Behaviours relating to rabbits’ daily activities
Begging • Biting • Butt twitching • Caecotrophs/caecal droppings (eating) • Chewing • Clearing routes • Digging • Dreaming • Drinking • Droppings • Eating • Eating droppings • Foraging • Grazing • Nibbling • Rearing up • Scattering droppings • Sheltering • Sleeping • Spraying urine • Standing on hind legs • Throwing/tossing • Toilet behaviours • Urinating • Yawning
Behaviours summary
Wild rabbits’ eating, sleeping, and toileting behaviours are inextricably linked to their prey animal survival instincts, and also to their social nature. They eat and sleep in their social groups, at times which are determined by their crepuscular nature. This timing of rabbits’ activity, along with communal vigilance provided by their social groups, helps rabbits to avoid predators. Eating poor quality, high fibre vegetation, and digging burrows for shelter are just two of the many ways rabbits’ physiology is adapted to their environment.
Domestic rabbits have the same needs as their wild ancestors regarding their eating, sleeping, and toileting behaviours. Breeding may have altered some of their physical features, but their physiology has remained unchanged. Providing a suitable environment for our rabbits means ensuring that they can eat, sleep, and toilet in separate areas. Their diet should consist of at least 85% grass/hay, and we should provide plenty of opportunities for foraging to replicate the eating habits of their wild ancestors.
 |
| Dijon – probably a messier eater than his wild cousins! |
|
Occasionally, the muscles on a rabbit’s hind quarters can start twitching when eating something – notably when consuming their caecotrophs. There are several theories as to why it happens: the twitching may be a response to the sensation of food touching rabbits’ highly sensitive whiskers, lips, or tongue (they have a highly developed sense of touch and proprioception); it might be due to their hind leg muscles twitching as they relax whilst eating; the twitching could be a result of neural activity in the spinal cord or brain, which is triggered by the act of eating, as rabbits’ nervous systems process and respond to sensory information extremely quickly; it could be behaviour which ensures they are constantly prepared to run from predators, even whilst eating; or it could simply be a response to their happiness or contentment, much like a binky. Many people have witnessed this ‘bunny butt twitch’ when their pet rabbits eat banana. Tempting as it is to feed our rabbits sweet food which they find delicious, we should only let them eat tiny pieces of fruit as an occasional treat, as their delicate gut balance can easily be upset. A rabbit constantly twitching could have a medical problem, such as a neurological issue. Back
↑ |
||||||||
|
Clearing routes by biting through or throwing/tossing obstacles in their path, such as branches or roots, is all part of rabbits’ foraging nature. Clearing routes is also a prey animal behaviour Our domestic rabbits have retained this need to move things – that’s the reason for biting through our cables! They are naturally drawn to small gaps (eg. behind furniture), and will persist in their attempts to gain access, by chewing anything in their path, so we must ensure their area is spacious, secure, and rabbit proofed. Even with a suitably spacious area, our rabbits may rattle their enclosures or protest at closed doors, reflecting this instinct to explore (or to demand our attention!). Note that repetitive bar biting is a very different and far more negative behaviour, often in response to stress or frustration. Try scattering some food in a tunnel, then add a few toys so your rabbits can be entertained by nudging the toys out of the way to reach the food (tunnels can be bought from retailers, but a length of pipe from a builders’ merchant, or even a cardboard carpet roll, are just as good – 8-inch diameter is usually suitable). Back
↑ |
||||||||
|
Wild rabbits dig extensive networks of interconnecting burrows (warrens), which are used for sheltering – some may extend to 3m deep. They use their forelimbs to scrape the surface, scooping it under and out behind them, and also shunt soil forwards, pushing it away from them. Rabbits additionally dig shallow, cool areas above ground, to rest on. Using their front paws to dig whilst foraging helps rabbits to find concealed bits of vegetation or roots. Ebony trying to extend her 'warren': 5-way tunnels provide a place to hide, shelter, explore, and, apparently, dig!Digging is an important activity for all rabbits. It’s in their nature to seek out opportunities to dig, whether that be in a digging pit we’ve provided for the purpose, or on a corner of our carpet! Apart from keeping them happy, digging is good for our rabbits’ physical health, and keeps their nails trim. A box of shredded paper, or a plastic dog basket filled with sand or topsoil, is perfect. Always ensure outdoor rabbits cannot dig out of their enclosures. Back
↑ |
||||||||
|
A rabbit’s normal water intake is between 50-150 millilitres per kilogram of bodyweight daily. However, a significant portion of their water requirements from the vegetation they consume. Much of wild rabbits’ water intake is from dew on the grass they eat – as they are crepuscular, most grazing occurs during twilight, when it’s cooler and dew accumulates on vegetation.
