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Health & Fitness

Blog: 10 Things You Don't Know About Bunnies

How much do you know about bunny rabbits, the third-most popular pet in the world?

Everyone knows about the Easter Bunny or perhaps even Peter Rabbit, but did you know these 10 things about bunny rabbits? Most people have misconceptions about the third most popular pet in the world, so read on to learn more about these sweet, playful creatures. Hop to it!

  1. A bunny can live between nine to 12 years if they are living in a happy, safe environment and have a good, healthy diet. They love those crunchy, delicious fruits and veggies!
  2. Have you ever heard a rabbit owner refer to a rabbit jump as a “binky”? A binky is a bunny’s way of expressing its happiness by jumping, twisting, and running about in what seems like a wild fashion. It may look like the rabbit has lost its mind for a moment, but they’re just showing you how happy they are!
  3. Similar to a fish, bunnies can see behind them without turning their heads but they have a blind spot directly in front of their face. Always be sure a bunny can see your hand off to the side before giving them a pet them on the nose—you might startle them if they can’t see you, and end up with a little nip on the hand.
  4. Many people don’t know that bunnies can be litter box trained! It’s a good thing, too, because bunnies can make up to between 200 and 300 hard poops in a day. By nature, rabbits are very clean and will choose only one or two spots to urinate in, and litter box training them encourages them to limit this to just one area. 
  5. A female rabbit can have a litter of babies every 28 to 30 days—that’s a lot of bunnies! This is an important reason you should have your bunnies spayed or neutered.
  6. Rabbits have 28 teeth which can grow up to an inch every month. To wear down their teeth, bunnies chew on whatever they can find, so it is important to give them hay, toys, and other items. Otherwise, your bunny may chew on your furniture or anything else in its path.  Be sure to bunny-proof your house so a bunny doesn’t accidentally chew on an electrical cord or something else dangerous!
  7. Contrary to popular belief, bunnies are not nocturnal—they are crepuscular, which means they are most active at dawn and at dusk.
  8. Rabbits have scent glands under their chins, which is why they rub their chins on just about everything and everyone around them – they’re marking their territory. The smell isn’t detectable by humans, so don’t worry if a bunny rubs their chin on you.
  9. A baby bunny is typically referred to as a kit. A full-grown female is called a doe, a mature male a buck—just like deer.
  10. Bunnies can jump quite high. Rabbit show jumping competitions, or rabbit dressage, are becoming popular. The current world record for height jumping is 99.5 centimeters—approximately three feet, two inches. That bunny can hop!

If you’re interested in adopting or fostering a bunny, Bunny World Foundation has more than 250 rabbits of various breeds available. Call 310-498-8600 or email info@bunnyworldfoundation.org for more information.  

We would love to talk with you and help you choose the bunny that is just right for you! You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to learn more about out work.

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The mission of Bunny World Foundation (BWF) is to rescue neglected, abandoned domestic baby rabbits, to provide them with medical care, and to find permanent, loving homes for them.

We also wish to educate the public about the proper care of these intelligent, social, complex, loving and magical animals, to help reduce rabbit overpopulation and abandonment, and to eradicate the illegal sales of under-aged bunnies in Santee Alley and other parts of Los Angeles. Since its inception in 2008, BWF has rescued more than 1,400 baby bunnies from the Santee Alley Los Angeles Fashion District.

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