Important facts you need to know about rabbits

Sometimes, the best way of solving a problem is getting to its roots – solving the problem of rabbit infestation is no exception. Undoubtedly, there are several rabbit deterrent out there, but before you decide which would work best, you first need to know a thing or two about rabbits. Without ado, let’s set the ball rolling. Below are top facts every gardener and homeowner needs to know about rabbits.

• Physical appearance

Rabbits can be easily identified by their short tails, whiskers and ear lobes though some species have shorter ear lobes. Their length ranges from few inches to half a meter. Their average weight falls within the bracket of half pound and 14 pounds. In fact, larger species of rabbits like the Flemish giant can grow to the size of a dog.

• Eating habit

Bunnies are predominantly herbivores – they source their diet solely from plants and will never eat meat. Their favorite deli include clover, Brussels sprouts broccoli. Whenever they come visiting a garden or yard, they would feed on stems of tender plants, bark of trees, fruits and plant shoots. In times of food scarcity, items made of wood would serve as their meal.

• Breeding

No other animal belonging to the family of Leporidae breeds as much as rabbits does. Their mortality rate is very high, and to counter this, the female rabbit gives birth as much as 4 times annually. Between three and nine baby rabbits (kittens) are produced in one single birth. After giving birth, the mother rabbit would send her kits to the wild after a weaning period of five weeks. It takes between two and three months for the baby rabbit to reach maturity and be ready to mate.

• Habitat

There is no corner of this world where you wouldn’t find rabbits. Though believed to have originated Africa and Europe, they quickly grew in population and are now present in every country of the world. In the wild, rabbits build their nest around woody areas and grasslands. Some species prefer to build their nest in the private homes of people. Also, they are in the habit of burrowing, and the warrens (tunnels) they create serve as their sleeping and resting ground. Depending on the specie, a rabbit can dig to a depth of 3 meters when creating a warren.

Other important facts about rabbits

• Rabbits are mostly active during the late hours of the day and early mornings. It is during this time that they come out to feed.
• They live in colonies – whenever you see a rabbit around your garden, 90% of the time, there is a colony not too far.
• They are in the habit of eating their excrement to squeeze out whatever nourishment that might be left of it.
• Rabbits are in the habit of marking out territories. They probably picked this habit from other animal pest like deer.
• The warrens they create has several exit points.

You are half way through winning the battle against rabbits by knowing these important facts about them.