Small and furry pet trade tip for making bunny money

Exotic rabbits, dwarf hamsters and multi-coloured guinea-pigs will be the pets to own, says the man who introduced the chinchilla to Hong Kong.

His forecast came as a variety of small animals went on display at Pet Fair Asia 97, which is expected to attract at least 2,000 traders.

Small Animal Kingdom managing director Howard Cheung Sin-ho is now importing rare breeds of rabbit from the United States to Hong Kong where they sell for up to $1,200.

He started the passion for small animals with the arrival of chinchillas - the South American rodent famed for its fur - which sell for $2,000 each.

The nocturnal rodents have proved so popular that Mr Cheung has opened outlets in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Macau, selling a total of 4,000 chinchillas a year.

Now he has even begun local breeding programmes for some of the 45 unusual rabbit breeds from America, which include long-haired and lop-eared rabbits.