A Few Awesome Rabbit Facts

There so many interesting facts about rabbits, and I’m sure that you will find at least a few of them quite fascinating.

Rabbits were originally thought to be rodents, because they seem to have similar characteristics, but in 1912, they were removed from the Rodentia family and categorized as a Lagamorpha (which includes hares, rabbits and pikas).  In addition, unlike rodents, the fur of a rabbit is long, thick and usually very soft.

It seems likely that rabbits were domesticated by the Romans, and as of today, there are more than 50 different breeds of domesticated rabbits.

Rabbits have always been vegetarians/herbivores, and they love Timothy Hay, leafy greens, fruit, carrots and other vegetables.  They require a well- balanced diet that has plenty of variety, to delight the 17,000 taste buds of a rabbit.

Rabbits are fast runners and can cover more than 56 Kilometers (35 miles) in one hour.  They are known to be faster animals than cats.

The world’s largest and most valuable rabbit (who is also known to have his own body guard) is named “Darius”, and he lives with Annette Edwards (who is originally from the United Kingdom). This gentle giant weighs over 22.2kg, measures 1.30m long and eats as many as 12 carrots per day.  It has been said that Darius, at times, acts like a dog. 

The oldest rabbit on record, lived to be sixteen years old (the average lifespan of a domesticated rabbit is between five and eight years old).

Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the United Kingdom, and over two million households in the United States have a pet rabbit.

Domesticated rabbits are born without fur and totally blind (not gaining sight, until they are 14 days old).  They have 28 teeth that continue to grow throughout their lives.  A rabbits’ heart rate beats between 130 and 300 times per minute.

Rabbits are known to reproduce very quickly, and can have their first litter at 6 months of age.  It is not uncommon for them to have up to 40 babies within a 12 month period.  Neutering a pet rabbit is not an essential procedure, but it will help them maintain optimum health, and certainly reduce the number of offspring produced.

A male rabbit is known as a “buck”, females are referred to as “does”, and baby rabbits are called “kittens”.  Kittens do not need to feed more than a few times a day (for just a few minutes each time), and they are totally weaned from the mother when they reach two months of age.

A rabbits’ ears are long (10 cm) and very sensitive, but the interesting fact is that they can turn in any direction, and they aid in regulating their body temperature too.

Rabbits can literally see things behind them without turning their heads; their only “blind spot” is right in front of their nose.

A happy bunny will jump, run and twist around to express their joy.  These types of maneuvers are referred to as “binky”.

If you’d like more information on caring for your rabbit then please visit the Excel Feeding Plan - http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/excelfeedingplan/