View source for Biology:Domestic rabbit

{{Short description|Domesticated form of European rabbit}}
{{Infraspeciesbox
| image = Mixed netherland dwarf mutt.jpg
| image_caption = 
| genus = Oryctolagus
| species = cuniculus
| subspecies = domesticus
| authority = 
}}
[[File:Domestic Rabbit Relaxed on Carpet.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|A pet rabbit stretched out on the carpet. This behavior is sometimes called a "sploot".]]

The '''domestic''' or '''domesticated''' '''rabbit'''—more commonly known as a '''pet rabbit''', '''bunny''', '''bun''', or '''bunny rabbit'''—is the domesticated form of the [[Biology:European rabbit|European rabbit]], a member of the lagomorph order. A male rabbit is known as a ''buck,'' a female is a ''doe,'' and a young rabbit is a ''kit'', or ''kitten''.

Rabbits were first used for their [[Biology:Rabbit#As food and clothing|food and fur]] by [[History:Ancient Rome|the Romans]], and have been kept as pets in Western nations since the 19th century.<ref name="Irving-PeaseFrantz2018"/> Rabbits can be housed in exercise pens, but free roaming without any boundaries in a rabbit-proofed space has become popularized on social media in recent years. Beginning in the 1980s, the idea of the domestic rabbit as a house companion, a so-called '''''house rabbit''''' similar to a house cat, was promoted. Rabbits can be litter box-trained and taught to come when called, but they require exercise and can damage a house that has not been "rabbit proofed" based on their innate need to chew. Accidental interactions between pet rabbits and wild rabbits, while seemingly harmless, are usually strongly discouraged due to the species' different temperaments as well as wild rabbits potentially carrying diseases.<ref name="thedodo.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.thedodo.com/baby-hybrid-rabbits-rescue-1039557367.html | title=These Baby Bunny Hybrids Are 100% Adorable | date=13 March 2015 }}</ref><ref name="rabbitcaretips.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.rabbitcaretips.com/can-wild-and-domestic-rabbits-live-together/ | title=Can Wild and Domestic Rabbits Live Together? | date=23 July 2019 }}</ref>

Unwanted pet rabbits end up in animal shelters, especially after the [[Religion:Eastertide|Easter season]] (see Easter Bunny). In 2017, they were the United States' third most abandoned pet.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-04-12|title=Here's why Easter Is bad for bunnies|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/rabbits-easter-animal-welfare-pets-rescue-bunnies|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305180401/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/rabbits-easter-animal-welfare-pets-rescue-bunnies|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 5, 2021|access-date=2021-12-21|website=Animals|language=en}}</ref> Some of them go on to be adopted and become family pets in various forms.<ref name="NYT article1">{{cite news |last = Lovett |first = Ian |title = When Delight Turns to Reality, It's Goodbye, Easter Bunny |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/us/when-delight-turns-to-reality-its-goodbye-easter-bunny.html |access-date=18 February 2018 |work=The New York Times |date=19 April 2014 }}</ref> Because their wild counterparts have become [[Biology:Rabbits in Australia|invasive in Australia]], pet rabbits are banned in the state of Queensland.<ref name="QLD law article">{{cite web |title = Rabbit Laws in QLD: Real life threat |url = http://www.greencrossvet.com.au/Pet_Care_Information/Article-216/Rabbit-Laws-In-QLD.aspx |website = Greencross Vets |access-date = 18 February 2018 |archive-date = 19 February 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180219151413/http://www.greencrossvet.com.au/Pet_Care_Information/Article-216/Rabbit-Laws-In-QLD.aspx |url-status = dead }}</ref> Pet rabbits, being a domesticated breed that lack survival instincts, do not fare well in the wild if they are abandoned or escape from captivity.<ref name="thedodo.com"/><ref name="rabbitcaretips.com"/>

== History ==
[[History:Phoenicia|Phoenicia]]n [[Engineering:Sailor|sailor]]s visiting the coast of {{wipe|Spain}} c. 12th century BC, mistaking the European rabbit for a species from their homeland (the rock hyrax ''Procavia capensis''), gave it the name ''i-shepan-ham'' (land or island of hyraxes).<ref>{{Cite book|last=Plummer|first=D. Brian (David Brian)|title=In pursuit of Coney|publisher=Coch-y-Bonddu Books|year=2001|isbn=978-0-9533648-8-6|location=[Place of publication not identified]|pages=1|oclc=786137135}}</ref>

The captivity of rabbits as a food source is recorded as early as the 1st century BC, when the Roman writer Pliny the Elder described the use of rabbit hutches, along with enclosures called ''{{ill|leporaria|fr|Leporarium}}''.<ref name="Irving-PeaseFrantz2018">{{cite journal|last1=Irving-Pease|first1=Evan K.|last2=Frantz|first2=Laurent A.F.|last3=Sykes|first3=Naomi|last4=Callou|first4=Cécile|last5=Larson|first5=Greger|title=Rabbits and the Specious Origins of Domestication|journal=Trends in Ecology & Evolution|volume=33|issue=3|pages=149–152|year=2018|issn=0169-5347|doi=10.1016/j.tree.2017.12.009|pmid=29454669|s2cid=3380288 |url=http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/34474}}</ref> A controversial theory is that a corruption of the rabbit's name used by the [[History:Ancient Rome|Romans]] became the Latin name for the peninsula, ''Hispania''.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_S1lDAAAAIAAJ |quote= A System of Ancient and Mediæval Geography for the Use of Schools and Colleges. |last=Anthon |first=Charles |title = A System of Ancient and Mediæval Geography for the Use of Schools and Colleges |publisher= Harper |page = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_S1lDAAAAIAAJ/page/n25 14] |year=1850 }}{{Full citation needed|date=October 2015}}</ref> In Rome, rabbits were raised in large walled colonies with walls extended underground.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Moore|first=Lucile C.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V8uPBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA18|title=A House Rabbit Primer: Understanding and Caring for your Companion Rabbit|publisher=Santa Monica Press, LLC|year=2005|isbn=1595808736|location=Santa Monica, CA|pages=19–20}}</ref> According to Pliny, the consumption of unborn and newborn rabbits, called [[Biology:Laurices|laurices]], was considered a delicacy.<ref>Pliny, the Elder, Natural history, 8.81 (55) The different species of hares, online: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0137%3Abook%3D8%3Achapter%3D81</ref>

Evidence for the domestic rabbit is rather late. In the [[History:Middle Ages|Middle Ages]], wild rabbits were often kept for the hunt. [[Philosophy:Monk|Monk]]s in southern France were crossbreeding rabbits at least by the 12th century AD. Domestication was probably a slow process that took place from the Roman period (or earlier) until the 1500s.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Irving-Pease|first1=Evan K.|last2=Frantz|first2=Laurent A. F.|last3=Sykes|first3=Naomi|last4=Callou|first4=Cécile|last5=Larson|first5=Greger|date=1 March 2018|title=Rabbits and the Specious Origins of Domestication|url=https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/abstract/S0169-5347(18)30001-6|journal=Trends in Ecology & Evolution|language=en|volume=33|issue=3|pages=149–152|doi=10.1016/j.tree.2017.12.009|issn=0169-5347|pmid=29454669|s2cid=3380288 }}</ref>[[File:Women hunting rabbits with a ferret.jpg|alt=Depiction of rabbit hunting in Queen Mary Psalter (1340)|center|frame|A medieval depiction of well-dressed ladies who are hunting rabbits in a warren, using cages, clubs and ferrets. Queen Mary's Psalter (1340)]]In the 19th century, as animal fancy in general began to emerge, rabbit fanciers began to sponsor rabbit exhibitions and fairs in Western Europe and the United States. Breeds of various domesticated animals were created and modified for the added purpose of exhibition, a departure from the breeds that had been created solely for food, fur, or wool. The rabbit's emergence as a household pet began during the [[History:Victorian era|Victorian era]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Amato|first=Sarah|title=Beastly Possessions : Animals In Victorian Consumer Culture.|publisher=University Of Toronto Press|year=2015|isbn=978-1-4426-1760-5|location=Toronto, Canada|pages=31–32|oclc=1124537499}}</ref>
The keeping of the rabbit as a pet commencing from the 1800s coincides with the first observable skeletal differences between the wild and domestic populations, even though captive rabbits had been exploited for over 2,000 years.<ref name="Irving-PeaseFrantz2018"/> Domestic rabbits have been popular in the United States since the late 19th century. What became known as the "Belgian Hare Boom" began with the importation of the first Belgian Hares from England in 1888 and, soon after, the founding of the American Belgian Hare Association, the first rabbit club in America. From 1898 to 1901, many thousands of Belgian Hares were imported to America.<ref name="TLC-BH">{{cite web |title = Heritage Rabbits - Belgian Hare |url = http://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/belgian-hare |website=The Livestock Conservancy |access-date=21 February 2018 |quote=Status: Threatened }}</ref> Today, the Belgian Hare is one of the rarest breeds, with only 132 specimens found in the United States in a 2015 census.<ref name="AMBH survey">{{cite web |title = Hare Survey - Submitted by the Rare Breed Rabbits Group |url = http://belgianhareclub.com/hare_survey.html |website = American Belgian Hare Club |access-date = 21 February 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180221222455/http://belgianhareclub.com/hare_survey.html |archive-date = 21 February 2018 |url-status = dead }}</ref>

[[File:La Vierge au Lapin à la Loupe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Titian, ''Madonna of the Rabbit'' ({{circa|1530}})]]

The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) was founded in 1910 and is the national authority on rabbit raising and rabbit breeds having a uniform Standard of Perfection, registration and judging system. The domestic rabbit continues to be popular as a show animal and pet.  Many thousand rabbit shows occur each year and are sanctioned in Canada and the United States by the ARBA. Today, the domesticated rabbit is the third most popular mammalian pet in Britain after [[Biology:Dog|dog]]s and [[Biology:Cat|cat]]s.

=== Experimentation ===
Rabbits have been, and continue to be, used in laboratory work such as the production of antibodies for vaccines and research of human male reproductive system toxicology. The Environmental Health Perspective, published by the National Institute of Health, states, "The rabbit [is] an extremely valuable model for studying the effects of chemicals or other stimuli on the male reproductive system." According to the Humane Society of the United States, rabbits are also used extensively in the study of bronchial asthma, stroke prevention treatments, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and cancer. [[Philosophy:Animal rights|Animal rights]] activists have opposed animal experimentation for non-medical purposes, such as the testing of cosmetic and cleaning products, which has resulted in decreased use of rabbits in these areas.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Franco |first1=Nuno |title=Animal Experiments in Biomedical Research: A Historical Perspective |journal=Animals |date=19 March 2013 |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=238–273 |doi=10.3390/ani3010238 |pmid=26487317 |pmc=4495509 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

== Terminology ==
Male rabbits are called ''bucks''; females are called ''does''.  An older term for an adult rabbit is ''coney'', while ''rabbit'' once referred only to the young animals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=coney|title=coney &#124; Search Online Etymology Dictionary|website=www.etymonline.com}}</ref>  Another term for a young rabbit is ''bunny'', though this term is often applied informally (especially by children and rabbit enthusiasts) to rabbits generally, especially domestic ones. More recently, the term ''kit'' or ''kitten'' has been used to refer to a young rabbit. A young [[Biology:Hare|hare]] is called a ''leveret''; this term is sometimes informally applied to a young rabbit as well.  A group of rabbits is known as a "colony" or a "nest".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Collective Noun Page |url= http://www.ojohaven.com/collectives |access-date=30 January 2008}}</ref> House rabbit enthusiasts may call their group of house rabbits a "fluffle".{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}

==Biology==

===Genetics===
{{anchor|Gene linkage maps|reason=This is subsection was migrated to [[Biology:Cuniculture#Genetics|Cuniculture]] on 19 February 2018.}}
{{anchor|Linkage maps|reason=This old subsection title was renamed "Gene linkage maps" on 18 February 2018.}}
{{anchor|Color genes|reason=This subsection was migrated to [[Biology:Cuniculture#Genetics|Cuniculture]] on 19 February 2018.}}

The study of rabbit genetics is of interest to fanciers, the fiber and fur industry, medical researchers, and the meat industry. Among rabbit fanciers, the genetics of rabbit health and diversity are paramount. The fiber & fur industry focuses on the genetics of coat color and hair properties. In the biomedical research community and the pharmaceutical industry, rabbit genetics are important in model organism research, antibody production, and toxicity testing. The meat industry relies on genetics for disease resistance, feed conversion ratios, and reproduction potential in rabbits.

