Interesting Facts about Bunnies
Interesting Facts about Bunnies
Image source: By Larry D. Moore, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4254154
2. Rabbits and hares have long ears, hind legs that are longer than the front legs, and short tails. There are four upper incisors, the second pair being peg-like and inconspicuous. The five toes on each foot are clawed. Upper lip is split and attached to the nostrils, enabling the nose to be wiggled, which may increase the sense of smell. Eyes are on the side of the head.Appearances range depending on breed.
3. Keen senses of hearing and smelling; large protruding eyes set high on the sides of the head, giving them an almost complete circle of vision; swift runners; capable of swimming. Rabbits may freeze to avoid detection. Desert cottontails and the brush rabbit may even climb trees to escape danger,Camouflage, hide in burrows.
4. Different kinds of rabbits mate at different times throughout the year and the number of litters and the size of the litters vary depending upon whether the rabbit lives in a warm or cool climate.
5. Adult males are called bucks, the females are does, and the young are called kittens.
6. No group of mammals has established its place in American folklore as firmly as the rabbit.
7. They are prominent in fairy tales, cartoons, and stories about Brer Rabbit, Bugs Bunny, and Peter Cottontail.
8. Many superstitious individuals carry a rabbit’s foot for luck.
9. The most famous rabbit of all is the Easter Bunny.
10. Male rabbits and hares become sexually active about a month prior to the breeding season and before the females are receptive. The leaping, cavorting antics of these eager males may account for the expression, "mad as a March hare".
11. Rabbits have teeth which continue to grow throughout their lives. The crowns (the visible parts of the teeth) will double in length in 4-5 weeks if they are not worn down and at the same time the roots with grow into the skull and jaw bone which can lead to tooth roots abscesses (a very serious condition in rabbits).
12. To keep this under control, rabbits need to do lots of tooth grinding to wear the crowns down and keep the roots at the correct length, which is why the grass and hay part of their diet is important as chewing on these will grind down their teeth.
13. Despite their short lifespan, they are exceptional breeders. They can raise 6 litters in one year.
14. Rabbits are herbivores and require a high fibre diet which is critical for the health of their digestive tracts and is also very important for dental health.
Hare
Image source: By Hagerty Ryan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - http://www.public-domain-image.com/public-domain-images-pictures-free-stock-photos/fauna-animals-public-domain-images-pictures/bunny-rabbit-public-domain-images-pictures/side-view-close-up-of-rabbit-sitting-on-gravel-under-brush.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24837834
16. A house rabbit pet can live up to 10 to 12 years and is a long-term commitment.
17. There are over 45 recognized breeds in the United States. All domesticated rabbit breeds are descendants of European rabbits. Cottontails are their cousins from the Americas.
18. Rabbits can be litter box trained and it is much easier to train them after they have been neutered or spayed.
19. A rabbit’s digestive system is similar to a horse and they require daily Timothy Hay or grass hay to prevent digestive problems. Rabbits cannot vomit and hairballs can be fatal.
20. Rabbits can mate as early as 3 months of age and gestation is 31 days with a litter size of 4 to 12 kits.
21. When bunnies become adult rabbits they can exhibit aggressive and territorial behaviour. They will spray urine, mark territory with their faeces, bite and grunt.
22. Young bunnies should not be separated from their mother until they are 8 weeks old.
23. Domesticated rabbits are very social and do best as when adopted as bonded pairs. They can also bond with cats, dogs and guinea pigs with proper supervision and patience.
24. Spaying and neutering prevents health problems for rabbits. 80% of females are prone to uterine cancer after 5 years of age if they are not altered. Altering makes rabbits less aggressive and prevents over population.
25. Rabbits can become very affectionate pets that can enjoy being petted and quiet interaction with humans especially after altering.
26. Rabbits can learn their names and simple words such as "No".
27. Most rabbits do not enjoy being picked up since they are ground dwellers by nature. Many will scratch and kick violently to avoid being picked up.
28. The skeleton of a rabbit especially the backbone is very fragile and can break easily when the rabbit is handled improperly or dropped. Legs can break, too, if contact is made with a hard surface when a rabbit is struggling violently.
29. Rabbits require a solid floor in their cage instead of a wire grate since their feet are not padded like a dog or cat.
30. Domesticated rabbits need exercise to stay healthy and time outside a cage to run.
31. Rabbits have their own version of a purr. They will grind their teeth softly when petted.
32. Rabbits communicate through a variety of ways such as stomping a hind leg (thumping), grunting, honking,oinking softly, grooming each other.
33. Rabbits are near sighted and have a blind spot right in front of them.
34.Domesticated rabbits do not survive in the "wild" if they are abandoned.
35. Rabbits are most active in the early morning and in the late evening.
36. Rabbits are not Hares, but they are closely related. Hares have fur when they are born and their eyes are open.
37. This planet has been populated with rabbits for at least three and a half million years. In Africa their footprints have been found fossilised in lava dust. In the wild, rabbits are found all over the world.
38. Rabbits have four toes on their front feet and five toes on their back feet!
Flemish Giant Rabbit
Image Source: By Eponimm - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7719900
40. Many Old World rabbits dig elaborate tunnels and chambers known as "warrens". Wild
rabbits are always found near water. They get all their liquid requirements directly from water sources and will die without it.
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