Rabbit As Pet

Article source: http://www.petlvr.com/. Used with author's permission.

Rabbits are one of the most popular pets, apart from dogs and cats. They look attractive, lovely, gentle, friendly and cute. They are easy to take care and undemanding in terms of care and housing. They will settle well either indoor or outdoor, at home.

There are 40 species of rabbits and hares worldwide. All domesticated rabbits are originated from European rabbits. The scientific name for domestic rabbit is Oryctolagus cuniculus.

Typically, domesticated rabbits weigh between 2.2-221lb (1-10kg). The domesticated rabbits can be fed on commercially produced rabbit food, pellets, hay, green food, root vegetables, tree bark, herbs and apple.

The gestation period of a rabbit is 31 days and the typical litter size ranges from 6-8 young. The lifespan varies with breed.

Keeping a rabbit as pet requires a good training system to prevent unnecessary destructions or hassle. For example, furniture and carpet chewing problems, pseudo pregnancy symptoms, litter problems, fights, behavioral problems, rabbit-house worries, sickness, fleas, predators and etc. Nevertheless, these challenges can be overcome when the owners have the knowledge and experience to deal with them. Thus, one of the recommended ways to acquire the important knowledge is to read widely and exchange practical information with experienced rabbit owners.

It is important to watch out for any abnormalities in your rabbits as rabbits are susceptible to various digestive ailments and other life-threatening diseases. For example, rabbits are vulnerable to myxomatosis and VHD viruses. These are the killer viruses!

There is no universal system of classification for rabbit breeds. Some popular breeds of rabbits include:

· Alaska
· American Fuzzy Lop
· American Sable
· Angora
· Belgian Hare
· Beveren
· Californian
· Champagne D'Argent
· Checkered Giant
· Chinchilla
· Dutch
· Dwarf Hotot
· English Lop
· Flemish Giant
· Florida White
· Harlequin
· Havana
· Himalayan
· Hotot
· Jersey Wooly
· Lilac
· Holland Lop
· Mini Lop
· Mini Rex
· Netherland Dwarf
· New Zealand
· Palomino
· Polish
· Rex
· Rhinelander
· Satin
· Silver
· Silver Fox
· Silver Marten
· Tan

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