The rabbit genome has been sequenced and is publicly available.<ref>{{cite web |title=Genome of ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' (rabbit) |publisher=United States National Institutes of Health |location=Washington, DC |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome?term=oryctolagus%20cuniculus |access-date=19 February 2018}}</ref> The mitochondrial DNA has also been sequenced.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gissi|first1=C. |last2=Gullberg|first2=A. |last3=Arnason|first3=U. |title=The complete mitochondrial DNA sequence of the rabbit, ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' |journal=Genomics |volume=50 |date=1998 |issue=2 |pages=161–169 |doi=10.1006/geno.1998.5282 |pmid=9653643 }}</ref> In 2011, parts of the rabbit genome were re-sequenced in greater depth in order to expose [[Biology:Single-nucleotide polymorphism|variation]] within the genome.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Carneiro |first1=Miguel |last2=Afonso |first2=Sandra |last3=Geraldes |first3=Armando |last4=Garreau |first4=Hervé |last5=Bolet |first5=Gerard |last6=Boucher |first6=Samuel |last7=Tircazes |first7=Aurélie |last8=Queney |first8=Guillaume |last9=Nachman |first9=Michael W. |last10=Ferrand |first10=Nuno |title=The Genetic Structure of Domestic Rabbits |journal=Molecular Biology and Evolution |date=2011 |volume=28 |issue=6 |pages=1801–1816 |doi=10.1093/molbev/msr003 |pmid=21216839 |pmc=3695642 }}</ref>

<gallery caption="Rabbit Coat Pattern & Color Genes" widths="200px" heights="120px">
File:English Lop Rabbit.jpg|{{center|1=Gene = '''En'''<br />''Pattern: English<br />Gene = '''A- B- C- D- E-'''<br />Color: Chestnut''}}
File:American_Grand_Champion_Dutch_Rabbit.jpg|{{center|1=Gene = '''du'''<br />''Pattern: Dutch<br />Gene = '''B'''<br />Color: Black (on white)''}}
File:Lapin_Japonais.jpg|{{center|1=Gene = '''e(j)'''<br />''Pattern: Harlequin''}}
File:Broken Mini Rex.JPG|{{center|1=Gene = '''Enen'''<br />''Pattern: Broken<br />Gene = '''D'''<br />Color: Chocolate (on white)''}}
File:Eithel, black Silver Fox doe.jpg|{{center|1=Gene = '''si'''<br />''Silvering of the hair shaft''}}
</gallery>

There are 11 color [[Biology:Gene|gene]] groups (or loci) in rabbits. A rabbit's coat has either two pigments (pheomelanin for yellow, and eumelanin for dark brown) or no pigment (for an albino rabbit)<!-- explain why one pigment situation is not possible -->.  Clusters of color genes plus their [[Biology:Modifications (genetics)|modifiers]] control such aspects as coat patterns (e.g. ''Dutch'' or ''English'' markings), color hues and their intensity or dilution, and the location of color bands on the hair shaft (e.g., silvering).

===Diet===

As a refinement of the diet of the wild rabbit, the diet of the domestic rabbit is often a function of its purpose. Show rabbits are fed for vibrant health, strong musculoskeletal systems, and&mdash;like rabbits intended for the fur trade&mdash;optimal coat production and condition. Rabbits intended for the meat trade are fed for swift and efficient production of flesh, while rabbits in research settings have closely controlled diets for specific goals. Nutritional needs of the domestic rabbit may also be focused on developing a physique that allows for the safe delivery of larger litters of healthy kits. Optimizing costs and producing feces that meet local waste regulations may also be factors.<ref>{{cite journal |url= http://ojs.upv.es/index.php/wrs/article/view/382/369 |title=Towards reduced feeding costs, dietary safety and minimal mineral excretion in rabbits: A review |first=L. |last=Maertens |journal=World Rabbit Science |date=1999 |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=65–74|access-date=24 February 2018}}</ref> The diet of a pet rabbit, too, is geared toward its purpose&mdash;as a healthy and long-lived companion.<ref name="BunnyHorde">{{cite web |title = Nutrient Constrain Calculator For Rabbits |work=Bunnyhorde.com |date=11 April 2021 |url = https://bunnyhorde.com/nutrient-constrain-calculator-for-rabbits/ |access-date=15 June 2021}}</ref>

Hay is an essential part of the diet of all rabbits and it is a major component of the commercial food pellets that are formulated for domestic rabbits and available in many areas. Pellets are typically fed to adult rabbits in limited quantities once or twice a day, to mimic their natural behavior and to prevent obesity. It is recommended only a teaspoon to an egg cup full of pellets is fed to adult rabbits each day. Most rabbit pellets are alfalfa-based for protein and fiber, with other grains completing the carbohydrate requirements. "Muesli" style rabbit foods are also available; these contain separate components—e.g., dried carrot, pea flakes and hay pellets as opposed to a uniform pellet. These are not recommended as rabbits will choose favored parts and leave the rest. Muesli style feeds are often lower in fiber than pelleted versions of rabbit food. Additionally, numerous studies have found they increase the risk of obesity and dental disease.  Minerals and vitamins are added during production of rabbit pellets to meet the nutritional requirements of the domestic rabbit. Along with pellets, many commercial rabbit raisers also feed one or more types of loose hay, for its freshness and important cellulose components. [[Biology:Alfalfa|Alfalfa]] in particular is recommended for the growth needs of young rabbits.<ref name="IndianaHRS food">{{cite web |title = Hay and Pellets: What do you feed a bunny? |work=IndianaHRS.org |publisher=House Rabbit Society, Indiana Chapter |url = http://www.indianahrs.org/rabbit-care/food-pellets-hay.aspx |access-date=24 February 2018}}</ref> Alfalfa hay is not recommended for adult rabbits, as it is too rich in protein and too high in calcium.<ref>{{cite web |title=Feeding Your Rabbit |url=https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feeding-your-rabbit |access-date=12 October 2020}}</ref> Grass hays are best because they are lower in protein and calcium.  Common sources of hay for rabbits include bluegrass, brome, fescue, marsh, orchard, timothy, oat and ryegrass. Offering a diversity of hay is important nutritionally. A diversity of hay also desensitizes rabbits to small changes in smell and texture, resulting in good, consistent eaters.<ref>{{cite web |title= The Importance Of Hay by House Rabbit Society |url= https://rabbit.org/the-importance-of-hay/ |access-date=12 October 2020}}</ref>

===Digestion===
[[Biology:Rabbit#Diet and eating habits|Rabbits]] are [[Biology:Hindgut fermentation|hindgut fermenters]] and therefore have an enlarged [[Biology:Cecum|cecum]]. This allows a rabbit to digest, via fermentation, what it otherwise would not be able to metabolically process.

After a rabbit ingests food, the food travels down the esophagus and through a small valve called the cardia. In rabbits, this valve is very well pronounced and makes the rabbit incapable of vomiting. The food then moves to the stomach and small intestine, where a majority of nutrient extraction and absorption takes place. Food then passes into the colon and eventually into the cecum. [[Biology:Peristalsis|Peristaltic]] muscle contractions (waves of motion) help to separate fibrous and non-fibrous particles. The non-fibrous particles are then moved backwards up the colon, through the illeo-cecal valve, and into the cecum. Symbiotic bacteria in the cecum help to further digest the non-fibrous particles into a more metabolically manageable substance.  After as little as three hours, a soft, fecal "pellet," called a cecotrope, is expelled from the rabbit's anus.  The rabbit instinctively eats these pellets (shaped like a tiny cluster of grapes), without chewing, in order to keep the mucous coating intact. This coating protects the vitamin- and nutrient-rich bacteria from stomach acid, until it reaches the small intestine, where the nutrients from the cecotrope can be absorbed.<ref>{{cite book |title=Official Guidebook to Raising Better Rabbits and Cavies |location=Bloomington, Illinois |publisher=American Rabbit Breeders Association |date=1991}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rees Davies|first1=R. |first2=J. A. E.|last2=Rees Davies |date=2003 |title=Rabbit Gastro-intestinal Physiology |journal=Vet. Clin. Exot. Anim. |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=139–153 |url=http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Rees-Davies.pdf |doi=10.1016/S1094-9194(02)00024-5 |pmid=12616837 }}</ref>

The soft pellets contain a sufficiently large portion of nutrients that are critical to the rabbit's health. This soft fecal matter is rich in vitamin B and other nutrients. The process of [[Biology:Coprophagia|coprophagy]] is one of the important ways to supply the rabbit's digestive health with vitamin B in a form that is digestible.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rabbit – Nutrition & Management |date=19 April 2011 |work=RabbitChow.com |publisher=Purina Mills |url= http://www.rabbitchow.com/NUTRITIONMANAGEMENT/default.aspx}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|certain=y|reason=This is an advertising site for a low-grade pet food company, not a reliable source for facts about rabbit biology.|date=October 2015}} Occasionally, the rabbit may leave these pellets lying about in its cage.  In moderate amounts, this behavior is harmless, although it may be indicative of too many carbohydrates in the diet.

When caecal pellets are wet and runny (semi-liquid) and stick to the rabbit and surrounding objects, they are called intermittent soft cecotropes (ISCs). This is different from ordinary diarrhea and is usually caused by a diet too high in carbohydrates or too low in fiber. Soft fruit or salad items such as lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes are possible causes.

