Rabbits Flashcards
What is the order of a rabbit?
Lagomorpha
What is another name for the European rabbit?
Oryctolagus Cuniculus
What does crepuscular mean?
Active during morning and evening hours
What is the lifespan of a rabbit?
5-12 years
What is a rabbits heart rate?
180-300 bpm
What is a rabbits respiratory rate?
30-60 breaths per minute
(>100 if stressed)
What should a rabbits rectal temperature be?
38.5-40oC
How many teeth do rabbits have?
28
What is the dental formula of a rabbit?
2-0-3-3/1-0-2-3
What is the name for the two tiny incisors that are located behind rabbits upper incisors?
peg teeth
What is the vertebral formula of a rabbit?
C7, T12-13, L7, S4, Cd 15-16
What ribs meet the sternum in the rabbit?
The first 7
Where are vertebral fractures from kicking most likely to occur in the rabbit?
L6-L7
What should the adult weight of a rabbit be?
1000-8000 g
How long is oestrus in rabbits?
5-6 days
How long does gestation last in rabbits?
31-32 days
True or false?
Rabbits have high embryonic mortality.
True
embryonic mortality is 30%!
What percentage of a rabbits diet should consist of fibre?
20-25%
What percentage of an adult rabbits diet should consist of proteins?
12-16%
What percentage of a lactating does diet should consist of proteins?
19%
where do rabbits get their main protein intake from?
Plant material
What percentage of a rabbits diet should consist of fat?
2-3%
What are indigestible fibres composed of?
Cellulose and lignin
Why is indigestible fibre important?
Promotes gut motility and provides optimal dental wear
What are digestible fibres composed of?
pectins, hemicellulose and cellulose
Why is digestible fibre important?
promotes caecal fermentation and provides nutrients
True or False?
Rabbits are nocturnal feeders.
True
What should be available to rabbits at all times?
Hay and grass
What should be supplied to a rabbit twice daily?
Concentrates (small handful once/twice daily)
Leafy greens (twice daily)
What type of hay has a high calcium concentration?
Alfalfa hay
(1-1.5%!)
Why is pelleted food/extruded food better for a rabbit than cereal mix?
Cereal mix promotes selective feeding and can result in the rabbit having an unbalanced diet
How many different greens should be fed to a rabbit to prevent nutritional imbalances?
at least 3
What are common medical problems associated with Lop breeds?
Ear disease
What is a common medical problem associated with netherland dwarfs?
Congenital dental disease
What breeds of rabbits typically have fragile skeletons?
Giants
What type of tissue is associated with the sacculus rotundus?
lymphoid tissue
What is the function of the sacculus rotundus?
Provides immunity to the rabbit and acts as a valve at the ileo-caecal junction to prevent backflow
What is the function of the fusus coli?
Pacemaker that activates the movement of the colon and regulates the type of faeces produced
What is the fusus coli regulated by?
ANS and Aldosterone
Where is the vermiform appendix located?
Terminal end of the caecum
What is the function of the vermiform appendix?
secretes bicarbonate to buffer caecal acids
What are the 2 types of faeces that are produced by a rabbit?
Fecal pellets and Caecotrophs
What type of fibres mainly contribute to the prodcution of fecal pellets?
long fibres
What type of fibres mainly contribute to the production of caecotrophs?
short fibres
What can cause urinary sediment to be produced in the rabbit?
high calcium intake
What is the best hay to give to rabbits?
Timothy/meadow hay
Why should concentrates not be over fed to rabbits?
The rabbit does not spend enough time chewing concentrates. This will result in the teeth not being worn down properly which can lead to dental disease.
Because pelleted food only contains short fibres, if it is the main diet it can resulted in reduced gut motility, increased fermentation and can lead to pain.
Why should rabbits not be given leafy greens excessively?
Some greens such as kale contain high levels of calcium. This can result in the kidney being overloaded with excess calcium which can lead to renal problems.
Too much sediment can also build up in the bladder which could irritate the bladder wall and lead to cystitis.
How are rabbits when they are first offered hay or water?
3 weeks old
When should greens start to gradually be introduced into a rabbits diet?
6 weeks
What is the requirement space for a rabbit?
1500-2200m2
True or False?
