Interesting Facts About Rabbits
By Bunny Approved August 18, 2012
Here are some fun facts about rabbits. Did you know…?
- A rabbit takes approximately 18 naps per day.
- Rabbits are not rodents. They are lagomorphs.
- They originally come from the Mediterranean (Spain, Portugal, parts of North Africa).
- Rabbits were domesticated by the Romans approximately 300BC. They were mainly used for meat and fur and weren’t held as pets until the early 20th century.
- The word “Hispania” (Spain) may have been derived from the Phoenician-Punic for “island of the rabbit”.
- Rabbits and hares are two different species and cannot reproduce with each other.
- Rabbit droppings make the best natural fertilizer.
- Rabbits have 28 teeth that never stop growing. They grow approximately 47inches/150cm per year.
- Rabbits can see almost 360 degrees and tend to be farsighted. In case you want to sneak up on a rabbit: they can see what’s going on behind them, but have a blind spot in the front. In this video you will notice that Bunny is unable to see which holes have treats in them. Instead, he uses his sense of smell to find them.
- Rabbits have limited color vision, but can likely perceive red and green.
- A male rabbit is called a buck, a female is a doe, and a baby is a kit/kitten.
- A rabbit can run between 25-45miles per hour.
- Rabbit babies are born naked and blind.
- Angora rabbits are sheared several times a year (like a sheep).
- The biggest rabbit breed is the ‘German Giant’. It generally weighs between 16-20lbs.
- The smallest is the Netherland Dwarf. It weighs under 2.5lbs.
- There are more than 300 different breeds of rabbits worldwide. 47 are recognized in the US.
- The whiskers of a rabbit are as long as its body is wide. This helps to figure out whether or not it will fit through a tight space.
- Rabbits can swim, but besides from a few exceptions don’t like to do it (please don’t test this one).
- On average wild rabbits live only 1-2 years, while domestic rabbits can live for as long as 10-12 years.
- China is the world’s leader in rabbit meat production.
Similar, but they belong to different species.
- Rabbits cannot vomit. They don’t have enough muscles in their stomach.
- Rabbits cannot sweat. They release heat over their body surface, especially the ears.
- Rabbits are among the Top 10 most popular pets in the US.
- A rabbit’s heart beats approximately 150-200 times per minute. An adult human’s heart beats between 60-70 times per minute.
- Even in the wild, rabbits do not hibernate.
- Rabbits have 5 toes on each front paw and 4 toes on each hind paw, so 18 total.
Interesting, isn’t it? Do you have anything to add to this list?
Tags: approved, behavior, Bunny, Bunny Approved, facts, fun, interesting, know, list, pet, pets, rabbit, small, small pet
Categories: All, General/Other
Author: Bunny Approved
10 Comments
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Good stuff, but don’t forget their multi-stage digestive system (including particular dietary requirements) and distinctive female reproductive system.
Also, female pet rabbits should be spayed not just to prevent unwanted young, but uterine cancer is a major cause of death, also neutered males are less aggressive and won’t ‘spray’ !
The reproductive system is indeed an interesting thing! Will add that. Your other points are great, too! Mentioned them in other posts.
You can’t sneak up on a rabbit, but you can approach one. I’ve done it countless times. Just walk normally and speak towards it. If they are not surprised, they will just sit there as you walk by. It takes some technique, but I was able to do it after 3 tries.
Ha, I have to try that! We have a bunch of wild rabbits around here. The sneaking up part was really just a joke!
Rabbits can run faster than cats!
Speaking about rabbits not being hares, it is necessary to mention, that jackrabbit is not actually a rabbit, but the hare, while belgium hare is not a hare, but the rabbit!
Ohhh, I like that one! That is indeed a curious fact! Thanks!
As well as an inability to vomit, they cannot burp. Pregnant females can ‘reabsorb’ their fetuses if stressed. Rabbits dig tunnels and live in warrens whereas hares live in holes that are made naturally or abandoned by other animals, and are generally more solitary. Where rabbits are born blind and hairless, hares are born fully ‘furred’ and ready to run. Rabbits have to digest their food twice; after first digestion they expel cecotropes from their cecum (some call night poos) which they then eat (VERY important they eat them) to digest for a second time. Rabbits’ hind legs are so powerful that if held improperly can kick and twist so hard that they can break their own spines.
Thanks for all the additions! In fact, I know someone who picked up a baby rabbit as a child in an incorrect way and the rabbit got scared, tried to kick himself free, and broke his spine. :( Very sad story.
Rabbit’s ears can grow up to two feet!