Eared brethren in nature: wild rabbits. Wild (European) rabbit, photo, video, food, species, interesting facts What do wild rabbits eat

A rabbit is a mammal that belongs to the order Lagomorphs, the hare family. These animals are not only bred for meat and fur, but also kept at home as decorative pets.

Rabbits are often confused with rodents, and were once even referred to as general class rodents. An important difference between rabbits and rodents is that rodents have 2 incisors on the upper jaw, and rabbits on the upper jaw have 4 incisors growing one after another. Rabbits have 28 teeth in total. 16 teeth are located on the upper jaw: 4 of them are incisors and 6 molars on each side. 12 teeth are on the lower jaw: 2 incisors and 5 molars on each side. Newborn rabbits have 16 milk teeth (6 incisors and 10 false molars). Animals do not have fangs, and between the molars and incisors there is a space of about 3 centimeters.

The incisors are used to cut food, and the molars are used to chew it. Rabbit incisors are rootless and grow throughout the animal's life, increasing by an average of 2.5 mm per week. In connection with this fact, animals need to constantly consume roughage and erase the growing part of their teeth.

How long do rabbits live?

AT wild nature The life expectancy of rabbits usually does not exceed 3-4 years. In conditions of competent home maintenance, rabbits live from 4-5 to 13-15 years. The oldest domestic rabbit died at the age of 19.

The lifespan of rabbits can vary depending on:

• breed affiliation,
• genetic features,
• feeding,
• in males - on the frequency of mating,
• in females - on the frequency of birthing.

That is why, if they do not plan to get offspring from rabbits, individuals are sometimes sterilized, which increases the life expectancy of animals.

Rabbits of meat and downy breeds live on average 4 years, but with reduced intensity or complete absence of reproduction of offspring and high-quality content, this figure increases to 5-7 years.

Decorative rabbits live at home from 5 to 8 years, although among them there are specimens that live up to 10-12 years.

Dwarf rabbits have an average lifespan of 5-7 years, however, with good and careful care, some individuals live 12-13 years.

Without the necessary information and experience, it is easy to confuse a rabbit with a rabbit, although these animals have a number of characteristic distinguishing features:

Where do rabbits live in nature?

Most species of rabbits live in North America, the second place is occupied by countries South America. Also, the modern distribution area of ​​​​rabbits includes Africa, Western and Central parts of Europe, the countries of Scandinavia and the Mediterranean, islands Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic. However, thanks to the domestication of the wild European rabbit (lat. Oryctolagus cuniculus), which originally lived only in southern Europe, today these eared animals have spread to almost all continents.

Rabbits are animals that lead an exclusively terrestrial existence, most often choosing places with rugged terrain and fairly dense vegetation for habitat. They prefer to settle along gullies and ravines with steep banks, feel comfortable in forests, meadows and clearings overgrown with shrubs or tall grass. But mountainous areas, located above 500-600 meters above sea level, and heavily wetlands, most species try to avoid.

Often rabbits live in close proximity to humans, choosing wastelands or landfills, as well as outskirts. settlements. An important factor when choosing a habitat is the peculiarity of the soil: rabbits often dig holes, and sometimes entire systems. underground passages, therefore, they try to choose areas with light soils, since it is quite difficult to equip a hole in clay and rocky soils. Quite often animals occupy ready-made holes dug and abandoned by other animals.

Most species of rabbits lead a sedentary existence, occupying a certain territory from 0.5 to 20 hectares, which is marked with an odorous secret. An individual plot is occupied by a family group of 8-10 adults, headed by a dominant male and female.

What do rabbits eat?

The basis of the diet of rabbits is the green parts of plants, and the menu is formed by available feed. In addition to herbs, wild and cultivated cereals, cabbage, lettuce, root crops, and sometimes small insects are eaten. The winter diet includes bark and branches of trees, underground parts of plants that can be obtained from under the snow. In the absence of food, rabbits practice coprophagy - eating their own feces.

Types of rabbits, photos and names.