High temperatures are better for rabbits then low temperatures.
FALSE
low temps are better for rabbits then high temps
What should the temperature range of a rabbits environment be?
Between 15 and 21 oC
What is the best combination of rabbits to have living together?
Neutered male and a neutered female
When do rabbits become sexually mature?
4-6 months
True/false?
Rabbits have no true oestrous cycle.
True
What types of ovulators are rabbits?
Induced ovulators
How many rabbits are born in a litter?
4-12 rabbits
Give an example of an adaption that rabbits use when in cold conditions.
Peripheral vasoconstriciton of the ears and the tail.
(this diverts heat to other areas of the body and reduces vascular supply to the periphery which in turn reduces heat loss.)
Give an example of an adaption that rabbits use when in hot conditions.
Arteriovenous shunting with counter current heat exchange in ears, tails and feet.
What are the main differences between the skeleton of the rabbit and that of the cat?
- The skeleton of the rabbit is delicate and makes up only 7-8% of the body weight. This is in contrast to the skeleton of the cat, which makes up 12-13% of its body weight.
- In rabbits the pubis is not part of the acetabulum unlike in cats.
- In the forelimb the radius and ulna are completely fused whereas in the cat they are seperate bones.
- In the hindlimb the fibula is short and is half the length of tibia. These are also fused unlike in the cat.
What are the 3 best words used to describe rabbit dentition?
- Hypsodont: High crowned teeth with enamel extending below the gum line
- Elodont: Continually growing throughout life
- Aradicular: Open rooted, dont develop anatomical roots
What gives rabbit/rodent incisors their chisel shape?
Enamel on the outer surface is stronger than the dentine inner layer
How many cm do rabbit teeth grow in a year?
10-12 cm per year
What is the main cause of 50% of medical problems seen in rabbits?
dental disease
True/ False?
Rabbits are unable to vomit
True
(due to oesophagus entering the stomach at an oblique angle)
How many gyral folds does a rabbits caecum have?
3
What is the hindgut made up of?
Caecum and colon
Where is the Fusus coli located?
end of the proximal colon
When are caecotrophs produced?
Every 8 hours after feeding
Where are caecotrophs formed?
Caecum and proximal colon
True or False?
A high protein diet supports consumption of caecotrophs?
False
(a low protein diet supports consumption)
What impact does calcium from the diet have on on calcium serum and phosphorus concentrations?
Increases serum calcium concentrations and decreases phosphorus concentrations
True/ False
Gut calcium absorption in the rabbit is dependant on Vit D
False
Absorption is not dependant on Vit D
What is the calcium phosphorus ratio in rabbits?
12:1
(extremely tolerant of high calcium levels)
What controls calcium absorption from the gut?
Rapid adjustments in PTH
Where do rabbits excrete calcium from instead of through bile?
Kidneys
Where is the larynx positioned in rodents and lagomorphs and what does this mean?
High in the oropharynx
Means they are obligate nasal breathers so mouth breathing = poor prognosis
What adaptions does the rabbit lung have in order to meet high oxygen demands despite lung size not being proportinally larger to combat this?
Low residual lung capacity: Therefore cannot fully exhale all the air from their lungs which helps to maintain high oxygen levels in their lungs.
They also have good chest wall compliance and have a larger volume of alveoli with a smaller diameter creating a larger surface area within a similar volume of lung
Why does Pneumonia spread fast in rabbits?
Poor lobulation of lungs
Why is it important to raise and lower the head every 2 mins during CPR in rabbits?
To encourage diaphramatic breathing because rabbits do not use intercostal muscles during respiration as it is mostly diaphragmatic muscle contractions that are used.
What lymph nodes are most prone to issues in the rabbits and rodents due to the high occurance of dental disease?
Submandibular and cervical
(drain the oral cavity and the top of the neck)
What is the name for the normal oral bacteria that is found in rabbits and guineapigs?
Step. Zooepidemicus
What type of uterus do rabbits and rodents have?
Duplex uterus
What accessory glands do male rabbits have?
Prostate, semical vesicle, bulbourethral
What do male rodents and rabbits produce during corpulation to keep sperm within the vagina after mating?
gelatinous plug
When do testes descend in the male rabbit?
12 weeks of age
