| Species | Small Mammal |
|---|---|
| Origin | Netherlands |
| Size Category | Small |
| Scientific Name | Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus |
| Category | Lagomorph |
| Original Purpose | Companion/Show |
| Husbandry Difficulty | Beginner |
| Social Needs | High |
| Weight Range | 1.4–1.8 kg |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | 7–12 years |
| Juvenile Stage Ends | 6 months |
| Senior Age Threshold | 7 years |
| Exercise Needs | High - minimum 3-4 hours free-roam daily; binkying indicates happiness |
|---|---|
| Grooming | Weekly brushing; more during seasonal molts; nail trims every 4-6 weeks |
| Annual Exam Focus | Dental check (malocclusion common in brachycephalic breeds), ear canal inspection (lop ears trap moisture), GI motility |
| Routine Care | Unlimited hay (80% diet); fresh greens daily; litter box cleaning; nail trims; ear checks for wax buildup |
| Condition | Onset Stage | Risk | Hereditary | Screening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Malocclusion | juvenile | high | Yes | Recommended |
| Ear Infections (Otitis) | adult | high | No | Recommended |
| GI Stasis | adult | high | No | N/A |
| Pasteurella (Snuffles) | adult | medium | No | N/A |
| E. cuniculi | adult | medium | No | Recommended |
| Splay Leg | juvenile | low | Yes | N/A |
| Risk Level | Medium |
|---|---|
| Ideal BCS | 3/9 |
| Visual Cues | Dewlap should be small and firm; ribs palpable; no fatty deposits around hindquarters |
| Daily Activity | 60 minutes |
| Caloric Notes | Unlimited timothy hay; 1/4 cup pellets per 2 lbs body weight; fresh greens daily |
| Litter Size | 2–6 |
|---|---|
| Dystocia Risk | Medium |
| CHIC Required Tests | N/A |
| Recommended DNA Tests | N/A |
| Neonatal Weight | 30–60 g |
|---|---|
| Growth Notes | Eyes open 10-12 days; ears lop at 4-8 weeks; weaning 6-8 weeks; full size by 6-7 months |
| Vaccine/Health Schedule | RHDV2 vaccine recommended; Myxomatosis vaccine (where available) |
| Temperature | 15-22°C (60-72°F); heat-sensitive above 27°C |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 40-60% |
| UVB Requirement | Not required; benefit from natural light cycles |
| Diet | 80% unlimited timothy hay; 15% fresh leafy greens; 5% quality pellets; unlimited water |
| Common Issues | Dental disease, ear infections, GI stasis, respiratory infections, E. cuniculi, heatstroke |
| Anxiety Proneness | Medium |
|---|---|
| Top Triggers | Predator presence (overhead shadows), loud noises, unfamiliar environments, being picked up |
| Separation Anxiety Risk | High |
| Calming Interventions | Bonded companion rabbit, consistent routine, ground-level interaction, hiding spaces |
| Enrichment Needs | Digging boxes, tunnels, platforms, foraging toys, cardboard castles, varied hay types |
| Cognitive Dysfunction Risk | Low |
| Sociability Score | 8/10 |
| Locomotion | Binkying (joy jumps), zoomies, digging, chinning objects (scent marking) |
|---|---|
| Social | Highly social; bonds with humans and other rabbits; mutual grooming (allogrooming); thumping for alarm |
| Comfort | Flopping on side (extreme relaxation), tooth purring, loafing position, grooming |
| Stress/Displacement | Thumping, hiding, aggression, over-grooming, GI stasis triggered by stress |
| Breed-Specific | Compact body with characteristic lop ears; playful and affectionate; prone to "attitude" (hormonal behavior if unspayed) |
| Types | Tooth purring (contentment), thumping (alarm/displeasure), screaming (extreme pain/fear), grunting (territorial), honking (excitement) |
|---|---|
| Frequency Range | 100-2,000 Hz for audible; thumping is percussive |
| Tendency | Medium |
| Primary Modality | Body language primary (ear position, body posture, tail); scent marking (chinning); thumping; vocalizations secondary |
| Tail/Body Signals | Tail up = alert/happy; tail down = relaxed; rapid tail flicking = annoyance |
| Top Problems | Territorial aggression (if unspayed/unneutered), destructive chewing, litter box regression, thumping |
|---|---|
| Medical Etiology | Dental pain causing food selectivity; ear infection causing head tilt; GI pain causing hunched posture |
| Fear/Anxiety Etiology | Thumping, hiding, freezing, screaming (extreme); may kick powerfully if restrained |
| Frustration Etiology | Cage aggression if confined; destructive chewing of furniture/cables; digging at carpets |
| Learned Behavior | Litter training; coming when called; nudging for attention; circling feet (affection/hormones) |
| Cognitive Dysfunction | Elderly rabbits may show reduced activity, confusion, incontinence |
| AI-Trainable Signals | Ear position (lop ears less mobile but still signal), body posture (loaf=relaxed, hunched=pain), tooth grinding (loud=pain, soft=contentment) |
|---|---|
| Context-Dependent Vocalizations | Thumping may be alarm (predator detected) or displeasure (routine disrupted) - environmental context needed |
| Interspecies Communication | Strong human bonding; recognizes individual humans; responds to name; initiates affection |