These days, rabbits are popular as pets, not only with children but also with adults! It is famous for its very cute appearance and gestures.
It is one of the most familiar animals to us that we can easily meet at zoos and rabbit cafes in the city.
But did you know that there is actually an unexpected side to her that is hard to imagine from such a cute figure?
Let’s take a quick peek at the personality and unexpected secrets of such rabbits!

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～ Basic information. ～

Lagomorpha-Leporidae-Subfamily rabbit（Subfamily hare.）

Length：34～50cm.
Weight：1～2.5kg（In the case of rabbits.）

Rabbits live mainly in green grasslands and forested areas, but they also live in semi-desert areas and snowy areas, so you can see rabbits almost all over the world except Madagascar.

They have long ears and a short tail, and their back legs are basically longer than their front legs, which makes them very good at jumping. Today, rabbits, which are familiar as pets, are thought to have originated from the domestication of “european rabbit”.

Rabbits have other characteristics besides their ears, and they have teeth that will continue to grow for the rest of their lives. By the way, hamsters and squirrels are friends who have the same teeth.

And when you think of rabbits, you think of them running around everywhere. By the way, in the case of wild rabbits, they can run at a whopping 60km/h.

However, this is only a temporary speed, and it is impossible to keep running at 60km/h all the time. For this reason, rabbits are good at short-distance running.

While rabbits have a cute appearance, they are surprisingly territorial animals, especially males, who attack and try to drive out other males who have entered their territory in the wild.

In nature, rabbits can still escape to other places, but in the case of captive rabbits, they have a fixed living space, so if they are attacked, they cannot escape even if they want to. If this happens, the weak male will continue to be attacked, and in the worst case scenario, he may die.

The appearance of rabbits is almost the same for both males and females, so it is difficult to tell them apart in an instant. Basically, it is distinguished by the difference in the reproductive organs on the inside of the stomach.Specifically, the distance between the anus and reproductive organs of males is far, while that of females is close.

If you have a chance to come into contact with rabbits at the zoo, it might be easier to understand if you compare them. Also, depending on the breed, females may weigh more.

Rabbits do not have a fixed breeding season, and are animals that can become pregnant and give birth throughout the year. The gestation period is short, about one month, and each birth produces four to eight children. The lifespan was about 6 to 8 years, and some rabbits lived as long as 18 years.

Animals that are popular as pets.

Rabbits lived as herbivores, so if you keep them at home, they may hide in the back of the room or in the crevices of your desk.Rabbits pull out their own hair when they are stressed, so be careful.

Rabbits will defecate in the designated area if you tell them where to go to the bathroom. It is best to place the toilet container in a place where the rabbit can relax.

What do rabbits eat?

Give them timothy or pellets sold in pet stores. Rabbits have the image of eating vegetables such as cabbage and carrots, but please eat fewer vegetables.

Cabbage in particular has a lot of water, and if you give it too much, it may cause diarrhea, so be careful.

Fruits such as apples are also rabbit’s favorite food, but they are high in sugar, so be careful not to give them too much. You can also give rabbits special supplements from time to time, depending on the situation. In that case, it is safer to see a doctor at a hospital.

Rearing environment.

Basically, they are kept in cages. Rabbits can be bred at home or outside, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

If you keep your rabbit in a cage at home, it is a good idea to put something soft on the floor, such as grass. It is best to set a time and let them play outside the cage, as they may not get enough exercise at home.

Don’t ever take your eyes off the rabbit when you’re letting him play with it. In addition, it is convenient to prepare a gnawing tree to relieve the rabbit’s stress.

At first glance, people tend to think that free-ranging outside is a good and free environment, but it has the disadvantage of being prone to injury.

If you are raising rabbits in Japan, we recommend that you keep them indoors, as summers in Japan have been extremely hot in recent years, making it a harsh environment for rabbits that are sensitive to the heat.

Other notes.

Rabbits are animals whose front teeth continue to grow while they are alive. If you are at home, you may nibble on leather products, tissues, newspapers, or cords. Especially when the cord is plugged in, if you accidentally nibble on it, you may be electrocuted and burned, or in the worst case scenario, your heart may stop beating.

