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Rabbit

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Mammals

                   iRabbit
   Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii)
   Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii)
          Scientific classification

   Kingdom: Animalia
   Phylum:  Chordata
   Class:   Mammalia
   Order:   Lagomorpha
   Family:  Leporidae

                                   Genera

   Pentalagus
   Bunolagus
   Nesolagus
   Romerolagus
   Brachylagus
   Sylvilagus
   Oryctolagus
   Poelagus

   Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order
   Lagomorpha, found in many parts of the world. There are seven different
   genera in the family classified as rabbits, including the European
   Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), cottontail rabbits (genus Sylvilagus;
   13 species), and the Amami Rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi, an endangered
   species on Amami Oshima, Japan). There are many other species of
   rabbit, and these, along with cottontails, pikas and hares make up the
   Order Lagomorpha. Rabbits generally live for about 4-10 years.

Differences from hares

   Rabbits are clearly distinguished from hares in that rabbits are
   altricial, having young that are born blind and hairless; all rabbits,
   except the cottontail rabbit, live underground in burrows or warrens.
   Hares are generally bigger, have longer ears and have black markings on
   their fur. They also live in simple nests above the ground, just as the
   cottontail rabbit does, and usually do not live together in groups.
   Also, hares are generally born with hair and are able to see.

Humans' relationship with rabbits

   Humans' relationship with the European or ‘true’ rabbit was first
   recorded by the Phoenicians over 1,000 years BC, when they termed the
   Iberian Peninsula i-shfaním (literally, "the land of the hyraxes").
   This phrase is pronounced absolutely identically in modern Hebrew, i
   (אי) meaning "island" and shafan (שפן) meaning "hyrax", shfaním (שפנים)
   being the plural form. Phoenicians called the local rabbits "hyraxes"
   because hyraxes resemble rabbits in some way, and probably were more
   common than rabbits at that time in their native Levant. Hyraxes, like
   rabbits, are not rodents. The Romans converted the phrase i-shfaním to
   its Latin form, Hispania, and hence the modern word "Spain".

   The European Rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus) is the only species of
   rabbit to be domesticated. All pet breeds of rabbits - such as dwarf
   lops, angoras, etc. - are of this species. However, rabbits and people
   interact in many different ways beyond domestication. Rabbits are an
   example of an animal which is treated as food, pet and pest by the same
   culture.

   When used for food, rabbits are both hunted and raised for meat. Snares
   or guns along with dogs are usually employed when catching wild rabbits
   for food. In many areas rabbits are also raised for meat, a practice
   called cuniculture. Rabbits can then be killed by hitting the back of
   their heads, a practice that lends its name to the " rabbit punch".
   Rabbit pelts are sometimes used as part of accessories, such as scarves
   or hats. Rabbits are also very good producers of manure; their urine,
   being high in nitrogen, makes lemon trees very productive. Their milk
   may also be of great medicinal (see links below) or nutritional benefit
   due to its high protein content.

   There are a number of health issues associated with the use of rabbits
   for meat, one of which is Tularemia or Rabbit Fever. Another is
   so-called rabbit starvation, due most likely to essential amino acid
   deficiencies in rabbit meat and synthesis limitations in human beings.
     * "Altered rabbit milk can help cure disease" by David Pesci
     * "Rabbit milk saves babies", BBC News, 28 July 2000
     * "Human acid alpha-glucosidase from rabbit milk has therapeutic
       effect in mice with glycogen storage disease type II"

Domestic rabbits

   A healthy indoor pet rabbit can live 6-12 years or longer. They enjoy
   throwing around toys and chewing on cardboard. In some instances, they
   can even become friends with cats and dogs. Though they are often caged
   in small areas, when litter trained, they can be free roaming pets
   similar to cats and dogs, often called 'house rabbits'. While
   inexpensive caging can be found, it is important to consider the safety
   of the rabbit when buying a cage. It is very important to provide
   proper ventilation for your rabbit to prevent respiratory problems
   resulting from ammonia build-up. All wire cages are commonly used for
   sanitation and ventilation purposes, as well as the safety of the
   animal, though it must be considered that wire mesh can be painful to a
   rabbit's feet, as well as cause broken toes if their nails get caught
   in the small holes. Some kind of solid flooring is preferable, at least
   on a portion of the cage floor, so the rabbit can rest its feet. Wire
   cages tend to be easier to clean and sanitize than wooden hutches.

