Page 8 - Hobe Sound Reflections - February '21

Page 8, Hobe Sound

tip of the tail

All About Rabbits when picking up a rabbit to reduce the risk of injury. If a low protein pellets per 5 pounds of body weight should be

rabbit kicks out very hard when being picked up, it can fed per day. Diets low in fiber can lead to gastrointestinal
actually cause a fracture of the hind limbs or spine. illness very quickly. Chlorinated water should always be
Rabbits have continuously growing teeth much like in ample supply and be fresh. It should be offered in a
horses. They must wear them down when chewing to sipper bottle or heavy crock that cannot tip over.
prevent overgrowth and mouth injury. If the alignment In short, rabbits make great pets if properly taken care
is off due to a disease process or poor confirmation, the of. It is also helpful to reach out to your veterinarian with
teeth will overgrow and may even grow together in the any questions you may have before bringing one home.
middle, trapping the tongue. If a pet rabbit stops eating, Established in 1981, Palm City Animal Medical
always have the teeth evaluated by your vet. If teeth are Center is dedicated to providing the best possible care
overgrown, they can be trimmed and filed down by your for your pets. With focuses on compassionate care in
vet. This process requires anesthesia. surgery, physical therapy and rehabilitation, preventative
Nutrition is very important in rabbits. If not fed medicine, extensive diagnostics, and emergency service,
properly many disease processes can occur leading to Palm City Animal Medical Center combines exceptional
life threatening illness. An average adult rabbit should be medical care with a caring philosophy for pets and their
With Easter around the corner, rabbits become popular fed free feed grass hay. Timothy hay is most popular but owners. For more information, call (772) 283-0920, visit
pets for children. Before making the commitment to acquire prairie and oat brome may be used. Also 1 cup of dark www.palmcityanimalmedicalcenter.com or find us on
a rabbit for the family, it is important to do some research leafy green vegetables and at most ¼ cup of high fiber, Facebook at www.facebook.com/PalmCityAnimalClinic.
about them and their care. Here are some helpful tips.
There are several breeds of rabbits to choose from.
These include small breeds (Netherland dwarf, lion Education
head, mini-lop, and Dutch breeds), medium breeds (Rex,
English, Angora and Belgium hares), and large breeds
(New Zealand whites, English lops, British Giants, and Oxbridge Equestrian Team
Flemish Giants). Certain breeds are predisposed to health
problems making it helpful to do some research so you Season Off To A Good Start
know what to expect before deciding on a breed.
A rabbit enclosure should be large enough to provide Oxbridge Equestrian Team Places In Two
sleeping space, eating space and a bathroom space. In Competitions With A Strong Start To The
general 3 square feet should be a minimum cage size. Season
Larger rabbits require at least 5 square feet. Cages should
be cleaned daily to remove feces and urine. The Oxbridge Academy Equestrian Team has started its
Rabbits are prone to heat stroke. They should be season well by placing third overall in both the First and Second
housed in temperatures ranging from 60 degrees to Interscholastic Equestrian Competitions this season. Both
75 degrees Fahrenheit. If housed outdoors they must competitions were held at the Sunshine Meadows Equestrian
have access to shade and clean water, and a shelter Center in Delray Beach on December 5 and 6 respectively. Team
must be provided to protect them from the elements. members competing included seniors Samantha Adamczyk
Humidity levels should be 30 to 60 percent to prevent of Loxahatchee, Ivy Ankerson of West Palm Beach and Jade
skin problems. Ideal lining for the cage bottom is grass Johnson of Palm Beach Gardens, juniors Ava Tarone of West Oxbridge Academy Equestrian Team members (left to right):
hay. Indoor rabbits can have a foam rubber pad or towel Palm Beach and Mackenzie Hannan of Wellington, and freshman Samantha Adamczyk, Ivy Ankerson, and Ava Tarone
covered with a layer of newspaper and a thick layer of Sophia Derrin of Palm Beach Gardens. The team is coached by
timothy hay. Avoid wood shaving. Oils in these shavings Heidi and Steve Lengyel of Wall Street Farm in Wellington. About Oxbridge Academy
can lead to liver toxicity. “The Oxbridge Equestrian Team has evolved into a Oxbridge Academy is a private college preparatory
The average lifespan of a rabbit is 6 to 12 years. Small strong, well-rounded competitive team in South Florida,” high school, serving grades 9 to 12. Founded in 2011 by
breeds mature at 4 to 5 months and large breeds mature said Coach Steve Lengyel. “With a strong third place finish philanthropist William I. Koch, Oxbridge’s mission is to
at 5 to 8 months. It is recommended to spay and neuter in our first two competitions, I foresee the team advancing provide a challenging, dynamic education where students
pet rabbits if not intended for breeding. This prevents to regional playoffs in 2021.” learn important life skills, whether it is in the classroom,
unwanted pregnancies in mixed populations, reduces The Oxbridge Equestrian Team is a member of the laboratory, art studio or athletic field that they can apply
aggression in males, and reduces the risk of certain Interscholastic Equestrian Association, a nonprofit organization to build a strong foundation for a successful future. The
cancers. It is recommended to spay females at 5 months pursuing its mission of introducing students in private and public 56-acre campus features state-of-the-art classrooms and
of age and to neuter males at 3 months of age. middle and secondary schools to equestrian sport. No rider needs academic and athletic amenities equipped with advanced
Rabbits have a light skeleton with a well-developed to own a horse to participate, and IEA provides a mount and tack technologies. Oxbridge Academy is located at 3151 North
muscular system making the spine and limbs prone to to each student at every event, eliminating obstacles and allowing Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33409. For more
fractures. It is important to always support the hind limbs more students to participate in the sport. information, visit www.oapb.org or call (561) 972-9600.
L
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If you rent commercial o ce, retail, or warehouse space, Florida sales tax rate to use
commercial real property decreases to 5.7% on January 1, 2019. The local discretionary

sale surtax still applies. This decrease does not apply to parking or storage of motor
vehicles, docking or storage of boats or tie-down or storage of aircraft.