Abstract
Bunny tails look cute and fun! It looks like a little hairball glued to the back of the rabbit. A swallow’s tail is used for steering; a cat’s tail is used for balance. So what does a rabbit’s tail do? If you have a bunny at home, you will find that they use their tails to express their emotions. So the rabbit’s tail, although small and seemingly useless, can really help the rabbit. Understanding the movements of a rabbit’s tail can help us better understand our little bunny.
What is a Rabbit Tail Called?
Don’t look at it as a little furball. After removing the shaggy fur, you will find that the rabbit’s tail is not only short but also stiff. Rabbit tail is called “scut” in ancient terms. The origin of the word “scut” can be traced back to the 15th century, and it can represent the tail of all animals with hardtails. Including deer, bears, goats, and hares. So you can also call rabbits tail rabbits scut.
What is the Use of a Rabbit Tail?
Although rabbit tails don’t play an essential role in a rabbit’s survival, they are vital for keeping them and their family members safe. The rabbit tail use is to help them to avoid predators in the wild.
- Help Fast Escape
When the rabbit is in danger, if the tail is bitten, the rabbit can quickly break free and escape.
- Signal to Partners
Rabbits use rabbit scut as signals to communicate with other rabbits. With a flick of their tail, they can send soundless commands to alert their family members of danger in the vicinity.
- Balance and Turn
Although the bunny’s tail is small, it can still play the role of balance and turn direction. This way the bunny can keep balance and turn direction at any time when jumping. You’ll notice that when the rabbits turn the other way, their tails move in the opposite direction. This keeps them balanced and helps them turn quickly
- Support
When a rabbit stands on its hind legs, the bunny rabbit tail acts as a support.
- Express Emotions
If a rabbit feels angry or aggressive, it will raise its tail as they growl or lunge forward. If a rabbit is being curious or cautious, they may crawl forward on their front feet, with their tail extended long behind them. To show that they aren’t confident, the tail will point down towards the ground.
Why Are Rabbit Tails Short?
The evolution of the tail is also a trend of regression. Because the limbs play an increasingly important role in terrestrial life, the tail takes a back seat. Therefore, the tail of the rabbit gradually shortens, which plays a role in maintaining balance and survival.
Rabbits dig underground tunnels to rest when they are out in the wild, which they share with other rabbits. When they spot a predator, they will flee to the den as quickly as possible. If they have long tails, predators may easily catch them.
The short tail of rabbits is completely the result of evolution for survival. Because of their cowardice, they must adapt themselves to the environment if they want to survive. Once they encounter an enemy, they need to pack as lightly as possible in order to run and jump quickly. Long tails are obviously redundant and burdensome. Therefore, only the tail growth is controlled, and the long-term evolutionary result has made the tail shorter.
Do All Rabbits Have White Tails?
Of course not. Different breeds of rabbits have different tail colors. But you will find that most hare tails are white in color. Because they have to adapt to survive in the wild. White tails can buy themselves escape time. A fleeing rabbit’s white tail wagging also signals to other rabbits. It is hard to say about the breed of domestic rabbits because there is no need to worry about becoming prey.
How Long Are Rabbit Tails?
Many people will ask how long are rabbit tails? In our impression, rabbits are representatives of animals with short tails. Usually, in cartoon images, the tail of rabbits is directly drawn as a round ball. So how long is the tail of rabbits? Under normal circumstances, the rabbit tail length we can see is 3-4 cm. The rabbit’s tail will hide under the body. In fact, the common rabbit tail length is 5-10 cm long, which is not as short as we think.
Different varieties of rabbit tail length are not the same. The shortest was only 3 centimeters, and the longest one that took the Guinness Book of Records was 17 centimeters. To put it simply, their tails are usually hidden behind them in a relatively concealed way. Some rabbit breeds have their tails folded up into an L shape, while others have their tails hidden in their stomachs. In order to make it more convenient to run, the tail of the rabbit is folded when it runs, and it looks as if there is only one tail tip.
Rabbit’s tail is not short. After all, the length of ordinary rabbits is only about thirty or forty centimeters, and the tails of 5 to 6 centimeters are in harmony with their body proportions. So why do they deliberately hide their tails? Mainly, because the tail is too long, it will hinder the escape. On the one hand, it is to quickly exert force in a short time, and on the other hand, it is also to prevent hunters from biting their tails and reduce the danger.
