type. Both breeds usually have “clean” heads and ears, meaning that the head and ears are covered with normal fur instead of wool. In fact, they both disqualify rabbits that have heavy furnishings on the ears, or wool below the ankle or hock. Telling the difference between a French and Satin Angora is a tricky problem for youth breed ID contestants, but here are a few things they remember: The Satin is slightly smaller, having a maximum weight of 9 ½ pounds compared to the 10 ½ pound limit on French. Also the French breed recognizes the broken color pattern, but the Satin does not. Obviously, Satins have sheen, but this is often hard to see in the wool. The best place to look for a Satin sheen, as well as the best place to look to identify the rabbit’s color, is the head and ears. Here the wool is dense and short. The same amount of pigment is packed into each hair on the head as is spread out over each of the 2-5 inch long wool fibers, so it can be seen much better on the head and ear. The wool is softer than that of the French, so it requires more careful grooming. The Satin Angora is to have a medium length body with good width and depth. The sides should have a slight taper from the hindquarters to the shoulders. The head is to be oval with a broad forehead and somewhat narrow at the muzzle. The head should balance with the rest of the body. The ears are to be plain or slightly tufted, however tufting is restricted to the tips of the ears. Satin Angora rabbits have a commercial body type, with their sides having a slight taper from the hindquarters to the shoulders. They have relatively plain ears that can sometimes be slightly tufted and their oval head has a broad forehead and a slightly narrower muzzle. The wool of the Satin Angora is finer than the wool of the other Angora breeds. The wool is to be fine, soft and silky. There is to be a good crimp to the underwool. The Satin Angora wool appears to be ‘shiny’, which is known as sheen. The smaller diameter and clarity of the hair shaft provides a reflection of light that gives the hair a shining richness of color. The sheen is to be evident over the entire body from nose to tail. The junior buck and junior doe are not to weigh over 6 ½ pounds and have a minimum weight of 3 ¾ pounds. The senior buck and senior doe may weigh from 6 ½ to 9 ½ pounds with 8 pounds being the ideal weight. The Satin Angora carries the most points of all angora breeds on the wool, which includes density, texture, sheen, and length. The points for ‘General Type’ include the body type, head, ears, eyes, feet, legs and tail. Weight: 3.0–4.5 kg (6.6–9.9 lb). ARBA-recognized varieties: [Includes eight color groups. The color of a Satin Angora is determined by the uniform pigment on its head, feet, and tail. The Satin Angora rabbit is often used as a fiber animal, which means they are bred to shave their coat – a process that doesn’t cause any discomfort. In order to take their coat, breeders brush the rabbit often or clip its thick coat using a pair of sharp scissors, which does not cause it any pain – like human hair, it always grows back. Although they are mostly used for this purpose, it is certainly not uncommon to have an Angora rabbit as a house pet, as they are very sociable, affectionate rabbits who love to cuddle with people and play with their own toys. Health Because of the length and abundance of their hair, Angora rabbits are particularly susceptible to wool block, a potentially-lethal blockage of the digestive tract. All rabbits ingest some of their wool when they groom themselves, but their digestive system is not able to pass that foreign matter. The length of Angora hairs compounds the risk of impaction, which can lead to death. Clipping their wool every 90 days is considered a must to prevent wool block in Angora breeds. Wool mites Cheyletiella parasitovorax is a skin parasite commonly found in Angora rabbits. Signs of infestation are flaky skin patches and fur loss. Wool mites reduce fiber yields and the resulting skin flakes are detrimental to the fiber quality. Wool mites may be treated with ivermectin or with carbaryl powder. Due to their thick, dense fur, Angoras generally do well even in cold temperatures. Should you keep an outdoor enclosure, be sure to install plastic or wooden walls on three sides of the enclosure to keep the draft out. Don’t keep your Angora out when the temperature is too hot if your enclosure does not a way to keep them ventilated. A large wire cage that keeps them off their soiled bedding should be sufficient to keep your bunny happy. Their diets should consist of 4-8 ounces of daily pellets, depending on their weight and age, as well as a handful of hay for their daily intake of fiber. To help digestion, feel free to add a tablespoon of sunflowers seeds to their pellets and always make sure your rabbit has fresh water at all times. Your Satin Angora rabbit would benefit from daily outdoor activity time to soak up some much-needed sun…and to stretch out their muscles, of course! Always remember to always watch your rabbit whenever young children are involved. Temperament/Behavior Angoras, whether they are Giant, English, French or Satin, are docile creatures that have no problem being handled. Satin Angoras in particular have been bred as fiber animals, and so they are tolerant of stroking and grooming. All Angoras tend to be people rabbits who are clowns, and sweet. After