The modern classification within the hare family distinguishes several genera of rabbits, most which make up the American varieties. Below are descriptions and photos of some species:

• , he is European rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus)

the only species of domesticated rabbit that gave life to many modern breeds. This small animal grows in length up to 31-45 cm with a body weight of 1.3-2.5 kg. The ears of a rabbit are shorter than the skull and have a length of 6 to 7.2 cm. The back of a wild rabbit is brownish-gray, may be reddish. A faded strip of light fur runs along the sides of the animal, forming a wide spot on the thighs. The belly is white or light gray, the tips of the ears are trimmed with black, the tip of the tail is black or gray, the bottom of the tail is white, the top is black-brown. In 3-5% of cases, there are rabbits of black, light gray, white or variegated color. The main habitats of the rabbit are rugged shrub landscapes: ravines, quarries, coastal cliffs - places with light, sandy soil, convenient for digging winding holes. Wild rabbits eat the leaves and stems of plants, in the fields and in the gardens they get cabbage, lettuce, and cereals. With the onset of cold weather, the main source of nutrition is the bark and branches of trees and shrubs, in the absence of food - their own excrement. The wild rabbit is settled on all continents except Antarctica and Asia. In Russia, it can be found in the North Caucasus and the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov.

• water rabbit(Sylvilagus aquaticus)

swims well, due to which it got its name. A large animal grows in length up to 45-55 cm and has a weight of 1.6 to 2.7 kg. The general color of the rabbit's fur varies from red-brown to almost black, only the throat, belly and underside of the tail are white, and the eyes are outlined with a dark ring. The basis of nutrition is various herbs and cereals, including reeds. The water rabbit lives in swamps and other humid areas of the southern United States: from Texas to South Carolina.

• red rabbit(Pronolagus randensis)

a species of African rabbit that lives exclusively in highlands. The red rabbit has a fairly large body with a length of 42 to 50 cm and large ears. The weight of a rabbit is about 2.3 kg. A distinctive feature of the species is a light silky coat of red-brown with gray color and a large brick-colored tail with a black tip. These animals feed on insects and all kinds of vegetation: cereals, foliage, fruits. The largest population of animals lives in the rocky mountains of Africa: in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

• Idaho rabbit, he is pygmy rabbit(Brachylagus idahoensis)

the smallest rabbit in the world, it has very short hind legs, and therefore it does not have the ability to move by jumping like other hares. Representatives of the species grow in length from 22 to 28 cm with a body weight of 250 to 450 g. The rabbit fur on the back is yellow-brown, the belly and paws are lighter. The Idaho rabbit is a typical representative of the fauna of the northwestern states of the USA (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming), where it usually settles in thickets of three-toothed wormwood, which is its main food source.

• Rabbit Nuttala(Sylvilagus nuttallii)

very similar to the American hare, but differs in smaller size and a characteristic brown spot on the back of the head. The length of the body of a mammal is 33-40 cm, the length of the tail is 2.5-5 cm. Representatives of the species have very long hind legs with large feet covered with long thick hair. The main color of the fur is light brown. The rabbit feeds on herbs such as wheatgrass, bluegrass and quinoa, in winter bark and plant branches are added. The Nuttala rabbit lives in the mountainous regions of Canada and the United States (from Arizona to the Cascade Mountains).

• California rabbit(Sylvilagus bachmani)

a large animal that grows up to 50 cm in length. The weight of a rabbit is about 4 kg. A distinctive feature is the rabbit's ability to successfully climb low trees and shrubs. The animal feeds on various herbs, berries and leaves of overgrown vegetation (for example,), in which it prefers to live. The range of the species runs through Central America along the Pacific coast from Colombia in the south to the Sierra Nevada in the east.

• steppe rabbit(Sylvilagus audubonii)

outwardly resembles a European wild rabbit, but differs much big ears with vertical position. The size of the rabbits is from 33 to 43 cm with a weight of about 1.5 kg, and the length of the ears reaches 10 cm. The color of the back is grayish-brown, the belly is almost white. Steppe rabbits eat various cereals, herbs, as well as those growing in them. favorite place habitat - desert pastures of the southwest of America. Also, the steppe rabbit can be found in more humid areas - pine-juniper forests. The range of the species extends through the western territory North America through Texas to Central Mexico.