===Reproduction===
{{Anchor|title=Milk|reason=This is the name of a subsection that was merged into the "Reproduction" section here on 19 February 2018}}

[[File:Domestic-rabbit-kanela-breastfeeding.ogv|thumb|right|Rabbit kits suckling from their mother|270px]]

Rabbits are prolific breeders, in part because rabbits reach breeding age quickly. To prevent unwanted offspring, rabbits may be spayed or [[Medicine:Neutering|neutered]] at sexual maturity: 4–5 months for small breeds (e.g., Mini Rex, Netherland Dwarf), 5–6 months for medium-sized breeds (e.g., Rex, New Zealand), and 6–7 months for large breeds (e.g., Flemish Giant). Bucks usually require more time to sexually mature than does, and they normally reach adult sperm counts at 6–7 months.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

Like all mammals, rabbits produce milk for their young. Female rabbits have six to eight [[Biology:Nipple|nipple]]s and can produce milk for more than six weeks after birthing.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Maertens |first1=L. |last2=Labas |first2=F. |last3=Szendro |first3=Z. S. |year=2006 |title=Rabbit Milk: A review of quantity, quality, and non-dietary affecting factors |journal=World Rabbit Science |volume=14 |issue=4 |pages=207 |doi=10.4995/wrs.2006.565 |doi-access=free |hdl=10251/9560|hdl-access=free }}
</ref> Rabbit milk is relatively high in fat, as a percentage by mass. While most herbivores produce [[Kernel density estimation|approximately]] 5% milk fat, rabbits produce 12%. The excerpted table below compares milk characteristics among mammals.<ref name="Milk">{{cite web|last1=Bremel (University of Wisconsin)|first1=Robert D.|last2=Jensen (''Handbook of Milk Composition'')|first2=R.G.|title=Milk Composition - Species Table|url=http://ansci.illinois.edu/static/ansc438/Milkcompsynth/milkcomp_table.html|website=Lactation Biology|publisher=University of Illinois - Department of Animal Sciences|access-date=19 February 2018|archive-date=5 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905021420/http://ansci.illinois.edu/static/ansc438/Milkcompsynth/milkcomp_table.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; text-align:right;"
|+Composition of milk for various mammals<br />(% by mass)
!Species||Fat<br />%||Protein<br />%||Lactose<br />%||Ash<br />%||Total<br />solids<br />%
|-
|Gray Seal||53.2||11.2||2.6||0.7||67.7
|-
|Polar Bear||31.0||10.2||0.5||1.2||42.9
|-style="background:#FFFFCC">
|Rabbit||12.2||10.4||1.8||2.0||26.4
|-
|Bison||1.7||4.8||5.7||0.96||13.2
|-
|Donkey||1.2||1.7||6.9||0.45||10.2
|}

==Health==
{{anchor|Health problems|reason=Old section title}}
[[File:Meyer Zeit-Vertreib 1 Tafel 083.jpg|thumb|''Johann Daniel Meyer (1752)'']]
Disease is rare when rabbits are raised in sanitary conditions and provided with adequate care.  Rabbits have fragile bones, especially in their [[Biology:Vertebral column|spine]]s, and need support on the bottom when they are picked up.

Rabbits will gnaw on almost anything, including electrical cords (possibly leading to [[Physics:Electrocution|electrocution]]), potentially poisonous plants, and material like carpet and fabric that may cause life-threatening intestinal blockages, so areas to which they have access need to be pet-proofed.<ref name="HRS rabbit-proof" /><ref name="Dawson">{{Cite journal|last=Dawson|first=Bronwyn|date=10 July 2011|title=Dealing with Medical Emergencies|url=http://rabbit.org/dealing-with-medical-emergencies/|publisher=House Rabbit Society|volume=II|issue=4|access-date=2 October 2015|journal=House Rabbit Journal}} A differently formatted version is also available [http://www.rabbit.org/journal/2-4/emergency-preparedness.html here].</ref>

===Spaying and neutering===
[[Medicine:Neutering|Neutering]] is possible for both female and male rabbits; however, spaying females can pose significant risks. This is because spaying female rabbits requires a far bigger [[Medicine:Surgery|surgery]] with a higher [[Mortality rate|mortality rate]] (during or in relation to the procedure) compared to males,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Streicher |first1=Michael |last2=Hach |first2=Volker |date=2006 |title=Das Uterus-Adenokarzinom des Kaninchens |journal=Kleintierpraxis |volume=51 |issue=6 |pages=3–8}}</ref> as their lower [[Biology:Abdomen|abdomen]] needs to be opened up in order to remove [[Biology:Ovary|ovaries]] and [[Biology:Uterus|uterus]]. In addition, spaying is known to have severe negative effects on a female rabbit's health.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Perpiñán |first=David |date=2019-04-02 |title=Rabbit neutering |url=http://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/10.12968/coan.2019.24.4.217 |journal=Companion Animal |language=en |volume=24 |issue=4 |pages=217–225 |doi=10.12968/coan.2019.24.4.217 |s2cid=243376323 |issn=2053-0889}}</ref> One particularly dangerous consequence is the development of [[Medicine:Osteoporosis|osteoporosis]] due to the lack of [[Biology:Estrogen|estrogen]] caused by the removal of the ovaries, which, among other things, greatly increases the risk of dental problems and [[Medicine:Bone fracture|bone fracture]]s.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Southard |first1=Thomas E. |last2=Southard |first2=Karin A. |last3=Krizan |first3=Kenneth E. |last4=Hillis |first4=Stephen L. |last5=Haller |first5=John W. |last6=Keller |first6=John |last7=Vannier |first7=Michael W. |date=February 2000 |title=Mandibular bone density and fractal dimension in rabbits with induced osteoporosis |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1079210400578275 |journal=Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontology |language=en |volume=89 |issue=2 |pages=244–249 |doi=10.1067/moe.2000.102223|pmid=10673664 }}</ref> Other negative health outcomes that have been reported include [[Medicine:Bowel obstruction|colonic obstruction]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Guzman |first1=David Sanchez-Migallon |last2=Graham |first2=Jennifer E. |last3=Keller |first3=Krista |last4=Hunt |first4=Geraldine |last5=Tong |first5=Nathan |last6=Morrisey |first6=James K. |date=2015-01-01 |title=Colonic Obstruction Following Ovariohysterectomy in Rabbits: 3 Cases |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1557506314002055 |journal=Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine |series=Neurology |language=en |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=112–119 |doi=10.1053/j.jepm.2014.11.006 |issn=1557-5063}}</ref> [[Medicine:Urinary incontinence|urinary incontinence]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bujok |first1=Jolanta |last2=Wincewicz |first2=Edyta |last3=Czerski |first3=Albert |last4=Zawadzki |first4=Wojciech |date=2016-02-01 |title=Influence of ovariohysterectomy and deslorelin acetate on the spontaneous activity of the rabbit urinary bladder in vitro |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0093691X15004896 |journal=Theriogenology |language=en |volume=85 |issue=3 |pages=441–446 |doi=10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.09.018 |pmid=26474688 |issn=0093-691X}}</ref> ureteral stenosis,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Duhamelle |first1=Alexis |last2=Tessier |first2=Emilie |last3=Larrat |first3=Sylvain |date=2017-04-01 |title=Ureteral Stenosis Following Ovariohysterectomy in a Rabbit (''Oryctolagus cuniculus'') |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1557506317300241 |journal=Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine |language=en |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=132–136 |doi=10.1053/j.jepm.2017.01.022 |issn=1557-5063}}</ref> increased ageing of [[Biology:Ligament|ligament]]s,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lemmex |first1=Devin B. |last2=Ono |first2=Yohei |last3=Reno |first3=Carol R. |last4=Hart |first4=David A. |last5=Lo |first5=Ian K. Y. |last6=Thornton |first6=Gail M. |date=2016-02-08 |title=Increased lubricin/proteoglycan 4 gene expression and decreased modulus in medial collateral ligaments following ovariohysterectomy in the adult rabbit: Evidence consistent with aging |journal=Journal of Biomechanics |language=en |volume=49 |issue=3 |pages=382–387 |doi=10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.12.026 |pmid=26776933 |issn=0021-9290|doi-access=free }}</ref> and alterations of the rabbit's [[Medicine:Cornea|cornea]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Achari |first1=Yamini |last2=Reno |first2=Carol R. |last3=Tsao |first3=Helen |last4=Morck |first4=Douglas W. |last5=Hart |first5=David A. |date=2008-03-06 |title=Influence of timing (pre-puberty or skeletal maturity) of ovariohysterectomy on mRNA levels in corneal tissues of female rabbits |journal=Molecular Vision |volume=14 |pages=443–455 |issn=1090-0535 |pmc=2268760 |pmid=18334964}}</ref> In general, due to the wide range and severity of possible negative health effects and the high risk for complications from [[Medicine:Anesthesia|anesthesia]] and the surgery itself, spaying female rabbits should only be considered in case of acute medical reasons (e.g., [[Medicine:Ovarian cancer|ovarian]] or [[Medicine:Uterine cancer|uterine cancer]]), if they show signs of hormonal problems, like overly frequent phases of heat or pseudopregnancies, or unusually aggressive behavior, which cannot be attributed to environmental factors, e.g., a lack of exercise.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Fry |first=Deborah J N |date=2018-11-02 |title=Human-directed aggression in rabbits: a behavioural case study |url=http://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/10.12968/coan.2018.23.11.644 |journal=Companion Animal |language=en |volume=23 |issue=11 |pages=644–648 |doi=10.12968/coan.2018.23.11.644 |s2cid=150169140 |issn=2053-0889}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Whitehead |first=Martin L. |date=February 2017 |title=Neutering of pet rabbits |url=http://doi.wiley.com/10.1136/vr.j826 |journal=Veterinary Record |language=en |volume=180 |issue=8 |pages=204–205 |doi=10.1136/vr.j826|pmid=28235931 |s2cid=46044895 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bradbury |first1=A. G. |last2=Dickens |first2=G. J. E. |date=December 2016 |title=Should we advocate neutering for all pet rabbits? |url=http://doi.wiley.com/10.1136/vr.i6680 |journal=Veterinary Record |language=en |volume=179 |issue=25 |pages=654–655 |doi=10.1136/vr.i6680|pmid=28008120 |s2cid=28921499 }}</ref> As of today, assertions of female rabbits near inevitably developing cancer if left unneutered as well as neutered females living longer, have no scientific foundation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Whitehead |first=Martin L. |date=2015 |title='80% of entire female rabbits get uterine adenocarcinoma.' A case report of a veterinary factoid. |url=https://www.bvzs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/PDF/35.Proceedings_Loughborough_March_2015.pdf |journal=Proceedings of the British Veterinary Zoological Society Conference, March 2015, Loughborough University |pages=37}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> <ref group="Note" name="Note01" />

However, castration of male pet rabbits is necessary, if they are to be kept species-appropriate (together with at least one other rabbit), which wouldn't otherwise be possible. Uncastrated male rabbits will engage in severe and often bloody fights with each other upon reaching adulthood, which can even end fatally. To prevent uncontrolled reproduction, it is advised to castrate males instead of females, as the necessary procedure, which requires only a small incision, has proven to be relatively safe and to have far less adverse effects on the rabbit's overall health.<ref name=":0" />

===Vaccinations===
In most jurisdictions, including the United States (except where required by local animal control ordinances), rabbits do not require [[Biology:Vaccination|vaccination]]. Vaccinations exist for both [[Biology:Rabbit hemorrhagic disease|rabbit hemorrhagic disease]] and [[Biology:Myxomatosis|myxomatosis]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.link2content.co.uk/uploads/bva/rabbit.pdf |title=British Veterinary Association Rabbit Care Downloads|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050125125517/http://www.link2content.co.uk/uploads/bva/rabbit.pdf |archive-date=2005-01-25 }}</ref> These vaccinations are usually given annually, two weeks apart. If there is an outbreak of myxomatosis locally, this vaccine can be administered every six months for extra protection.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.intervet.co.uk/binaries/92_114377.pdf |title=The importance of vaccination for your rabbit |access-date=26 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225031231/http://www.intervet.co.uk/binaries/92_114377.pdf |archive-date=25 February 2009 }} Intervet vaccination literature.{{full citation needed|date=October 2015}}</ref> Myxomatosis immunizations are not available in all countries, including Australia, due to fears that immunity will pass on to feral rabbits. However, they are recommended by some veterinarians as prophylactics, where they are legally available.<ref name="Pavia 2003">{{cite book |last=Pavia |first=Audrey |url=https://archive.org/details/rabbitsfordummie00audr |title=Rabbits for Dummies |publisher=Wiley |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-7645-0861-5 |location=New York |url-access=registration}}</ref>{{rp|182}}

===Declawing===
A rabbit cannot be declawed. Lacking pads on the bottoms of its feet, a rabbit requires its claws for traction. Removing its claws would render it unable to stand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbit.org/care/declawing.html|title=Why Rabbits Should Not Be Declawed|website=www.rabbit.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitwise.org/neverdo.html|title=Rabbit Care: Rabbit Never Do's|website=www.rabbitwise.org}}</ref>

