Decorative rabbits are very popular pets. These animals look cute, they mainly eat only grass and root crops, you do not need to walk with them. And of course, many owners of such furry pets are interested in including how many rabbits live. The answer to this question depends on many factors.
The origin of the rabbit
These fluffy animals were tamed by humans more than 2 thousand years ago. According to scientists, there was a domestic rabbit from a wild, who once lived in France and Spain. In these states, such animals live in nature today. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to meet rabbits in forests and fields in the post-Soviet space. These animals are found only in some regions of Ukraine and on the islands of the Caspian Sea.
Initially, rabbits began to be kept, of course, only as domestic animals. To date, farmers simply breed a huge number of breeds of such animals, as fur, and meat or skincare directions of productivity.
Later rabbits began to be kept at home and simply as pets. There are also many breeds of decorative eared animals. At home, lop-eared varieties, ordinary, dwarf ones, can be bred.
What determines the life expectancy
Rabbits - animals, unfortunately, are rather frail and painful. In terms of life expectancy, dogs and cats, for example, are very inferior.
Rabbits breed, as you know, very quickly. It concerns both decorative, and economic or wild varieties. But, unfortunately, a rabbit can die very easily - from illness, improper feeding, or even just from fright.
The life expectancy of different species of eared animals - wild, economic, decorative - is not the same. In domestic rabbits, this indicator also directly depends on the conditions of detention:
- purity in the cells;
- diet;
- opportunities to move actively;
- adoption or rejection by owners of preventive measures against diseases.
Life expectancy in a forest or field
To begin, let's find out how many years wild rabbits live in nature. Such animals, unfortunately, usually die much earlier than their domestic relatives. In the wild, hundreds of dangers await rabbits. But even that rabbit who managed to avoid, for example, the teeth of a predator, in the forest or field is unlikely to survive longer than 2-3 years.
The rapid decline in the population, as already mentioned, in these animals in nature is compensated by a very high fecundity. In one year, one female can become pregnant and give birth to cubs up to 3 times. Moreover, in one litter, up to 16 rabbits are conceived.
Interesting fact about wild rabbits
So, how many rabbits live in nature, we found out. Wild animals usually die at the age of 2-2.5 years. Most often, after the same time, rabbits die, and when caught, when kept at home.
However, if a wild rabbit is provided with very high-quality care, it will be possible to develop a special proper diet for it and provide it with the opportunity to move freely by building a spacious aviary for it, the animal will be able to live a little longer - up to 3-5 years.
Moreover, the wild rabbit once became the champion in terms of life expectancy. This animal was called Flopsy. He was caught in 1964, and left this world only in 1982, having lived, thus, for 18 years and 10 months. The record set by Flopsy is still not broken by any wild, farm or decorative eared animal.
How many domestic rabbits live
Life expectancy in animals bred for meat and fur is much higher than their wild counterparts. And such a feature of them is connected, of course, primarily with the artificial selection carried out over the centuries. From time immemorial, peasants in farms chose only the strongest and most healthy individuals as producers.
Domestic rabbits live longer than all other varieties. The average life expectancy is 6-8 years. But with good care, such rabbits may not leave this world for 12 years.
The answer to the question of how many years live farm rabbits live at home is thus a relatively long period. However, such animals end their days, unfortunately, usually still quite quickly. Farmers usually do not keep rabbits on the farm for more than 5 months. After this period, animals begin to slowly gain weight, consuming a large amount of feed. Therefore, they are simply slaughtered for meat.
An exception in this regard are only specially selected manufacturers. Also, eared animals bred for fluff live on farms for quite some time.
How many decorative rabbits live
The animals of this species differ in somewhat less good health than domestic animals. Decorative rabbits live, of course, also much longer than wild ones. But they are slightly inferior to economic varieties in this regard.
The average life span of ornamental rabbits is 5-7 years. Although, of course, in this case, everything also greatly depends on the characteristics of the organism of a particular animal and the quality of care for it. In some cases, like domestic, decorative rabbits can live at home for up to 12 years or more.
