Rabbits

1. Rabbits

2. Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae Genus: Oryctolagus Species: cunniculus

3. General Info • - The main difference between rabbits and rodents is that rabbits have 4 upper incisor teeth, whereas rodents have 2 chisel-like incisor teeth. • - Rabbits date back to 1100 BC along the coast of Spain. • Domestication of the rabbit is given to French monks of the Middle Ages. They were used for: meat, research, fur/wool, and as pets. • Rabbit meat has the following advantages: high in protein, low in cholesterol, low in fat, low in sodium, very palatable. Rabbit meat is primarily a white meat that’s very fine in texture and has a very low fiber content (making it easily digestible). Italy, Germany, France and Spain are world’s largest producers and consumers of rabbits.

4. The number of rabbits used in research projects in the US reached a high of about 554,000 in 1987. The number has declined since due to public protest and the development of alternative methods for doing research. • Rabbits have been used in the Draize Eye Test, which has been used by many companies to test cosmetics. Rabbits don’t have tear ducts and can’t shed tears to dilute chemicals or products put into their eyes. • Skin irritation tests have also been used with rabbits. A small patch of fur is removed along the back of the animal, and the product being tested is applied to the bare area to note any irritations or reactions. • Rabbit fur is divided into 4 types: normal, rex, angora and satin. Each type of fur can be used in the manufacture of clothing, toys, coats, hats, and gloves. White is the preferred color because it can be used to match almost any type of animal fur.

5. REX FUR: short, with guard hairs being the same length; hair stands up straight at a right angle to the skin. This combination gives the fur a very soft, plush characteristic. ANGORA: rabbit wool. Softer, finer, warmer and much lighter in weight than sheep wool. Rabbit wool doesn’t cause the irritation and isn’t as scratchy as sheep’s wool. Value of Angora wool depends on its thickness, quality, and length. The English Angora rabbits produce the finest-quality wool; these rabbits produce 8-17 ounces of wool per year and command the highest prices. SATIN FUR: mutation that first appeared in the 1930s. Has a smaller diameter and a transparent outer shell, which gives a more intense appearance to the color. The transparent shell also gives the fur its sheen, luster, and slick appearance.

6. Power Point Assignment: There are about 70 different breeds of domestic rabbits divided into 5 weight categories: dwarf (miniature), small, medium, large, and giant. Select one breed of rabbit from each of the weight categories to present to the class. You should include: photo, characteristics, coloring, weight, nutrition, diet, grooming, handling, and housing. Be sure to include the sites where you found the info! Remember to include your name on the title slide and save a copy to the HS Drop Box Folder, Wright, and then Pre-Vet folder. Name your PowerPoint your first and last name!

7. Rabbit Anatomy

8. Rabbit Skeleton

9. Housing Houses used to keep rabbits are referred to as hutches. Wire cages are recommended for most rabbits; over 12 pounds should be kept on solid wood floors to prevent sore hocks. Can be raised outside year round and can stand extremely cold temperatures as long as they’re out of the wind. Temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit become difficult for rabbits to tolerate.

10. FEEDING • Galvanized-metal self-feeders are the easiest to use and prevent a lot of waste. Other types of feeders can be used, such as ceramic or plastic bowls. • The easiest way to feed rabbits is to use one of the commercially prepared pellet-type feeds. • Green lettuce or other types of leafy green vegetables should not be fed to rabbits, especially young ones. The green, leafy vegetables have a high water content and cause diarrhea and dehydration because the rabbits cease to drink water. • Clean, fresh water should always be available to rabbits; especially during the warm summer months.

11. Coprophagy Term associated with eating of fecal matter. Rabbits consume their own feces. Fecal matter is of two types: a hard, dry type that’s normally seen in cage under wire flooring; and a soft form that rabbits consume as it’s being expelled. Because this type is normally consumed at night, it’s often referred to as “night feces.” Coprophagy allows rabbits to recover nutrients that were unabsorbed during the first pass through the digestive tract.

12. Handling When handling, one hand slips in under chest and belly. Place other hand behind the rabbit. Remove it from cage tail first to prevent the rabbit’s legs from getting caught in the cage. If the animal feels secure and comfortable, it won’t struggle or try to escape. The head of the rabbit can be tucked in under the arm toward the elbow of the arm that’s being used to support the rabbit. Correct restraint is important because a frightened rabbit can kick hard enough to fracture its own spine. When setting a rabbit down, one must do so gently and slowly, letting the animal see where it’s going so that it won’t get frightened. The handler should set the rabbit down, hind end first.

13. Reproduction Sexually mature at 4-8 months, depending on breed. No regular heat cycle. In nature, the female rabbit becomes sexually active based on the length of day and temperature. To mate a doe, she should be placed in the female’s cage. Gestation is 30-32 days. Kindling is the term used for the birth process in rabbits. Young eyes will open at 12-14 days; at 4-8 weeks, the litter can be weaned.

14. Disease & Ailments Enteritis Tyzzer’s Disease Coccidiosis Snuffles Wry Neck Entertoxemia Mastitis Weepy Eye Papillomatosis Syphilis Ringworm Ear Mite Pinworms Wet Dewlap Fur Chewing Hutch Burn Sore Hocks Malocclusion Infectious Myxomatosis www.rabbits.comwww.rabbitweb.net