Five Fun Facts About Rabbits

Five Fun Facts About Rabbits

Many of us will celebrate Easter this weekend and no animal is more synonymous with Easter than the rabbit.  While bunnies are out and about all year long in Pennsylvania, they are most often associated with spring.  Today, we’ll learn some fun facts about our favorite cute and fuzzy bunnies!

•  Rabbits are not rodents but rather part of the lagomorph family which also includes hares and pikas. They have 2 sets of upper incisors instead of one like a rodent.  Male rabbits are known as bucks, females are does and their babies are called kits.
• With eyes set wide on each side of their heads, this affords rabbits a nearly 360 view around them to make sure they can avoid predators.
• A rabbit’s teeth grow constantly and can grow up to five inches a year!  Wild rabbits eat enough roughage to constantly grind their teeth down but pet rabbits sometimes have dental problems due to lack of hay or other foodstuffs to wear them down.  Make sure your pet bunny has plenty of roughage to chew on!
• Those long rabbit ears have a dual purpose: hearing, of course, is the number one function. Bunnies can hear sounds up to two miles away!  But, the large surface area, thin skin and blood vessels of a rabbit’s ears also allow them to cool down on a hot day.
• Baby bunnies or kits often nurse only once a day. So, if you find a nest of rabbits with no mother around, it does not mean the babies have been abandoned.  If you are concerned that the babies are not being cared for, you can place some light sticks/grass or string over the nest then check it the next day to see if it has been disturbed.

Rabbits can make fun and loving pets, but please resist the urge to buy a bunny for Easter. Many bunnies end up in shelters this time of year.  Unless you are fully committed to feeding, caring for and providing veterinary care for a rabbit for the next 8-12 years do not buy rabbits as Easter pets.

Patton Veterinary Hospital wishes you and your pets a very Happy Easter and Passover season!

Stay healthy and stay safe!

This blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding communities.

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/557234/facts-about-rabbits