Rabbits, Rats, Gerbils, Hamsters. Flashcards
(119 cards)
How were rabbits originally classified as?
Rodents.
What Order are Rodents?
Rodentia.
What are Rabbits now classified as?
Lagomorpha.
Why cant rabbits be rodents?
They have 4 upper incisor teeth, where rodents only have two.
WHy did we not originally notice that rabbits were not rodents?
Their second pair of upper incisor is stacked behind the first pair.
Fossils of rabbit-like animals date back to when?
30-37 million years
How do these fossils of the rabbit-like animals compare to our modern day wild rabbits and hares?
They are very similar.
Where were the first recorded reports of rabbits made?
Phoenician traders that visited Spain
When were the first recorded reports of rabbits made?
3000 years ago (1100 BC.)
What were the phoenicians responsible for?
Transporting rabbits to many parts of the world.
Why were rabbits able to spread so fast? (3)
They are useful to use as a meat source.
They grow quick and reproduce rapidly.
Who first domesticated rabbits?
The french monks in the middle ages.
(about 1500 years ago)
When were rabbits introduced into autralia and new zealand?
The latter portion of the 19th century.
ABout how many breeds are recognized by rabbit breeders?
45
Of the breeds, how do we divde them into classifcations? How many?
By size and weight. there are 5
What are the five classifications?
Dwarf (miniature), small, medium, large, giant.
Termnology:
What is an adult male called?
An adult female?
The young?
A buck
A doe
Kits or bunnies.
What is the birth process called in rabbits?
Kindling.
Why do we called the birth process kindling?
When close to birth, the mama will pull fur and nest.
What can be dangerous for rabbits? Why?
Antibiotics! They are very sensitive to them.
Why might happen if you give a rabbit too many antibiotics?
May kill the bacteria in the cecum. This is very bad.
What is recommened of all female rabbits kept as pets.
Neutering!
Why should female rabbits get spayed?
High incidence of uterine cancer
Which mammal has the highest amount of uterine cancer?
Rabbits.