===Tonic immobility===
Coping with stress is a key aspect of rabbit behavior, and this can be traced to part of the brain known as [[Chemistry:Ventral tegmental area|ventral tegmental area]] (VTA).  Dopaminergic neurons in this part of the brain release the hormone [[Biology:Dopamine|dopamine]]. In rabbits, it is released as part of a coping mechanism while in a heightened state of fear or stress, and has a calming effect. Dopamine has also been found in the rabbit's medial prefrontal cortex, the [[Biology:Nucleus accumbens|nucleus accumbens]], and the [[Medicine:Amygdala|amygdala]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Guarraci|first1=F. |last2=Knapp|first2=B. |date=1999 |title=An electrophysiological characterization of ventral tegmental area dopaminergic neurons during differential pavlovian fear conditioning in the awake rabbit |journal=Behavioural Brain Research |volume=99 |issue=2 |pages=169–179 |doi=10.1016/S0166-4328(98)00102-8 |pmid=10512583 |s2cid=10451981 |url= http://www.utdallas.edu/~tres/memory/emotional/kapp.pdf}}</ref>

Physiological and behavioral responses to human-induced [[Biology:Apparent death#Tonic immobility|tonic immobility]] (TI, sometimes termed "trancing" or "playing dead") have been found to be indicative of a fear-motivated stress state, confirming that the promotion of TI to try to increase a bond between rabbits and their owners—thinking the rabbits enjoy it—is misplaced.<ref name="VDWEtrancing2006"/><ref name="VDWEtrancing2006-2"/> However, some researchers conclude that inducing TI in rabbits is appropriate for certain medical procedures, as it holds less risk than anesthesia.<ref name="VDWEtrancing2006">{{cite journal|last1=McBride |first1=Anne |last2=Day |first2=Simone |last3=McAdie |first3=Tina |last4=Meredith |first4=Anna |last5=Barley |first5=Jasmine |last6=Hickman |first6=Janice |last7=Lawes |first7=Lesley |date=2006 |title=Trancing rabbits: Relaxed hypnosis or a state of fear? |journal=Proceedings of the VDWE International Congress on Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare |pages=135–137 |location=Sint-Niklaas, Belgium |publisher=Vlaamse Dierenartsenvereniging (VDV) |url=http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/11361/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160712123331/http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/11361/ |archive-date=12 July 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="VDWEtrancing2006-2">{{Cite web |title=HopperHome |url=http://hopperhome.com/Trancing%20Rabbits-Tonic%20Immobility%20.pdf |date=24 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124225101/http://hopperhome.com/Trancing%20Rabbits-Tonic%20Immobility%20.pdf |archive-date=2010-11-24 }}</ref>

===Sore hocks===
The formation of open sores on the rabbit's hocks, commonly called ''sore hocks'', is a problem that commonly afflicts mostly heavy-weight rabbits kept in cages with wire flooring<ref>{{cite web |title=Housing |work=Rabbit.org |publisher=House Rabbit Society |url= http://rabbit.org/faq-housing/}}</ref> or soiled solid flooring.  The problem is most prevalent in rex-furred rabbits and heavy-weight rabbits (over {{convert|9|lb|0|abbr=on|order=flip}}), as well as those with thin foot bristles.

The condition results when, over the course of time, the protective bristle-like fur on the rabbit's hocks thins down. Standing urine or other unsanitary cage conditions can exacerbate the problem by irritating the sensitive skin. The exposed skin in turn can result in tender areas or, in severe cases, open sores, which may then become infected and abscessed if not properly cared for.

===Gastrointestinal stasis===
[[File:Anatomy and physiology of animals Gut of a rabbit.jpg|thumb|right|Digestive system of the rabbit, ''by Ruth Lawson, Otago Polytechnic 26 November 2007''|400px]]
Gastrointestinal stasis (GI stasis) is a serious and potentially fatal condition that occurs in some rabbits in which gut motility is severely reduced and possibly completely stopped. When untreated or improperly treated, GI stasis can be fatal in as little as 24 hours.

GI stasis is the condition of food not moving through the gut as quickly as normal. The gut contents may [[Medicine:Dehydration|dehydrate]] and compact into a hard, immobile mass (impacted gut), blocking the digestive tract of the rabbit. Food in an immobile gut may also ferment, causing significant gas buildup and resultant gas pain for the rabbit.

The first noticeable symptom of GI stasis may be that the rabbit suddenly stops eating. Treatment frequently includes intravenous or subcutaneous fluid therapy ([[Medicine:Fluid replacement|rehydration]] through [[Medicine:Injection|injection]] of a balanced electrolyte solution), pain control, possible careful massage to promote gas expulsion and comfort, drugs to promote gut motility, and careful monitoring of all inputs and outputs. The rabbit's diet may also be changed as part of treatment, to include force-feeding to ensure adequate nutrition. Surgery to remove the blockage is not generally recommended and comes with a poor prognosis.<ref>{{cite book |last=Harkness |first=John E. |title=Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents |edition=5th |date=2010 |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |location=Ames, Iowa |isbn=978-0-8138-1531-2 |pages=306–308}}</ref>

Some rabbits are more prone to GI stasis than others. The causes of GI stasis are not completely understood, but common contributing factors are thought to include stress, reduced food intake, low fiber in the diet, dehydration, reduction in exercise or blockage caused by excess fur or carpet ingestion.  Stress factors can include changes in housing, transportation, or medical procedures under anesthesia. As many of these factors may occur together (poor dental structure leading to decreased food intake, followed by a stressful veterinary dental procedure to correct the dental problem), establishing a root cause may be difficult.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jenkins |first=Jeffery |chapter=Gastrointestinal Diseases |title=Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery |editor1-last=Hillyer|editor1-first=E. V. |editor2-last=Quesenberry|editor2-first=K. |date=1997 |publisher=W.B. Saunders Co. |location=Philadelphia |isbn=978-0-7216-4023-5 |pages=178–179}}</ref>

GI stasis is sometimes misdiagnosed as "hair balls" by veterinarians or rabbit keepers not familiar with the condition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rabbit.org/journal/3-7/gi.html|title=House Rabbit Society: Sluggish Motility in the Gastrointestinal Tract}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html |title=University of Miami Department of Biology: Gastrointestinal Stasis, The Silent Killer|author=Dana M. Krempels}}{{Full citation needed|date=October 2015}}</ref> While fur is commonly found in the stomach following a fatal case of GI stasis, it is also found in healthy rabbits. Molting and chewing fur can be a predisposing factor in the occurrence of GI stasis; however, the primary cause is the change in motility of the gut.

===Dental problems===
Dental disease has several causes, namely [[Biology:Genetics|genetics]], inappropriate diet, injury to the [[Medicine:Jaw|jaw]], [[Medicine:Infection|infection]], or [[Medicine:Cancer|cancer]].

[[File:Bradygnathia-superior-rabbit.jpg|right|thumb|Malocclusion in a rabbit]]
* Malocclusion: Rabbit teeth are open-rooted and continue to grow throughout their lives, which is why they need constant abrasion. Since [[Biology:Tooth enamel|tooth enamel]] is the hardest substance in the body and much harder than anything a rabbit could chew, wearing down the teeth can only happen through chewing movements, i.e., by the teeth wearing down each other. If the teeth are not properly aligned, a condition called malocclusion, the necessary abrasion cannot happen naturally and needs to be done manually by an experienced veterinarian.  Malocclusion can be either inborn or have a secondary cause. Inborn malocclusion usually presents as brachygnathism or [[Medicine:Prognathism|prognathism]] and will generally show within the first few months of a rabbit's life. Any dental problems that start appearing in adult rabbits, however, cannot be inborn. The most common secondary causes of malocclusion are trauma (e.g., falls on the nose, nibbling on cage grids, clipping the teeth with unsuited tools), bacterial infection, and low-fiber diet.<ref>{{Cite web |title=When Teeth Turn to Tusks |url=http://www.rabbit.org/journal/2-6/tusks.html |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=www.rabbit.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Medirabbit |url=http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Differential/D_problems1.htm |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=www.medirabbit.com}}</ref>
* Molar spurs: These are caused by improper abrasion of the molars and can dig into the rabbit's [[Biology:Tongue|tongue]] and/or cheek causing severe pain. They can develop into a secondary malocclusion and need to be filed down by an experienced veterinarian. If left untreated, molar spurs can be fatal. The underlying cause of molar spurs in rabbits without (inborn) malocclusion is usually a wrong diet. Since, as mentioned above, teeth cannot wear down on food, rabbits need high-fiber and other chewing intensive food, particularly hay, grass, potherbs, and [[Biology:Herb|herb]]s, to keep their teeth in shape. Some industrially produced ready-made rabbit foods, especially pellets and muesli, are very low-fiber and therefore are known to be one of the main causes of molar spurs and secondary malocclusion if fed over an extended period of time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Meredith |first=Anna |title=Rabbit dentistry |url=http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Differential/Rabbit_dentistry.pdf}}</ref> 
* [[Medicine:Osteoporosis|Osteoporosis]]: Rabbits, especially neutered females and those that are kept indoors without adequate natural sunlight, can suffer from osteoporosis, in which holes appear in the skull by X-Ray imaging. This reflects the general thinning of the bone, and teeth will start to become looser in the sockets, making it uncomfortable and painful for the animal to chew hay. The inability to properly chew hay can result in molar spurs, as described above, and weight loss, leading into a downward spiral if not treated promptly. This can be reversible and treatable. A veterinary formulated liquid [[Chemistry:Calcium|calcium]] supplement<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vetark.co.uk/pages/Zolcal-D-liquid-calcium.aspx|title=Zolcal D liquid calcium|website=www.vetark.co.uk|access-date=16 December 2016|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220204323/http://www.vetark.co.uk/pages/Zolcal-D-liquid-calcium.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> with vitamin D3 and [[Chemistry:Magnesium|magnesium]] can be given mixed with the rabbit's drinking water, once or twice per week, according to the veterinarian's instructions. The molar spurs should also be trimmed down by an experienced exotic veterinarian specialised in rabbit care, once every 1–2 months, depending on the case.

Signs of dental difficulty include difficulty eating, weight loss and small [[Biology:Feces|stool]]s and visibly overgrown teeth. However, there are many other causes of ptyalism, including pain due to other causes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Differential/generalities_ptyalism.htm|title=Differential diagnosis for ptyalism|website=www.medirabbit.com}}</ref>

===Respiratory and conjunctival problems===
An over-[[Medicine:Diagnosis|diagnosed]] ailment amongst rabbits is [[Biology:Respiration (physiology)|respiratory]] [[Medicine:Infection|infection]], known colloquially as "snuffles". ''[[Biology:Pasteurella|Pasteurella]]'', a [[Biology:Bacterium|bacterium]], is usually misdiagnosed and this is known to be a factor in the overuse of [[Chemistry:Antibiotic|antibiotic]]s among rabbits.<ref name="respiratory">Respiratory Disease by Susan A. Brown</ref>{{full citation needed|date=October 2015|reason=This is not enough information to identify and verify the source.}} A runny nose, for instance, can have several causes, among those being high [[Physics:Temperature|temperature]] or [[Physics:Humidity|humidity]], extreme stress, environmental pollution (like perfume or incense), or a sinus infection. Options for treating this is removing the pollutant, lowering or raising the temperature accordingly, and medical treatment for sinus infections.<ref name="respiratory" /> ''Pasteurella'' does live naturally in a rabbit's [[Medicine:Respiratory tract|respiratory tract]], and it can flourish out of control in some cases. In the rare event that happens, antibiotic treatment is necessary.

[[Biology:Sneeze|Sneezing]] can be a sign of environmental pollution (such as too much dust) or a [[Medicine:Food allergy|food allergy]].

