i couldn't believe it...

[I_love_my_chubby_bunnies]

hi, quick mention about this because I couldn't believe it.


I live in central PA where every year there is this thing called theGrange Fair(http://www.grangefair.net/).It's one of the only existing fairs that people can campthere in RVs or tents. We are lucky enough to have a tentevery year (the waiting list is something like 10 years long, with 500people waiting). It's a week long fest but it's over andwe're moving out tomorrow. There are rides, food stands,games, concessions, things to see and do, old friends to visit,etc. Of course there are also animals and judgingshows. I used to help my friends show their cows - it was agood time growing up.

Anyhoos, they have a bunny barn where 4-H kids can show theirbunnies. The conditions are tollerable, and most of the kidsare good about making sure their animals don't get over heated (usingfans and frozen water bottles). Any fair situation isstressful and crowded for the buns though of course. Anyway,my mom and I like to walk through the little barn because weare so in love with these creatures and it's fun to see all thedifferent breeds. The kids often bring theirbunnies out and let people pet them.

We were talking to one girl who was in 4th grade (she goes to theschool i taught at last year), and I was telling her about my Emmit andAmelia. She was telling me that she perferred boy bunniesbecause she thought they were nicer, and I told her how my girl doeshave a big temper compared to laid back Emmit. But I told herthat some boys can get aggressive if they don't get neutered, and shesays to me, "oh well I don't think bunnies can get fixed likethat."

I couldn't believe it. This kid had been in 4-H probably forseveral years, and she raises bunnies, learns about them for herprojects, and even shows them, and had no idea that they can (andsometimes should be) neutered and spayed. She didn't believeme either that mine used a litter box and that they had their own roomin my house. Ugg...my mom and I just kinda gave each other alook, like "oh brother!" Shouldn't a 4-H rabbit person knowthat kind of thing?

 

[Spring]

I guess from a 10 year old, it's expected. She'sdoing her best, but at any age you can't know everything about buns!. Her 4-H projects probably have more to do with genetics and breedsrather then house training and altering, so I guess it's not too bad.They love their rabbits, but usually are more involved with the showingand breeds ect. rather then focusing on having them as house pets.

I don't think fixing rabbits comes up at all in the showing world, so Iguess she justwasn't aware ofit and howitcan calm a hormonal bun down.

I wish we had half decent 4-H shows in my area.. The ones I go to if Ican even find one are usually smallwith not too much variety!

 

[I_love_my_chubby_bunnies]

you can def. tell how much those kids love theirbunnies. They carry then around and show them off, and thebunnies seem to enjoy being handled (unlike mine), so its obvious theyspend a lot of time with them. I was just surprised is all.

 

[ec]

Hmm.... I didn't go to the Grange Fair thisyear, if only because I would have wanted to "rescue" a lot of thosebunnies. (*Not* the ones owned by the kids who love them!)

the sad thing - per some local pet store owners - is that a lot of kidsin 4-H here get rid of their bunnies after their projects have beencompleted. They were expecting a big influx of rabbits due to the endof the 4-H "season" several weeks ago.

I have nothing against 4-H on the whole - and wish I could dosome work with them - but I'm uncertain as to whether I could handlecertain aspects of the program. (Because I'd want to focus on rabbitsas companion animals, mainly...)

No offense to anyone here who either is in 4-H currently, or has anyinvolvement with the organization. They do a great job at so manythings! (I enjoy looking at the prize-winners' displays - everythingfrom goats to art and rocketry.) it's just that my feelings aboutrabbits diverge from some of the 4-H line...

 

[Greta]

What I've noticed is that alot of 4-Hers in therabbit project love their buns to death, but really don't know muchabout them beyond what they need to know to properly care for them, andwhat they need to know to show them. Which is fine by me as long asthere's someone around (parent, project leader, etc) who does know morethan that, so if anything comes up that the 4-Her doesn't know how tohandle, it will be taken care of by someone who knows what they'redoing.

 

[flemishr2cool]

Its is against the rules for show rabbits to be"altered" so if you show them they can't be spayed or neutered. So kidswouldn't be taught about spaying and neutering in the confirmation partof it anyway. However if their rabbits are entered as a pet projectthey should know about health care. I've just "graduated" from 4-H andI can assure you, just because one child doesn't know it doesn't meanshe represents 4-H youth's knowledge as a whole.

 

[I_love_my_chubby_bunnies]

Good to know. Don't get me wrong, Iwasn't trying to suggest that I assumed that all 4-Hers had the sameknowledge. I was just surprised about that child. Ithink 4-H is a great program for kids, and I wish I could have been apart of it growing up. Congrats on just graduating.