As a countermeasure, put on a wiring protection cover or hide the cord with plastic cardboard to keep it out of the rabbit’s sight. There are only a few things you can do depending on your housing environment, so find a way that suits your home.

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Rabbit’s Q&A.

What is the origin of the rabbit’s name?

It is called “rabbit” in English and “usagi” in Japanese, but this page will show you why it is called “usagi” in Japanese.

There are several origins of the word “usagi” but this time I have carefully selected three.

①The theory that the word “u” was added with a heron.

A long time ago, rabbits were called “u”. Furthermore, the rabbit’s body is completely white. It is said that they began to look like birds called herons, and eventually came to be called “rabbits” by adding “heron” to “u”.

However i still don’t know why rabbits were called “u” in the first place.

As for the other two,

②The theory that “thin hair” was changed to “rabbit”
③The theory that the name “Osagam” was changed to “Rabbit” in Goguryeo.

There is.

However, all of them are very old and lack conclusive evidence, so we don’t know which one is 100% correct. At the moment, the one born by adding “heron” to “u” seems to be the most likely.

What does the rabbit eat?

Basically, rabbits eat grass, tree bark, tree leaves, fruits, and insects.

Why do rabbits live there?

Rabbits have a very large habitat and do not make a home in any particular place. Not sure why.

For example, in grasslands, there is a lot of grass that is a staple food for rabbits, and in forests, tree bark and fruits are produced, making it easy to find food. In addition, if there are many plants and trees, there will be insects, so it is a good place for rabbits to live, which also eat insects.

Rabbits are likely to live in “that place” because they know that there is an abundance of food there.

Why do rabbits have long ears?

Rabbits are animals with long ears, aren’t they? There is a good reason for this. As herbivores, rabbits have many natural enemies, so you need to run away as soon as you notice the danger. As a result, it is said that the ears have become longer so that no matter how small the sound is, it is not missed.

The other role is to regulate body temperature. Unlike humans, rabbits rarely sweat. In the case of humans, sweating evaporates the water and works to maintain a constant body temperature, but rabbits do not have this function, so instead of sweating, they release heat from their ears to regulate their body temperature.

Why do rabbits count as “wa” in Japanese?

In Japan, birds are counted as “wa”. However, rabbits have a custom of counting “wa” just like birds. Why on earth is this?

There are many theories, but here are two.

①Since it stands on two legs, I decided on my own that rabbits are also members of the bird family.

In the past, monks had a rule that “you must not kill and eat animals that walk on four legs. But for some reason, birds were an exception. One day, the word spread that rabbit meat was delicious, and the monks decided that they really wanted to eat rabbit meat, and as a result, they said, “Rabbits are birds because they stand on two legs. So, it’s okay to eat them.” That’s how it started.

②Because the rabbit’s ears were long and looked like a bird.

The rabbit ears are very large and long. It started when it was called “wa” when counting because it looked like a bird.

However, there is no clear evidence for either of these, and although the content is a bit hard to believe, these two stories are currently spreading in Japan.

Why do rabbits have red eyes?

When you think of rabbits, you probably think of red eyes, but only rabbits called “albinos” have red eyes, and these rabbits are characterized by the fact that they are born with little melanin pigment in their bodies.

Rabbit eyes, like humans, have a part called the iris, which is usually colored, but the iris of an albino rabbit has no color. In other words, the eyes themselves are not red, but the reflection of light makes the entire eye appear red.

※Albino is a genetic disease in which genetic information is missing, resulting in a congenital deficiency of the enzyme that produces melanin.

Is it true that rabbits die when they are lonely?

In conclusion, rabbits also have feelings of loneliness, but it seems that they almost never die because of it. As I mentioned in the basic information, rabbits are territorial animals, so keeping multiple rabbits may cause stress on the contrary.

The reason why this rumor spread is that rabbits, which are originally herbivores, instinctively have a habit of hiding the fact that they are weak. This is because if you are found weak, the enemy will attack you.

Even pet rabbits don’t try to show their weakness in front of their owners, probably because they still have that instinct.

Then, the owner may miss a little change in the rabbit.

And when the rabbit didn’t realize that it was weak and suddenly died one day, the person who lived alone and kept it even though it really died of illness said, “Maybe it’s because I left her alone every day? This story spread from.