• tailless rabbit, he is volcanic rabbit or teporingo(Romerolagus diazi)

one of the smallest rabbits, which lives only in the mountains of Central Mexico near the volcanoes of Popocatepetl and Istaxihuatl. Its length does not exceed 32 cm, and its weight barely reaches 600 g. The animal is distinguished by compact, rounded ears and such a small tail that it is impossible to see it. Tailless rabbits live in pine forests located high in the mountains, often up to 4.2 km above sea level. The main food of a rabbit is herbaceous vegetation. The biotopes of these animals cover woodlands, steppes, meadows, pastures, deserts, as well as wet, swampy lands.

rabbit breeding

Rabbits are considered one of the most prolific mammals and can breed throughout the year, during which one female rabbit brings from 3 to 5 litters. The puberty of rabbits occurs at the age of 5-6 months, so the rabbits, born at the beginning of the year, are already able to breed in the summer. Rabbits are polygamous animals, although some individuals are monogamous, and males live on the site of a particular rabbit.

The gestation period for rabbits is 28 to 40 days, and there may be 2 to 12 babies in a litter, although usually 4 to 7. The largest documented offspring is 24 rabbits.

American rabbits build nests on the ground, burrowing females build a nest underground, lining the bottom with fluff combed from their stomachs.

Newborn rabbits usually weigh 40-50 grams and begin to see on the 10th day, and on the 25th day they are completely ready for independent life, although they feed on their mother's milk for another week.

Starting from 3-4 weeks of life, little rabbits begin to eat food in addition to mother's milk.

Despite caring for offspring, many females are ready to mate a few hours after giving birth.

In 60% of pregnancies, the embryos are resorbed, but on average, one female rabbit increases the total population by 20-30 rabbits per year.

Decorative rabbits: maintenance and care

The wild rabbit was domesticated over a thousand years ago, and since then various breeds of ornamental rabbits have been kept as pets. All potential rabbit owners should be aware that these chewing and digging animals can cause significant property damage.

The rabbit will need a spacious cage that is 4 times the size of the animal. Domestic rabbits are very sensitive animals, so the cage is placed in a place where there are no drafts and direct sunlight.

In the rabbit's dwelling, there should be a place for a pallet, a drinker, a feeder, and preferably for a decorative shelter house. Sawdust, straw or shavings are poured into the pallet, which are changed regularly.

What to feed rabbits at home?

The basis of the diet of a domestic rabbit is hay, which should always be plentiful, feed and water. Feed pellets are important for normal digestion, hay provides thick feces, and water must be boiled and always fresh.

Additional food for ornamental rabbits may consist of various herbs: chamomile, mouse peas, alfalfa, chickweed, yarrow, oak in small quantities.

Salt and vitamin stone, chalk are used as mineral additives. In summer, young leaves of trees are added to the diet, in winter - sprigs of conifers.

Rabbit breeds with photos and names

Today, in rabbit breeding, there are many breeds of rabbits, while animals are usually divided into several groups according to productivity, depending on body weight and hair length. This classification highlights:

• meat breeds,
• Fur (meat-skin) breeds,
• downy breeds,
• Decorative and dwarf breeds.

There is also a classification of breeds by country. Below are just a few of the countries:

• German breeds of rabbits (German motley giant, Riesen, German ram, German ober);
• Soviet breeds of rabbits (Soviet chinchilla, Soviet Marder, Russian ermine, Gray giant);
• French breeds of rabbits (Alaska, French Papillon, Champagne, French Sheep, Rex, Chinchilla, Burgundy, Silvery, Hotot, Harlequin);
• American rabbit breeds (California, New Zealand White, American Sable, Palomino, Silver Fox, American Fluffy Fold).

Rabbits of meat breeds, photo and description

Rabbits of meat breeds have a fairly developed musculature, are quickly fattened and are distinguished by a large slaughter weight. Young animals are ready for sale for meat already at the age of three to four months, and by six months the rabbit gives a good skin. Below is a description of some meat rabbit breeds with photos:

• burgundy rabbit

This is a breed bred in France. Animals have a slightly elongated body with a short neck and a fairly wide back, chest and croup. Burgundy rabbits grow very quickly and gain weight: at the age of four months, an individual reaches a weight of 4-4.5 kg. Such precocity of the breed is very much appreciated by rabbit breeders who raise rabbits for meat.

This is a French breed of rabbit. The animal is distinguished by a strong, but harmonious constitution with well-developed muscles. Silver rabbits have a body length of 54-57 cm, as well as large and wide chest and croup. The weight of an adult rabbit is from 4.5 to 6.7 kg. Distinctive feature breeds - a silver-smoky shade of fur, which is evenly colored throughout the skin.