   Unless they are being used for breeding, female pet rabbits should be
   spayed, as unspayed rabbits have high incidences of ovarian cancer.
   There are some health and behaviour benefits from the neutering of male
   rabbits as well. If left intact, rabbits may spray urine in order to
   mark territory. Most rabbits can be aggressive towards other rabbits
   unless an effort is made to bond the two over time, spaying/neutering
   both parties may help make this process successful. It is not a good
   idea to simply put two rabbits together in the same cage and assume
   that they will get along. Even normally docile rabbits can become
   violent when left with an unbonded partner.
   Domestic Rabbit
   Enlarge
   Domestic Rabbit

   Unlike cats, rabbits cannot be declawed. Lacking pads on the bottoms of
   their feet, rabbits require their claws for balance, and declawing a
   rabbit will render it unable to stand, permanently crippling it.

   Provided they are well cared for, rabbits can make friendly and playful
   pets. They are widely kept throughout the world, both indoors and out.
   Housed indoors and provided with adequate damage-proofing (especially
   of electrical cables and house plants that may be toxic), rabbits are
   relatively safe from predators, parasites, disease, and temperature
   extremes. Rabbits kept outdoors must be provided with shelter, this
   shelter may be heated in winter (but many rabbits can be kept outside
   with extra bedding even into temperatures below freezing), but must be
   shaded in summer. Domesticated rabbits are most comfortable in
   temperatures between 10 to 21 degrees Celsius (50 to 70 degrees
   Fahrenheit), and cannot endure temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius
   (90 degrees Fahrenheit) without assistance such as fans, frozen water
   bottles, and deep shade.

   A rabbit should be given plenty of clean fresh water and pellets daily.
   Dark green, leafy vegetables may be fed, such as: romaine and escarole
   lettuces; turnip, mustard, and collard greens; kale, parsley, cilantro,
   dandelion and basil. Carrots and fruits should be used sparingly, about
   1Tbs per pound of body weight every other day. Starchy vegetables need
   to be avoided. When giving vegetables to your rabbit for the first
   time, start with one type, then slowly introduce more, until you build
   up to a variety of at least 3 different kinds per serving so that the
   variety keeps your rabbit's interest. When choosing commercial feeds,
   look for those that do not have nuts, as nuts are highly fatty and
   cause health problems, such as fatty liver, in rabbits (nuts are in
   rodent food, and rabbits are not rodents). Once a rabbit is introduced
   to vegetables, it should be fed daily, free choice, along with timothy,
   brome, or oat hay. Pellets should be fed at once ounce per pound of
   body weight per day, as traditionally, pellets have been fed to rabbits
   that were meant to be eaten, and cause rabbits to grow overweight. If a
   rabbit gets pellets, a salt block is not necessary, as pellets are high
   in salt, though these blocks are not harmful to rabbits who like to
   have them occasionally.

   Domestic rabbits should be checked daily as infections and illnesses
   can occur very quickly. The eyes should be clean with no crusts
   evident. Ears also should be clean along with any other part of the
   rabbit. Teeth should not be too long because if they are the rabbit
   cannot eat. Do not attempt to grind or clip a rabbit's teeth; one is
   advised to seek a veterinarian. If you go to the vet, and he or she
   agrees the clipping is needed, ask if the long teeth are an immediate
   threat to the rabbit's health; if not, try going the natural route,
   because once a rabbit's teeth are clipped, they'll need to be clipped
   on a regular basis. A rabbit's teeth can grow up to five inches a year,
   but must be worn down to maintain a healthy bite. While teeth clipping
   is an option, it should be used as a last resort, unless your rabbit
   has malocclusion. If you're concerned about the length of your rabbit's
   teeth, give it a lot of oat hay and several wooden chew toys (branch
   bites from PetCo or PetSmart are good for this. If you are still
   concerned after a week, return to the vet for the teeth clipping. A
   rabbit's whiskers are a major sensory organ and should never be
   clipped.