In Japan, a drama called “Under One Roof” was aired in 1993, and the line “Rabbits die when they are lonely” appears in the drama.

This may have influenced the image of rabbits as weak animals. But the truth is, they may be tough and strong animals.

Is it true that rabbits eat their own poo?

It’s true. Both wild rabbits and rabbits kept as pets sometimes put their mouths on their own anus and eat poop, which is called Grass, the staple food of rabbits, is difficult to digest and can be expelled with nutrients left behind.

The poop discharged here contains nutrients such as amino acids, vitamins, and protein. Rabbits need to eat this poo again and absorb nutrients again so that they do not waste this energy.

Why do rabbits slam their feet on the ground or floor?

Sometimes seen as a rabbit tapping its own leg hard. What does this action, also known as “stamping” mean?

Rabbits were originally animals that lived in burrows in the ground. And when they sensed danger on the ground, they would tap the ground with their feet to let their friends in the burrow know to run away quickly.

This habit still remains after rabbits are kept as pets, so the “stamping” behavior can still be seen today.

However, the reasons for stamping when you were living in the wild are a little different now, so I will introduce three main patterns on this page.

①When you are angry or want to make a request.

Rabbits sometimes stamping when they are surprised or want to express their feelings.

So, if you are careful not to make loud noises on a regular basis, this behavior seems to decrease.

In addition, if you want a snack, you may also use stamping to express your emotions.

However, if you give him a treat every time you stamping, he may not eat his food, so be careful.

②When you feel lonely, when you want someone to play with you, when you want someone to care about you.

When rabbits want to play or are lonely, they may urge you to care for them through stamping.

However, if you play with them every time you do these things, they may learn that if you tap their feet hard, they will play with you, and it may become a habit.

It’s difficult to think about the balance between playing and leaving them alone so that they don’t get into the habit, but it’s important to get used to it.

③When you want to warn of danger.

So far, I’ve been trying to convey the feelings of the rabbit it self.however, there are times when they stamping to warn their owners of danger.

In such a case, are there any unusual things happening around you? Are there any major changes in the environment? If you find a cause that comes to mind, please remove it.

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Type of rabbit.

・Netherland Dwarf
・English Lop
・French Lop
・Holland Lop
・American Fuzzy Lop
・Lionlop
・Dwarf Hotot
・Rex
・Mini Rex
・English Angora
・French Angora
・Giant Angora
・Satin Angora
・Japanese Angora
・Japanese White
・Japanese Dwarf
・Jersey Wooly
・Checkered Giant
・Belgian Hare
・Himalayan
・Dutch
・Lionhead
・English Spot
・Polish
・American
・Jack Rabbit
・Arctic Hare
・Mini Lop
・Flemish Giant
・Havana
・Thrianta
・Britannia Petite
・American Sable
・Champagne d’Argent
・American Chinchilla
・Giant Chinchilla
・Standard Chinchilla
・Cinnamon
・Creme d’Argent
・Florida White
・Harlequin
・Lilac
・Mini Satin
・New Zealand
・Palomino
・Rhinelander
・Satin
・Silver
・Silver Fox
・Silver Marten
・Tan
・Argente Brun
・Cavies
・Mountain Hare
・Japanese Hare
・Japanese Pika
・Amami Rabbit
・Beveren

Bibliography.

百科事典マイペディア

環境省
https://www.env.go.jp/nature/dobutsu/aigo/2_data/pamph/hanshoku/full.pdf

ミ・サ・キ動物病院
https://www.3e-misaki.com/tooth4.html

ウィキペディア
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ウサギ

うさぎの飼い方・しつけ方/うさぎの病院
http://www.usagihospital.com/advice

医療財団法人広辻眼科
http://hirotsuji-eye.com/eye/e79

雑学カンパニー
https://zatsugaku-company.com/?s=ウサギ

うさぎとの暮らし大百科
https://www.anicom-sompo.co.jp/usagi/

万物の寿命まるわかり事典
http://www.lance4.net/banbutuno-jumyo/z0045.html

アイキャッチ画像
https://pixabay.com/images/id-5363546/