all, unlike many bunnies bred strictly for meat purposes, Angoras have been bred to live a long productive life making wool. They must be easy to handle. Satin Angoras are inquisitive, active, and like all Angoras a bit clownish. It’s wonderful having bunnies who come up for petting and greet you at the cage door every morning. Especially when petting them is like petting silk. The Satin Angora rabbit does well with other rabbits and also enjoy human attention. Should you have an indoor Angora, their temperament is comparable to a well-mannered cat – they will nap in any little corner of your home and will greet you at their cage door to be petted. They are also known to be little clowns and enjoy the occasional toy such as ball, piece of soft wood or even a pine cone. Angoras are generally happy bunnies that are incredibly friendly with everyone they meet, even strangers! They love to go outside to run and hop around, so having a backyard where they can get some sunshine is definitely a requirement. When they’re indoors, they’ll be the quiet, cuddly companion you’ve always wanted. Angora rabbit wool "[S]he earned her living by knitting rabbit-wool mittens and muffatees". Original text with this illustration from The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter (1904). Satin Angora rabbits can have white, grey, brown or tan fur, or a combination of these colors. A Satin Angora’s fur is their pride and joy (the very reason why they are called “Satin” Angoras, after all) . Their wool is finer, softer and silkier than other Angora rabbits. The reason their fur looks like satin is due to a recessive gene that causes the casing around the pigment in each hair to be translucent rather than opaque, like most fur. This gives their coat a distinctive sheen or luster. This gene also causes the diameter of each strand of hair to be smaller than normal wool. This means that this rabbit also produces some of the finest wool of any rabbit breed. The incredible softness and the sheen make this fiber a very special thing. Satin-Angora fiber is a luxury fiber and not easy to find. The satin factor is based on a simple mutation and is passed on recessively. It changes the structure of the hair: the hair shaft is thinner and translucent, the color pigments are in the inside of the hair. The shaft reflects the light, the wool becomes shimmering and shiny. It looks like spun glass! The diameter of the hair is even smaller than normal angora wool and it looks and feels like silk. It is a little bit more slippery than normal angora fibers and is preferably spun with some extra twist. A great deal of natural colors is a temptation for hand-spinners. Angoras are bred mainly for their wool, which is silky and soft. At only 11 microns in diameter, it is finer and softer than cashmere. A healthy adult Angora's wool will grow approximately 3 centimeters (1.2 in) per month. Regular grooming is necessary to prevent the fiber from matting and felting on the rabbit, which causes discomfort that can lead to pain and even infection. Angora wool is harvested (plucked or shorn) every three to four months throughout the year. The coat needs to be monitored after 6 months of re-growth, as it may tend to "die" and easily mat. Angora wool may be gathered periodically by hand-plucking the hairs within the coat that are being naturally shed. A full harvesting is done by shearing the coat with clippers, often while the rabbit sits atop a groomer's turntable. With each clipping, 12 ounces (340 g)—and up to 18 ounces (510 g)—of wool may be harvested from a Giant Angora. The wool accepts dye readily, and is 8 times warmer than sheep's wool, soft, and lofty. No bunnies have to be harmed to produce the fiber, instead they are groomed and their coats are either sheared or plucked (where the currently shedding fiber is removed by hand), approximately 4 times a year. From the experience of Satin Angora breeders today, the satinized wool is not weak; it is perhaps stronger than normal angora fibers. While the satin hair shaft is narrow and translucent, the collagen cells are more densely constructed, lending more strength despite the more fragile appearance. Judges award up to 60 points on wool alone: 20 for density, 15 for texture, 10 for length, and 15 for the distinctive sheen of the satinized wool. TIPS FOR GROOMING ANGORAS by Pat Glenn from the National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club, Inc website which has some great information on Angora's, and I encourage you to visit the site. A link to it will be in the show notes. Many times Pat has had people tell me how much they love to look at Angora Rabbits and how soft they feel, but they wouldn't want to go to all the trouble of grooming one. Pat thinks they're missing out on a beautiful, personable bunny and grooming can be as much trouble as you make it. As far as tools, a soft slicker brush such as Evergentle or ones used for cats, a metal comb and, in case of tough mats or for shearing, a pair of sharp short blade scissors. Also, strange as this may sound, a hair blow dryer with a high cool air setting, or a Shop-Vac on exhaust can really cut grooming time. From Pat Glenn's experience, the French Angoras are possibly easiest to groom, because they don't have the facial wool nor do they have the woolly feet. Their senior wool has more guard hairs and helps them be less matting. The English Angora has