Rabbit

Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae, found in many parts of the world. They are sometimes affectionately known as bunnies, especially by children. There are seven different genera in the family classified as rabbits, including the European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), cottontail rabbits (genus Sylvilagus; 13 species), and the Amami Rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi, an endangered species on Amami Oshima, Japan). There are many other species of rabbit, and these, along with cottontails, pikas and hares make up the Order Lagomorpha. Rabbits generally live for about 4-10 years.

 

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Humans' relationship with rabbits

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Humans' relationship with the European or ‘true’ rabbit was first recorded by the Phoenicians over 1,000 years BC, when they termed the Iberian Peninsula ‘i-shephan-im’ (literally, ‘the land of the rabbit’), which the Romans converted to the Latin form, "Hispania," and hence the modern word "Spain."

The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is the only species of rabbit to be domesticated. All pet breeds of rabbits - such as dwarf lops, angoras, etc. - are of this species. However, rabbits and people interact in many different ways beyond domestication. Rabbits are an example of an animal which is treated as food, pet and pest by the same culture. In Europe the rabbit is commonly eaten as food.

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When used for food, rabbits are both hunted and raised for meat. Snares or guns along with dogs are usually employed when catching wild rabbits for food. In many areas rabbits are also raised for meat, a practice called cuniculture. Rabbit pelts are sometimes used as part of accessories, such as scarves or hats. Rabbits are also very good producers of manure; their urine, being high in nitrogen, makes lemon trees very productive. Their milk may also be of great medicinal or nutritional benefit due to its high protein content.

There are a number of health issues associated with the use of rabbits for meat, one of which is Tularemia or Rabbit Fever. Another is so-called rabbit starvation, due to either the low fat content of rabbit meat or amino acid deficiencies in rabbit meat and synthesis limitations in human beings.

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Young wild rabbit photographed in the Midwestern U.S.

Domestic rabbits

A healthy indoor pet rabbit can live 6-10 years. They enjoy throwing around toys and chewing on cardboard. In some instances, they can even become good friends with cats and dogs. Though they are often caged in small areas, they can be free roaming pets similar to cats and dogs, often called 'house rabbits'. Large, inexpensive cages can be custom made from 'Idea-cubes', which can be found in many department stores.

Female pet rabbits should be spayed at a young age, as they are extremely prone to cervical cancer and can suffer and die later on if not prevented. Spaying will also reduce many aggressive behaviours related to breeding. There are also many health and behaviour benefits from the neutering of male rabbits. Some rabbits can be extremely aggressive towards other rabbits unless effort is made to bond the two over time, spaying/neutering both parties is key in making this process successful.

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The Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani), or Western Brush Rabbit, is a species of cottontail rabbit found in western coastal regions of North America, from the Columbia River in Oregon to the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. The Brush Rabbit does not dig its own burrow or den, but uses the burrow of other species. The Brush Rabbit is smaller than many of the other cottontails, and unlike most of them, the underside of its tail is grey rather than white.

Provided they are well cared for, rabbits can make friendly and playful pets. They are widely kept throughout the world, both indoors and out. Rabbits kept indoors are typically healthier and more social than rabbits kept outdoors. Housed indoors and provided with adequate damage-proofing (especially of electrical cables and house plants that may be toxic), rabbits are relatively safe from predators, parasites, disease, and temperature extremes. Rabbits kept outdoors must be provided with shelter that is heated in winter and shaded in summer. Domesticated rabbits are most comfortable in temperatures between 10 to 21 degrees Celsius (50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit), and cannot endure temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit).

Veterinarians specializing in rabbits recommend a diet consisting of clean water, a small amount of commercial pellets and unlimited grass hay daily. Other vegetables (2 cups per 5 pounds of body weight) should be fed: good choices include romaine lettuce (not iceberg), parsley, cilantro, dandelion, radicchio, endive, and basil. Carrots and fruits should be used sparingly. Domestic rabbits should be checked daily as infections and illnesses can occur very quickly. Teeth should not be too long because if they are the rabbit cannot eat. Do not attempt to grind or clip a rabbit's teeth; one is advised to seek a veterinarian. Rabbit's teeth can grow up to five inches a year.

The eyes should be clean with no crusts evident. Checking the rabbit's vent area (bottom) is vital as any feces left will attract flies that will leave eggs and hatch into maggots. The maggots will then eat rotten flesh causing severe pain for the animal. Ears also should be clean along with any other part of the rabbit.