An interesting fact about decorative animals
Thus, how many domestic rabbits live is understandable. Such a pet will be able to please the owners with its presence for 5-7 years. Veterinarians believe that the life span of decorative rabbits in this case does not depend on the breed. However, many owners of such animals are convinced that this is still not entirely true.
For example, it was observed that lop-eared rabbits live somewhat longer than their counterparts with erect ears. Perhaps the health of such animals is still better. The answer to the question of how long domestic lop-eared rabbits live is a period of 6-8 years.
Many animal lovers keep at home a special variety of such animals - dwarf rabbits. Such pets differ from ordinary eared puzzles only in very small sizes. The answer to the question of how many dwarf rabbits live also depends on the particular species of animal. For lop-eared crumbs, this period is usually 6-8 years, for ordinary - 5-7 years.
How to extend the life of your pet: proper nutrition
So that decorative or domestic rabbits are always healthy and active, they, of course, should be properly fed first. The diet of these animals must include:
- cereals;
- roughage;
- dried white bread;
- root vegetables and vegetables.
Of cereals, rabbits and oatmeal are best suited for rabbits. Such feeds are usually given to small animals only in crushed form. For large rabbits, whole grain is also suitable.
In addition to concentrates, these animals should also be given hay or grass every day. Such foods contain many vitamins and fiber. Rabbits are usually given grass in the summer not fresh, but slightly dried. This is especially true for young animals. From a large amount of fresh grass, rabbits may experience indigestion. And this, in turn, often leads even to death.
The answer to the question of how many years rabbits have been living at home depends on how correctly the owner chooses juicy feed for these animals. Of the root crops, carrots are, of course, very useful for these animals. Her rabbits can be given in unlimited quantities. Potato is also very useful for these animals. But tubers, before offering them to their pet, should be necessarily boiled.
Beets are usually given only to adult animals. To rabbits this root crop, whose juice is a laxative, is contraindicated. Cabbage can be given to both small and large rabbits. But this vegetable is also recommended for animals only in limited quantities.
Of course, all food intended for rabbits should be completely fresh. Rotten vegetables, moldy bread, etc. these animals should not be offered.
What is important to know
The answer to the question of how many decorative rabbits live at home often depends on the attentiveness of their owners themselves. One of the most common causes of premature death of these animals is feeding inappropriate grass. The owners of such animals should be aware of this. The stomachs of rabbits absolutely do not tolerate certain types of herbs. It concerns, for example:
- nightshade;
- celandine;
- milkweed;
- St. John's wort
- marsh cudgel.
Cages for rabbits
Of course, the key to a long life of domestic and household animals is not only proper nutrition. The answer to the question of how long decorative or farm rabbits live depends, inter alia, on how good conditions they will be provided with. For example, the cells for these animals should be quite spacious.
In any case, the animal, constrained in its movements in its "home", should not be. The dimensions of the cell are selected primarily taking into account the size of the animal itself. Its height should be, for example, such that the animal could freely stand in it “column”. The width and length of the cage is chosen so that the rabbit can lie in it, sit and move without hesitation.
Infection prevention
The question of how many decorative rabbits or farm rabbits live at home is actually asked by many owners of such animals. Sometimes eared pets die, unfortunately, absolutely suddenly - for no apparent reason. This can happen with some contagious diseases. From rabbit infections should be protected as carefully as possible.
Be sure to clean the cells of such animals every day. At the same time, once every two weeks they should be treated with some other antiseptic, for example, "White". Unfortunately, rabbits are not very resistant to various infections.
For the same reason, owners of such animals should take a closer look at the choice of concentrates for them. Otherwise, the answer to the question of how many dwarf rabbits live , ordinary decorative or domestic, will not please you. This will be a much shorter period than usual. All sorts of contagious diseases to these animals, unfortunately, are often transmitted through cereals. Owners of decorative rabbits should purchase for them only high-quality washed cereals in the package. The farmer should buy concentrates from suppliers with a good reputation.
The answer to the question of how many years live domestic rabbits live, depends on how timely vaccination will be given to these animals. A decorative pet will have to be worn from time to time in the veterinary clinic. Farmers usually vaccinate rabbits on their own.