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Rabbit Facts for All Occasions
Do you want to hear some more interesting rabbit facts? Can a rabbit really produce 10 times their own weight in one year? Is it possible for one doe to give birth to 25 babies in one litter? Do rabbits snore? Can a small rabbit drink as much as a dog weighing five times as much? Rabbits are amazing creatures. Learn some little known rabbit facts, but even better, hear some amazing rabbit facts.
Here are some more interesting rabbits facts. Rabbits are prolific creatures. They are the only animal that will produce 10 times their own weight in one year. The single largest litter ever produced by a rabbit was 26 kits, of which 24 lived. They normally range between 2 and 11 pounds, but the heaviest rabbit on record weighed in at a robust 23 pounds.
There are at least 180 breeds of rabbit, with lop rabbits having more breeds than any other type. The highest amount ever paid for a single rabbit was for a New Zealand White and commanded $5,000 U.S. dollars. This is one of those rabbit facts that probably convinced lots of people to start raising them.
Rabbits serve many useful purposes. In addition to making great pets they are raised for meat, fur, wool, laboratories, fertilizer, and of course rabbits feet. The famous "rabbit's foot" has been used as a good luck charm for hundreds of years.
It has been estimated that over 30 million pounds of rabbit meat is produced in the United States each year. Domestic rabbit meat is an all-white meat that is lower in fat and cholesterol than chicken, beef, and pork. Rabbit has just 795 calories per pound of meat. Chicken has 810, veal 840, turkey 1190, lamb 1420, beef 1440, and pork 2050. This is one of those rabbit facts that may want to get you raising meat rabbits in your backyard.
They have a well deserved reputation for multiplying quickly because they can begin breeding at just three or four months of age. Most felt hats are made from rabbit hair and their wool is lighter and warmer than any other animal. Their droppings make some of the best manure in the world. It will not burn and is very high in nitrogen.
Rabbits are very clean animals. They carry no diseases that can be transmitted to humans, they have never been known to carry rabies, and they are strict vegetarians. Because they are preyed upon in the wild by predators they instinctively hide their illnesses. When they are first born they have no smell or odor to protect them from being discovered by predators.
When they get sick it's very hard to tell. Unlike many animals rabbits do not hibernate, whether wild or domesticated. As pets they usually live to about 10 or 12 years, but can go as long as 14. Rabbits can make many noises and grunt sounds, but they have also been known to snore on occasion. Is this one of those rabbit facts you really wanted to know? As long as they don't sleep in your bed, it probably won't bother you if they snore.
They are very smart animals. They can learn their names and be taught what "no" means. And they have very good memories. People often mistake them for hares, but they are not the same. They are very social creatures and need a companion for optimum health.
As a group they are called a herd. Instead of a herd of buffalo it's a herd of rabbit. And a herd of rabbits live in a warren. A small four pound rabbit will drink as much as a twenty pound dog. When they sweat it's always through the bottom of their feet and nowhere else.
As adults they can sometimes be very territorial and aggressive. They will spray their urine to mark their territory and will bite. If you were almost convinced you wanted to raise some rabbits, this is one of those rabbit facts that may convince you otherwise. Conversely, when they are petted they will often make a sound similar to a purr by grinding their teeth softly. If abandoned in the wild they will not survive for more than 24 hours. We hope you've enjoyed these interesting rabbit facts. If you would like to hear more rabbit facts, it's as easy as reading another article on this site.
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