Rabbits are small mammals with fluffy short tails, whiskers, and distinctive long ears with about 30 species in the world and about 305 breads in 70 countries.
Companion rabbits have a life span of between 10-15 years but most meat rabbits are killed at 3 months. Rabbits are capable of becoming pregnant at about 4 months but do not allow small to medium breeds to mate until 6 months of age and enlarge to large breeds at about 8 months of age. They have a gestation period of 28-35 days and nest on the 28th day before birth to warm the babies who are born hairless, blind, and deaf. A doe may have between 1-14 babies and feeds twice a day which is mandatory for 2 weeks, by 10 days they open their eyes, 3-8weeks start nibbling solid food and they are totally independent between 6-8weeks.
Rabbit cages
Rabbits prefer a temperature of about 15-18 degrees Celsius, that is lower temperatures as long as they are well housed. An outdoor hatch should be waterproof with a solid roof and a slight overhung to keep rain and snow out of the hutch. As a general rule rabbit’s cage or hutch should be cleaned thoroughly once in a week and might need deep cleaning according to how spaced the cages are and how well the rabbit is litter trained. Rabbit manure comprises of 2%nitrogen, 1%phosphorous, and 1%pottasium which has 4 times more nutritious than a cow’s manure and 2 times that of a chicken.
Rabbit’s diet
A healthy rabbit diet is a hay containing 80%grass hay, 10%vegies, 5%healthy pellets, and 5% healthy treats. Rabbits are always ready for slaughter between eight to twelve weeks and the meat is healthy due to the high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids of proteins and essential amino acids. Rabbits consumption rate is different in different parts of the world but a high production rate does not guarantee a high consumption rate.
