Domestic Rabbits
The
Wikipedia
defines Rabbits as small mammals
in the family
Leporidae of the order
Lagomorpha. The Lagomorpha family consists of rabbits, hares and pikas.
Pikas are distant relatives to the
rabbit and belong to the family
Ochotonidae.
The Leporidae family consists of 11 different
generas from which all rabbit species are found in 8 of those
and hares the remaining 3 generas.
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
ranges in size from
from
34-45 cm
(13-18 inches)
in length, and 1.3-2.2 kg
(3-5 lb)
in weight. In the wild, they live as a herd (or warren)
in a network of underground burrows.
The European rabbit is being monitored by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as there are some concerns for the species as a result of a continuous decline in populations due to over hunting and diseases such as myxomatosis and RVHD.
In the Middle Ages the European rabbit was considered a domestic farm animal and selective breeding practices started producing better breeds for food, fur and wool. In the 1800's domestic rabbits were being bred by fanciers for exhibition. Pet rabbits didn't emerge until around the mid 1800's. Today Domestic rabbits are still being bred for meat, fur, wool, the fancier and as pets .
For a list of other species of
rabbits/hares click here
»
Rabbit Anatomy
Rabbit Ears
-
are highly vascular & used as means of heat regulation
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are also extremely sensitive to sound and touch
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comprise 12% of their total body surface.
Rabbit Eyes
-
are located on either side of their head
-
create a blind spot right in front of their nose
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see better in dim light or during dawn and dusk
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are 8x more sensitive to light than humans
-
field of vision is 190°
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have an excellent sense of smell.
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rabbits breathe through their nose only. If a rabbit is trying to breathe through it’s mouth, call your veterinarian immediately.
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the lip is divided into 2 halves under the nose, this is called a “hare-lip”.
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rabbit's one and only sweat gland is located on their lips
Rabbit Teeth
-
are "open-rooted" meaning they continuously grow
-
they grow at a rate of 10-12 cm (approx. 4 inches) each year or aprox. 3mm per week
-
there are a total of 28 teeth; 4 incisors (2 top; 2 bottom); 2 "peg teeth" (or auxiliary incisors located behind the top incisors; 22 cheek teeth which consists of 10 premolars (6 up, 4 down) and 12 molars (6 up & down)
-
are fragile and are surrounded by large muscles making them susceptible to fractures.
More Interesting Rabbit Facts
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Rabbits are coprophagous, meaning they eat the soft moist feces known as "night-stool" or caecotrophs. One third of total feces are caecotrophs which are soft, small, covered with mucus and usually swallowed whole. Their caecum is 10x larger than their stomach
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Rabbits cannot vomit
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Rabbit’s urine can be a variety of colours, depending on diet, it usually ranges from orange to red and is often mistaken as containing blood
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Female (doe) rabbits are induced ovulaters and have no obvious oestrus (menstrual) cycle
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Rabbits live on average 7-10 years but can live well into their teens
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Domestic Rabbits are still considered to be an acceptable meat source in many countries and therefore can be kept not only as pets but for showing and commercial purposes
