Scientific Classification of Pet Rabbits
The pet rabbit belongs to the following biological classification:
- Kingdom: Animalia (Animals)
- Phylum: Chordata (Chordates)
- Class: Mammalia (Mammals)
- Order: Lagomorpha (Rabbits and Hares)
- Family: Leporidae (Rabbit Family)
- Genus: Oryctolagus (Includes both domestic and wild rabbits)
- Species: Cuniculus (Domestic Rabbit)
Rabbit Blood Types and Classification
Rabbits have unique blood serum types. Based on the presence or absence of hemagglutinins in red blood cell types, the blood serum of domestic rabbits can be classified into four types: α′, β′, α′β′, and O.
Understanding the Physiology of Rabbits (Body Structure)
Rabbits are fascinating creatures with unique physiological features that help them survive and thrive in various environments. Their body structure is adapted for quick movement, keen senses, and efficient digestion.
- Skeletal System: A rabbit's skeleton is lightweight but strong. It supports their powerful hind legs, which enable them to leap great distances quickly. Their flexible spine allows for agility and speed to escape predators.
- Muscular System: The muscles in a rabbit's hind legs are highly developed, providing the strength needed for jumping and running. Front legs are used for digging and holding food.
- Digestive System: Rabbits have a complex digestive system adapted for a diet high in fiber. Their large cecum allows them to ferment tough plant materials efficiently. They also practice coprophagy, which means they eat certain types of their own droppings to extract more nutrients.
- Respiratory and Circulatory Systems: Rabbits have a fast heartbeat and rapid breathing, supporting their active lifestyle. Their respiratory system is well-suited to oxygenate blood efficiently during quick bursts of activity.
- Sensory Organs: Rabbits have large eyes positioned on the sides of their heads, giving them a wide field of vision to spot predators. Their long ears can rotate to detect sounds from different directions, alerting them to danger.
- Reproductive System: Rabbits reproduce quickly and frequently. Their reproductive system is designed for rapid gestation and large litters, which is essential for their survival in the wild.
Understanding the physiology and body structure of rabbits helps us appreciate how these animals are adapted for survival. Their unique features, from strong hind legs to specialized digestion, enable them to live successfully in diverse environments.
Behavioral Characteristics of Laboratory Rabbits
Laboratory rabbits are small and physically weak, timid and easily frightened. They are sensitive to heat and humidity, preferring quiet, clean, dry, and cool environments. They cannot tolerate unhygienic conditions.
Due to their rearing methods, laboratory rabbits may sometimes exhibit defensive behaviors. Typical signs include kicking the cage with their hind legs, biting the cage bars or humans, and when the cage is opened, they may use their front limbs to launch a sudden attack.
Behavior Patterns of Pet Rabbits
Pet rabbits belong to a settlement-type animal group. This means that when rabbits appear in a certain area, there is usually a certain number of rabbit groups nearby. However, unlike bees or ants, they do not live in strong, high-density colonies. Rabbits generally prefer to have their own space. Rabbits with strong territorial instincts, or pregnant females, can display intense territorial aggression. They may attack other rabbits they see as intruders or disliked, sometimes even to the point of killing them.
Rabbits do not have concepts of partners or family. Each young rabbit grows into an independent individual. Upon reaching sexual maturity, rabbits often continue to mate with both vertical relatives (parents and offspring) and horizontal relatives (siblings). Rabbits are crepuscular animals rather than nocturnal. Therefore, they are less active during the day and usually enter a state of light sleep or rest in the afternoon. Their activity levels increase significantly at night.
Rabbits often have habits such as gnawing on wood and digging in the soil.
Pet Rabbit Feeding Habits
Pet rabbits are herbivorous animals with a single-chambered stomach. In the wild, rabbits primarily eat low-fiber, high-protein, and carbohydrate-rich forage plants. However, the principle for feeding laboratory rabbits is to provide high-fiber, low-energy feed as the main diet, supplemented with concentrated feed to prevent the common problem of overeating in laboratory rabbits.
Rabbits have a high water intake requirement. They need to drink at least 120 mL of water per kilogram of body weight each day. When fed a high-fiber diet, their water consumption will increase accordingly.
Special Habit: Coprophagia in Rabbits
Rabbits exhibit the unique trait of coprophagia, meaning they consume their own feces. At night, rabbits excrete a type of soft feces, which is a normal part of their digestive process. This feces contains proteins, vitamins, and mucus synthesized by the cecum.
Rabbits then eat this feces directly from the anus to reabsorb these essential nutrients. Young rabbits during their nursing period also display the behavior of eating their mother's feces. As a result, coccidian oocysts can commonly be detected in the feces of weaned rabbits.