Breeders are still arguing about the origin of the breed and have not come to a conclusion. consensus about the country in which the Flandres appeared, although they are more inclined towards Belgium. Rabbits of the Flanders breed are quite large in size: with a slightly elongated body length of 65-67 cm, the weight of the animal can reach 10-12 kg. The color of thick fur varies from gray to gray-black, grayish-red, sandy, silvery or white. The Flanders rabbit is very prolific and unpretentious in care, it grows quickly, therefore it is considered one of the best meat breeds.

• Rabbits Risen

This breed is from Germany. Today, Risen rabbits are considered the largest among their eared counterparts. With a massive body length of 70-75 cm, some specimens reach a weight of 12-14 kg. The color of the skin can be very different: dark gray, sand, blue, black, brown-gray.

• California rabbit

This is a meat breed of rabbits, bred in the USA. Animals have a special color: the body is white, and the tail, nose, limbs and ears are black, chocolate and blue-gray. The massive stocky body perfectly meets the criteria inherent in meat breeds. Rabbits of the Californian breed are growing rapidly: five-month-old animals weigh 3-3.7 kg, and at the age of six months they gain weight up to 6-7 kg.

Experienced rabbit breeders have long known that sometimes their animals acquire a grayish-brown color and become similar to their wild ancestor. Who is this? Wild European rabbit! We will tell you about him and his wild counterparts right now.

The wild European rabbit today can be found not only in Europe. Even at the beginning of our era, the ancient Romans took with them on campaigns an animal that was found in abundance in North Africa and in the Pyrenees. It had tender meat and the ability to reproduce rapidly. He took root in new places easily, since all he needed was juicy grass and soft soil to dig holes. In the video from Michael Billerbeck - one of these rabbits.

Later it turned out that the animal lends itself to selection - so rabbits from Europe became the ancestors of all modern breeds. It is the only wild species that humans have managed to domesticate. In total, there are about 20 species of wild rabbits in nature, which live mainly in America and Africa.

In Europe, as before, only one species lives - our friend. Back in the middle of the twentieth century, he destroyed crops and young gardens. But its population has been reduced to an acceptable size. But the Australians have to fight him to this day.

In the middle of the 19th century, settlers brought wild rabbits from Europe in the hope of having delicious meat for dinner. But it turned out that there were no predators that these animals would serve as food. What started here! Rabbits from Europe began to spread across the continent, breeding in geometric progression. When foxes were brought to them “as a gift”, they set to work on less nimble food - marsupials. Then it was decided to build from north to south ... a fence - in the photo below one of its sections.

Main subspecies

In addition to the wild European, the American wire-haired rabbit is very numerous, numbering 13 species: Florida, river and swamp, pygmy, teporingo, steppe and others. They live in forests and bushes. They do not dig holes, preferring secluded places in pits or occupying other people's dwellings. We offer a more detailed look at all types in the plate.

Lifestyle

Rabbits have many enemies, and rarely survive to a natural death. Usually, by the end of the third year, only a third of the litter remains.

They require only grass and shrubs for food. Unlike hares, this is a collective animal living in small colonies of 8-10 individuals. A strict hierarchy reigns in the colony with the "supreme" male not at its top. It can occupy from 0.2 to 20 hectares, tearing out a whole underground “city” with emergency exits on “its” territory. As a rule, the rabbit does not go further than 100 meters from the course, preferring nightly forays for food.

reproduction

For a year, a rabbit can have several births with a total number of up to 40 babies. She usually gives birth underground. Newborns have no fur, are blind and deaf. The mother feeds them with milk several times a day, but by the end of the first month she can quit, preparing for a new replenishment. This is another reason for the short life of the eared.

Economic importance

Despite the delicious meat that rabbits are famous for, people's attitude towards them is contradictory. On the one hand, the European wild has become the patriarch of all domestic long-ears. And still serves as the subject of study in order to breed new breeds and maintain their good health.

The wild rabbit continues to be an object of hunting for people. Especially in Australia, where its meat has even become one of the export items.

On the other hand, wild eared ones are enemies of crops and young trees. And therefore, not a single farmer rejoices at the appearance of a colony of these animals in his area, destroying them, if possible, as malicious pests.
But thanks to the fantastic fertility today, wild rabbits are not threatened with extinction. They continue to be part of the living diversity of our planet.

