Rabbits

 

About Rabbits

Rabbits of all strains are used in laboratory research, especially in studies of bacteriology, physiology, and nutrition. Researchers also use them in clinical laboratories to conduct hormone studies and to produce biologics.

 

Rabbits are usually obtained from an outside source in the size and number required for a particular experiment. To make sure you have a good supply of uniform animals, it is best to plan well ahead and order from one supplier. This eliminates having to introduce undesirable variations into the experiment.

 

Except for future breeders, rabbits should be handled as little as possible. It is easy to injure the rabbit's back unless proper support is provided. Occasionally handling the breeders will accustom them to the cage transfers required for mating. To hold them, firmly grasp the loose skin over the shoulders with one hand and support the weight by placing the other hand under the hindquarters. Rabbits usually will not resist handling by someone they trust. If they need to be restrained, wrapping them in a cloth will help prevent scratching.

 

The rabbit eliminated two kinds of feces. The "day" feces are hard, round and dry. The "night" feces are soft and encased in a membrane. These night feces are consumed by the rabbits as an important source of nutrients. Fasted rabbits with empty stomachs are difficult to gain because of this practice of coprophagy. The day droppings should be cleaned out regularly by the caretakers.

 

Newly purchased rabbits should be isolated for at least 21 days. When the rabbit is caged, it should have enough room to stretch out full length to its normal resting position. The cage also should be high enough to permit the rabbit to sit up on its haunches.

  

Custom Diets

Hundreds of custom diets have been formulated for rabbits; we can repeat or modify any existing diet or create new formulas for your specific research requirements.

 

A few examples of custom rabbit diets –

Commonly known as:

Description

Grain-Based = G

or

Purified = P

TestDiet® Formula # or Product #

5730-1

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® 5321 with 2% Cholesterol; 4% Peanut Oil

G

58LM

5730-8

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® 5321 with 2% Cholesterol; 10% Peanut Oil

G

5TC2

5730-N

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® 5321 with 1% Cholesterol; 6% Peanut Oil

G

57FL

5731 T

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® 5321 with 0.50% Cholesterol

G

57T3

5731-6

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® 5321 with 1.00% Cholesterol

G

57C6

5731-9

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® 5321 with 2.00% Cholesterol

G

57C2

5731-U

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® 5321 with 0.25% Cholesterol

G

58VW

5734-2

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® 5321 with 2% Cholesterol; 6% Peanut Oil

G

57GK

5734-3

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® 5321 with no added NaCl (0.05% sodium)

G

5734-3

5736-E

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® HF 5326 with 0.5% Cholesterol

G

5736-E

5736-F

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® HF 5326 with 2% Cholesterol; 10% Peanut Oil

G

5736-F

5736-G

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® HF 5326 with 1% Cholesterol

G

5736-G

5742-6

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® 5321 with 1.5% Cholesterol

G

5742-6

5750-6

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® HF 5326 with 2% Cholesterol

G

5750-6

C30051

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® 5321 with 2.0% cholesterol.

G

Please Inquire

C30255

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® 5322 with 4.7% Hydrogenated Coconut Oil and 0.3% Cholesterol.

G

Please Inquire

C30515

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® HF 5326 with 0.2% cholesterol.

G

Please Inquire

C30516

Modified Rabbit LabDiet® HF 5326 with 0.15% cholesterol.

G

Please Inquire

D30269

Purified, Endogenous Hypercholesterolemic Rabbit Diet

P

Please Inquire

LD304

PMI Micro-Stabilized Rabbit Liquid Diet

 

P

LD304

LD304A

PMI Micro-Stabilized Alcohol Rabbit Liquid Diet

 

P

LD304A

 

 

Care, Feeding, & Physiology

Care and Feeding

 

Number of
Adults

Number of
Young

Cage Dimensions*

Length

Width

Height

Breeding/Lactation

1
(2 when breeding)

6-8

75 cm

45 cm

45 cm

Growing

12

55 cm

50 cm

40 cm

Experimental

1

75 cm

90 cm

45 cm

 

45 cm

23 cm

18 cm

Feeding Recommendations

Daily Feed Usage

Water Requirement

Begin Dry Food Consumption

Adult male
Pregnant female

110-175 gm
175-225 gm

Ad libitum

4-5 days

Environmental Data

Room Temp.

Humidity

Light

Litter Material

20-25 ¡C

45-55%

12-14 hrs/day

Maintain on 1.25 x 2.5 cm. wire. Good straw, shavings

 

or commercial bedding

Biological Values

Blood Chemical Composition

Water

Calcium

Sodium

Chloride

Phosphorus

Potassium

93-95 gm/100ml

7.0 mEq/L

140 mEq/L

105 mEq/L

5.9 mg/100ml

5.5-6.0 mEq/L

Values are for plasma, except
where noted

Magnesium

Cholesterol

Glucose

Serum Protein

Albumin

Globulin

3.2-5.4 mg/100ml

30-80 mg/100ml

145 mg/100ml

7.2 gm/100ml

4.6 gm/100ml

2.7 gm/100ml

Oxygen Consumption and Body Temperature

Observed
Weight

Temperature

Oxygen Consum-
ption

Breathing Rate

Heart Beat

3700 gms

39.4 ¡C

-

51/minute
(38-60)

205/minute
(123-304)

Hematological Values

Whole Blood Volume
(T-1824 dye)

Clotting Time

RBC Life Span

RBC Diameter

RBC Rate of
Sedimentation

60 ml/kg

60-360 sec.

45-70 days

7.0 microns

2 mm/hr

Blood pH

RBC

Hematocrit

Platelets

Hb

7.35

4.5-7.0 106/mm3

41.5 ml/100ml

170-1120 103/mm3

13.6 gm/100ml

Total and Differential White Blood Cell Counts

Leucocytes

Neutros

Eosinos

Basos

Lymphos

Monos

9.0 103/mm3

4.1 103/mm3

0.18 103/mm3

0.45 103/mm3

3.5 103/mm3

0.73 103/mm3

Life Cycle Information

 

Weight
Adult Male

Weight
Adult Female

Weight
at Birth

Breeding Age
Male

Breeding Age Female

Estrus
Cycle

 

4-5.5 kg

4.5-6.5 kg

100 gms

6-7 months
4 kg

5-6 months
4-5 kg

Polyestrus

 

Gestation

Weaning Age

Litter Size

Rebreed After Parturition

Breeding Life Male

Breeding Life Female

 

30-32 days
31 days avg.

8 weeks
1.8 kg

1-8
8 avg.

14-28 days

1-3 years

1-3 years

 

Mating Data: 1 male, 6-10 females, pair-mate usually in buck's cage

*

Refer to the "Guide for the Care and use of Laboratory Animals" - NIH Publication No. 85-23, Revised 1985.

 

Prepared by the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20418