 

Environmental problems with rabbits

Rabbits have also been a source of environmental problems when introduced into the wild by humans. Because of their appetites, and the rate at which they breed, wild rabbit depredation can prove problematic for agriculture. Gassing, barriers (fences), shooting, snaring and ferreting have been used to control rabbit populations, but most effective are diseases such as myxomatosis ('myxo' for short), and calicivirus. In Europe, where rabbits are farmed on a large scale, they are protected against myxomatosis and calicivirus with a genetically modified virus. The virus was developed in Spain, and is beneficial to rabbit farmers. If it were to make its way into wild populations in areas such as Australia, this could create a population boom, since those diseases are the major threats to the rabbits' survival.

Classification

Rabbits and hares were formerly classified in the order Rodentia (rodent) until 1912, when they were moved into a new order Lagomorpha. This order, in addition to containing rabbits and hares, also includes the pikas.

Order Lagomorpha

• Family Leporidae
  • Genus Pentalagus
    • Amami Rabbit/Ryukyu Rabbit, Pentalagus furnessi
  • Genus Bunolagus
    • Bushman Rabbit, Bunolagus monticularis
  • Genus Nesolagus
    • Sumatra Short-Eared Rabbit, Nesolagus netscheri
    • Annamite Rabbit, Nesolagus timminsi
  • Genus Romerolagus
    • Volcano Rabbit, Romerolagus diazi
  • Genus Brachylagus
    • Pygmy Rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis
  • Genus Sylvilagus
    • Forest Rabbit, Sylvilagus brasiliensis
    • Dice's Cottontail, Sylvilagus dicei
    • Brush Rabbit, Sylvilagus bachmani
    • San Jose Brush Rabbit, Sylvilagus mansuetus
    • Swamp Rabbit, Sylvilagus aquaticus
    • Marsh Rabbit, Sylvilagus palustris
    • Eastern Cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus
    • New England Cottontail, Sylvilagus transitionalis
    • Mountain Cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii
    • Desert Cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii
    • Omilteme Cottontail, Sylvilagus insonus
    • Mexican Cottontail, Sylvilagus cunicularis
    • Tres Marias Rabbit, Sylvilagus graysoni
  • Genus Oryctolagus
    • European Rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus
  • Genus Poelagus
    • Central African Rabbit, Poelagus marjorita
  • 3 other genera in family, regarded as hares, not rabbits

Rabbits in culture and literature

Rabbits are often used as a symbol of fertility. It is possible that as a consequence of this that they have been associated with Easter as the Easter Bunny. The species' role as a prey animal also lends itself as a symbol of innocence as an animal that seems to wish harm on no one, another Easter connotation. In addition, the animal is often used as a symbol of playful sexuality, which plays off of its perceived image of innocence, as well as its reputation as a prolific breeder.

It is also a common folklore archetype of the trickster who uses his cunning to outwit his enemies. Well-known examples of this are the Br'er Rabbit character from African-American folktales and the Warner Brothers cartoon character Bugs Bunny.

In the folklore of the United States, a rabbit's foot is frequently carried as an amulet, and is often made into a keychain, where it is thought to bring luck. The practice derives from the system of African-American folk magic called hoodoo.

Anthropomorphic rabbits have appeared in a host of works of film and literature, most notably the White Rabbit in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; in the popular novel Watership Down, by Richard Adams; and in Beatrix Potter's works such as Peter Rabbit.

It is commonly believed that a rabbit, if injected with a woman's urine, will expire if the woman is pregnant. This is not true. However, in the 1920s it was discovered that if the injected urine contained the hormone hCG, a hormone found in the urine of pregnant women, the rabbit would display ovarian changes. The rabbit would indeed need to be killed to have its ovaries inspected, but the death of the rabbit was not the indicator of the results. Later revisions of the test allowed technicians to inspect the ovaries without euthanizing the rabbit.

In Japanese tradition, rabbits live on the Moon where they make mochi - the popular snack of mashed sticky rice. This comes from interpreting the pattern of dark patches on the moon as a rabbit standing on tiptoes on the left working something like a butter churn. A pop culture manifestation of this tradition can be found in the character known as Sailor Moon, whose name is Usagi, Japanese for "rabbit".

In Chinese literature, rabbits also accompany Chang'e on the Moon. Also associated with the Chinese New Year (or Lunar New Year), rabbits are also one of the twelve celestial animals in the Chinese Zodiac for the Chinese calendar. It is interesting to note that the Vietnamese lunar new year replaced the rabbit with a cat in their calendar, since rabbits didn't exist in Vietnam.

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