[Trivia] A three-choice quiz to deepen your rabbit knowledge

perk up one's ears

When rabbits sense danger, they perk up their ears to hear surrounding sounds more clearly. This is a typical behavior when they are on alert. It can also serve as a cue to check whether a rabbit is reacting even to small noises.

allium vegetables

Allium vegetables are extremely dangerous for rabbits. The compound allyl sulfide found in alliums can cause anemia. They also adversely affect the digestive system, so they should never be fed to rabbits.

Early morning and evening

Rabbits are crepuscular animals, meaning they are mainly active in the early morning and evening. During these times, they engage in behaviors such as foraging and socializing, and they often spend the bright daytime hours and late night in safe places to hide from predators.

vocal cords

Rabbits don’t have vocal cords. They rarely make sounds and are generally quiet animals because they lack the vocal cords needed to produce a voice. Instead, rabbits communicate through various forms of body language.

1 bird

Counting rabbits as “one bird” (ichiwa) originates from the past when they were hunted like birds. It’s also said that under the Edicts on Compassion for Living Things, rabbits were treated as birds. Today, it’s common in Japanese to count a rabbit as one “wa” (ichiwa).

28 pieces

Rabbits have a total of 28 teeth. They have 12 molars on the upper jaw and 12 on the lower jaw, two incisors on the upper jaw and one on the lower jaw, and a total of two canines—one on each side of the lower jaw. Because rabbits’ teeth wear down from gnawing and continue to grow throughout their lives, it’s important for them to chew hard foods to maintain an appropriate length.

Because I'm relaxed

When a rabbit flops onto its side to rest, it’s a sign that they’re relaxed. They often do this when they’re full and feeling secure, and when they feel safe with their surroundings or companions.