Runny eyes and other [[Medicine:Conjunctiva|conjunctiva]]l problems can be caused by dental disease or a blockage of the tear duct. Environmental pollution, [[Medicine:Cornea|cornea]]l disease, entropion, distichiasis, or [[Medicine:Inflammation|inflammation]] of the eyes are also causes. This is easy to diagnose as well as treat.<ref name="respiratory" />

===Viral diseases===
Rabbits are subject to infection by a variety of viruses. Some have had deadly and widespread impact.
[[File:Rabbits MyxomatosisTrial WardangIsland 1938.jpg|thumb|Myxomatosis Trial, ''Wardang Island (Australia) 1938''|340px]]

====Myxomatosis====
{{Main|Biology:Myxomatosis}}
Myxomatosis is a virulent threat to all rabbits but not to humans.<ref name="OID-Myx">{{cite journal|title=Myxomatosis (Chapter 2.6.1)|journal=Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals ("Terrestrial Manual 2014")|date=May 2014|issue=Lagomorpha (Chapter 2.6)|pages=1–18|url=http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahm/2.06.01_MYXO.pdf|access-date=19 February 2018|publisher=World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315092400/http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahm/2.06.01_MYXO.pdf|archive-date=15 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> The intentional introduction of myxomatosis in [[Biology:Rabbits in Australia|rabbit-ravaged Australia]] killed an estimated 500 million [[Earth:Invasive species|feral]] rabbits between 1950 and 1952. The Australian government will not allow veterinarians to purchase and use the myxomatosis vaccine that would protect domestic rabbits, for fear that this immunity would be spread into the wild via escaped livestock and pets.<ref name="AU-DAWR">{{cite web|title=A Statement from the Chief Veterinary Officer (Australia) on myxomatosis vaccine availability in Australia|url=http://www.agriculture.gov.au/animal/health/myxomatosis-vaccine|website=Australian Government - Department of Agriculture and Water Resources|access-date=19 February 2018|date=12 September 2017}}</ref> This potential consequence is also one motivation for the pet-rabbit ban in Queensland.<ref name="QLD govt webpage">{{cite web|title=Restricted Invasive Animals - Rabbit|url=https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/land-management/health-pests-weeds-diseases/pests/invasive-animals/restricted/rabbit|website=Queensland [Australia] Government - Business Queensland|access-date=18 February 2018|date=22 November 2017}}</ref>

In Australia, rabbits caged outdoors in areas with high numbers of mosquitoes are vulnerable to myxomatosis. In Europe, fleas are the carriers of myxomatosis. In some countries, annual [[Biology:Vaccination|vaccination]]s against myxomatosis are available.

====Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD)====
{{Main|Biology:Rabbit hemorrhagic disease}}

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD), also known as ''viral hemorrhagic disease'' (VHD) or ''rabbit calicivirus disease'' (RCD),<ref name="CFSPH-IICAB">{{cite web |title=Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease: Viral Hemorrhagic Disease of Rabbits, Rabbit Calicivirus Disease |date=September 2007 |author=Center for Food Security & Public Health |author2=Institute for International Cooperation in Animal Biologics |work=CFSPH.IAState.edu |publisher=Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine |url= http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/rabbit_hemorrhagic_disease.pdf |access-date=3 October 2015}}</ref> is caused by a rabbit-specific [[Biology:Caliciviridae|calicivirus]] known as rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) or rabbit calicivirus (RCV). Discovered in 1983, RHD is highly infectious and usually fatal. Initial signs of the disease may be limited to fever and lethargy, until significant internal organ damage results in labored breathing, squealing, bloody mucus, and eventual coma and death. Internally, the infection causes necrosis of the liver and damages other organs, especially the spleen, kidneys, and small intestine.

RHD, like myxomatosis, has been intentionally introduced to control feral rabbit populations in Australia and (illegally) in New Zealand, and RHD has, in some areas, escaped [[Medicine:Quarantine|quarantine]]. The disease has killed tens of millions of rabbits in China (unintentionally) as well as Australia, with other epidemics reported in Bolivia, Mexico, South Korea, and continental Europe. Rabbit populations in New Zealand have bounced back after developing a genetic immunity to RHD, and the disease has, so far, had no effect on the genetically divergent native wild rabbits and hares in the Americas.<!--See main article on the disease for more sources, and copy them over as needed.-->

In the United States, an October 2013 USDA document<ref name="USDA APHIS 2013">{{cite journal|author1=Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - Veterinary Services|title=Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease: Standard Operating Procedures: 1. Overview of Etiology and Ecology|journal=Foreign Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Plan (FAD PReP)|date=October 2013|pages=1–11|url=https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/emergency_management/downloads/sop/sop_rhd_e-e.pdf|access-date=19 February 2018|publisher=United States Department of Agriculture|archive-date=1 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201083116/https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/emergency_management/downloads/sop/sop_rhd_e-e.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> stated:{{Blockquote|text=RHD has been found in the United States as recently as 2010, and was detected in Canada in 2011. Thus far, outbreaks have been controlled quickly through quarantine, depopulation, disease tracing, and cleaning and disinfection; however, rabbit losses have been in the thousands. An RHD vaccine exists, but it is not recommended for use where the disease is not widespread in wildlife, as it may hide signs of disease and is not considered a practical response for such a rapidly spreading disease.}}

In the UK, reports of RHD (as recently as February 2018) have been submitted to the British Rabbit Council's online "Notice Board".<ref name="BRC Notice Board">{{cite web|title=Notice Board|url=http://www.thebrc.org/nb/notice.php|website=The British Rabbit Council|access-date=19 February 2018}}</ref> Vaccines for RHD are available&mdash;and mandatory&mdash;in the UK.

A new strain of the virus has been discovered, called rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 ([[Biology:Rabbit hemorrhagic disease|RHDV2]]).

====West Nile virus====
West Nile virus is another threat to domestic as well as wild rabbits.<ref name="Vetstream WNV">{{cite web|last1=Mancinelli|first1=Elisabetta|last2=Cousquer|first2=Glen|title=West Nile virus infection (Lapis)|url=https://www.vetstream.com/treat/lapis/freeform/west-nile-virus-infection|website=Vetstream|issn=2398-2969|access-date=21 February 2018}}</ref> It is a fatal disease, and while vaccines are available for other species, there are none yet specifically indicated for rabbits.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Suen |display-authors=0 |first1=Willy W.|title=Experimental West Nile Virus Infection in Rabbits: An Alternative Model for Studying Induction of Disease and Virus Control|journal=Pathogens|date=2015|volume=4|issue=3|pages=529–558|doi=10.3390/pathogens4030529|pmid=26184326|pmc=4584271|doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Wry neck and parasitic fungus===
{{anchor|Parasitic fungus|reason=That is the old section title. (Changed to "Wry neck & parasitic fungus" 18 February 2018.)}}
{{anchor|Wry neck|reason=That is an old section title. (Changed to "Wry neck & parasitic fungus" 18 February 2018.)}}
Wry neck (or head tilt or torticollis) is a condition in rabbits that can be fatal, due to the resulting disorientation that causes the animal to stop eating and drinking.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}

The causes of wry neck can be middle- or inner-ear infections, ear mites (''Psoroptes cuniculi''),  nematodes (roundworms, ''[[Biology:Baylisascaris procyonis|Baylisascaris procyonis]]''), cancer (in brain, neck, ear), cervical muscle contractions, ingestion of lead or toxic plants, or diseases or injuries affecting the brain (stroke, abscess, tumor, trauma). 
<ref name="HRS head tilt">{{cite web|url=https://rabbit.org/journal/3-8/head-tilt.html|website=House Rabbit Society|title=Head Tilt: Causes and Treatment|access-date=2023-12-31|last=Ackerman|first=Sandi}}</ref>
<ref name="Krempels head tilt">{{cite web|url=https://web.as.miami.edu/hare/tilt.html#:~:text=What%20is%20%22head%20tilt%3F%22,involuntary%20movement%20of%20the%20eyeballs.|website=Krempels website|title=Head Tilt (Torticollis) in Rabbits: Don't Give Up|access-date=2023-12-31|last=Krempels|first=Dana }}</ref>
<ref name="disabled">{{cite web|url=http://www.disabledrabbits.com/head-tilt.html|website=Disabled Rabbits|title=Head Tilt in Rabbits|access-date=2023-12-31}}</ref>

However, the most common cause is a parasitic microscopic fungus called ''[[Biology:Encephalitozoon cuniculi|Encephalitozoon cuniculi]]'' (''E.&nbsp;cuniculi''). Note that: "despite approximately half of all pet rabbits carrying the infection, only a small proportion of these cases ever show any illness".<ref name="RWAF">{{cite web|title=Rabbits and E. cuniculi (Encephalatizoon cuniculi)|url=https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/e-cuniculi/|website=Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund|access-date=18 February 2018|date=4 May 2013}}</ref> Symptoms may include drinking more water than usual, frequent peeing, seizures and even complete paralysis.  Stressful situations may worsen the symptoms.  Some vets now recommend treating rabbits{{clarify|date=February 2018|reason=do you mean PROACTIVELY treating them?}} against ''E.&nbsp;cuniculi''.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}} The usual drugs for treatment and prevention are the [[Chemistry:Benzimidazole|benzimidazole]] anthelmintics, particularly [[Chemistry:Fenbendazole|fenbendazole]] (also used as a deworming agent in other animal species). In the UK, fenbendazole (under the brand name ''Panacur Rabbit''), is sold over-the-counter in oral paste form as a nine-day treatment. Fenbendazole is particularly recommended for rabbits kept in colonies and as a preventive before mixing new rabbits with each other.<ref name="RWAF" />

===Mites===

Ear Canker is caused by nonburrowing ear mites [[Biology:Psoroptes|''Psoroptes cuniculi'']].  It causes severe scabbing and inflammation on the ears and is very painful.  Infected rabbits scratch a lot, which causes secondary bacterial infections.  Rabbits should be treated as soon as possible, as the mites & infections can cause severe complications.  
<ref name="Delaney">{{cite web|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/psoroptes-cuniculi|website=Science Direct|title=Lagomorpha, Ectoparasites|access-date=2023-12-31|last=Delaney|first=Martha}}</ref>
<ref name="medirabbit ear mite">{{cite web|url=http://medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/earmite/Psoroptes.htm|website=MediRabbit|title=Ear mite: Psoroptes cuniculi|access-date=2024-01-02|last=van Praag|first=Esther}}</ref>  It can also cause Wry neck (as described above).

