ANGELA SMITH doing when she likes to do - holding two of her bunnies.  

What started as helping out a friend in 2003 has become a serious hobby for Angela and Mike Smith of Jetson.

They breed, raise and show a variety of rabbits, having most recently returned home from the Kentucky State Fair with a table full of ribbons, including one for grand champion.

Angela Smith said her friend had purchased a baby rabbit for her daughter for Easter, but as winter approached she needed better housing for the furry critter. So she asked the Smiths, who had just purchased a farm, to house the animal.

After taking in that first rabbit, the Smiths started small – first purchasing a buck and a couple of does. But as they say, the animals multiplied like rabbits and now number 70. They also continued to take in strays.

Angela Smith said they use the rabbits for meat for themselves as well as to show and sell.

The showing didn’t start until 2012 after friend Ashton Miller talked her into it. Her first show was the Kentucky State Fair and she’s been hooked since.

As a volunteer at Belmont Christian Academy, Angela said parents asked her about organizing a rabbit club, something which she did. While she no longer leads the club because of health issues, Angela does consult with leaders and gives guest lectures so children can learn about the care and feeding of the animals.

So what do rabbits eat?

“Rabbits love to eat hay. They have pellets to eat without any kind of animal protein mixed in,” Angela explained in an email. “As a general rule you feed 1 ounce per pound of mature body weight. If he weighs 5 pounds then you feed 5 ounces. As special treats they get a teaspoon of a mixture of black oil sunflower seeds and rolled oats. This helps to keep their coats shinny. It also helps them to put on their winter coats. They love oak leaves and any kind of fruit tree leaves. When we prune our fruit trees, I cut pieces of wood to give them to chew on. This helps to keep their teeth healthy.”

Angela said a rabbit’s teeth never stop growing.

She usually gives cucumbers as treats and carrots only on occasion since they are loaded with sugar.

Aside from the pleasure derived from raising the animals themselves, Angela said it is rewarding to get to know all of the people involved.

“To see a child’s face light up when they touch a rabbit for the first time is so awesome,” she said.

The Smiths haven’t yet graduated to becoming an agritourism business, something that might come after some improvements to the farm. But Angela has hosted a few students at a time at the behest of their parents.

In addition to the rabbits, the small working farm has four hens and a rooster, and Mike, now retired, tends to his goats and other farm duties. They also cut and bale their own hale, which is grown without chemicals of any kind.

But it’s the rabbits who hold a special place in Angela’s heart.

“No matter how bad of day I am having, all I have to do is cuddle and talk to a rabbit,” she said. “Everything else just goes away. They love you unconditionally and they hardly ever protest at cuddle time. Most of mine insist on having cuddle time. They meet me at the front of the cage to get their back rubs. And that’s how I like it.”

Because rabbits are social animals they need daily interaction with people and toys to play with.

“(It) keeps them happy. And a happy rabbit makes a happy owner,” she said.

— For more information, find Angelwolf Rabbits on Facebook.

— Follow City Editor Robyn L. Minor on Twitter @bowserminor or visit bgdailynews.com.