The San Juan Rabbit or European rabbit is a leporid mammal, a family that also includes the hares. It belongs to the order of the lagomorphs, considered rodents until the beginning of the 20th century. Its geographical distribution covers all of Europe and North Africa. It has been introduced by men in the United States, Chile, South Africa and Australia, where they have become a real plague.
The San Juan Rabbit is a domestic rabbit that has been bred to mimic the traits of the cottontail. San Juan rabbits are often used in training hunting dogs, and they are tame enough to make decent pets. San Juan rabbits can also provide their owner with low-fat, low-cholesterol meat for your family. Learn more about them here! You May Also Like To Read Himalayan Rabbit
Characteristics of San Juan Rabbit
The San Juan rabbit coat is common, thick and wooly, whose color can vary from pale brown to gray. It has a reddish-brown, sometimes reddish skin that allows its camouflage to avoid its predators. Domestic varieties, however, may have many more colors, uniform, degraded or mottled. The head is oval, wider in the case of males, with large black eyes on the sides.
The ears are long, narrow and of the wide auditory pavilion, being able to reach the 7 cm. The tail is very short and white underneath. Its posterior extremities, with which it is propelled to jump, are more developed than the previous ones. In the wild, it weighs 1 to 2.5 kilos and usually measures around 35 cm. Although they can reach 50 cm. But as a pet, you can reach more weight. This is due to inadequate food, either by excess or by food inadequate for this type of animal.
Like all lagomorphs, they have two rows of lower incisor teeth, unlike rodents that only have one. These teeth are constantly growing and should wear them to avoid being too long. The rabbit San Juan is gregarious and very territorial. They live clustered and defend their territory in the face of any threat, including the entry of their congeners who do not belong to their colony.
It is a predominantly nocturnal animal, it feeds at night and stays in its burrow during the day. On hot days it also leaves in the morning or noon. This breed is very quiet and to communicate uses smells and physical contact. Usually, this breed is guided primarily by hearing and smell. It hardly uses the view, since it has a very fine ear thanks to the large size of its ear-cups.
Food
The San Juan rabbit feeds at a very low price as if breeding in open spaces can get it food easily. With herbs and weeds, the diet should include hay, and some vegetables if the breeders want it. Farmers should establish diets and dietary controls to feed the San Juan rabbit since if they are over-fed they tend to gain weight easily.
Usage
The San Juan rabbit is one of the most widespread mammal species in the world and has a large presence in thousands of homes as a pet. Due to its high reproduction rate, this breed is considered for the production of its flesh and skin. You May Also Like To Read Lilac Rabbit
Habitat
The San Juan Rabbit lives in small forests and dry prairies near sea level, although they can also live in mountains without exceeding 1.500 m. Of height. Avoid large forests, prefer fields covered with a scrub to hide. They choose Sandy and soft soil that facilitates the construction of burrows and underground galleries. It moves with small jumps but can reach great speeds since they are very fast and agile.
If you feel any danger, raise your ears and lean on the hind legs to see what happens. If they become angry or startled, they begin to kick the ground with their hind legs, as a warning to their burrow mates. It has excavating customs when in the wild. Their forelegs are shorter than their hind legs. Nowadays we can find them in parks or agricultural crops.
Diseases
The San Juan Rabbit is affected by myxomatosis that causes skin tumors, blindness, fatigue and fever. Rabbits die within 14 days of contracting the disease. Another disease that attacks this race is the hemorrhagic disease of the rabbit, the symptoms are fatigue and fever. Rabbits that have this virus die for 12 to 36 hours after they have spread. Rabbits older than 8 weeks of age are those that are affected, small rabbits are resistant to this virus. You May Also Like To Read Lionhead Rabbit
Special Feature
At first, the San Juan Rabbit had a description similar to that of the hare. However, as they became more present they began to notice the obvious differences. In addition, the presence of different habits of life, mainly that of staying most of the time underground. For some biologists and breeders, it is a very profitable species.
By its ability to multiply rapidly, it would provide in abundance and at low-cost skins and meat for the consumption of the families of the field. While for other farmers, it was a plague. For if it escaped from its facilities, and the uncontrolled production of this species could cause enormous havoc to agriculture, as it had happened in other regions of the world.
Rabbit Profile
| Rabbit name | San Juan |
| Other Name | European |
| Rabbit Purpose | For the production of their flesh and their skin, and as a pet. |
| Coat color | Brown lion redhead |
| Weight | 1 to 2.5 kilos |
| Climate Tolerance | All climates |
| Country of Origin | United States |
FAQ
What size are San Juan rabbits?
San Juan rabbits are a small breed of domestic rabbit that typically weigh between 3 and 5 pounds. They have a medium-length coat that is usually black, blue, or lilac in color. Their ears are erect and they have a short, compact body. San Juan rabbits are known for their calm and friendly nature, making them a popular pet choice for both adults and children.
What is the rarest rabbit in the world?
The Sumatran striped rabbit is considered to be one of the rarest rabbits in the world. This species of rabbit is native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra and can only be found in a small area on the west coast. Due to its limited habitat, this species has become increasingly endangered over time.
Conclusion
I hope this guide has helped you understand what the San Juan rabbit is, why they are popular and how to take care of them. If any questions come up during your research or if you have any further insight into these animals that would be helpful for others reading this post, please feel free to share in the comments section below! Good luck caring for your new pet!
As a Reference: Wikipedia