softer wool and that adorable fluffy face and those woolly feet. The muffs (side face wool) and bangs and tassels (long hair on the ears) probably will need gentle grooming with your slicker and comb two or more times week depending on how heavily furnished your bunny is. It's easier to keep the pesky mats out than get them out once they start. The Satin Angora, in Pat's brief experience with them, can be tricky to groom. They have beautiful intense color, but the hair is fine and seems to attract mats, especially in the young coat. Several long-time Satin breeders have told Pat that they clip the coats of the young when they are 6-8 weeks old to help encourage a more groom-able growth. Because of the fine hair shaft, the Stains don't look as "fluffy" or appear to have as much density. Pat has had several Satins, that when you are done grooming them, they start licking themselves all over. This pretty much undoes a lot of your grooming. Pat has not had a great deal of experience with Giant, but their massive coats can be gorgeous. In ease of grooming they would probably be between the French and the English. The following suggestions will work for all four breeds and you can make adjustments according to your bunny and what works best for you. Make sure you have a bag, paper sack or some kind of container to put the wool you clean from your grooming brush. If you spin, this gives you more wool, if not, it helps keep the place clean. Start with the underside of the rabbit. If you're a one person groomer, this can be accomplished easily with the help of a chair for you to sit on. Remember gentleness and firmness works best on all critters. Take the rabbit's ears with your hand and take hold of the back of the neck area, then gently turn the rabbit over supporting its back with hour other hand. Sit down and place the upside down rabbit's head between your knees with the feet facing you. Do take care because those feet can pack a punch if they kick out. Place the head far enough between your knees that you can comfortably hold him snugly. Practice make this easier for you and the rabbit, and usually when they feel secure they are not upset and jumpy. Now you can groom the tummy, the feet and legs. Now on to the top half. It helps to have some kind of small table near, waist-high so it saves your back. If you have too large a space, the bunny may want to hop away and explore, making it take longer to groom, and more frustrating. This is where the blow dryer or Shop-Vac comes in. There are also pet blowers like are used in dog grooming shops. These are smaller than a Shop-Vac, making them easier to transport, and maybe a little quieter. The can be ordered from pet or rabbit supply catalogs and usually start at $90. Angoras are wool bearing animals and you want to keep that wool on the rabbit and as unbroken and mat free as possible. By "blowing" the rabbit with the previous mentioned items, it helps to get rid of any dust or dander and help blow out the shedding hair before it can bet caught in start making mats. This is also healthy for the bunny's scalp; it lets air get down in, particularly if the rabbit has a very dense coat. Pat thinks blowing is gentler on the rabbit and cuts down on grooming time. Pat does use the slicker to help lift the wool as they blow; this also helps "capture" the shedding hairs. Make sure when blowing that you give the bunny a good going over, especially in problem areas behind the front legs and around the rump. If you notice mats developing, you can work on those specific spots with brush or comb. The rabbits don't mind the blowing and it has helped keep those nice show coats longer. Of course, don't forget the faces on those English and Giants. Don't use the blower here much; it irritates the eyes, and avoid blowing it into the ears. Get in the good grooming habit and you'll enjoy your lovable, exotic Angora, and may all your bunnies be mat free. National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club, Inc. The National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club, Inc (NARBC, Inc) was first organized as a specialty club for Angora breeders in 1932 with the AR&CBA (now the ARBA). The NARBC, Inc still remains a chartered National Specialty Club with the ARBA. Who ever has seen a satin angora rabbit in its full fleece or has spun its silky shining wool is fascinated by the magic of this wonderful breed! Since Satin Angoras are a new breed, there is a lot of room for improvement, and nothing is more challenging than something that can be considered a work in progress toward perfection. http://nationalangorarabbitbreeders.com/new/ http://www.nationalangorarabbitbreeders.com/Satin-Angora.pdf http://www.nationalangorarabbitbreeders.com/tipsforgrooming.