| Species | Small Mammal |
|---|---|
| Origin | Netherlands |
| Size Category | Tiny |
| Scientific Name | Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus |
| Category | Lagomorph |
| Original Purpose | Companion/Show |
| Husbandry Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Social Needs | High |
| Weight Range | 0.8–1.1 kg |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | 7–12 years |
| Juvenile Stage Ends | 5 months |
| Senior Age Threshold | 7 years |
| Exercise Needs | High - energetic despite small size; needs space to binky and run |
|---|---|
| Grooming | Weekly brushing; more during molts; nail trims monthly |
| Annual Exam Focus | Dental (severe malocclusion risk due to brachycephalic skull), weight, respiratory |
| Routine Care | Unlimited hay; daily greens; dental monitoring; careful handling due to small size and fragile bones |
| Condition | Onset Stage | Risk | Hereditary | Screening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Malocclusion | juvenile | very high | Yes | Recommended |
| GI Stasis | adult | high | No | N/A |
| Upper Respiratory Infections | adult | medium | No | N/A |
| Peanut Lethal Gene | neonatal | medium | Yes | Recommended |
| Spinal Injuries | adult | medium | No | N/A |
| Risk Level | Medium |
|---|---|
| Ideal BCS | 3/9 |
| Visual Cues | Compact round body is breed standard but should not be fat; ribs palpable |
| Daily Activity | 45 minutes |
| Caloric Notes | Unlimited timothy hay; very small pellet portion (1-2 tbsp); daily greens |
| Litter Size | 2–4 |
|---|---|
| Dystocia Risk | High |
| CHIC Required Tests | N/A |
| Recommended DNA Tests | Peanut gene carrier testing |
| Neonatal Weight | 20–40 g |
|---|---|
| Growth Notes | Very small kits; "peanuts" (dwarf gene homozygous) die within days; full size by 4-5 months |
| Vaccine/Health Schedule | RHDV2; Myxomatosis (where available) |
| Temperature | 15-22°C (60-72°F) |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 40-60% |
| UVB Requirement | Not required |
| Diet | 80% timothy hay; limited pellets; fresh greens; avoid excess calcium |
| Common Issues | Severe dental disease, GI stasis, respiratory infections, spinal fractures, peanut gene lethality |
| Anxiety Proneness | High |
|---|---|
| Top Triggers | Being picked up (fragile), loud noises, predator shapes, unfamiliar handling |
| Separation Anxiety Risk | High |
| Calming Interventions | Ground-level bonding, quiet environment, companion rabbit, consistent gentle approach |
| Enrichment Needs | Tunnels, platforms (low - avoid falls), foraging mats, safe chew toys, hiding houses |
| Cognitive Dysfunction Risk | Low |
| Sociability Score | 6/10 |
| Locomotion | Binkying, zoomies, periscoping (standing on hind legs), digging |
|---|---|
| Social | Social but can be more skittish/independent than larger breeds; bonds strongly once trusting |
| Comfort | Flopping, tooth purring, loafing, chinning |
| Stress/Displacement | Thumping, hiding, aggression, teeth grinding (loud) |
| Breed-Specific | Spunky personality despite tiny size; can be more nervous/reactive than larger breeds; "big attitude in small package" |
| Types | Tooth purring, thumping, grunting, occasional honking, screaming (rare/extreme) |
|---|---|
| Frequency Range | 100-2,000 Hz |
| Tendency | Medium |
| Primary Modality | Body language primary; thumping; scent marking; vocalizations for emphasis |
| Tail/Body Signals | Small cotton tail - up when alert/happy, down when resting |
| Top Problems | Skittishness, nipping, territorial behavior, dental-pain-related food refusal |
|---|---|
| Medical Etiology | Dental pain (very common) causing drooling, food selectivity, weight loss |
| Fear/Anxiety Etiology | Bolting, thumping, biting; fragile spine means panicked kicking can cause self-injury |
| Frustration Etiology | Cage aggression; territorial lunging; destructive behavior if bored |
| Learned Behavior | Can be litter trained; learns routine; food-motivated training possible |
| Cognitive Dysfunction | Age-related decline in activity and appetite |
| AI-Trainable Signals | Ear position (erect ears very expressive), eye shape (half-closed=relaxed, wide=alert/scared), body tension |
|---|---|
| Context-Dependent Vocalizations | Small size means subtle signals easily missed; requires close observation |
| Interspecies Communication | Bonds deeply once trust established but initial taming requires patience; more handler-selective |