Photo gallery

Photo 1. Steppe subspecies or Audubon Photo 2. Swamp animal eats leaves Photo 3. Florida subspecies close-up

Video "Wild rabbit"

Sometimes a wild European rabbit has a hard time: the environment lacks nutrients. And he lets the food in... for the second round. You can learn more about the nutrition of animals from the video (DRUGOK.NET).

Photo from http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/bioinformatics/mammals/images/cunilive.htm

English name Domestic Rabbit

Initially, rabbits lived in the south of France, on the Iberian Peninsula, and possibly in northwestern Africa. Fossil finds of the first rabbits date back to the Pleistocene. The spread of rabbits is associated with economic activity man, as a result of which they settled in Europe and other parts of the world.

Rabbits living in natural conditions, they do not differ large sizes- body length 350-450 mm, ears 60-70 mm, tail 40-70 mm, and weight 1350-2250 g. The fur on the back is of a dull gray-brown color. The ears are long, they are the same color as the body, the tip is black. The crown is reddish, the neck is dark. The tail is two-tone: brown-black above, white below. The belly of rabbits, as well as the underside of the paws, are reddish-white. The hind legs are relatively long. The feet are well furred, the nails are long and straight.

According to Grzimek (1975), the rabbit prefers to settle in sandy areas, among the hills, overgrown with shrubs, while never climbing into mountains 600 m above sea level. Unlike its hare relatives, the rabbit digs complex burrows that can be up to 3 m deep and up to 45 m long. The diameter of the tunnels is 15 cm, the living quarters are 30-60 cm high. The main passages at the exit to the surface are identified by heaps of earth, the small passages at the exit do not have earthen heaps. A colony of rabbits is known, numbering 407 individuals, which built a network of holes and passages with 2,080 exits. The Oryctolagus rabbit is nocturnal, leaving the burrow in the evening and returning from feeding in the early morning. Sometimes it can be found at the entrance to the hole in the early morning when it is basking in the sun.

The rabbit feeds on grass and soft parts of plants, and in case of lack of food - bark and twigs of shrubs and trees.

According to Grzimek (1975), the area of ​​a wild rabbit is no more than 20 ha. AT scientific purposes A group of 63 rabbits was captured and then released into the wild. A year later, 15 individuals from the group lived in an area located 100 meters from the place where they were caught. Population densities are often 25-37 birds/ha, and on Skokholm Island (off the southwest coast of Wales) have been as high as 100 rabbits/ha.

Rabbits are polygamous, live big families, which settles in one hole with many otnorks, occupying a plot of 1 ha. Males dig holes. The main female in the harem of the male who owns the territory lives in his hole and, before the birth of offspring, digs a chamber in the side passage. The rest of the females living in the territory of the male raise their offspring in separate burrows. The colony maintains a strict hierarchy and territoriality. High-ranking males have advantages during the breeding season. All males of the colony participate in the defense of their territory from strangers. Mutual assistance exists between members of the colonies, and they notify each other of danger by knocking on the ground with their hind legs.

From January to June in England and from February to July in Central Europe, 90 percent of adult females breed and become pregnant, out of the gestation season are very rare. Populations introduced in the Southern Hemisphere (Australia) breed all year round, with up to 40 young rabbits per female rabbit. Pregnancy lasts 28-33 days, in a brood 1-9 rabbits, on average 5-6. Already a few hours after the birth, the rabbits are ready for mating, which immediately happens. Thus, a female can produce 5-7 litters or more per season (on average 3-4 litters), giving birth annually to more than 30 young (on average 20). In northern populations with less favorable climatic conditions, the growth of the colony occurs more slowly, and the female accounts for no more than 10-12 rabbits per year. There is evidence that at least 60 percent of pregnancies are not carried to birth, and the embryos are resorbed in the mother's body. Newborns are born in specially equipped minks, lined with leaves and grass, which suits the rabbit. Cubs are born naked, blind and deaf, at birth they weigh 40-50 g (data from Grzimek 1975). They open their eyes after 10 days and leave the nest 3 weeks after birth, mother feeds them with milk until 4 weeks of age. Animals mature already at the age of 5-6 months. In wild populations, young rabbits rarely breed in the first year of life, more often this occurs in the next breeding season. weeks. In conditions of detention, young rabbits are able to produce offspring as early as three months of age. The reproductive period in rabbits lasts up to 6 years, their life expectancy is up to 9 years (Grzimek 1975).