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angora_rabbit http://www.glauserweb.ch/satinange.htm https://www.petguide.com/breeds/rabbit/satin-angora-rabbit/ http://rabbitbreeders.us/satin-angora-rabbits https://www.oceansideangoras.com/satin-angora-information-and-history.html https://www.raising-rabbits.com/satin-angora-rabbits.html Word of the week: Labor The Fools of Spring (An English Folktale) by Amy Friedman and Meredith Johnson According to a great many people, the men of Gotham were wildly ridiculous fools. Perhaps that is so. But it is possible they were actually wise and just pretended to be foolish. I say this because once upon a time, King John announced that he wished to have a castle built in Gotham. He wished the men of Gotham to build it for him. Naturally, the men of Gotham worried about the cost of such an extravagance, and so they talked among themselves about what to do. The king's royal messengers arrived one day to scout out the village. It was spring when they came -- a beautiful, sunny day, and they walked everywhere, admiring the look of Gotham. They seemed to think this would be a fine place for a castle, until they came upon a circle of men standing around a great white hare. They were talking to the creature, so the messengers stopped to ask what they were doing. "Ah, we have a message to send to a friend in York," one of the men explained. "And no one wishes to travel all the way there," said another. The messengers did not understand. "What does that have to do with this hare?" they asked. The men of Gotham laughed. "I caught this hare today," said one, "and as you know, hares are swift, so we thought we'd let him carry our message." "This hare?" the messengers asked. "He's to carry your message to York?" "That's right," they said, and the man who caught the hare tied a sealed letter to the hare's neck, leaned in close and whispered, "First you go to Nottingham, and then you take the main road to York. My friend lives near York Cathedral. When you get there, you'll see three houses. My friend's house is the middle one, white with ivy growing on the walls. Give him this letter," he finished, and he set the hare free. The others stood and watched the hare run across the field, and some of the men cried, "Stop! Stop! You must go to Nottingham first!" The man who had caught the hare laughed. "It seems he knows a shortcut," he said. "Hares are clever that way. He's likely avoiding the highway for fear of dogs." "Of course!" the other men of Gotham agreed. But the messengers shook their heads, and one of them whispered to the other, "These men are fools." "You mustn't judge everyone on just a few," said the second messenger. "Let's go meet others." So they walked on, and before long they came to another cluster of men who were building a fence. "Good day," said the messengers. "What are you doing?" "We're building a fence for a cuckoo," said one of the men of Gotham. Another man quickly explained, "Cuckoos are the finest singers, but they come to us only in spring. After summer, they fly away." The men of Gotham explained to the messengers that they had decided to take matters into their own hands. They caught one of the birds, and now they were building it a squared-off fence near the middle of the village. "Here, we'll keep the cuckoo, so we'll be able to listen to his singing every day, all day," one of the men said. "Everyone will enjoy his song all year long!" The messengers thought the men were joking. They shrugged and walked away. An hour later, after they had toured the rest of the village, they returned to where the men had been building the fence. It was 6 feet tall, and every crack and crevice and corner was stuffed with brush and branches and twigs. "No bird can get through this fence!" the men of Gotham announced proudly. The messengers stared as the men of Gotham carried their cuckoo to the enclosure and put it inside the fence. "Now you'll stay and sing all year for us!" they said to the cuckoo. "If you refuse, we'll give you no food or drink." Naturally, the moment the men let go of the cuckoo, it flew away, up and over the fence and off into the wild blue yonder. The men of Gotham shouted, "Come back!" But it was too late. They looked at each other and agreed: "Next time, we'll have to build a higher fence." "We will!" they all agreed. When the messengers heard this, they hurried back to see their king. "Your majesty," the first messenger said, "the villagers of Gotham are fools. You want nothing to do with them, sire." "They're idiots!" said the other messenger. "The greatest fools I've ever seen," agreed the first. They told the king the tale of the cuckoo fence and of the runaway hare, and the king listened closely. Still, he thought the village could be the perfect place for a nice, big castle, so he sent more messengers. Each one returned with a tale to tell of the fools of Gotham. "You've never met such fools!" all the messengers said. "They drowned their church bell to hide it from their enemies." "They tossed all their salt fish into their pond, thinking it would spawn more fish." "They crushed a watch because they heard it ticking and feared it was evil." With each day, there came another story of the madness of the men of Gotham, and so the king gave up his plans, and from then on, no one bothered the village. People steered clear, and everyone spoke of the men of Gotham as the greatest fools in the world. But I still say it may be that the men of Gotham were not fools at all. After all, they didn't have to pay for the king's castle. They didn't have to suffer other fools. What do you think? Were the men of Gotham the wisest men in the world, or were they fools? https://www.uexpress.com/tell-me-a-story/2014/4/6/the-fools-of-spring-an-english   Weakness/Paralysis of the Facial Muscles Due to Nerve Damage in Rabbits Facial Nerve Paresis/Paralysis in Rabbits Facial nerve paresis and paralysis is a disorder of the facial cranial nerve — a nerve that originates in the brain (as opposed to the spine). Malfunction of this nerve can result