It’s important that we ensure our rabbits stay hydrated, to keep them healthy – water plays a vital role in keeping their guts moving, flushing out excess calcium, protecting cells and organs, regulating body temperature, and it helps to dissolve nutrients and minerals, and carries them, along with oxygen, to cells. Our rabbits should have constant access to fresh, clean water, preferably in bowls, rather than bottles. Soaking greens in water can help to make sure rabbits stay hydrated if they don’t seem to be drinking enough. Dijon enjoying a drink from his bowl. Back
↑ |
||||||||
|
Wild rabbits spend about 80% of their time awake grazing and foraging, most intensely between late afternoon into the evening. They prefer to eat close to their warren, so they can run for cover, sheltering if necessary, but may wander further afield, especially if food is scarce. Rabbits are herbivores. Grass is the primary constituent of their diet, but they also eat a variety of green plants, clovers, branches, roots, bark, and, of course, crops. This requires exploring their territory, rearing up to reach leaves, stripping bark with their sharp teeth, and digging for roots, and nibbling and chewing the fibrous vegetation and grass. When foraging, they select the highest energy vegetation first. Rabbits’ teeth and digestive systems have developed to cope with their diet of poor quality, high fibre vegetation: Teeth – Rabbits have just one set of teeth during
their lifetime, unlike many species (e.g. humans, dogs, and cats), which have
the deciduous teeth (milk teeth) replaced by adult teeth when they fall out.
They use their razor-sharp incisors for biting through stems, and their molars
for chewing, grinding down the food – they have a chewing action of around
120 cycles per minute. They have 28 teeth, and these are open-rooted, growing
continuously throughout their life. The incisors grow 2-3mm per week;
the molars grow 2-3mm per month. This continuous growth ensures wild rabbits’
teeth don’t wear away from all the chewing. Biting with these sharp incisors is also a fighting technique which may be used in a confrontation to establish dominance within a group, or used in defence against predators Digestive systems – Rabbits are coprophagic, meaning
their digestive system relies on caecotrophy – eating caecotrophs/caecal
droppings to extract important nutrients from their high-fibre, low nutrient
diet, and to maintain their gut flora.
It’s essential that rabbits consume these caecotrophs, to keep in good condition. They are swallowed whole, without chewing. This keeps the mucus layer that coats the pellet intact, so that the good bacteria inside aren’t broken down too quickly by the stomach acid. The vital nutrients are extracted from the caecotroph as it is broken down by fermentation in the stomach and small intestines. After this, they pass out as hard faecal pellets – rabbits can produce 200-300 of these daily. Our pet rabbits’ teeth and digestive systems have the same dietary requirements as their wild ancestors. Without the correct diet, consisting of 85-90% grass/hay, they can suffer from many health problems, including overgrown teeth and dental disease. In addition to a constant supply of grass/hay, our rabbits need suitable things to chew and gnaw, such as twigs, branches, and chew toys. This also reduces the risk of them chomping on our furniture and belongings! (Note that repetitive chewing of unsuitable items, despite having appropriate alternatives, may indicate a health problem requiring a health check). Dijon showing some of his favourite things to chew ('I Love Hay Cube', willow sticks, apple twigs, dried dandelion roots), while Ebony proves that providing suitable things to chew doesn't always stop rabbits destroying our things! Maintaining rabbits’ natural foraging behaviour, by scattering and hiding food rather than providing it in a bowl, helps to keep them busy and healthy, and ensures they eat more slowly. Domestic rabbits enjoy exploring to find food; however, just like their wild cousins, they are motivated to select the highest energy foods, so we should only give a limited quantity of healthy treats, and a tiny amount of fruit. There are numerous possibilities when it comes to providing opportunities for foraging, and it’s rewarding to be creative and watch rabbits find the food! Some DIY ideas include: · Scattering pellets, treats, or dried forage into hay. · Hiding greens and pellets around the bunnies’ room or enclosure. · Concealing treats in toilet rolls stuffed with hay. · Filling brown paper bags with hay and treats, tying the opening with jute twine and cutting a few small holes to encourage rabbits to engage in more challenging foraging behaviour. · Hanging leaves and branches from enclosures, or pegging to jute twine. There are many toys and other foraging ideas for rabbits available to buy, including: · Treat balls. · Snuffle mats. · Puzzle toys. · Stacking cups. Always monitor to make sure everything is safe. Try different ideas each day, and rotate toys, to stop rabbits getting bored. Back
↑ |
||||||||
|
Wild rabbits often stretch up high, standing on their hind legs to reach tasty vegetation and strip bark from trees.
