Search results
Learn about the taxonomy, biology, ecology, and culture of rabbits, small mammals in the family Leporidae. Find out the differences between rabbits and hares, the diversity of wild and domestic rabbit breeds, and the common diseases and pests of rabbits.
As of 2017, there were at least 305 breeds of the domestic rabbit in 70 countries around the world. [1] . A rabbit breed is a distinct strain created through selective breeding (or occasionally natural selection) for specific characteristics, including size, fur, body type, color, feed conversion ratio, et cetera.
Breed Name [ii]Image [iii]Size [iv]Fur Type [v]Image Archived 4 October 2018 at the ...6 lb (2.7 kg)ShortImage Archived 2 May 2013 at the Wayback ...6 lb (2.7 kg)ShortImage Archived 2 May 2013 at the Wayback ...8–10.5 lb (3.6–4.8 kg)Medium6 lb (2.7 kg)ShortLearn about the diversity and charm of rabbit breeds, from the tiny Netherland Dwarf to the majestic Flemish Giant. See pictures and charts of 100+ rabbit breeds, complete with size, coat type, temperament and more.
- Overview
- Natural history
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
rabbit, any of 29 species of long-eared mammals belonging to the family Leporidae, excluding hares (genus Lepus).
Frequently the terms rabbit and hare are used interchangeably, a practice that can cause confusion. Jackrabbits, for instance, are actually hares, whereas the rockhares and the hispid hare are rabbits. Rabbits differ from hares in size, life history, and preferred habitat. In general, rabbits are smaller and have shorter ears than hares. They are born without fur and with closed eyes after a gestation period of 30–31 days. They prefer habitats composed of trees and shrubs, where they live in burrows dug into the soil. Hares, in contrast, are larger in size, and they are born fully developed with fur and open eyes after a gestation period lasting about 42 days. They prefer open areas such as prairies, where they make their nests in small open depressions.
Rabbits are ground dwellers that live in environments ranging from desert to tropical forest and wetland. Their natural geographic range in the Western Hemisphere encompasses the middle latitudes. In the Eastern Hemisphere rabbits are found in Europe, portions of Central and Southern Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Sumatra, and Japan. The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) has been introduced to many locations around the world, and all breeds of domestic rabbit originate from the European. Nearly half of the world’s rabbit species are in danger of extinction; many are among the most vulnerable of all mammals.
The long ears of rabbits are most likely an adaptation for detecting predators. In addition to their prominent ears, which can measure up to 6 cm (more than 2 inches) long, rabbits have long, powerful hind legs and a short tail. Each foot has five digits (one reduced); rabbits move about on the tips of the digits in a fashion known as digitigrade locomotion. Full-bodied and egg-shaped, wild rabbits are rather uniform in body proportions and stance. The smallest is the pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis), at only 20 cm (7.9 inches) in length and 0.4 kg (0.9 pound) in weight, while the largest grow to 50 cm (19.7 inches) and more than 2 kg (4.4 pounds). The fur is generally long and soft, and its colour ranges through shades of brown, gray, and buff. Exceptions are the black Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) of Japan and two black-striped species from Southeast Asia. The tail is usually a small puff of fur, generally brownish but white on top in the cottontails (genus Sylvilagus) of North and South America.
Britannica Quiz
Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz
While the European rabbit is the best-known species, it is probably also the least typical, as there is considerable variability in the natural history of rabbits. Many rabbits dig burrows, but cottontails and hispid hares do not. The European rabbit constructs the most extensive burrow systems, called warrens. Nonburrowing rabbits make surface nests called forms, generally under dense protective cover. The European rabbit occupies open landscapes such as fields, parks, and gardens, although it has colonized habitats from stony deserts to subalpine valleys. It is the most social rabbit, sometimes forming groups in warrens of up to 20 individuals. However, even in European rabbits social behaviour can be quite flexible, depending on habitat and other local conditions, so that at times the primary social unit is a territorial breeding pair. Most rabbits are relatively solitary and sometimes territorial, coming together only to breed or occasionally to forage in small groups. During territorial disputes rabbits will sometimes “box,” using their front limbs. Rabbits are active throughout the year; no species is known to hibernate. Rabbits are generally nocturnal, and they also are relatively silent. Other than loud screams when frightened or caught by a predator, the only auditory signal known for most species is a loud foot thump made to indicate alarm or aggression. A notable exception is the volcano rabbit (Romerolagus diazi) of Mexico, which utters a variety of calls.
Instead of sound, scent seems to play a predominant role in the communication systems of most rabbits; they possess well-developed glands throughout their body and rub them on fixed objects to convey group identity, sex, age, social and reproductive status, and territory ownership. Urine is also used in chemical communication (see animal communication). When danger is perceived, the general tendency of rabbits is to freeze and hide under cover. If chased by a predator, they engage in quick, irregular movement, designed more to evade and confuse than to outdistance a pursuer. Skeletal adaptations such as long hind limbs and a strengthened pelvic girdle enable their agility and speed (up to 80 km [50 miles] per hour).
Special offer for students! Check out our special academic rate and excel this spring semester!
Learn More
Rabbits must consume plant material in large quantities to ensure proper nutrition, and thus they have large digestive tracts. Their diet, consisting primarily of grasses and forbs (herbs other than grasses), contains large amounts of cellulose, which is hard to digest. Rabbits solve this problem by passing two distinctive types of feces: hard droppings and soft black viscous pellets, the latter of which are immediately eaten (see coprophagy). Chewed plant material collects in the large cecum, a secondary chamber between the large and small intestine containing large quantities of symbiotic bacteria that aid in the digestion of cellulose and also produce certain B vitamins. The soft feces form here and contain up to five times the vitamins of hard feces. After being excreted, they are eaten by the rabbit and redigested in a special part of the stomach. This double-digestion process enables rabbits to utilize nutrients that they may have missed during the first passage through the gut and thus ensures that maximum nutrition is derived from the food they eat.
Most rabbits produce many offspring (kittens) each year, although scarcity of resources may cause this potential to be suppressed. A combination of factors allows the high rates of reproduction commonly associated with rabbits. Rabbits generally are able to breed at a young age, and many regularly conceive litters of up to seven young, often doing so four or five times a year. In addition, females (does) exhibit induced ovulation, their ovaries releasing eggs in response to copulation rather than according to a regular cycle. They can also undergo postpartum estrus, conceiving immediately after a litter has been born.
Learn about rabbits, any of 29 species of long-eared mammals belonging to the family Leporidae, excluding hares. Find out how rabbits differ from hares in size, life history, and habitat, and explore their diversity, distribution, and conservation status.
- Riverine Rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) The Riverine Rabbit boasts a distinct appearance, with its well-fitted coat of brown and beige contrasting its white underbelly.
- Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) The Pygmy Rabbit is distinctively cute and incredibly tiny, with an average weight of just one pound and an approximate length of 10 inches, making it the smallest rabbit species in North America.
- Amami Rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) The Amami rabbit, native to Japan, is a unique species with a stocky build and dark fur. Growing up to 20 inches long, this uncommon rabbit has small, rounded ears and a slightly elongated snout.
- Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) The Eastern Cottontail displays distinct grey-brown guard hairs and a signature cotton ball tail, earning its common name.
Learn about more than 60 domestic rabbit breeds, their traits, colors, sizes, and personalities. Find out which breeds are best for pets, shows, or children.
Learn about the general characteristics and species of rabbits, such as their long ears, short tail, and continuously growing incisors. Find out how they feed, reproduce, and live in different habitats and burrows.
