Interesting rabbit facts aren’t hard to come by because bunnies are one of the most fascinating animals.
For starters, did you know these balls of fur have an almost 360-degree field of vision thanks to the positioning of their eyes? Or that some rabbits can soar up to four feet? Plus, these cute creatures are crepuscular, meaning they tend to be more active at dawn and dusk due to the potential threat of predators hunting during the day and night.
Yes, these loveable animals really are captivating and it’s all down to the complex inner workings that allow them to thrive and survive in the wild, and live a long and happy life as a pet. So, to find out some of the most interesting rabbit facts, stick right here.
Interesting rabbit facts you need to know
1. Rabbits' teeth constantly grow
With their love for fibrous foods, such as the best hay for rabbits, bunnies tend to do a lot of chewing.
Thankfully, rabbits have 28 teeth (which is four less than humans), with two main incisors, two peg teeth and 22 premolars and molars. Their incisors are sharp to help bite through vegetation, while the teeth in the back of their mouth – the premolars and molars – work hard to crunch down on grass and other plants.
Of course, feeding your bunny a nutritional diet is an important part of rabbit care. But all that chewing also wears down their teeth, which is a good thing because rabbits have ‘open-rooted’ teeth. This means they never stop growing.
2. Rabbits communicate in their own language
Ever wondered what your little ball of fluff is trying to tell you every time they stomp their feet, give you a head bump or stand up on their hind legs and stare off into the distance? Join the club!
As it turns out, a rabbit’s body language can tell you a lot of things and all these subtle movements are how they communicate with you and with one another. For example, a purring sound indicates they are feeling comfortable and content. While flopping down on their side can signify they are feeling safe.
3. A rabbit’s ears are brilliant multitaskers
A bunny’s ears aren’t just there to look cute. Not only do rabbits have an impeccable sense of hearing (they can hear sounds up to two miles away), but they can also rotate their ears up to 270-degrees to help detect the direction a sound is coming from.
According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, wild rabbits have a very wide hearing range that spans from 360 Hz to around 42,000 Hz, so they can hear higher frequencies than humans.
4. Rabbits have an almost 360-degree surveillance
It’s not just their ears that are pretty magnificent. Due to a rabbit’s eyes being positioned on the side of their head, they have a wide field of view that reaches nearly 360 degrees.
They also tend to be farsighted meaning they can clearly spot planes overheard while objects like food nearby might look blurry.
That’s because a rabbit’s sight is designed to detect potential predators approaching in any direction.
Rabbits do, however, have a limited color vision. They have something called dichromatic vision. This means they have two types of color receptors (blue and green) compared to their pet parents who have three (red, green, and blue).
5. Rabbits can ‘binky‘
Wondering why rabbits binky? Or maybe you’ve not heard of the term before? Well, bunny binkies (as they’re more affectionately known), is a behavior rabbits perform to express their happiness.
Binkying is the act of leaping into the air, whilst flicking their back legs and head. Rabbits might perform this move from a standstill or while running. Some bunnies prefer to do a full 180-degree turn mid-binky.
A handful of our flop-eared friends might also do this when they feel relaxed and safe or want to blow off some steam. Or when they receive their favorite treat or one of the best rabbit toys. But it's also thought some rabbits do this as ‘practise’ if they ever need to escape from a predator.
6. Rabbits can jump very high
Speaking of jumping, rabbits are amazing athletes as the highest bunny jump currently stands at 3ft, according to The Guinness World Records.
But legend has it that some rabbits have been seen to be leaping over 4ft high. Not bad considering the average height of an adult rabbit is 6in.
7. Rabbits have a prolific breeding ability
Generally speaking, rabbits are social butterflies and it's for good reason. In the wild, rabbits live in communities rather than living alone. According to vets, if they spend too much time by themselves, they can be at risk of behavioral issues such as depression or anxiety.
So if you have one pet rabbit already, it might be wise to consider adopting another one. However, if you have unneutered bunnies of the opposite sex, they will, quite literally, breed like rabbits.
Pregnancies in mother rabbits can last around a month and the average litter size is five to eight baby rabbits, known as kittens or kits. Rabbits can then become pregnant within hours of giving birth. Meaning? A doe can birth up to 30 kits in one breeding season.
8. They’re natural recyclers
Would you believe that rabbits eat their poop? Along with feasting on a healthy diet of leafy greens and hay, rabbits eat a specific type of their own droppings, called caecotrophs.
Unlike normal rabbit droppings, caecotrophs are shinier and much smellier but they are packed full of protein and vitamin B. Therefore, they eat these types of excrement to maximize all the nutrients available to them.
9. Rabbits need a constant supply of water
Rabbits are thirsty creatures and if you’re wondering what do rabbits need in their cage, know that access to clean water is a must.
Along with helping with digestion, and promoting good kidney and heart health, water will help to keep a rabbit cool in the summer.
Typically speaking, rabbits should be drinking 50–150ml of water per kg of bodyweight. This means a 2kg rabbit could guzzle up to 300ml in one 24-hour period.
10. Rabbits are super fast
If you’ve got one of the best rabbit runs, you’ve probably spotted your pet pal running around it at speed.
That’s because the average domestic rabbit can run up to 40 km/h. And when it comes to jumping, they're pretty quick too. The fastest time to complete 10 jumps by a rabbit goes to white-haired bunny Penelope, who jumped over 10 obstacles in just 7.16 seconds.
Keen to find out some more pet facts? Discover our favorite interesting cat facts and interesting dog facts that might surprise you. Or if you’re after some light relief, here are our favorite funny rabbit jokes.