Rearing up is also a prey animal behaviour Just like their wild cousins, our pet rabbits need to be able to stretch up to maintain musculoskeletal health. Consider hanging leaves and branches from enclosures, or pegging to jute twine, to provide some opportunities for rabbits to reach up for food. Begging is another reason for rearing up – pet rabbits quickly learn to rear up if they’re near a source of food, shamelessly begging for food from us, communicating their demand for something tasty. It’s easy to give in to a rabbit looking up at us, but try to resist giving them unhealthy treats, especially if it’s human food they’re begging for! Some of our bunnies' shameless begging over the years – Neroli usually got a nibble of whatever she wanted, in the days before we knew better! Rabbits should only be fed tiny portions of fruit as an occasional treat, and should never eat bread, toast, or Cheerios! Back
↑ |
||||||||
|
Before grazing or foraging, rabbits always check that they are near a safe place for hiding, to avoid predators if necessary. They usually perform any behaviours that make them less alert to their surroundings, and therefore more vulnerable, in a sheltered place (eg. sleeping, eating caecotrophs, grooming). Sheltering is a vital behaviour for rabbits as prey creatures. Wild rabbits construct extensive networks of interconnecting burrows (warrens) to use for shelter, by digging soil – some may extend to 3m deep, and there are many entrance/exit points. They spend many hours sheltering in their warrens, resting or sleeping, but even when above ground, they prefer to be near the safety of their burrows, although they will also shelter in vegetation or other safe, covered areas.
Our pet rabbits also feel safer if they know they have access to hiding places – they will feel stressed and exposed if there’s no covered place provided for retreat. They often choose to rest in darker, covered areas, so it’s important that we make sure they have plenty of sheltered areas to choose from, by providing various ‘hidey holes’ in their area, such as carboard boxes, small tables and chairs, stepping stools, or large flowerpots turned on their side. There are also many different styles of shelter available to purchase, from small hidey houses to elaborate castles.
We must learn our rabbits’ body language – it’s normal behaviour for them to seek shelter to rest or to hide for a short while if they feel scared, but it’s not good for rabbits to constantly feel the need to hide. If a rabbit is hiding rather than sheltering for rest, its body posture will be tense, perhaps freezing to reduce its visibility – it’s a behaviour which is communicating fear of something detected in the environment, and we must make every effort to make them feel secure, so they don’t feel the need to hide.
Back ↑ |
||||||||
|
Wild rabbits remain active throughout the year (they don’t hibernate), and they are crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk), so tend to sleep for periods (often taking several naps) during the daytime and nighttime, averaging at around six to eight hours of sleep over 24 hours. Rabbits can sleep with their eyes open – their eyes continue to detect any danger approaching, and predators may be less likely to approach if they think a rabbit is awake. They may sleep lying down but are just as capable of sleeping whilst loafing. When one rabbit is sleeping, at least one other rabbit in the group will usually be on watch for danger. Even when apparently resting, rabbits are ready to flee at any moment, if a potential threat is detected... well, apparently not so true for Dijon! Our pet rabbits have a similar sleep pattern, although many have adapted to our schedules. It’s important that we allow our rabbits to rest during the day, ensuring they have comfortable places for sheltering away from noise and light, if they wish. Sometimes, because they can sleep with their eyes open, it’s difficult to know when a rabbit is asleep – but a rabbit’s twitching nose usually slows during sleep. If a rabbit is in a relaxed resting position and starts twitching (usually eyes, nose, and lips) or rocking, even if they still have their eyes open, they are probably dreaming. Their ears may turn like radar, and their front paws make small digging actions; sometimes they may even fall to one side… any sudden noise and they will be alert again in an instant. A yawning rabbit is a relaxed rabbit! Rabbits’ yawns can be very dramatic – often after sleeping, they may stretch their front legs out, gripping the ground with their claws, and pulling back their head to yawn. A compilation of all the bunny yawns we've captured over the years. You'd be forgiven for doubting Snoop's prey creature instincts, if you see him sleeping. Back
↑ |
||||||||
|
Rabbits pick items up with their mouths then throw and toss them to move them out of the way, especially when clearing routes whilst foraging. They will also clear items out of their way by biting through with their sharp teeth. Throwing/tossing to clear routes is also a prey animal behaviour
Ebony and Dijon demonstrating their ability to throw things,,, sometimes quite destructively! Pet rabbits also perform this behaviour with
branches and toys… or our belongings! Try filling old toilet rolls or brown
paper bags with food and hay, so they can pick them up and toss them out of
their way, at the same time releasing the tasty treats. Other popular choices
include willow balls, stacking cups, and willow or apple sticks.
