Rabbits

Rabbits are animals that people often associate with the Easter holiday. They can be cute and cuddly at first but it doesnt take long for a rabbit to become full grown. They can be kept as pets in cages. Many breeds of rabbits are used for show as well. This can be a terrific 4-H project for a child as well.

Some breeds of rabbits are more in demand than others. Dwarf rabbits are very popular due to the small size that they remain. Those that have been breed with good genetic lines can be expensive though. Taking care of a pet rabbit can be time consuming though so it is important to make sure you are up to the task.

There are also breeds of rabbits that are very wild. The jack rabbit is commonly known as it roams around on the plains. There are usually large numbers of rabbits in any given area due to their fast reproductive cycles. These types of rabbits dont make good pets as they need plenty of room to roam.

One of the biggest problems with rabbits is that they are known for a series of genetic problems. As a result rabbit breeds are very careful to evaluate the characteristics of each one before they breed. Those that are identified to have such defects are no longer breed in order to preserve the good qualities of the breeds. A rabbit breeder doesnt need to have too many quality rabbits to start such an operation.

This is because they reproduce very quickly. As early as six months of age the males and females are ready to mate. The gestation period is only about 30 days. The mother will have between six and ten rabbits at a time for a normal litter. They are weaned at about four weeks of age. She will likely be bred again six weeks after giving birth.

Due to their ability to populate quickly, some areas have a problem with too many rabbits. They can be a nuisance and even destroying crops. Rabbit hunting is a popular sport and it helps with the overpopulation issue. Many people like the taste of rabbit meat and they hunt it for the sole purpose of eating it.