Old World rabbits have long been considered and still are considered good game and the meat of these animals is used for food. It is assumed that in the Mediterranean region, rabbits came with the Romans, they were brought to England and Ireland by the Normans in the XII century. They currently live in most areas. Western Europe with a mild climate, including Scandinavia, in the east - to Poland and southern Ukraine (a large colony is known in the vicinity of Odessa). On islands mediterranean sea isolated island populations (in the Azores, canary islands and Madeira). Their distribution on the islands was associated with human economic activity: rabbits were released to uninhabited islands so that they would breed and serve as a source of food for the crews of ships that stopped on the islands to rest, sailing across the Atlantic. According to Flux and Fullagar (1983), there are 550 islands and island groups where rabbits have been introduced. In the middle of the 18th century, rabbits were introduced to Chile, where they bred and made their way to Argentina on their own (Howard and Amaya 1975). Rabbits were introduced to Australia in 1859 and New Zealand a few years later (Grzimek 1975). In the 1950s rabbits from the San Juan Islands (Washington) have been released in the eastern United States, but so far no visible results have been observed.

Until now, in Europe, rabbits are considered agricultural pests and an object of hunting. The reason for this is the extraordinary fecundity of rabbits and the absence of natural predators that would restrain the growth of the population. On some Pacific islands, rabbits have eaten all the vegetation, causing soil erosion and destruction of the coastal zone, which is a nesting place for many seabirds.

However, the spread of rabbits in Australia and New Zealand caused the most acute problem. There, the rabbits feed on grass, competing with sheep for food, and their spread poses a threat to Australia's unique marsupials, which cannot stand competition from rabbits. The government encourages the shooting of rabbits, exports rabbit skins and frozen meat abroad. However, rabbit meat is not in wide demand for international market and goes more to local consumption, and the skins of wild rabbits are not of such high quality as to be widely used in industry. In the 1950s attempts were made to spread maximatosis (myxomatosis), which caused a significant reduction in the population, but immunity to this disease began to develop in local rabbits.

Rabbit breeding was first organized in French monasteries in 600-1000 AD. AD (Flux and Fullagar 1983). At present, rabbit breeding is an important industry in the world. Agriculture. According to the American Rabbit Breeders Association, 66 breeds and species of rabbits are known. Most domestic rabbits bear little resemblance to their wild counterparts. They are able to gain a large body weight (with the exception of dwarf species), reaching 7.25 kg. The type of fur and color of domestic rabbits also varies.

Rabbits are laboratory animals, drugs are tested on them, new foodstuffs are tested, they are used for experiments in genetics.

Rabbit is a mammal belonging to the hare family. Now, rabbits bred not only for food and its fur, but also as a pet. How do rabbits live in nature and what do they eat there? Today we will talk about it.

Rabbits in the wild

Wild European rabbit in length 31-45 cm, rabbit ears 6-7.5 cm, despite the fact that the skull is much smaller. The weight such a rabbit reaches 2.5 kg. color its gray-brown, and on the back you can see a reddish color. Boca rodents of light color, stomach white, their tails are white, their ears are black and tail black. In rare cases, wild European rabbit can be found purely white color, light gray or even variegated. places, where does this rabbit live: Sea of ​​Azov, North Caucasus, Russia and in general, on all continents except Asia and Antarctica. chooses rabbit a place of residence with good soil so that you can easily dig a mink - quarries, ravines, coastal cliffs.

Types of wild rabbits

How many species of rabbits are there in the wild? You will be surprised, but their number is not so great.

1. Wild rabbit (European)

2. Water rabbit

3. Red rabbit

4. Idaho rabbit (pygmy)

5. Steppe rabbit

6. Nuttala rabbit

7. California rabbit

8. Tailless rabbit (teporingo or volcanic)

9. Rabbit Flanders

10. Rabbit Risen

11. Rabbit Gray giant

Most of the rest rabbit species, account for breeding by breeders, but we will talk about these types of rabbits (domestic) with you in other articles.

INTERESTING FACTS AND NUTRITION OF THE WILD RABBIT

What do wild rabbits eat?