Back
↑ |
||||||||
|
Toilet behaviours / Droppings / Scattering droppings / Spraying urine / Urinating |
||||||||
All rabbits produce two types of droppings – soft, caecal droppings (also called caecotrophs) and dry, spherical pellets. Rabbits’ caecal droppings are eaten directly from their bottom. Discover here why rabbits must consume their caecotrophs. As prey creatures, wild rabbits are scrupulously clean by nature. They deposit urine and dry faecal pellets above ground, keeping their warrens clean to avoid creating an odour that would attract the attention of predators. Some droppings are scattered throughout their territory, above ground, as a form of scent marking – these droppings are coated in a scented mucus from rabbits’ anal glands (another scent marking behaviour is spraying urine, which is performed mostly by male rabbits, to communicate social status or as part of courtship). However, most pellets and urine are deposited in ‘latrines’. These are created by the dominant rabbit in a group – the surface of the soil is scraped and droppings and urine carrying scent are deposited; other rabbits then mark the latrine by using it to deposit their urine and droppings, and it becomes a vital source of territorial and social information for the colony. Rabbits’ latrines help them to feel secure, and communicate social and sexual status between them. Siting of the latrines depends on their main purpose: those situated close to the perimeter of the colony’s territory act as a warning to rabbits from neighbouring colonies to stay out; for rabbit colonies free of threat from other colonies, latrines are more likely to be situated close to their burrow entrances – for them, it’s more important that the latrine is a source of communication within their own social groups.
The instinct of wild rabbits to confine urine and most droppings to latrines is still strong in our pet rabbits. They are essentially clean animals and prefer to deposit urine and droppings in a single place (or, at most, few places), and, just like their wild cousins’ latrines, these places become vital sources of information. Due to this nature of our rabbits, it’s relatively simple to train them to use a litter tray, and easier to do so if they are neutered – scattering of droppings and spraying of urine is mostly triggered by hormones, most of which are eliminated by neutering.
For most rabbits, it’s simply a matter of seeing which area they choose to use as their ‘latrine’, then placing a tray in that place (filled with a suitable litter, a handful of hay for them to graze on when they’re toileting, and a few of their droppings to encourage them to use the tray). When they are consistently using the tray, it can gradually be moved to a different location, if necessary. Rabbits raise their tail immediately prior to urination, which is a handy warning if they’re about to wee in the wrong place – a gentle reminder often works! Rabbits are more likely to use a tray consistently if the toilet area is their space – a place which is not shared with us or with other animals in the household. If they can regard it as their territory, they will mark it – and, for rabbits, that means using it to deposit droppings and urine. The more we interfere with it, the less likely they are to view it as their exclusive territory. That said, due to this nature of using one place, a rabbit’s toilet area can quickly become saturated, and that can increase the risk of a range of health problems, including flystrike, sore hocks, respiratory problems, and urine scald, so it’s essential to clean out the toilet area or tray regularly, usually every couple of days (frequency depends on individual rabbits, type of litter used, and weather conditions). It’s also important to make sure our rabbits have space to move away from the area when they wish. Rabbits may start scattering droppings outside their litter tray if they are placed in a new environment, if a new partner is introduced, or if an unfamiliar object enters their territory. A rabbit that suddenly stops using a litter tray for no apparent reason may have a medical problem and should be taken for a check-up by a rabbit-savvy vet. Rabbits eat caecotrophs directly from their bottom, so it should be rare for us to see these droppings. Uneaten caecotrophs – either on the ground or stuck to a rabbit – could indicate a problem, so a vet should be consulted.
Back
↑ |
.JPG)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment. The bunnies will review it and respond as soon as possible.