Domestic Rabbit

Domestic Rabbits usually weigh between 2 and 4 pounds, with males, called bucks, often being slightly larger than females. Their ears can grow up to 4 inches long and help with both hearing and temperature regulation. Rabbits also have a wide field of vision that helps them keep watch for danger, though they do have one small blind spot directly in front of their noses. They are fast, agile runners that can move in zigzag patterns, reach speeds of up to 18 miles per hour, and jump as high as 36 inches. Unlike dogs and cats, rabbits do not have padded feet.

Domestic Rabbits do best in areas with soft soil for burrowing, access to cover, and relatively stable temperatures. They can be found in grassy fields, forests, and other sheltered environments, and today they live in many parts of the world. More than half of the world's Domestic Rabbits live in North America.

Domestic Rabbits eat a wide variety of foods, including plants, roots, bark, fungi, fruit, snails, and worms.

Domestic Rabbits are social animals that live in large underground tunnel systems called warrens. These burrow networks can house multiple colonies and provide space for nesting, shelter, and protection. Females, called does, create nests lined with straw, vegetation, and fur and may give birth to 4 to 8 kits at a time, up to several times per year. Kits are born with very little fur and their eyes closed, but they develop quickly and begin leaving the nest after a few weeks. Domestic Rabbits can live up to about 5 years in the wild and up to 12 years in human care.

Domestic Rabbits are naturally clean animals and can be surprisingly observant, active, and trainable. They rely on speed, quick turns, and alert senses to stay safe, and their teeth never stop growing. In total, rabbits have 28 teeth that continue growing throughout their lives.

As a domesticated species, Domestic Rabbits are not assessed by the IUCN Red List. Their wild ancestor, the European Rabbit, is listed as Endangered.