Fur mites can be any of a variety of species but are usually [[Biology:Cheyletiella|''Cheyletiella parasitivorax'']].  ''C. parasitivorax'' do not burrow into the skin but rather live in the keratin layer.  They can cause dandruff, itching and fur loss.  Diagnosis is not easy & it might take several tries to determine if mites are present.<ref name="cheyletiella">{{cite web|url=http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/furmite/fur_mite.htm|website=MediRabbit|title=Common Fur Mites or Cheyletiellosis|access-date=2023-12-30|last=van Praag|first=Esther}}</ref>

Sarcoptic mange (also known as [[Medicine:Scabies|scabies]]) is usually caused by the burrowing mite ''[[Biology:Sarcoptes scabiei|Sarcoptes scabiei]]'' (also known as ''S. scabei'').  Symptoms are beige crusts around the borders of the ears, edges of the eyelids, the nose, mouth and toes. Also loss of fur.  Scratching can lead to secondary bacterial infection.  If untreated, the crusts can cover extensive areas of the body.  Even mild cases should be treated as soon a possible.  
<ref name="kremples skin">{{cite web|url=https://web.as.miami.edu/hare/furloss.html|website=Kremples website|title=Fur Loss and Skin Problems in Rabbits|access-date=2023-12-31|last=Kremples|first=Dana}}</ref>
<ref name="medirabbit mange">{{cite web|url=http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/Mange/Sarcoptes.htm|website=MediRabbit|title=Mange: burrowing mites Sarcoptes scabiei or Notoedres cati|access-date=2024-01-02|last=van Praag|first=Esther}}</ref>

Tropical rat mites (''[[Biology:Ornithonyssus bacoti|Ornithonyssus bacoti]]'') (and pigeon mites) cause severe itching.  While rabbits can be easily treated (described below), to prevent reinfection, the host species (e.g., rat, pigeon) must also be treated or removed.<ref name="kremples skin"/>

Burrowing mange mites (''Trixacarus caviae'') are rare in rabbits but can cause such painful itching that the rabbit can become aggressive.<ref name="kremples skin"/>

All mites that infect rabbits can be treated by drugs given orally, by injection or applied on the skin (most common treatment), at intervals, as dictated by a veterinarian.  The environment must also be treated.  
<ref name="cheyletiella"/>
<ref name="medirabbit mange"/>

===Fly strike===
[[Medicine:Myiasis|Fly strike]], or blowfly  (''Lucilia sericata'') strike, is a condition that occurs when flies lay their eggs in a rabbit's damp or soiled fur, or in an open wound. Within 12 hours, the eggs hatch into the larval stage of the fly, known as maggots.  Initially small but quickly growing to {{convert|15|mm|in|abbr=on}} long, maggots can burrow into skin and feed on an animal's tissue, leading to [[Medicine:Shock (circulatory)|shock]] and death. The most susceptible rabbits are those in unsanitary conditions, sedentary ones, and those unable to clean their excretory areas. Rabbits with diarrhea should be inspected often for fly strike, especially during the summer months.<ref name="HRS-Fly strike">{{cite web|last1=Harriman|first1=Marinell|title=Fly Strike|url=https://rabbit.org/journal/2-12/fly-strike.html|website=House Rabbit Society|access-date=21 February 2018}}</ref> The topical treatment Rearguard® (from Novartis) is approved in the United Kingdom for 10-week-per-application prevention of fly strike.<ref name="Rearguard">{{cite web|title=Summary of [Rearguard] Product Characteristics (AN. 01134/2015)|url=http://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/productinformationdatabase/SPC_Documents/SPC_101976.DOC|website=Veterinary Medicines Directorate|publisher=Government of the United Kingdom (gov.uk)|access-date=21 February 2018|format=MS Word document|date=15 December 2015}}</ref>

===Bot Flies===

[[Biology:Botfly|Bot flies]] that infect rabbits (generally ''Cuterebra buccata'') lay their eggs where rabbits live.  The eggs hatch into larvae which enter the rabbit through the nose, mouth or open wound.  The larvae migrate within the rabbit to just under the skin, where it forms a visible bump with breathing hole.  It feeds off of the rabbit's flesh and bodily fluids for up to 30 days, reaching up to {{convert|3|cm|abbr=on}} long.  It then exits through the hole, pupates in the ground & emerges as an adult.  These bot flies live in the eastern US and Canada and as far west as Arizona.
<ref name="ADW bot fly">{{cite web|url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cuterebra_buccata/|website=Animal Diversity Web (ADW)|title=''Cuterebra buccata''|access-date=2024-01-06|last=Brown|first=Dave}}</ref>
<ref name="Wisconsin bot fly">{{cite web|url=https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/disease/Warbles|website=Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources|title=Warbles (''Cuterebra'' Botfly Larvae)|access-date=2024-01-06}}</ref>

Whereas flystrike occurs in rabbits with soiled fur, bot flies can infect even very clean rabbits.  Even before the bump and hole are visible, the larvae is very painful and the rabbit may become depressed, weak, lose weight or even go into shock.  The hole may become moist and cause secondary bacterial or fungal infections.  Causing greater concern, the larvae can also migrate to the nasal cavity, eyes, trachea and brain.
<ref name="MediRabbit bot fly">{{cite web|url=http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/Cuterebra/Miyasis_botfly.htm|website=MediRabbit|title=Myiasis (botfly) in rabbits|access-date=2024-01-06|last=van Praag|first=Esther}}</ref>

The larvae should be carefully removed by a veterinarian as soon a possible.  If the larvae is damaged, the rabbit can die from an anaphylactic reaction.
<ref name="MediRabbit bot fly"/>

=== Neoplasia ===
The most common tumor type of rabbits is uterine adenomcarcinoma, followed by neoplasia in hematopoietic organs, skin, mammary gland, testes, and the digestive system.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bertram |first1=Christof A. |last2=Bertram |first2=Beate |last3=Bartel |first3=Alexander |last4=Ewringmann |first4=Anja |last5=Fragoso-Garcia |first5=Marco A. |last6=Erickson |first6=Nancy A. |last7=Müller |first7=Kerstin |last8=Klopfleisch |first8=Robert |date=20 November 2020 |title=Neoplasia and Tumor-Like Lesions in Pet Rabbits (''Oryctolagus cuniculus''): A Retrospective Analysis of Cases Between 1995 and 2019 |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0300985820973460 |journal=Veterinary Pathology |language=en |volume=58 |issue=5 |pages=901–911 |doi=10.1177/0300985820973460 |pmid=33213301 |s2cid=227079099}}</ref> Subsequently, female intact rabbits have highest prevalence of neoplasia (19.7%) as compared to all sex combined (prevalence: 14.4%). Overall prevalence of neoplasia continuously increases with age and may affect up to 45% of rabbits older than 6 years. Histologic criteria of malignancy is present in most tumor specimens and distant spread to other organs is common for lymphoma and uterine adenocarcinoma. Lymphoma commonly occur in younger rabbits and frequently affect lymph nodes, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, spleen, and liver.

==Breeds==
[[File:Johann Georg Seitz Gemüsestilleben mit Häschen.jpg|thumb|''Gemüsestilleben mit Häschen'', by Johann Georg Seitz (1870)]]
As of 2017, there were at least 305 breeds of domestic rabbit in 70 countries around the world.<ref name="DAD-IS 2017">{{cite web|title=Data export|url=http://www.fao.org/dad-is/dataexport/en/|website=DAD-IS (Domestic Animal Diversity Information System)|publisher=FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)|access-date=30 March 2018|date=21 November 2017}}</ref> The American Rabbit Breeders Association currently recognizes 51 rabbit breeds<ref name="ARBA website">{{cite web|title=ARBA Recognized Breeds|url=https://arba.net/breeds.htm|website=American Rabbit Breeders Association|access-date=18 February 2018}}</ref> and the British Rabbit Council recognizes 106.<ref name="BRC Standard">{{cite web|title=Breed Standards 2016-2020|url=http://www.thebrc.org/Mono%20Breed%20Standards%20Book%20APRIL%202017%20small.pdf|website=The British Rabbit Council|access-date=18 February 2018|archive-date=21 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121125834/http://www.thebrc.org/Mono%20Breed%20Standards%20Book%20APRIL%202017%20small.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Biology:Selective breeding|Selective breeding]] has produced rabbits ranging in size from dwarf to giant. Across the world, rabbits are raised as livestock (in ''[[Biology:Cuniculture|cuniculture]])'' for their meat, pelts, and wool, and also by fanciers and hobbyists as pets.

Rabbits have been selectively bred since ancient times to achieve certain desired characteristics.<ref name="Whitman">{{cite book|last1=Whitman|first1=Bob D.|title=Domestic Rabbits & Their Histories: Breeds of the World|date=October 2004|publisher=Leathers Publishing|location=Leawood KS|isbn=978-1585972753}}</ref> Variations include size and body shape, coat type (including hair length and texture), coat color, ear carriage (erect or lop), and even ear length.<ref>{{cite web|title=Longest ears on a rabbit|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-ears-on-a-rabbit|website=Guinness World Records|access-date=9 February 2018}}</ref> As with any animal, domesticated rabbits' [[Biology:Personality in animals|temperaments]] vary in such factors as energy level and novelty seeking.

Most genetic defects in the domestic rabbit (such as dental problems in the Holland Lop breed) are due to recessive genes.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Botha |first1=Mariette |last2=Petrescu-Mag |first2=Ioan Valentin |last3=Hettig |first3=Andrea |date=2014 |title=Genetic disorders in domestic rabbits (''Oryctolagus cuniculus'') |journal=Rabbit Genetics |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=7–47 |s2cid=85671191}}</ref> Genetics are carefully tracked by fanciers who show rabbits, to breed out defects.

==As pets==
{{anchor|Rabbits as pets|reason=Old, redundant section name; may be linked.}}
[[File:Lapin_nain_01.jpg|thumb|A 9-month-old dwarf house rabbit visiting the outdoors with a harness and leash]]
Rabbits have been kept as pets in Western nations since the 19th century,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fabclinicians.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Companion-Rabbit-Article.pdf|title=Companion rabbits: Assessing their needs and behaviour - Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians}}</ref> but because of the [[Biology:Rabbits in Australia|destructive history]] of feral rabbits in Australia, domestic rabbits are illegal as pets in Queensland.
<ref name="QLD law article"/> 
Rabbits can bond with humans,<ref name="HRS-Bonding">{{cite web|last1=Ramnaraine|first1=Amy|title=Bonding With Your Rabbit|url=https://rabbit.org/bonding-with-your-rabbit/|website=House Rabbit Society|access-date=21 March 2018|date=12 January 2017}}</ref> can learn to follow simple voice commands and to come when called,<ref name="Pavia 2003" />{{rp|166}} and are curious and playful.

Rabbits, like many other pets, do not make good pets for small children because rabbits are fragile and easily injured by rough handling, can bite when hurt or frightened, and are easily frightened by loud noises and sudden motions.<ref name="HRS-Kids">{{cite web|last1=Mixon|first1=Carolyn|title=Children and Rabbits|url=https://rabbit.org/faq-children-and-rabbits/|website=House Rabbit Society|access-date=28 February 2018|date=10 July 2011}}</ref> With the right guidance, rabbits can be trained to live indoors perfectly.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rabbitbreeders.us/rabbit-facts/|title=Rabbit Facts - Top 20 Facts about Rabbits}}</ref>

Rabbits are especially popular as pets in the United States during the Easter season, due to their association with the holiday. However, animal shelters that accept rabbits often complain that during the weeks and months following Easter, there is a rise in unwanted and neglected rabbits that were bought as Easter gifts, especially for children.<ref>{{cite news |title=Easter Rabbits |date=4 April 2007 |work=ABC7 News |publisher=WLS-TV |location=Chicago |url= http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=websites&id=5182955 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090202043356/http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources&id=5182955 |archive-date=2 February 2009}}</ref>  Similar problems arise in rural areas after county fairs and the like, in jurisdictions where rabbits are legal prizes in fairground games.

Thus, there are many humane societies, animal shelters, and rescue groups that have rabbits available for pet adoption. Fancy rabbit breeds are often purchased from pet stores, private breeders, and fanciers.

