Domestic rabbits are derived from the wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus. They became popular as pets in the 19th century and are now considered the third most popular pet in Europe.
\nThey are nice and cute animals that are easy to live with humans, need little care and little space for maintenance, so many people have opted for this type of pet.<\/p>\n
They are social animals, living in stable groups of 6 – 8 rabbits, with a marked hierarchy. Males often fight for dominance and females become aggressive to defend their territory. They use urine and feces for marking. They are preferably nocturnal and are most active between dusk and dawn, although they often come out to play and eat during the day. They maintain a permanent state of alert because they are prey.
\nThey are strict herbivores and like the soft and succulent parts of plants, so they graze and cecotrophy. The incisors and molars are arradicular, so as they do not have roots, the teeth have a continuous growth.
\nThey molt twice a year, in spring and in autumn.<\/p>\n
The average life span of the domestic rabbit is between 5 – 10 years.
\nAccording to their size and weight they can be divided into:
\n– Dwarf breeds: 800 and 2kg
\n– Medium breeds: 2- 3 kg
\n– Giant breeds: 3 – 10 kg (giant Flanders rabbits)
\nTheir body temperature is between 38 and 39.5\u00baC being very sensitive to heat as they are not able to sweat and eliminate little heat with salivation and panting. They use their large ears to control temperature, which represent 12% of the body surface.<\/p>\n\n