Rabbits Flashcards
What is the order for a rabbit
Order Lagomorpha
What is the scientific name of a rabbit
Orytolagus cuniculus
What does a lagomorph have that differentiates it from a rat
A second pair of upper incisors
What is the family of a rabbit
Leporidae
What does ortvtolagus include?
Rabbits and Hares
How many breeds of rabbits are there?
30 breeds
Can rabbits be housed indoors or outdoors?
Yes
What can rabbits be used for?
Pets Show animals Meat producer Wool producer Research subject
Name 6 common breeds of rabbit
English and French angora Belgian Hare American Dutch (4.5 lbs) Dwarf (2 lbs) Flemish Giant (15lbs) New Zealand White
Describe the angora rabbit
Very fluffy white with a fluffy top on ears
Name 5 common lop breeds
French bélier ( hazel) Mini-lop Holland Lop Californian Giant Chinchilla
Who were the first to domesticate rabbits
Romans
Describe what’s special about a rabbits anatomy
Fragile skeleton
Delicate veins (can easily pop them)
Well-developed 3rd eyelid (nictitating membrane)
What’s a disease that commonly infects rabbits
Myxomatosis
What is the life expectancy of a rabbit? Inside vs outdoor
4-9 years outdoors. 15 years inside
What is the dental formula of a rabbit
Incisors 2/1, canines 0/0, premolars 3/2, molars 3/3
What is the range in temperature of a rabbit
38.5 -40c
Does a rabbit have a well developed sense of smell?
Yes. They have twitchy nose
Are rabbits obligate nasal breathers
Yes
Are rabbits herbivores or omnivores
Herbivores
Describe the New Zealand white
Medium size 2-5kg
Grow rapidly
Reproduce well
Used in laboratories
What are the disadvantages for using rabbits as research animals
Difficulties encountered in anesthesia
Plagued by a large number of spontaneous diseases
What does the size of a rabbits cage need to be
3x2 lengths of a rabbit minimum
What are the types of enrichment rabbits should have?
Timothy twists, Timothy hay shelter, plastic balls, anything autoclaveable. Metal chime with rocket candy on it
What is a rabbits preferred food?
Sweet food and pellets
Are rabbits hindgut fermenters ?
Yes
Describe the night stool and why it is important
It is a stool that they eat to reabsorb vitamins and proteins. Very moist
How do you prevent obesity and selective eating?
Limit pellets/mix concentrate
What is the best hay for rabbits?
Timothy hay then alfalfa
Describe Timothy hays nutrition content
High fiber, low protein and low calcium grass hay
Describe alfalfa hays nutritional content
High in protein and calcium
Only feed to growing/breeding rabbits
Do rabbits teeth stop growing?
No they grow continuously
How many cm/month does a rabbits teeth grow
2cm/month
How does a rabbit wear down its teeth?
By eating correct diet and chewing on toys/food etc
What breed of rabbit is prone to malocclusion?
Dwarf rabbit
Describe what a malocclusion is
Overgrown front incisors
How do you know a rabbit has overgrown back teeth?
Slobbers constantly
When does a rabbit reach sexual maturity?
5 months.
What are rabbits (in terms of ovulation)
Induced ovulators. They release eggs after copulation not before
How long is the gestation period of a rabbit?
29-35days
What is the litter siZe of a rabbit
4-12 kits
How many months are the kits weaned?
6 weeks
What is an unusual nursing characteristic of a rabbit?
They nurse 2x per day.
Kit can consume 20% of its body weight in a few seconds
How do you make sure you sex a rabbit properly?
You pop out the penis
Describe rabbit urine and what makes it that way
Rabbit urine is thick and cloudy and contains sediment. The sediment is caused by excessive amounts of calcium
Rabbits urine is porphyrin. Describe it
Red pigment staining urine. Can be brown, yellow or red
Describe 3 typical forms veterinary care provided to rabbits
Spay &neuter
Vaccination : myxomatosis or viral hemmoragic disease
Parasite prevention (de worming, flea removal)
Describe pasteurella
A disease that is carried by all rabbits and can lay dormant till activated by stress
Describe the symptoms of pasteurella
septicemia Sniffles Conjunctivitis Abscesses Vestibular disease ( inner ear ) Pneumonia Sudden death
Describe torticollis symptoms in rabbits
Head tilt Lack of balance Rapid side to side movement of eyes Hopping in circles Rolling
What is psorptic mange
Ear mites
What is cheyletiella
Walking dandruff (hair mites)
What is pododermatitis
Sore hocks (cut up feet)
How do you prevent uterine cancer in rabbits?
Spay the rabbit
What are some calcium related diseases that rabbits are susceptible to
Bladder stones (urolithiasis and cystic calculi) Kidney stones (renal calcinosis) Aortic mineralization Metastatic calification
How do you prevent calcium related diseases in your rabbit?
Feed low calcium Timothy hay and limit the pellets
What are the signs of pain of a rabbit
Teeth grinding
Hunched up posture
Shrieking
What is gastric stasis associated with?
Low fiber high carb diet
Stress
Decreased exercise
Hair ingestion
What are the clinic signs of gastric stasis
Rabbit is not eating or producing stool for 8 hours or more
What is enterotoxemia ? And in what life cycle is a rabbit at risk?
Explosive diarrheal disease. Recently weaned rabbits are at risk
What predisposes a rabbit to enterotoxemia?
Diet, antibiotic treatment
How do you football hold a rabbit?
Butt facing right arm and left arm under their butt. Carried in crook of arm with eyes covered
What are other forms of rabbit restraint other than the football hold?
Burrito method
Rabbit restrainer
Bunny snuggle
Why are rabbits at a high risk of fractures?
Because their bones are light and brittle and fracture easily. Rabbits skeleton makes up 7% of its body weight. Had overdeveloped back legs
Where is blood taken from on a rabbit and why are they good candidates for drawing blood
On the back of its ears and because they have very visible prominent veins