In the wild, rabbits have plenty to keep them occupied, from
foraging to reproduction to territorial defence. Captive rabbits, on the other
hand, often lack stimulation, which can lead to behavioural problems and poor
health.
Facts about
rabbits:
·
Rabbits have an excellent sense of smell, hearing and vision.
They have nearly 360° panoramic vision, allowing them to detect predators from
all directions. They can see everything behind them and only have a small
blind-spot in front of their nose.
·
Rabbits have extremely strong hind limbs which allow them to
leap great distances. They can jump up to one metre high and three metres long.
·
Rabbits are territorial animals which live in loosely organised
social groups. They live in warrens comprising of an intricate series of
underground tunnels with different entrances and exits.
·
When rabbits ‘binky’, this is an expression of joy. They will
run, jump into the air, twist their body and flick their feet.
·
Rabbits are affectionate social animals that enjoy the company
of other rabbits. They will perform allogrooming where two individuals will
simultaneously groom each other.
·
Although typically very quiet, rabbits do communicate vocally,
with varying types of vocalisations communicating different messages, e.g. low
humming when running around an individual is a signal of affection.
·
Rabbits stand upright on their hind legs to give themselves a
better vantage point to look for predators. They alert other rabbits to the
presence of danger by thumping their hind legs.
·
For the last 60 years rabbits have been increasingly commonly
kept as pets in the UK and other countries. In the last ten years there has
been an especially big increase in the UK making them the nation's third most
popular furry pet. In 2010 about 1 million rabbits were kept as pets. However,
before taking on the commitment of caring for a rabbit as a pet consideration
should be given to whether its physical and emotional needs can be met.
Properly caring for an animal as a pet can have significant time and cost
implications. For example caring for a rabbit is likely to cost more
than £3,000 over the course of its lifetime.
·
People often think rabbits are very easy to look after and that
all they need to do is pop them in a hutch in the garden and feed and clean
them when needed. However, this is actually very far from the truth. Nowadays,
we have a far greater understanding of rabbits and there are a few things we
need to recognise in order to keep them happy. Rabbits expressing aggressive
behaviour toward people and other pets often indicates they are in distress and
suffering emotionally. There are many ways to improve the lives of rabbits kept
as pets:
·
Rabbits should be kept in pairs. Companionship is key to the
welfare of rabbits – without the company of another neutered rabbit they get
lonely and bored. In the wild, rabbits are social creatures, a fact that
doesn’t change just because they are kept as pets.
·
Rabbits need an appropriate diet. Fibre, in the form of hay and
grass, is the most vital food for rabbits – it’s essential for their digestive
health, and they can die without it. Whilst a small daily amount of green veg
is good, a diet based solely on vegetables, fruit and carrots does not provide
all the nutrients that rabbits need, leaving them malnourished.
·
Rabbits kept as pets should be offered shelter and hiding places
- rabbits confined to open spaces with no protection will feel threatened.
Predators such as dogs may also scare prey species such as rabbits.
·
In the wild, rabbits have plenty to keep them occupied, from
foraging to reproduction to territorial defence. Captive rabbits, on the other
hand, often lack stimulation, which can lead to behavioural problems and poor
health. Much like humans, they need to be kept physically and mentally active. A
rabbit’s natural environment can be imitated by providing enrichment such
as tunnels and platforms for climbing, tree stumps, twigs, suitable toys,
and places to hide such as cardboard boxes.
·
Digging is an innate and favourite pastime of rabbits, both wild
and domesticated. By providing digging substitutes, such as a sand or
earth pit, rabbits kept as pets will be able to dig away without damaging your
garden or escaping.
·
Just like humans, rabbits become bored if their environments
remain the same, so can benefit from variety and occasional change of scenery.
However, too much change can have adverse effects. A wild rabbit’s survival
depends on an intimate knowledge of its surroundings in order to escape from
predators, so structural changes to the “warren” of a rabbit kept as
a pet should be kept subtle, such as changing their toys and regularly
providing new ones.
·
It’s incredibly beneficial for rabbits kept as pets to start
interacting with people, other rabbits and also other pets such as cats and
dogs from an early age. Familiarity with other species will help rabbits
develop into friendly and confident adults. Exposing them to normal everyday
sights and sounds is also important, so they’re relaxed and happy in their
environments.
·
Not many people know that rabbits can be trained. Those kept as
pets can really benefit from reward-based training. For example, they
can be trained to exercise and go over small jumps, which in turn is great for
their health. Being active reduces the risk of rabbits becoming overweight and
even obese, as well as providing physical and mental stimulation.
·
The gentle timid nature of rabbits saw them used by many
Renaissance artists representing purity and the unquestioning faith in
religion, for example Titian’s Madonna with Rabbit (1530).
·
Rabbits have long been recognized as symbols of fertility and
rebirth, hence their association with spring and Easter.
·
The rabbit is one of the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac. It
represents graciousness, kindness, sensitivity, compassion, tenderness and
elegance.
·
Rabbits are viewed as pests by some farmers. They are often
shot and caught in snares.
·
Rabbits are used in experiments to test cosmetics in Europe.
·
Rabbits are used in experiments in the UK.
