If you spend much time on sanctuary grounds, you know that residents have complex and fascinating personalities and quirks. However, many people have never had the opportunity to experience all the amazing things that make residents unique for themselves. We have created a series of articles compiling fun and fascinating facts about residents to share with supporters and the general public. RabbitsUnless explicitly mentioned, we are referring to domesticated rabbit breeds, not wild rabbits, who may have unique needs not covered by this resource. are amazing beings who deserve to be better known!
10 Fun Facts About Rabbits:
- Did you know that rabbits sometimes “binky” or “dance” when they are really happy? It’s true! A binky is when they jump into the air and twist around!
- A rabbit’s teeth never stop growing! So they have to keep those chompers chomping to keep them nice and trim.
- If you could guess another animal that is similar to rabbits in many ways, who would they be? If you guessed horses, you’re right! Horses and rabbits are similar in their digestive needs, as well as how they make use of their eyes and ears. They have sensitive digestive systems that have very particular needs to keep them happy and healthy! And just like rabbits, a horse’s teeth also grow most of their lives and are ground down when they eat.
- What sound might a rabbitUnless explicitly mentioned, we are referring to domesticated rabbit breeds, not wild rabbits, who may have unique needs not covered by this resource. make when they are feeling content and happy? Surprisingly many people refer to the contented sound a rabbit makes as a purr, similar to a cat! However, the sound is created by a rabbit friend lightly grinding their teeth. They may also grind their teeth when they don’t feel well, but it’s generally louder and the context of the specific situation will help you know the difference.
- Guess what isn’t part of a rabbit’s normal diet? Carrots! While they can have and enjoy a small amount of carrots, too many carrots can cause health issues for our rabbit friends.
- When you think of the general size of a rabbit, what do you picture? Did you know that the largest rabbits are the Flemish Giants, who can weigh over 14 pounds, and the smallest are Netherland Dwarfs, weighing as little as 1.8 pounds! That is quite a range in size!
- The placement of a rabbit’s eyes (on the side of their head, placed up high) allow a rabbit to see almost 360 degrees around them! This also allows them to see well above them. This trait is very useful in keeping a rabbit safe from predators. However, the placement of their eyes gives them a small blind spot directly in front of them.
- When a rabbit looks at a rainbow, what might they see? Some studies have indicated that while rabbits do not possess the necessary eye equipment (cones) in their eyes to see many varied colors, they do seem to possess the cones for blues and greens! Though how they perceive these colors likely varies from how we see those colors. Everyone has their own perspective!
- Rabbits are clever and can learn cues that indicate a positive event is about to take place, such as understanding that when a bell rings three times, a treat will be forthcoming. They can also learn to solve puzzles, allowing them to get to their desired treats!
- And last but not least, rabbits communicate in many ways with sounds and body language. They also communicate through scent marking, and have a number of scent glands located on different parts of their bodies. There are scent glands under their chins, and they can be observed “chinning,” or rubbing their chin on people and objects in their environment! This scenting is quite similar to what you may see a domesticatedAdapted over time (as by selective breeding) from a wild or natural state to life in close association with and to the benefit of humans cat doing around the house. This is them marking this area as their own!
Well we hope you enjoyed learning these fun rabbit facts. There are certainly many more out there that you can share with visitors and the public, highlighting how wonderful rabbits truly are!
Infographic: Fun Facts About Rabbits
Looking to share this information in an accessible way with other sanctuaries and supporters? Check out and share our infographic below!
Fun Facts About Rabbits by Amber D Barnes
SOURCES:
Interesting Facts About Rabbits | MSPCA Angell
