Facts About Rabbits

Amongst the cutest and most vulnerable-looking domestic animals are rabbits. They are found inhabiting almost all the countries of the world and are very common as pets. These herbivores can also be domesticated to utilize a litter box. The natural habitats of rabbits range from deserts to tropical forests and wetlands. The highest population of rabbits is in North America. They live in groups known as herds and dig underground burrows as their dwelling place. Previously thought to be rodents, rabbits were later classified as lagomorphs, along with hares and pikas. Rabbit meat is essentially used in Moroccan cuisine, but it is not so popular in the Asia-Pacific. Rabbit skins are used as an accessory or for clothing purposes. There are as many as 45 recognized types of rabbits. Would you like to know more? In the following lines, we have provided some interesting facts and amazing information on rabbits.

Facts about Rabbits

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Lagomorpha

Family: Leporidae

Genera: Seven (Pentalagus, Bunolagus, Nesolagus, Romerolagus, Brachylagus, Sylvilagus, Oryctolagus and Poelagus)

Length: 20 cm to 50 cm

Weight: 0.4 to 2 kg

Ears: 10 cm (4 in)

Number of Teeth: 28, with 6 incisors (4 on top and 2 on bottom)

Smallest Species: Pygmy Rabbit

Colors: Shades of brown, gray and buff

Diet: Grass, forbs and leafy weeds

Natural Habitat: Throughout the world

Age: 4 to 20 years

Age of Maturity: 3-4 months

Gestation Period: 28 to 31 days

Number of Offspring: Up to 7

Interesting & Amazing Information on Rabbits

A male rabbit is called a buck and a female rabbit is called a doe. A baby rabbit is referred to a kit.
A rabbit can see behind himself, without turning his head, but has a blind spot in front of his face.
A rabbit sweats through the pads on its feet.
Domestic rabbits cannot breed with wild rabbits.
Rabbits are the most active at dawn and dusk.
Rabbits can jump to a height of more than 36 inches.
Rabbits can purr, just like a cat.
Rabbits cannot vomit.
Rabbits do not like loud noises and sudden movements.
Rabbits eat their own night droppings, known as cecotropes.
Rabbits need to eat hay, in order to assist their digestive system and prevent fur balls in their stomach.
The droppings of a rabbit make an excellent garden fertilizer.
The largest litter of baby rabbits was 24 and it has been witnessed twice.
The record for the longest living rabbit is that of 19 years, while that of heaviest rabbit is 26 lbs.
The teeth of a rabbit never stop growing.
There are over 150 different colors of a rabbit’s coat, but only 5 eye colors (brown, blue-grey, blue, marbled, and pink).
There are over 50 established breeds of domestic rabbit.
When rabbits are happy, they jump and twist.
These herbivores can pant if exposed to too much heat and can also suffer heat stroke.
Rabbits have a life expectancy of 9 to 12 years and a pet rabbit can live up to 10 years.
Rabbits can run faster than cats at a speed of 35 miles per hour.
Rabbits shed their coats twice a year.
These have three pairs of scent glands. A pair is located at the anus, one pair below the chin and another pair at the inguinal region.
Rabbits have a high reproductive rate. These can begin mating when they are only 3 months old and can reproduce a litter of 4 to 12. The breeding season is usually from February to October and during this time, a doe can give birth to 800 babies.
The diet of a rabbit consists of grass, forbs and a wide variety of leaves.
Rabbits are hunted by snakes, foxes, badgers and eagles.

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