Our Domestic Rabbits

By Robert J. Russell and Jim A. Stunkard.

Rabbits are the only lagomorphs that have been domesticated. Lagomorphs include primarily rabbits and hares; other members of the group are pikas and coneys. Our domestic type is Oryctolagus cuniculus.

Wild Oryctolagus rabbits do not exist in the United States except for a few islands near the coast of California, although they are numerous in the wild in other continents for example, Europe and Australia. Wild rabbits (cottontails) found in the United States belong to the Sylvilagus genus.

Domestic rabbits are easy to breed and therefore have been domesticated very successfully by humans. Adult females are called does, and adult males bucks. Rabbits are unique animals in that they are kept as pets, raised for fur production, used in research, and serve as a human food source. There are about 100,000 rabbit producers in the United States, who produce over 10 million rabbits per year.

A number of specific breeds and varieties of these breeds based on type, color, and size have been developed, and several associations were formed to assist in organizing breeding efforts. Some of the more popular breeds are the New Zealand White (8 to over 12 lbs. body weight), the Dutch or Dutch Belted (less than 5 lbs.), the Polish (less than 5 lbs.), the Flemish (over 10 lbs.), the Checkered Giant (over 10 lbs.), the Chinchilla, the Lop, and the Rex. Smaller breeds are becoming more popular as pets.

Rabbits often make good house pets and can be trained to use a litter box. They rarely bite, but their powerful hind legs can cause severe scratches if they are not restrained properly. Most rabbits will live to 5 or 6 years of age, and some may live 12 to 15 years. Many publications discussing rabbit raising are available in libraries and bookstores.

Nutrition

Rabbits are monogastric (single stomach) herbivores (plant eaters). They have a very large, well-developed cecum, in which bacterial fermentation occurs, producing night feces (soft fecal pellets) that contain B vitamins, essential amino acids, and other nutrients.

The rabbit practices coprophagy (pseudorumination), that is, eats the nutrient-containing night feces. Fecal eating also permits further digestion of some foodstuffs by this second passage through the digestive tract.

Good quality pelleted rabbit diets are available commercially. Growing rabbits generally require a diet containing 15 percent protein, pregnant does 15 percent, lactating does 18 to 21 percent,and adults on a maintenance diet 12 percent.

Adult rabbits should be fed a high-fiber diet (fiber approximately 20 to 25 percent of the diet) to aid in preventing digestive tract problems. Switching from a low-fiber to a high-fiber diet should be done gradually over a week or more to prevent the rabbit from going off feed.

Adult rabbits (8 to 10 lbs. body weight) consume 125 to 150 grams (4 to 5 ounces) of feed per day, but feed intake should be limited to lower amounts in inactive rabbits. It is best to feed half the daily diet twice each day to help prevent boredom and obesity.

A moderate amount of good quality hay, fruits, and vegetables (kale, carrots, apples) can be fed sparingly as a treat. Greens should be rinsed in a chlorine solution and then rinsed in freshwater before feeding, to aid in disease control.

Housing

Providing adequate housing is extremely important in maintaining good sanitation practices and disease control procedures, and providing for the animals' physiologic and behavioral well-being.

Rabbits usually are maintained indoors, but they also can be held outdoors throughout the year in many parts of the United States if they have adequate shelter. Rabbits housed indoors generally do better at a lower room temperature than most other animals, 65 to 70 F.