Bunny Ring in 925 Silver and Zircon

The term "rabbit" is actually quite generic. In fact, it identifies seven genera ( Brachylagus, Bunolagus, Caprolagus, Nesolagus, Orycatolagus, Pentalagus ,, Poelagus, Pronolagus, Romerolagus, Sylvilagus ) belonging to the Leporidae family, Lagomorph order. To the latter belong the family of the Ochotonidae (of which the pica belong) and that of the Leporidae, which collects hares and rabbits. The only species to have been domesticated is the Oryctolagus cuniculus or European rabbit. However, some doubts still remain about when it was domesticated. According to study published in 2018 in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution , the widespread opinion that the domestic origins of the rabbit date back to 600 AD is not supported by historical documents, by archaeological finds or by the results of genetic investigations.

This animal appears to be one of the most recently domesticated species. "It is probably for this reason that the rabbit has retained much of its wild nature ", explains to OggiScienza Dario d'Ovidio, a veterinarian who deals with unconventional pets and specializes in small mammal medicine through the European College of Zoological Medicine. .

In nature, the European rabbit is essentially a prey animal, an excellent meal for a large number of predators from birds of prey to carnivorous degrees. It is also the only social leporid . As explained in an article from 2016, it forms with its similar large, territorially delimited groups (the "rabbit hutches"), with a dominant male and several subordinate females and males; the hierarchy is strictly linear both between males and females. The sociability and prey nature of the rabbit are two essential aspects to consider when choosing to welcome one at home, because it is precisely on the basis of these ethological characteristics that the correct management of the animal can be set up.

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