15 Random Facts About Rabbits

Did you know?

• Rabbits are NOT Rodents (as Once Commonly Thought), but Lagomorphs

Rodents are omnivores with two upper incisors, while Lagomorphs are herbivores with 4 upper incisors.

• Rabbits Have 5 Different Coat Types

The five coat types are Angora, Flyback, Rollback, Rex, and Satin.

• Rabbits Require a Diet of 80%-90% Hay

Rabbits depend on hay for proper digestion to keep their GI tract balanced and teeth worn down.

• Rabbits Can Be Litter Trained

Yup, you read that correctly- your rabbit can be trained to use a litterbox, just like cats!

• Rabbits Have 2 Types of Stool

The first is the standard dropping a rabbit owner will see in the litterbox: small, firm, round and looking like Cocoa Puffs cereal. The second is called a cecotrope, and looks more like a dark, tiny bunch of grapes. Don’t be surprised if you don’t see this type of dropping in your rabbit’s litterbox…. they actually eat these droppings immediately upon making them, allowing food to pass a second time through their systems, pulling even more nutrients from it. This might sound gross, but is actually normal and quite healthy for your pet!

• Rabbits Can Not Vomit

While rabbits are self-groomers like cats, UNLIKE cats they cannot vomit. This means that an abundance of ingested fur cannot be expelled like a cat’s hairball, and instead can cause a very serious condition known as wool block.

• Rabbits Do Not Sweat

…. but they do have sweat glands! These glands are located inside their mouths, but are nearly useless as rabbits breathe through their noses. Instead, rabbits cool themselves using their ears.

• Rabbits Do Not Have Digital Pads on Their Feet

Rabbits are the only land animals with paws that do not have paw pads.

• Rabbits Have a 6 Chambered Ear Canal

Rabbit ears are incredibly unique and complex, and most communication is done through the ears.

• Rabbits Have Scent Glands

Rabbits have two sets of scent glands: one set on their chin, used to mark a person or area as “theirs” (called “chinning”); the other on either side of their anus (these are the ones cleaned during grooming).

• Rabbits Molt Twice a Year

While rabbits shed all year round, they have a full molt twice a year, usually in the spring and fall.

• Female Rabbits Have a Dewlap

The dewlap is a large pocket of fat located beneath the jaw. A female rabbit (doe) will pull hair from this area to line a nest for her future litter.

• Male Rabbits Have a Cremaster Muscle Which Allows Them to Draw Their Testicles Completely Up Into Their Abdominal Cavity to Protect Them

• Male Rabbits Are Called “Bucks”, Females Are Called “Does”, and Babies Are Called “Kits” or “Kittens”

• Rabbits “Binky” When They’re Happy!

When rabbits are exceptionally happy, they’ll zoom around the room, jump into the air, and twist their bodies. It is super adorable and one of the best parts of bunny ownership!