===House rabbits===
Rabbits may be kept inside as small house pets.  Rabbits that live indoors are less exposed to the dangers of predators, [[Earth:Parasitism|parasites]], diseases, adverse weather, and [[Biology:Pesticide|pesticide]]s, which in turn increases their lifespan.
<ref name="HRS rabbit-proof" /> 
Cages are generally too small so it is recommended that instead of a cage, domestic rabbits free-roam.
<ref name= "free roam">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rabbits/behaviour|title = Rabbit behaviour &#124; rabbit advice and welfare &#124; rspca advice}}</ref>  
If they must be kept in a cage, they should be let out regularly for needed exercise.  All areas should be "rabbit-proofed" to reduce the risks associated with their intrinsic need to chew.
<ref name="HRS rabbit-proof">{{cite web |title=Outdoor and Indoor Hazards |work=Rabbit.org |date=2 March 2013 |publisher=House Rabbit Society |url= http://rabbit.org/faq-outdoor-and-indoor-hazards-to-companion-rabbits/}}</ref>
<ref name="HRS chewing">{{cite web |title=Chewing |work=Rabbit.org |publisher=House Rabbit Society |url=http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/chewing.html |access-date=25 February 2010 |archive-date=10 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151110124515/http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/chewing.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> 
Rabbits are easily litter box trained.
<ref name="HRS litterbox">{{cite web|title=Litter Training|url=https://rabbit.org/faq-litter-training-2/|website=House Rabbit Society|access-date=18 February 2018}}</ref>

Rabbits are often compatible with others of their kind, or with birds or [[Biology:Guinea pig|guinea pig]]s, but opinion differs regarding the dangers of housing different species together. For example, while rabbits can synthesize their own [[Biology:Vitamin C|vitamin C]], guinea pigs cannot, so the two species should not be fed the same diet. Also, most rabbits tend to be stronger than guinea pigs, so this may cause deliberate or inadvertent injury.<ref>{{cite web |title=Guinea Pigs as Rabbit Buddies |last=Rubins |first=Suzanne |work=Rabbit.org |publisher=House Rabbit Network |url=http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/gpfriends.shtml |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910164509/http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/gpfriends.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 September 2012 |access-date=10 June 2009 }}</ref> Some people consider rabbits a pocket pet even though they are rather large.

[[File:Openlitterbox.JPG|thumb|Two house rabbits in their litter box]]
Keeping a rabbit as a house companion was popularised by Sandy Crook in her 1981 book ''Your French Lop''.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}} In 1983, at the American Family Pet Show in Anaheim, California (attended by 35,000), Crook presented her personal experiences living with an indoor rabbit as evidence of a human-rabbit bond.<ref>{{cite book |last=Crook |first=Sandy |title=Lop Rabbits as Pets |url=https://archive.org/details/loprabbitsaspets0000croo |url-access=registration |publisher=T.F.H. Publications |date=1986 |page=[https://archive.org/details/loprabbitsaspets0000croo/page/8 8]}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=October 2015|reason=Crook is not a reliable source for how big her own audience was.}} In the late 1980s, it became more common to litter box train a rabbit and keep it indoors, after{{citation needed|date=October 2015|reason=Harriman's own book cannot be used to source the idea that it was influential.}}<ref>{{Cite journal |last=DeMello |first=M. |date=2010 |title=Becoming rabbit: Living with and knowing rabbits |url=https://animalstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=acwp_habr |journal=Spring: A Journal of Archetype and Culture |volume=83 |pages=237–252 |via=animalstudiesrepository.org}}</ref> the publication of Marinell Harriman's ''House Rabbit Handbook: How to Live with an Urban Rabbit'' in 1985.<ref name="HRH">{{cite book |last=Harriman |first=Marinell |date=2013 |title=House Rabbit Handbook: How to Live with an Urban Rabbit |edition=5th |publisher=Drollery Press |isbn=978-0940920187}}</ref>

As the domestic descendants of wild prey animals, rabbits are alert, timid creatures that startle fairly easily, and many of their behaviors are triggered by the [[Fight-or-flight response|fight-or-flight response]] to perceived threats. According to the House Rabbit Society, the owner of a pet rabbit can use various behavioral approaches to gain the animal's trust and reduce aggression, though this can be a long and difficult process.<ref name="HRS-Aggression">{{cite web |last1=Davis |first1=Susan |date=2 April 2013 |title=Aggression |url=https://rabbit.org/faq-aggression/ |access-date=21 March 2018 |website=House Rabbit Society}}</ref>

In addition, there is evidence to suggest that young rabbits that occupy the periphery of the "[[Biology:Litter (animal)|litter]] huddle" obtain less milk from the mother and, as a result, have a lower weight. It has been suggested that this factor may contribute to behavioural differences in litter mates during [[Social:Adolescence|adolescence]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Reyes-Meza|first1=Veronica|last2=Hudson|first2=Robyn|last3=Martínez-Gómez|first3=Margarita|last4=Nicolás|first4=Leticia|last5=Rödel|first5=Heiko G.|last6=Bautista|first6=Amando|date=24 October 2011|title=Possible contribution of position in the litter huddle to long-term differences in behavioral style in the domestic rabbit|journal=Physiology & Behavior|volume=104|issue=5|pages=778–785|doi=10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.07.019|pmid=21803066|s2cid=21342427}}</ref>

=== Bonding ===
When bonding two rabbits, the journey usually commences with carefully supervised meetings on neutral territory.  This helps minimize territorial aggression and allows the rabbits to establish a hierarchy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bunnyhugga |title=Understanding rabbit hierarchy and its importance |url=http://www.bunnyhugga.com/a-to-z/rabbit-behaviour/rabbit-hierarchy.html |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=www.bunnyhugga.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> Over time, through these encounters, the rabbits will learn to tolerate with each other's presence, form a social bond, and engage in vital social behaviors such as grooming, playing, and snuggling.
[[File:Two bonded rabbit pair sitting together.jpg|thumb|A bonded rabbit pair often can be found snuggling with each other.]]
Once a successful bond is established, the rabbits can progress to sharing the same habitat, enabling them to coexist as companions in a safe and contented environment. However, not all bonding attempts result in success, and sometimes bonds may break due to various factors, including personality clashes or stress. In such cases, it is essential to carefully assess the situation and, if necessary, seek guidance from experienced rabbit caregivers or veterinarians to provide the best possible care for the rabbits involved.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bunny bonding basics {{!}} Animal Humane Society |url=https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/resource/bunny-bonding-basics |access-date=2023-09-21 |website=www.animalhumanesociety.org |language=en}}</ref>

During bonding, as rabbits become more comfortable with each other's presence, they often engage in mutual grooming sessions.

On the flip side, when rabbit bonds break, it can have detrimental effects on their physical and emotional well-being. Rabbits are highly social animals, and sudden separation from a bonded partner can cause stress and anxiety. This stress can lead to health issues, such as gastrointestinal problems, reduced appetite, and even a weakened immune system. Additionally, the sudden absence of a grooming partner can result in neglected fur, making the rabbit more susceptible to matting and skin issues.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bonding Rabbits |url=https://rabbit.org/care/bonding/ |access-date=2023-09-21 |website=House Rabbit Society |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Care ===
Not all veterinarians will treat rabbits, and pet owners may have to seek out an exotic animal veterinarian for their rabbit's care. Rabbits need annual checkups at the veterinarian because they may hide signs of illness or disease. They should be given things to chew on, the owner should check their teeth every month and they should have their nails trimmed every 6–8 weeks.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Parker |first1=Karen |title=The rabbit handbook |date=2010 |publisher=Barron's Educational Series |location=Hauppauge, N.Y. |isbn=978-0764142536 |pages=53–87}}</ref>  They should be groomed every week; however, during their molts they should be groomed every day.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://rabbitpedia.com/holland-lop/|title=Holland Lop|website=RabbitPedia.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-01}}</ref>

Baby rabbits under eight weeks old should be watched for [[Medicine:Enteritis|enteritis]] along with gut stasis and [[Medicine:Bloating|bloat]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://lafeber.com/mammals/holland-lop-rabbit-breed/|title=Holland Lop Rabbit Breed|date=2017-05-18|website=Lafeber Co. - Small Mammals|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-01}}</ref>

Pet rabbits can often exhibit behaviour problems, including aggression towards humans and conspecifics, particularly with poor husbandry.  Rabbit owners can seek behaviour help through their vets and [https://abtc.org.uk/practitioners/?_species=rabbits rabbit behaviourists.]

=== Advantages and disadvantages ===
[[File:Holland Lop Enclosure.jpg|thumb|A Holland Lop hiding in a cardboard box. As a prey species, domestic rabbits often make use of hiding spaces to manage threats and relieve stress.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hiding places |url=https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rabbits/behaviour/enrichment/hidingplaces |website=www.rspca.org.uk |publisher=RSPCA |access-date=29 December 2019}}</ref>]]

Some advantages of keeping rabbits as pets is that they are clean, intelligent, soft<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.planetaryecology.org/2020/04/27/bunnies-are-better/|title=Bunnies are Better|author=Mary Morgan-Richards|date=27 April 2020|website=Planetary Ecology|language=en-GB|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref>{{better source needed|reason=blogs are not ideal sources|date=June 2021}} and quiet.  They may or may not react favorably to handling and petting, depending on their personality and how they were raised. There are also many different sizes and characteristics available, owing to a long history of breeding. Rabbits are friendly to each other and are often compatible with other pets. Rabbits are herbivores and their diet is relatively simple. Compared to other small animals kept as pets, rabbits are physically robust creatures with strong hind legs that enable them to run fast, and they have powerful teeth. Rabbits should never be picked up by the ears or the "scruff" on the back of their neck, as their skeletons are light and fragile in comparison to their bodies, and are susceptible to trauma from falling, twisting and kicking.<ref name="HRS-UE">{{cite journal|last1=O'Meara|first1=Holly|title=An Uplifting Experience|journal=House Rabbit Journal (Fall 1998)|date=10 February 2013|volume=3|issue=11|url=https://rabbit.org/an-uplifting-experience/|access-date=1 April 2018}}</ref> Rabbits breed rapidly and so it is often easy, and affordable, to find one to buy or adopt.

Some disadvantages of keeping rabbits as pets is that they may chew many things in the house. Unneutered male rabbits may spray their territory with a strong-smelling urine, unspayed female urine is also pungent, and so the litter box may smell. Rabbits can bite and scratch, and may do so to communicate displeasure, or if ignored; it is a part of normal communication and cannot be stopped entirely. They have to be picked up and handled properly to avoid injury to the rabbit or the owner. They may leave faeces around the house and are not always very conscious of leaving their droppings in the litter box. Rabbits can potentially be aggressive and territorial. Some rabbits may also be unfriendly, and then would be unsuitable as pets for children.

Rabbits have a body language that is different from the most common domestic pets: cats and dogs. If someone wants a rabbit and is only familiar with those pet animals, then they would have to learn a lot about caring for this species and the behaviour of rabbits. They are often compared to guinea pigs but they may be as similar, in care and behaviour, to guinea pigs as they are to cats. Like cats, they are smart, can be litterbox trained and use their teeth and claws as weapons of defense. They are quiet like a cat, independent and quite curious.

==As livestock==
{{anchor|Commercial rabbitry|reason=Old section title. (Changed to "As livestock" 18 February 2018.)}}
{{anchor|Commercial rabbits|reason=Old section title.}}
Rabbits have been kept as livestock since ancient times for their meat, wool, and fur. In modern times, rabbits are also utilized in scientific research as [[Biology:Animal testing|laboratory animals]].

===Meat rabbits===
[[Image:Farmrabbits.jpg|thumb|right|Meat-breed rabbits were a supplementary food source during the [[Finance:Great Depression|Great Depression]]]]

Breeds such as the New Zealand and Californian are frequently utilized for meat in commercial rabbitries. These breeds have efficient [[Biology:Metabolism|metabolism]]s and grow quickly; they are ready for slaughter by approximately 14 to 16 weeks of age.

Rabbit fryers are rabbits that are between 70 and 90 days of age, and weighing between {{cvt|3–5|lb}} live weight. Rabbit roasters are rabbits from 90 days to 6 months of age weighing between {{cvt|5–8|lb}} live weight. Rabbit stewers are rabbits from 6 months on weighing over {{cvt|8|lb}}.