The shortest tail in the rabbit world may be the cottontail rabbit. Their tails are usually only 3 to 5 cm, and the longest tail is the largest and the famous giant Huaming rabbit. In April 2019, it entered the Guinness Book of Records for the world’s longest rabbit tail with a tail length of 17 cm, and no other rabbit has been able to beat it.
Do Rabbit Tails Grow on Their Own?
Rabbits have tails that grow. The tail will definitely be smaller when you are a child, and the tail will definitely be larger when you grow up. But it’s about as big as it is. But another situation is that once the rabbits scut disappears due to some circumstance, there is nothing you can do.
Can I Touch a Rabbit’s Tail?
The rabbit is actually more afraid of being caught by the tail. It will scream if you touch its tail. It treats the person who grabs its tail as an enemy and tries to escape to save its life. So, try not to pull, pull, pull! In order to avoid the rabbit’s nervousness and fear of leaving a psychological shadow, or even injury and stress leading to serious consequences.
While handling your rabbit’s tail must be handled with care, they won’t appreciate it if you touch their tails. They may try to get out of the way and injure their spine. You may also see signs of aggression such as biting, growling, and waving the tail.
Why Do Rabbits Chase Their Own Tails?
Although this behavior is most commonly associated with dogs it can also be observed in rabbits. This behavior can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Play Alone
Rabbits are animals that like to exercise. When it gets bored it seeks some mental stimulation. You may have to exercise to wake yourself up. So they may be amusing themselves when they chase their tails.
- Wake
While not the first thought on every pet owner’s mind, warped tails can signal sexual arousal. When rabbits signal that they are interested in mating, they often turn in circles and wag their tails.
- Get ill
When you observe the rabbit wobbly chasing its tail in circles, then you need to pay attention. There may be symptoms of fleas or other parasites. There may also be neurological problems. If you suspect that your rabbit is chasing its tail for negative reasons, you should take it to the veterinarian immediately for an examination.
- Attract You
If you laugh because the rabbit goes around in circles, the smart rabbit will remember that. They think this will get your attention. The rabbit will do the same action again to attract you.
Why Does the Rabbit Wag Its Tail?
- Rabbits wag their tails to match their body swings, which is a mischievous expression. Usually at this time the rabbit will jump up obliquely, indicating that it is very happy. It may also be because the food is delicious.
- Usually rabbits twitch their tails back and forth while jumping.
- When the owner wanted to take the rabbit back into the cage, the rabbit suddenly jumped up and twitched its tail. It means that the rabbit wants to say “you won’t catch me”.
Do Rabbits Bite off Their Own Tails?
Although it is unlikely that a rabbit would bite off its tail, it is possible. Your rabbit might bite its tail because of a medical condition. The reason could be parasites, mites, or skin irritation. Nerve pain could be the reason that disabled rabbits can inflict injury on their own.
Why Do Rabbits Stick out Their Tails?
An outstretched tail indicates contentment. A happy rabbit will lie down on its stomach, spine, and tail in a relaxed, contented position.
Rabbits who are actively exploring their environment will keep their tails straight and tense. If it senses danger, your pet rabbit will prepare to flee. Your pet rabbit will appear tense even though you might not be able to see it. It will have its white tail visible, and it will be in an upright position. This is your signal that your rabbit is ready for escape.
How Do You Care for a Rabbit’s Tail?
It is important to not play with the tail of your rabbit. Most rabbits don’t like their tail being touched or played with. Although there are some exceptions, they are very few. Although it should be obvious, I will say it anyway: Never pull on your rabbit’s tail. Pulling on the rabbit’s tail can cause nerve damage or break bones.
Other than that, the rabbit’s tail needs no special attention. Rabbits take care of their tails on their own.
Final Word
Well. The above are the most common topics we are most interested in about rabbit tails. In fact, we rarely pay attention to rabbit tails in our life. Rabbit tails are very fragile and sensitive. But we really don’t need to take extra care of the bunny rabbit tail. All in all, I sincerely hope this article informs you.
If you have any interesting questions about rabbit tails, you can write your questions in the comments section. Let’s discuss it together!