Back from spring break

Ahhhh man.. I've been trippin', lol. I havent updated the blog in over a week, I admit I did get a little bit lazy but i was also rarely at the computer the past week.

Man am I tired! Spent my week off studying for driving, doing yard work, renewing old furniture, and helping my brother maintain his car, not to mention I also had sushi which I have probably had only once before, lol.

Well it's back to school... man I better update with a new animal of the day soon! o.O

Animal of the Day: The Rabbit

The Rabbits are small fury mammals that can be found in several parts of the world. There are many different species of rabbit that all make up the order Lagomorpha. These animals are usually characterized by their long ears and fury bodies which are features commonly associatiated with them in popular culture.

Rabbits are hindgut digesters (most of the digestion takes place in the the large intestine and cecume. Their bodies produce Cecotropes (also known as 'night feces') which are redigested as they are high in minerals, proteins, as well as vitamins. Such a process allow rabbits to ubtain nutrients from food.

Rabbits are herbivors, they eat plants such as grass and weeds, however, due to such a diet they obtain large amounts of cellulose, which is difficult to digest. This problem is overcome when rabbits produce dense feces, and soft black pellets (which are the ones redigested).

Rabbits graze large amounts of food during the 'grazing period' (which takes place usually in the afternoon) for about a half hour, which is then followed by another half hour of selective feeding later on. If the environment of a rabbit is considerably safe, it may spend many hours outside, rather than inside its burrow.

Rabbits can be told apart from hares, which are very similar, in that

- Newborn rabbits are blind and hairless (newborn hares are able to see and have hair).
- All rabbits (with the exception of the cottontail) live in burrows, which hares (as well as cottontails) live in small nests above the ground.
- Hares are mostly larger then rabbits and longer ears.

Rabbits are also domestic animals, in that they have been bred as house pets. They prove great companions for owners and are often provided activities such as tunnels, shelves, and playing with toys.

In popular culture, rabbits have been widely associated with Easter and spring.

(Image from dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk)

Animal of the Day: The Cobra

The Cobra is the name for a mostly venomous species of snake and member of the 'elapids' family. They are characterized distinctly by their 'hood-like' appendages made of mostly scales and muscle which is spread out as a threatful display (as shown above). Not all cobra snakes are related however, as some are from different families.

The over all bodily characteristics of Cobras are very similar to other species of snake, with long thin bodies, widely adjustable split-jaws, and similar proportions of the head to the body. It should also be noted that most of a cobra's diet is similar to that of other snakes (which I will explain when I do an actual post about snakes in general). :P lol

(Image from Wikipedia.org)

Animal of the Day: The Cockatiel

The Cockatiel (Nymphicus Hollandicus) is a species of Bird native to Australia. These birds are easy to breed and are considered the second most popular bird to own as a pet. Cockatiels are characterized by their parrot-like main bodies, curved beeks, Orange/red spot on their cheeks, and the feathered crest on their heads. Because of it's physical features, the cockatiel was once known as a crested parrot or a small cockatoo, however, in actuality the cockatiel is a member of the cockatoo subfamily Calyptorhynchinae, and are concidered the smallest of the Cockatoo family.

Cockatiels need to consume a variety of foods which include mixed pellets and millet seeds. Cockatiels can even be fed foods such as small peices of chicken, cooked spaghetti, and rice, however some foods such as apples and peaches are harmful to the birds.

Cockatiels, unlike most parrots, whistle rather than convey speech. These whistles can be made to mimick sounds(such as car alarms or zippers) or words, though not precise, the inflections can be very similar. Some cockatiels are even able to mimick the sounds of other species of birds, and the sounds of other animals such as dogs aswell.

Cockatiels are over all very attractive and lively birds. They come in a variety of color patterns (mostly bodies with shades of grey and with yellow colored heads) and are easilly breedable as pets. (I myself have one named Ali, and I'd know for a fact that they are nice to have around because of him.) =P

Animal of the Day: The Cat

The Cat (Felis catus) is a small and furry carnivorous species of mammal that are often loved by people for companionship and their ability to hunt unwanted pests (such as rodents, snakes, etc.). Cats can be found in a variety of breeds, each with several differences such as fur length and color. Certain breeds are even more friendlier than others, which is something most people acknowledge when they wish to welcome a cat into their home. Cats are generally characterized by short claws hidden within their paws, eyes with 'night vision' abilities, teeth and noses meant for hunting, and their ability to hear high pitched sounds.

Cats can be trained to obey simple commands, can hunt over 1,000 species for food, and are even capable of learning how to use simple mechanisms, such as doorknobs, on their own. Cat's are also very agile and can obtain high speeds when running, beneficial for both safety and predatory needs.

Overall cats can be very maneuverable and are highly skilled, making friends with one might not be such a bad idea. ;)

Welcome to Kingdom of Animals!

Hello! Good morning from Kingdom of Animals, the site where every member of the animal kingdom is welcome! I will try and update the blog with a new animal every 2 days (no garentee, I admit I'm a little lazy, and being right brained and untimely... well you can guess how that works) :P

Oh... and btw, i'm not sure if you noticed but the URL for this blog is 'Animal Kingdom' spelt backwards.. just to put that out.

Have fun!