Rabbits

All About Rabbits

Rabbits are small mammals with , whiskers and distinctive long ears fluffy, short tails. There are more than 30 species around the world, and while they live in many different environments, they have many things in common.
Rabbits generally live for 5-8 years depending on their environment and breed, but they can live for as long as 12 years. If you decide to purchase a rabbit, ensure you are prepared to care for them that long.

Diet

Rabbits are herbivores and only eat plant material. Their natural diet consists generally of young leaves from plants/bushes, grasses, weeds, plant bulbs and sometimes the bark from bushes and trees.
Rabbits need to eat small amounts frequently. Approximately 30 feeds, of 2-8g of food, each day is normal. Pet rabbits must be fed a high fibre diet to help maintain their body and teeth health. Rabbits’ teeth are constantly growing and need to be continually worn down by eating.
Their diet must consist of unlimited access to grass hay and/or grass. If you are keeping you rabbit inside most of the time or they do not have access to grass for several hours a day you can use grass hay as an alternative fibre source. Lawn clippings must not be fed as they ferment rapidly and cause digestive upset in your rabbit.
Fresh green vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce, broccoli and celery should be included in their daily diet – approximately 2 cups a day. BUT, fresh green vegetables must not be their only source of food, the fibre content is too low. Rabbits must be provided a high fibre diet.

Habitat

While originally from Europe and Africa, rabbits are now found all over the world. They occupy most of the world’s land masses, except for southern South America, the West Indies, Madagascar, and most islands southeast of Asia, according to ADW. Although originally absent from South America, Australia, New Zealand, Java, rabbits have been introduced to these locations during the last few centuries.
Domestic rabbits need a regulated environment to protect against heat exhaustion or hypothermia. Wild rabbits don’t have this problem and make their homes in various temperature extremes. Wild rabbits can be found in woods, forests, meadows, grasslands, deserts, tundra and wetlands. 
Wild rabbits create their own homes by tunneling into the ground. These tunnel systems are called warrens and include rooms for nesting and sleeping. They also have multiple entrances for quick escape. Warrens can be as deep as 9.84 feet (3 meters) underground, according to the Young People’s Trust for the Environment.

Behaviour

Rabbits are social animals who require companionship. They are playful and inquisitive and require the stimulation of other rabbits or humans and their environment. They are active animals that need to exercise and play regularly. Ensuring your rabbit is adequately stimulated is an important aspect of caring for your rabbit. This can be achieved through environmental enrichment.
Rabbits are most active during the early morning, late afternoon and evening. This is the best time for you to interact with your rabbit.
Scent is an important means of communication for rabbits.
Rabbits are a prey species, this means that they are the animals that other animals catch and eat! Therefore, rabbits have a natural inclination to hide from things that scare them. Your rabbit’s environment must cater for this. You need to provide them with places in their enclosure to hide.
It is natural for rabbits to chew on things (it keeps their teeth in good health), nest (create nests using their own fur, hay and other materials they find lying around), thump their back feet, and play with objects.
If you notice a rapid change in your rabbits behaviour such as hiding, aggression when you try to touch or pick them up, excessive cage or object chewing, over grooming, changes in feeding or toileting, playing with water bottles or over drinking, or repeated circling of enclosure you should contact your veterinarian. You rabbit may be in pain or suffering from stress.