By: Dr. Alondra Martin Read By: Pet Lovers Over the past several
years, the popularity of the domestic rabbits as pets has risen
considerably. In fact, rabbit numbers now exceed equine numbers
in the United States with an estimated five million rabbits in
just under two million households. Since they are so popular, it
is important to know how to care for these special herbivores
properly to ensure that they live as long and as well as
possible. A well-cared-for indoor rabbit can have an average
life span of seven to 10 years with the record being 18 years.
It is also important to note that rabbits are not rodents but
belong to the order Lagomorpha ("shaped like a hare") and the
family Leporidae. Pet rabbits are descended from the European
hare, Oryctolagus cuniculus. Other members of the Leporidae
include wild hares (Lepus), cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus) and
pika (Ochotona). Members of these genera are reproductively
isolated and breeding of these various genera will produce
sterile offspring. There are ov