Any type of rabbit can be slaughtered for meat, but those exhibiting the "commercial" body type are most commonly raised for meat purposes. Dark fryers (any other color but albino whites) are sometimes lower in price than albino fryers because of the slightly darker tinge of the fryer (purely pink carcasses are preferred by consumers) and because the dark hairs are easier to see than if there are residual white hairs on the carcass. There is no difference in skinability.

===Wool rabbits===
Rabbits such as the [[Biology:Angora rabbit|Angora]], American Fuzzy Lop, and Jersey Wooly produce wool. However, since the American Fuzzy Lop and Jersey Wooly are both dwarf breeds, only the much larger Angora breeds such as the English Angora, Satin Angora, Giant Angora, and French Angoras are used for commercial wool production. Their long fur is sheared, [[Engineering:Comb|comb]]ed, or plucked (gently pulling loose hairs from the body during molting) and then spun into [[Chemistry:Yarn|yarn]] used to make a variety of products. Angora sweaters can be purchased in many clothing stores and is generally mixed with other types of wool. Rabbit wool, called [[Biology:Angora wool|Angora]], is 2.5 times warmer than sheep's wool.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sierratradingpost.com/lp2/wool-guide/|title = The Wool Guide}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=October 2015}}
[[File:Rabbit Pelt Peddler MET DP817837.jpg|thumb|{{lang|fr|Peaux de Lapin}} ("Rabbit skins") by Edme Bouchardon (1737)]]

===Fur rabbits===
Rabbit breeds that were developed for their fur qualities include the Rex with its plush texture, the Satin with its lustrous color, and the Chinchilla for its exotic pattern. White rabbit fur may be dyed in an array of colors that are not produced naturally. Rabbits in the fur industry are fed a diet focused for robust coat production and pelts are harvested after the rabbit reaches prime condition, which takes longer than in the meat industry. Rabbit fur is used in local and commercial textile industries throughout the world. China imports much of its rabbit fur from Scandinavia (80%) and some from North America (5%), according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GAIN Report CH7607.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}

===Laboratory rabbits===
Rabbits have been and continue to be used in laboratory work such as production of [[Biology:Antibodies|antibodies]] for [[Biology:Vaccine|vaccine]]s and research of human male reproductive system [[Chemistry:Toxicology|toxicology]]. In 1972, around 450,000 rabbits were used for experiments in the United States, decreasing to around 240,000 in 2006.<ref>{{cite journal |title=A review of trends in animal use in the United States (1972–2006) |last1=Kulpa-Eddy|first1=Jodie |last2=Snyder|first2=Margaret |last3=Stokes|first3=William |journal=AATEX |issue=14, Special Issue: Proceedings of the 6th World Congress on Alternatives & Animal Use in the Life Sciences, 21–25 August 2007 |date=2008 |publisher=Japanese Society for Alternatives to Animal Experiments |pages=163–165 |url= http://www.soc.nii.ac.jp/jsaae/zasshi/WC6_PC/paper163.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120313093813/http://www.soc.nii.ac.jp/jsaae/zasshi/WC6_PC/paper163.pdf |archive-date=13 March 2012 |access-date=3 October 2015}}</ref> The Environmental Health Perspective, published by the National Institute of Health, states, "The rabbit [is] an extremely valuable model for studying the effects of chemicals or other [[Biology:Stimulus (physiology)|stimuli]] on the male reproductive system."<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Morton |first=Daniel |title=The use of rabbits in male reproductive toxicology |date=April 1988 |journal=Environmental Health Perspectives |volume=77 |pages=5–9 |publisher=U.S. National Institutes of Health |doi=10.2307/3430622 |pmc=1474531 |pmid=3383822 |jstor=3430622}}</ref> According to the Humane Society of the United States, rabbits are also used extensively in the study of bronchial [[Medicine:Asthma|asthma]], [[Medicine:Stroke|stroke]] prevention [[Chemistry:Therapy|treatment]]s, [[Medicine:Cystic fibrosis|cystic fibrosis]], [[Medicine:Diabetes|diabetes]], and [[Medicine:Cancer|cancer]].

The New Zealand White is one of the most commonly used breeds for research and testing.
[[File:Rabbits at Polyface Farm.jpg|thumb|Pasture-raised rabbits in a moveable enclosure at Polyface Farm]]

The use of rabbits for the [[Engineering:Draize test|Draize test]], a method of [[Engineering:Testing cosmetics on animals|testing cosmetics on animals]],<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Draize Eye Test and ''in vitro'' alternatives:A left-handed marriage? |first=M. K. |last=Prinsen |journal=Toxicology in Vitro |date=2006 |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=78–81 |doi=10.1016/j.tiv.2005.06.030 |pmid=16055303}}</ref><ref name="ScienceDirect 2018 pp. 673–747">{{cite book | chapter=Special Senses | date=1 January 2018 | doi=10.1016/B978-0-12-809841-7.00022-8 | chapter-url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128098417000228#s0100 | access-date=11 June 2020 | pages=673–747| isbn=9780128098417 | s2cid=172116640 | title=Fundamentals of Toxicologic Pathology | publisher=Academic Press }}</ref> has been cited as an example of cruelty in animal research by [[Philosophy:Animal rights|animal rights]] activists.<ref name="PETA 2010">{{cite web | title=Rabbits in Laboratories | website=PETA | date=23 June 2010 | url=https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/rabbits-laboratories/ | access-date=11 June 2020}}</ref><ref name="Scientific American 2009">{{cite web | title=Do Cosmetic Companies Still Test on Live Animals? | website=Scientific American | date=6 August 2009 | url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cosmetics-animal-testing/ | access-date=11 June 2020}}</ref> Albino rabbits are typically used in the Draize tests because they have less tear flow than other animals, and the lack of eye pigment makes the effects easier to visualize.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dawn |first=Karen |title=Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way we Treat Animals |date=2008 |publisher=HarperCollins |location=New York |isbn=978-0-06-135185-3 |pages=239–40 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=pt7ZirPwG1sC&q=thanking+the+monkey |access-date=12 March 2013}}</ref>

===Housing===
{{anchor|Outdoor housing|reason=Old section name.}}
Rabbits can live outdoors in properly constructed, sheltered hutches, which provide protection from the elements in winter and keep rabbits cool in summer heat. To protect from predators, rabbit hutches are usually situated in a fenced yard, [[Engineering:Shed|shed]], barn, or other enclosed [[Structure|structure]], which may also contain a larger pen for exercise.<ref name="IndianaHRS housing">{{cite web|url=http://www.indianahrs.org/rabbit-care/housing.aspx|title=Rabbit Housing Options|work=IndianaHRS.org|publisher=House Rabbit Society, Indiana Chapter}}</ref> Rabbits in such an environment can alternatively be allowed to roam the secured area freely, and simply be provided with an adapted doghouse for shelter. A more elaborate setup is an artificial warren. Inside housing is discussed in [[Biology:Domestic rabbit#House rabbits|House rabbits]].

===Show jumping===

Rabbit show jumping, a form of animal sport between rabbits, began in the 1970s and has since become popular in [[Earth:Europe|Europe]], particularly Sweden and the {{wipe|United Kingdom}}. When rabbit jumping was first starting out, the rules of competition were the same as horse jumping rules. However, rules were later changed to reflect a rabbit's abilities. The first national championship for rabbit show jumping was held in Stockholm, Sweden in 1987.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://rabbithopping.com/p/hopp |title=Hopping versus Agility}} (n.d.).</ref> Any rabbit, regardless of breed, may participate in this kind of competition, as it is based on athletic skill.

==See also==
*[[Biology:Cuniculture|Cuniculture]]
*Dwarf rabbit
*Lop rabbit
*Small pet
*Domestication of animals
*[[Biology:Dog|Domestic dog]]
*[[Biology:Cat|Domestic cat]]
*Domestic bird

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=Note|refs=
<ref name=Note01>The claim of female rabbits almost inevitably developing uterine cancer is based on wrongly and incompletely quoted studies conducted by Harry S.N. Greene between the 1930s and 60s. Greene’s research is ineligible for conclusions about the total population of house rabbits for a number of reasons, which are summarized in the following by reference to three especially pivotal papers, published in [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2133520/ 1937], [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2180318/ 1938] and [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19871077/ 1941]: 
Greene conducted his studies on laboratory rabbits of different breeds, some bred at the research facility, others brought in from outside breeders. All of the rabbits—except does with kits—were kept in single cages, thus inducing a great level of stress from solitude and lack of exercise on the animals. They were fed primarily with hay, oat and "a standard commercial ration" (presumably dry compound fodder), but no fresh food like grass and potherbs, which is the natural diet for rabbits, as they are folivores. Rabbits afflicted by several outbreaks of [[Biology:Rabbitpox|rabbitpox]] were not sorted out of the research population, even after presenting severe behavioral and health issues. Tumors were only found in certain breeds and were most common in lines of animals, who were directly related and where the numbers of toxemia of pregnancy were highest. The number of rabbits afflicted by toxemia was directly linked to significantly increased numbers of uterine cancer the following year. <br />
<br />
According to the 1941 publication, all of the included lines of animals were either purebred or hybrids, the latter being bred in direct lines without crossing other animals into that line over several generations. As before, most of the tumor-bearing rabbits were directly related to each other or had been bred selectively to achieve a certain objective, therefore rendering the generalizability of the results more than questionable, as Greene explicitly emphasizes. The selective breeding of defects, however, caused many of the rabbits to die early, with only 24 of 491 reaching the age of 5. Among those 24 rabbits—less than 5 % of the original population—79.1 % presented with uterine tumors at the age of 5 to 6. This number became the origin of the now widespread claim of allegedly 80 % of female rabbits developing cancer. The overall incidence of cancer beyond the age of 2 years in female rabbits, however, averaged at about 16.7 % in the examined population with significant variation depending on breed, age, and genetic constitution. All of the tumor-bearing rabbits in Greene's research had been afflicted by toxemia before. <br />
<br />
Unfortunately, in later publications by Greene and other authors, the number of rabbits afflicted by cancer in this population assumed an independent existence, being quoted as a source for the allegedly high incidence of uterine cancer in female rabbits, but rarely ever being put into context with toxemia and the other contributing factors. For the moment, assertions of female rabbits almost inevitably developing cancer have no scientific foundation, since no study about cancer in rabbits using a sample representative for the total house rabbit population has ever been conducted. Existing research on the topic is mostly based on samples recruited from veterinarians and clinics, which are not representative of the total population.</ref>
}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/ The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund]
* [http://www.arba.net The American Rabbit Breeders Association] – the oldest and largest rabbit specialist organization in the United States
* [http://www.livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/belgian-hare The Livestock Conservancy] – a registry of the rarest breeds of domestic rabbits
* [http://world-rabbit-science.com/ World Rabbit Science Association] – an international science organization dedicated to rabbit health research
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051025025558/http://www.thebrc.org/ The British Rabbit Council] – recognized breeds with photographs and more
* [http://www.medirabbit.com MediRabbit] – a site dedicated to spreading the knowledge of rabbit medicine and safe medication in rabbits, for the owner and the vet professional
* [http://rabbitbreeders.us/rabbit-breeds Rabbit Breeds] – directory of ARBA-recognized breeds of rabbit
* [https://www.flemishgiantrabbit.com/rabbit-breeds/ Complete Guide of Rabbit Breeds] – List of rabbit breeds approved by American Rabbit Breeders Association
* [https://rabbitpedia.com RabbitPedia.com] – Source for information about rabbit care. 
* [http://www.Rabbit.org House Rabbit Society] – a US-based educational and advocacy organization for rabbit pet-keepers, founded in 1988
* {{curlie|/Recreation/Pets/Rabbits/}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q149017}}

[[Category:Animal models]]

{{Sourceattribution|Domestic rabbit}}