Wild rabbits eat stems and leaves of plants, in vegetable gardens or in fields, they get themselves cabbage, carrots, lettuce and various other crops. In the cold season food source is the bark of trees, branches of shrubs and trees. Interestingly, in the absence of any source of food, they eat their own excrement in order not to die of hunger. Of course, in can be fed at home the same (except excrement). Add in the diet you need hay, coniferous branches, dandelions, chicory, chamomile, yarrow, mouse peas, nettles, alfalfa, wheatgrass, chickweed. Can't feed parsley and dill, which contain essential oils. rabbits give both mineral stone and chalk. From fruits and vegetables, you can give cucumbers, zucchini, all kinds of cabbage, apples, carrots, watermelon and melon peels. With pleasure, rabbit gnaws white crackers. For grinding teeth, give willow branches, pears, apples, acacias, lindens, aspens. And with indigestion, a few branches of oak or alder.

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VIDEO: WILD RABBIT

IN THIS VIDEO YOU WILL SEE HOW WILD RABBITS LOOK IN NATURE

There are characteristic features that distinguish them from other lagomorphs.

Regardless of the species or group, these animals are endowed with special features, their own signs.

Only a complete lack of experience, observation and knowledge in the field of fur animal husbandry does not allow us to say which animal settled in the enclosure. Short-term care and communication will immediately fill in the gaps, and will provide an opportunity to sort it out.

A memorable appearance or a special anatomical structure of the body

The body of a hare is more elongated and large in size with a seasonally changing color depending on the time of year.

In summer, the coat is dark or with variegated stains, in winter it brightens or whitens.

The rabbit looks more modest and does not repaint the fur coat.

The weight of adults depends on the species (there are miniature pygmies that do not reach 400 g), mainly ranges from 2-3 kg.

Pay attention to the length of the limbs. hare paws muscular, strong, formed under the influence of the instinct of self-preservation. The limbs are adapted for fast running through fields, ravines, high jumps. The rabbit does not need sharp turns.

For its range of life, tender, short, neat paws are quite enough to move calmly, evenly. But large soft pads and powerful claws, adapted for digging deep underground passages. They move on the surface only on their fingers, relying on all points at once (5 on the front paw and 4 on the back).

Long high rabbit ears are not needed either.

Their locating abilities are designed for a delicate, thin, medium-sized auricle.

They look proportionally on the head with uniformly smooth forms of the nose and shortened antennae.

The fur is thick, intensely colored, soft to the touch, without stiffness.

It molts twice a year. Gray, yellow-brown colors with a monochromatic undercoat predominate.

Do not change for summer or winter. Scientists engaged in detailed study find differences in the structure of internal organs. For example:

• The position of the epiglottis above the palate opens the way to nasal breathing.
• Intestinal digestion, the process of which takes place with a huge participation of the caecum.
• The musculature of the tract is arranged in such a way that there is a clear distinction between solid fibrous residues and easily digestible substances.
• The structure of the cranium and the unequal development of individual bones.
• The teeth (incisors) are arranged in 2 rows.
• The width of the lumbar vertebrae is several percent larger.
• Muscle contraction occurs almost similarly to hares, except for the frequency of the heartbeat.

Each trait manifests itself to a certain extent depending on. The difference between lagomorphs is clearly visible in the way of life.

Habits and character

The aggravated struggle for survival in the outside world left a deep imprint on the animals. They manage to exist calmly in natural conditions only thanks to high vigilance, precaution. Constant vigilance to calculate the threat, makes you constantly be on the alert, survey the open area. A reliable fortress, shelter from enemies is a hole.

Burrowing shelters for (European Commons) is just as important as foraging.

They build whole underground "cottages" with a system of transitions and can spend there all their free time from eating and walking in the air.

Maternity wards and primary nurseries for offspring are arranged here.

The offspring of rabbits is numerous (from 3 to 10 pieces), so special niches are equipped for it, lined with soft dry grass, leaves and mother's fluff. Rabbits are born helpless blind and naked, they need to be warmed, wrapped and protected from pests.

The markings that the female leaves at the entrance are a protective barrier. An excessively long absence of the mother near the cubs is not allowed.

For the first weeks, little mole rats suck milk. It is indicative that only the mother can feed the babies. Identification of a blood relative occurs by smell. they give reinforcements to any strange hungry cub of their own breed. Once in the vicinity of a cub in need of help, they will fulfill their duty to nature.

