What DOESN'T kill rabbits?

[GBov]

When a rabbit gets loose, even a delicate one, they seem to handle the change in their diet just fine. I wonder if its because of all the exercise and contact with the soil?

 

[Zass]

When a rabbit gets loose, even a delicate one, they seem to handle the change in their diet just fine. I wonder if its because of all the exercise and contact with the soil?

Loose rabbits have free choice to balance their diets too. I think that might make a huge difference. I've noticed that people are often very surprised by what their rabbits choose to eat. It makes me wonder how much we really know about what they "should" be eating.

The problem with soil contact is that cocci parasites build up over time, and raise kit mortality levels.
Wild rabbits have more space to more away from their droppings, but are still known to suffer mortality from it.
Actually...Looking at this article, it seems like hepatic cocci is a cottontail disease that our domestic european rabbits happen to be susceptible to.
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/ ... abbits.htm

Pretlier, you have mentioned before that the rabbits in Europe do not have the same cocci problems. :!: It may be because Europe does not have cottontails to carry and spread the protozoa that cause hepatic coccidoses, which is a particularly nasty and fatal form of the disease.

It might even have something to do with why wire cages are so highly favored in the US, and wooden hutches preferred Europe. :idea: