1. Rabbits are not rodents, they are lagomorphs.
2. A male rabbit is a buck.
3. A female rabbit is a doe.
4. A baby rabbit is a kit.
5. When the doe gives birth her babies are collectively refered to as a litter.
6. The gestation period for a rabbit averages 31 days.
7. A rabbits teeth never stop growing.
8. The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) has 45 recognised breeds of rabbits.
9. The ARBA has over 30,000 members.
10. Rabbits can be litter trained.
11. A pet rabbit can live as long as 10 years.
12. Bunnies get weaned at about eight weeks old.
13. Adult bunnies can weigh between 2 lbs - 20 lbs depending on breed .
14. Rabbits can purr similar to a cat.
15. Domesticated rabbits are born without fur.
16. Domesticated rabbits eyes do not open until they are about two weeks old.
17. Rabbits cannot vomit.
18. Rabbits need hay to assist the digestive system and prevent fur balls in their stomach.
19. A group of rabbits is called a herd.
20. A group of rabbits live in a warren.
21. Mothers typically only feed their kits about 5 minutes a day.
22. Rabbit meat is lower in fat, cholesterol and calories than chicken, pork and beef.
23. Rabbit meat is all white meat.
24. Rabbit droppings make an excellent garden fertiliser.
25. Rabbits have 28 teeth.
26. A four-pound rabbit will drink as much water as a 20 pound dog.
27. Rabbits love to chew.
28. Rabbits do not hibernate.
29. Rabbits can jump 363 and higher
30. Rabbits can suffer heat stroke.
31. Rabbits can see behind them, but have blind spot in front of their face.
32. When rabbits are happy, they will jump and twist, this is called a binky.
33. Rabbits can start breeding as early as three to four months of age.
34. Predators can literally scare a rabbit to death.
35. Does will pull fur when pregnant to assist in the building of their nest.
36. Rabbits can have false pregnancies.
37. Rabbits groom themselves.
38. Domestic rabbits cannot breed with wild rabbits.
39. The only place a rabbit sweats is through the pads on its feet
40. Rabbits eat their own night droppings called cecotropes
Feeding rabbits: The cornerstone of any good adult rabbit diet consists of quality pellets, fresh grass, water, and fresh vegetables. Anything other than these basics should be considered a “treat” and be given in limited quantities. The amounts of these diet essentials varies with the age of the rabbit.
Diet essentials
Pellets: Pellets are most important in the younger stages of rabbit development because they are highly concentrated in nutrients, helping to ensure proper weight gain. A quality pelleted food should be high in fibre (18per cent minimum) and nutritionally balanced. As a rabbit reaches maturity, however, pellets should make up less of the diet – replaced with higher quantities of hay and vegetables. Overfeeding pellets in mature rabbits can lead to obesity and other medical conditions.
Hay: Rabbits should have fresh hay available 24 hours a day.
Water: Fresh water should be available. Each day, change the water in the dish or water bottle with fresh water.
Vegetables: Vegetables provide valuable roughage, as well as essential vitamins. As early as three months of age, you can begin to offer vegetables. Introduce new vegetables one at a time. This way, if a digestive upset occurs, you will know which food may be the culprit. Eliminate those that cause soft stools or diarrhea. Continue to add new varieties, including both dark leafy vegetables and root vegetables, and serve vegetables of different colors.
Once your rabbit is used to several vegetables, feed him or her at least three different kinds daily for a mix of nutrients.
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