in paralysis or weakness of the muscles of the ears, eyelids, lips, and nostrils. Moroever, an inability to move the eyes and facial muscles may result in a decreased secretion of tears, leading to additional pathology of the eyes. In rabbits, facial nerve paralysis sometimes occurs after a dental or ear infection. Dwarf breeds and lop ear breeds tend to be at increased risk of developing facial nerve paresis and paralysis. Symptoms and Types Findings associated with ear disease Head tilting Ear and lip drooping Pain (especially when opening the mouth) White, dull, opaque, and bulging tissue within ear History of ear infections, especially vestibular (or inner ear) infections Other symptoms Excessive drooling Food falling from the side of mouth Facial asymmetry (i.e., face appears lopsided or uneven) Rubbing of the eyes Cloudy cornea, eye discharge and redness Inability to close the eyelids symmetrically Collapse of nostril, nasal discharge Trouble walking or keeping balance (if nervous system is affected) Causes Inflammatory — middle or outer ear infection, tooth abscesses, inflammation of the nerve directly due to bacterial infection Injury — fracture of the surrounding bones, or direct injury to the facial nerve Tumor — brain tumor Toxicity — botulism poisoning Unilateral or bilateral ear disease Diagnosis You will need to give your veterinarian a thorough history of your rabbit's health and onset of symptoms. There are several possible causes for this condition, so your veterinarian will most likely use differential diagnosis, a process that is guided by deeper inspection of the apparent outward symptoms, ruling out each of the more common causes until the correct disorder is settled upon and can be treated appropriately. Your doctor will begin by differentiating between one-sided and symmetrical disease, facial nerve paralysis from pure ear infection, and will also look for other neurological weaknesses. X-rays of the ear and skull bones will be taken to look for masses or obvious swellings, while computed tomography (CT) can be used to allow for better visualization of the internal structure of the ears and skull. These visual diagnostic tools will identify the presence of a tumor. Standard laboratory tests include a complete blood profile, chemical blood profile, a complete blood count, and a urinalysis. Your veterinarian will be looking to identify the presence of an infection, and the type of infection, which may show up in the course of the blood and urine test analysis. More often, the blood and urine analyses are usually normal If the symptoms appear to be neurological in origin, a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can be taken for analysis, and can be helpful in detecting brainstem disease Treatment Rabbits are usually seen on an outpatient basis, but inpatient hospitalization may be required for the initial diagnoses and evaluations, or if your rabbit is severely ill. Depending on your doctor's findings, surgery may be required. But treatment generally consists of flushing and cleansing the ear, or ears, with cleaning solution, swabbing with cotton swab, and vacuum suctioning any debris from the ear. Artificial tears may also be used to prevent the eyes from drying. Living and Management It is important that your rabbit continue to eat during and following treatment. Encourage oral fluid intake by offering fresh water, wetting leafy vegetables, or flavoring water with vegetable juice, and offer a large selection of fresh, moistened greens such as cilantro, romaine lettuce, parsley, carrot tops, dandelion greens, spinach, collard greens, and good-quality grass hay. Also, offer your rabbit its usual pelleted diet, as the initial goal is to get the rabbit to eat and to maintain its weight and nutritional status. If your rabbit refuses these foods, you will need to syringe feed a gruel mixture until it can eat again on its own. And unless your veterinarian has specifically advised it, do not feed your rabbit high-carbohydrate, high-fat nutritional supplements. Discuss eye care with your veterinarian, since the eye on the affected side may need lubrication due to loss of tear production. Also, keep in mind that the other side can become affected as well. Monitor your rabbit, and report any changes to your veterinarian if they should occur. If your rabbit is exhibiting severe head tilt, you will need to support its head in a suitable position to prevent choking. Muscle paralysis is usually permanent, but as muscle healing and thickening develops, a natural "tuck up" may occur that reduces the facial asymmetry (lopsidedness). Other than the change in outward appearance that this paralysis can cause, most rabbits are able to tolerate this nerve deficit and will adjust with little difficulty https://www.petmd.com/rabbit/conditions/neurological/c_rb_facial_nerve_paresis_paralysis     © Copyrighted

What is Management? A conversation with Henry Mintzberg. Henry has been described by Tom Peters as "perhaps the world's premier management thinker." In this episode, I interview Henry about his new book: Management? It’s Not What You Think! (AMACOM; ...Read more ›

What is Management? A conversation with Henry Mintzberg. Henry has been described by Tom Peters as "perhaps the world's premier management thinker." In this episode, I interview Henry about his new book: Management? It’s Not What You Think! (AMACOM; ...Read more ›