Hares from the moment of birth are endowed with relative independence. A house in a small open-air hole requires caution and the possibility of additional warming. They immediately have a fur coat, open eyes, a developed sense of smell and the ability to run away from danger. The hare does not run the risk of being left without food, it can be reinforced by any female running past, and this gives a great chance of survival, even if the mother has moved far away or died.

Replenishment in families appears more often (3-4 times a year), and not only in the spring, as in their relatives.

Due to the fecundity of the populations remain numerous even during periods of death due to epidemics, excess activity of predators.

Rabbits live collectively, uniting in groups, they can be easily tamed and domesticated, grown in cages, hares are individual, form pairs for the mating season, do not survive in captivity.

Behind the seemingly inexperienced similarity lies a lot of differences.

Where do rabbit families live and how do they choose the area

Any representative of the fauna cares about living conditions as seriously as about food reserves. Rabbits choose habitats based on habits, expediency. They usually settle in areas with difficult terrain. For the construction of burrow complexes suitable:

• Hills.
• Steep banks of large rivers, seas.
• Beams with dense young growth and abandoned sand quarries.
• Some species settle on the slopes of volcanoes.
• There are lovers of wetlands with bumps.
• The only species of American rabbit does not dig tunnels, but lives in open fields, making holes, like hares.
• The North Caucasian group may use dense thickets for habitation.

In mountainous terrain, it is easier to deal with laying, expanding holes, living chambers. But the soil must be pliable, not rocky or clayey. The entrances are quite wide (up to 25 cm in diameter) covered with canopies made of earth. At a distance of 80-90 cm, the tunnel narrows slightly. The optimal height of the "rooms" up to half a meter is sometimes less or more. To prevent the vaults from collapsing, builders calculate the location under the roots of a tree or shrub.

Family clans own a space of several hectares, depending on the saturation of the grass cover. They do not move too far from the minks and if the food runs out, does not recover, then they move to new housing. Families are polygamous, but there are also monogamous males.

The correct choice of location affects the well-being, numbers, flow and end of life.

What does the diet consist of, and how is the problem of vitamin deficiency solved?

The main menu of rabbits is the ground part of grassy shoots, young shrubs. In summer they eat greens. They go to the vegetable fields,. They feast on cabbage, beets, carrots, respect lettuce leaves. Sometimes they make their way into the gardens and bury themselves in apples. In the fall, they look for hot places on grain crops.

In winter, the diet changes. If dry grass cannot be obtained from under the snow, the tips of the lower branches of cherries, apple trees, and willow trees are used. lack of moisture useful substances compensated by eating morning droppings. Such cecotrophs are similar to storage chambers for concentrated vitamins.

Useful waste is covered with a mucous capsule. They contain many enzymes important for digestion, cell growth, and metabolism. They are of particular importance for young animals during puberty and pregnancy.

In times of food shortages, to save life, they eat the bark of trees and try to climb higher to get juicier pieces. Because of these habits, rodents are considered pests of agricultural plantations.

Health and the course of life depend on feeding. In nature, it lasts up to 3 years, although the potential is laid for 10-12 years. Nutrition is directly related to the number of animals on one square meter, a vicious circle is obtained.

They try to regulate the number of individuals in different ways. They hunt, carry out trapping, with the accelerated growth of the rabbit population, they use a bacteriological attack, spreading diseases by piece.

What climate do eared animals like

Are there rabbits everywhere?

Naturally, there are no food bases in the Antarctic ice, and it is impossible to dig holes in the permafrost, which means that such animals cannot be found there.

Among the known studied 20 species of wild rabbits, only one lives in Europe, it was from him that domestic representatives divorced.

The rest are mainly settled in America, Africa, Australia.

Wild, whose prevalence has increased several times over the past century, settled in those parts of the continents where warm mild climatic conditions prevail.

The primary range was limited to the African northwestern part, the south of France, Iberia. In these regions, the glacier did not linger, and food remained.

The main requirement for the success of the expansion of the territory of existence is the height and constancy of snow cover throughout the winter. The less snow on the ground and the days of its continuous lying, the greater the percentage of survival of furry settlers. The border snow threshold is considered to be a period of 3.5 months with relative mild weather.

The Romans and the Norman conquerors brought fur-bearing animals to the Mediterranean, Ireland, and the British Isles. In the Middle Ages, they populated almost the entire European space, which pleased citizens with low and medium incomes, becoming useful prey for them.