   Safe handling of rabbits may be taught by rabbit breeders and
   specialists in your area. Never pick a rabbit up by its ears. When
   holding a rabbit, make sure all 4 feet are supported so that the rabbit
   does not kick out, as kicking out can result in a broken back. It is
   good to pick it up with a scooping motion, bringing it to rest on your
   forearm while allowing it to tuck its head into your elbow. When a
   rabbit's eyes are covered it feels safe.

   In the United States, the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA)
   is a valuable resource for both pet and commercial breeders.The ARBA
   recognizes 47 different breeds of domestic rabbits, the Trianta and the
   Mini Satin being the two most recently accepted breeds, having been
   accepted in 2006. In Britain, the British Rabbit Council contains
   valuable information as well.

Environmental problems with rabbits

   Rabbits have also been a source of environmental problems when
   introduced into the wild by humans. Because of their appetites, and the
   rate at which they breed, wild rabbit depredation can prove problematic
   for agriculture. Gassing, barriers (fences), shooting, snaring and
   ferreting have been used to control rabbit populations, but most
   effective are diseases such as myxomatosis (myxo or mixi for short),
   and calicivirus. In Europe, where rabbits are farmed on a large scale,
   they are protected against myxomatosis and calicivirus with a
   genetically modified virus. The virus was developed in Spain, and is
   beneficial to rabbit farmers. If it were to make its way into wild
   populations in areas such as Australia, this could create a population
   boom, since those diseases are the major threats to the rabbits'
   survival. Rabbits in Australia are considered to be such a big problem
   that land owners are legally obligated to control them.

Classification

   Rabbits and hares were formerly classified in the order Rodentia
   (rodent) until 1912, when they were moved into a new order Lagomorpha.
   This order, in addition to containing rabbits and hares, also includes
   the pikas.

   Order Lagomorpha
     * Family Leporidae
          + Genus Pentalagus
               o Amami Rabbit/Ryūkyū Rabbit, Pentalagus furnessi
          + Genus Bunolagus
               o Bushman Rabbit, Bunolagus monticularis
          + Genus Nesolagus
               o Sumatra Short-Eared Rabbit, Nesolagus netscheri
               o Annamite Rabbit, Nesolagus timminsi
          + Genus Romerolagus
               o Volcano Rabbit, Romerolagus diazi
          + Genus Brachylagus
               o Pygmy Rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis
          + Genus Sylvilagus
               o Forest Rabbit, Sylvilagus brasiliensis
               o Dice's Cottontail, Sylvilagus dicei
               o Brush Rabbit, Sylvilagus bachmani
               o San Jose Brush Rabbit, Sylvilagus mansuetus
                 A French lop rabbit
                 Enlarge
                 A French lop rabbit
               o Swamp Rabbit, Sylvilagus aquaticus
               o Marsh Rabbit, Sylvilagus palustris
               o Eastern Cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus
               o New England Cottontail, Sylvilagus transitionalis
               o Mountain Cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii
               o Desert Cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii
               o Omilteme Cottontail, Sylvilagus insonus
               o Mexican Cottontail, Sylvilagus cunicularis
               o Tres Marias Rabbit, Sylvilagus graysoni
          + Genus Oryctolagus
               o European Rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus
          + Genus Poelagus
               o Central African Rabbit, Poelagus marjorita
          + 3 other genera in family, regarded as hares, not rabbits

Naming

   Rabbits are often known affectionately by the pet name bunny or bunny
   rabbit, especially when referring to young, domesticated rabbits.
   Originally the word for an adult rabbit was coney or cony, while rabbit
   referred to the young animals. Coney was abandoned as a term for the
   animal after it was co-opted in the 19th century as a synonym for cunt
   . More recently, the term kit or kitten has been used to refer to a
   young rabbit. Young hares are called leverets, and this term is
   sometimes informally applied to a young rabbit as well. Male rabbits
   are called bucks, females does.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
