Rabbit
Facts
Latin
Name: Oryctolagus cuniculus
Female: Doe
Male: Buck
Young: Kittens
Life Span: 5-8 years (domesticated)
Litter Size: 4-12 kittens
Birth Weight: 30 – 80g
Eyes Open: 10 days
Gestation Period: 30-33 days
Average Weight: Male 1– 5 kg / Female 1–
8 kg
Sexual Maturity: 16- 24 weeks
Weaning Age: 4-7 weeks
Diet: Herbivorous
Purchasing
Your Pet Rabbit
Before buying a pet you must make sure that you can care for it properly.
You MUST be able to: > provide
the right housing
> have room for it to exercise
> feed and water it daily
> handle it daily
> exercise it daily
> groom it regularly
> clean
out the cage daily to control germs
> check for signs of illness or disease
> take your pet to the vet for regular
health checks and other
procedures
> know someone who will look after
it for you when you are away
Once you are happy that you can provide everything
that your new pet will need you can then choose the perfect
rabbit for yourself.
Which
Rabbit Is Best For You?
It may be one that loves to be inside (they can be trained to be clean,
just like a cat or dog) or one that you would like to keep outside?
House rabbits (that’s their official name) will love to run
around the house, hiding behind furniture and playing. Be careful,
though, they also like chewing electric wiring, and
may decide that your favourite chair is now theirs!
Rabbits that live outside need you to socialise with them every day,
even if they have a companion.
There are a wide variety of sizes, shapes, colours and coats (over
100 different breeds altogether!).
Some rabbits have been bred for particular characteristics such as
long ears (lops), long coats (angoras) and there are dwarf breeds
who have shortened noses and faces.
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Rabbit
History
Originally
the European rabbit was found in the regions of Spain, Portugal and
North West Africa. They were wild animals.
Rabbits were introduced to England in the 11th century and used for
sport, meat and, in some cases, fur (such as the Angora rabbits whose
fur was spun for wool).
Along the way, the process of domestication began by keeping rabbits
in hutches for breeding and meat production.
Rabbits were then bred for colour and also to partake in friendly
competitions. By the 19th century rabbits had become pets.
The first true “fancy” breed was the English lop; this
was followed by the English (spotted) and the Angora.
Specialist breed clubs began to spring up with Rabbit Fanciers “showing”
their new breeds.
This is now a very popular pastime world wide.
The Latin name for rabbits is “Oryctolagus cuniculus”.
Oryct is Greek for digger, lag is Greek for hare and cunniculus is
Latin for burrowing.
The most common breeds kept as pets in the UK are the Dutch, Dwarf
Lop and the Netherland Dwarf.
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Care Page >> |
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