What are Some Characteristics of Rabbits?
Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov
Rabbits are small, herbivorous mammals with acute sight and hearing. They hide from predators using these characteristics, along with their speed, and often retreat to underground burrows. Together with hares, they make up family Leporidae, and with both hares and pikas, order Lagomorpha (lagomorphs). They are one of the only species of animal simultaneously considered pets, pests, and livestock animals by people in the same culture.
Although they mostly live in temperate areas located in the middle latitudes of the Americas, Europe, and Africa, rabbits can live in a variety of environments. They are also found in India, Sumatra, and Japan. There are 50 species in seven genera, but the Domestic Rabbit has been selectively bred into so many breeds that it gives the impression that there are many more. These animals can be white, brown, gray, or brownish-yellow in color, with the black Amami and two striped black species from Asia being exceptions.
Rabbits are ground-dwellers adapted to gathering food during any time of day (usually mid-afternoon or night) without getting caught by predators such as dogs, cats, and foxes. Their body is adapted for predator avoidance, including ears up to 10 cm (4 in) in length, large, sensitive eyes, and strong hind leg muscles. They mainly eat grass, which is low in nutrients, so they eat their own feces to redigest it and extract all available nutrients. This strategy contrasts with ruminants, which chew a cud to extract nutrients instead.
Unlike hares, to which they are closely related, rabbits are social animals, living in small groups of up to 20 individuals with concrete dominance hierarchies including alpha and beta males. Unlike other mammals, they are relatively silent creatures, signaling only with loud foot thumps during times of alarm or aggression. Instead of using sound, they use scent to communicate information such as group identity, sex, age, social and reproductive status, and territory ownership. The Amami species in Japan is another exception here, as it uses a range of auditory calls. Most are members of territorial groups, and will box each other with their front legs during disputes.
The little animals have the capability to reproduce so quickly and consume so much foliage that they are sometimes considered pests. The standard example is that of the European rabbit in Australia, which has displaced many native species. Being marsupials, native Australian mammals tend to have a slower metabolism than placental mammals, and therefore find it difficult to compete. Australian rabbit populations have been kept in check with aggressive culling operations.
Michael Anissimov
Michael is a longtime AllThingsNature contributor who specializes in topics relating to paleontology, physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, and futurism. In addition to being an avid blogger, Michael is particularly passionate about stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and life extension therapies. He has also worked for the Methuselah Foundation, the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and the Lifeboat Foundation.
Michael Anissimov
Michael is a longtime AllThingsNature contributor who specializes in topics relating to paleontology, physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, and futurism. In addition to being an avid blogger, Michael is particularly passionate about stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and life extension therapies. He has also worked for the Methuselah Foundation, the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and the Lifeboat Foundation.
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![Rabbits can live in a variety of environments.]()
By: AnatoliiRabbits can live in a variety of environments. -
![Rabbits are dwell in burrows.]()
By: Paul MaguireRabbits are dwell in burrows. -
![Rabbits have large ears, which are useful in detecting predators.]()
By: hui_uRabbits have large ears, which are useful in detecting predators. -
![Rabbits have strong hind legs.]()
By: NFSRRabbits have strong hind legs.
Discussion Comments
Obviously whoever says rabbits are illegal in Australia has no idea about Australia. I live in Sydney and yes they are legal. They have vets who specialize in rabbits too. Only in Queensland they are illegal.
Pet rabbits are allowed in Australia except in the state of Queensland.
I would like to make a couple of points on your article:
1. Unless things have changed very drastically in the last decade, it is illegal to have pet rabbits in Australia (I know for certain none can be brought in). When rabbits were introduced to the country by ships from Great Britain, within 50 years or so, they almost completely decimated the country. They were not merely culled. All means possible were used to destroy the hoards were tried until a rabbit-killing virus was introduced to Australia, killing millions of rabbits (myxomatosis). An unfortunate footnote is that myxomatosis was also accidentally introduced to Europe, killing off much of its rabbit population. If I recall correctly, there have been a few cases in the eastern US, but there is an inoculation available in both the US and Europe. My books are all old, but last I knew, the anti-virus was also illegal in Australia.
2. Rabbits do not specifically eat their feces. The hard, round pellets left behind are their feces. Usually around dawn and dusk, rabbits exude cecotropes (house rabbits adjusted to family hours can do this at any time), which is usually eaten directly from the body. If left behind, they *can* look sort of like a tightly packed bunch of grapes, but in a litter box or cage, usually wind up as a lump of gooey mud (often mistaken for diarrhea) with a foul odor. As rabbits get older, sick, or have other balance problems, etc., these cecotropes can get caked on their bottoms, causing the rabbit to smell bad, and, if left alone, to harden and cause severe problems for the rabbit.
Anyway, the rabbit needs to eat these, as they are the result of previously digested food and contain certain vitamins that the rabbit needs to stay healthy. In fact, in certain instances, if one rabbit falls ill, it is common to take cecotropes from a healthy rabbit to give to the sick one. It's a common mistake to think they eat their feces, leaving some people to think rabbits are "dirty" animals.
I just wanted to clear that up, didn't mean it to be so long-winded! --bionicbunny
This really helps with my school project! Thanks for the info!
I love rabbits! We used to have one as a pet. They are very trainable, ours would go outside like our dog. Sometimes, I think he thought he was a dog. He would do tricks and follow my baby brother around like he was protecting him. They are very loyal and loving also.
great! thanks for the info!
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