Rabbit Dissertation

i have to propose a dissertation title this week for uni and i'd really like to do a research project on rabbits...but i'm struggling to think of the perfect one! i thought maybe the wise RUers could help me... :wave:

if you could have any one thing about rabbits 'proved' what would it be? is there a particular piece of advice you give people often and they say, "where's the evidence?"

I was thinking of maybe doing something along the lines of showing rabbits are happier with space, but that might not be specific enough

any ideas or suggestions very welcome!! thanks!!

I think one of the biggest things I get questioned about is rabbits needing the company of other rabbits.

That rabbits do better in pairs? I've found lately that there are soooo many people who genuinely believe rabbits never need to see another rabbit....

I know there are exceptions but its so rare...

tashp90 said:

I think one of the biggest things I get questioned about is rabbits needing the company of other rabbits.

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i did think about doing that, i'm not sure if there are any studies already on it i'll look into it! thanks

Oooh there's lots of things! I just have to think of all the arguments I have with breeders on IG haha!

There's the argument that wire floors are just fine (yes this comes from the American breeder camp mostly) - in fact that it's "better", it's more hygienic and they don't need masses of space. I had someone tell me that a breeder had told them a tiny box hutch was fine as they live in warrens which are small ....:roll:....what about when they leave the warren. Sigh. They argue that solid floors cause hygiene problems, they cause sore hocks, they cause splay leg in babies (in reality only if the floor is slippery). They say that "properly bred" rabbits have a "better foot structure" so "can't" get sore hocks from wire, and they prefer wire.

Which everyone in the welfare camp knows is bunk BUT there's few official papers on it. Just a whole load of opinions from both sides.

Another breeder argued that putting hiding places in their cage made them more shy.

There's also the whole muesli thing. As it stands the only study was that Edinburgh Vet lot that did it, a large number of people have pulled holes in that as it was a relatively small study and was sponsored by a rabbit food manufacturer.

So there's lots of things but it depends what kind of angle you want to go for. What is the course?

There was/is a big study with the RSPCA and I think Bristol Uni on rabbits and space needs, they keep backing up the publication date but you might be able to find out what they are looking into.

I think bonding would be an interesting one to do, something to do with finding the right matches. If it true boy-girl is better, is neutering both essential, do rabbits with lop ears (communication difficulties) bond less well, does age play apart, or bonding techniques (what methods are most likely to result in success), can you predict success by observing behaviour in the first 5 mins of contact... lots of areas to explore.

Or if you wanted to go more medical, it would be really nice to take another look at the incidence of uterine cancer - the study the info is based on is old and just looked at one group, gathering data from vets/rescues on spaying and incidences of cancer would be very very interesting. I know a rescue commented they found a lot of early signs when spaying quite young rabbits. Is the 80% figure really true?

Another one would be to look at health complaints in specific breeds.

Something diet related?

I'm not sure the exact state of research into rabbit diets, but there's some interesting and highly conflicting information on the thread below. (Read it right to the end...)

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...itional-Healing-Lucile-Moore&highlight=lucile




It would be useful to be able to cite reliable sources when talking to new owners about why their buns shouldn't have tons of carrots, or simle carbs, etc etc. But I'm not familiar enough with the literature available to know whether more research is needed, or just a careful sifting and evaluating of the research that already exists.


Good luck with whatever you choose! I'm about to start my dissertation and am absolutely dreading it. :lol:

neutering - the benefits, and how can prevent cancer

Tamsin said:

Another one would be to look at health complaints in specific breeds.

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Ooh this made me think...dental problems. When I was at RR last weekend there was an owned bun being helped by Caroline as it has a serious dental abscess. It's been noticed at RR that dental problems seem to be getting more and more complex, is that just because we look into it more? Or are dental problems getting worse?

Such as abscesses at the front and back, malocclusion, problems with weird dental roots - Caroline has some interesting X-rays with the dental roots visibly going into the eye socket.

so many good ideas thanks everyone!! i wish i could do them all :lol: i'm hoping to go onto behavioural research (i'm studying animal behaviour and welfare) so maybe one day i will be a big well known bunny scientist and can do all the studies

thanks again and i'll let you know what i decide!

Tamsin said:

There was/is a big study with the RSPCA and I think Bristol Uni on rabbits and space needs, they keep backing up the publication date but you might be able to find out what they are looking into.

I think bonding would be an interesting one to do, something to do with finding the right matches. If it true boy-girl is better, is neutering both essential, do rabbits with lop ears (communication difficulties) bond less well, does age play apart, or bonding techniques (what methods are most likely to result in success), can you predict success by observing behaviour in the first 5 mins of contact... lots of areas to explore.

Or if you wanted to go more medical, it would be really nice to take another look at the incidence of uterine cancer - the study the info is based on is old and just looked at one group, gathering data from vets/rescues on spaying and incidences of cancer would be very very interesting. I know a rescue commented they found a lot of early signs when spaying quite young rabbits. Is the 80% figure really true?

Another one would be to look at health complaints in specific breeds.

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do you possibly have a link to the study on uterine cancer?

elmoandfern said:

do you possibly have a link to the study on uterine cancer?

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I think it was this one: Greene, HSN 1958 Adenocarcinoma of the uterine fundus in aged rabbits. Am J. Pathol. 68: 653-56

My links are all on my other computer so if that's not it, let me know and I can dig it out.

Tamsin said:

I think it was this one: Greene, HSN 1958 Adenocarcinoma of the uterine fundus in aged rabbits. Am J. Pathol. 68: 653-56

My links are all on my other computer so if that's not it, let me know and I can dig it out.

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thank you!

Interestingly, when I brought Amy in to be spayed, the vet said that they'd never actually dealt with uterine/ovarian cancer at the practice; it's a small, sometimes rural town, and the practice had two sides, one for pets, one for farm animals... What I think is that what probably happens is that few people get their does done, so they die before anyone notices they have cancer. Or maybe it isn't as prevalent as previously thought. Perhaps you could look at statistics at vet practices, then at the variables that contribute to the state of care of these rabbits.

What I'm personally interested in is if rabbits pick up on our body language the way we do with them; we all know the very basics of how our rabbits communicate with us (ear position, nose twitch speed, tooth grinding etc), but I wonder if they observe our body language and work it out themselves? They're social animals that don't do much vocal communication, and reasonably intelligent. I have no idea how you'd study that, sorry, but it's a thought!

Tamsin said:

There was/is a big study with the RSPCA and I think Bristol Uni on rabbits and space needs, they keep backing up the publication date but you might be able to find out what they are looking into.

I think bonding would be an interesting one to do, something to do with finding the right matches. If it true boy-girl is better, is neutering both essential, do rabbits with lop ears (communication difficulties) bond less well, does age play apart, or bonding techniques (what methods are most likely to result in success), can you predict success by observing behaviour in the first 5 mins of contact... lots of areas to explore.

Or if you wanted to go more medical, it would be really nice to take another look at the incidence of uterine cancer - the study the info is based on is old and just looked at one group, gathering data from vets/rescues on spaying and incidences of cancer would be very very interesting. I know a rescue commented they found a lot of early signs when spaying quite young rabbits. Is the 80% figure really true?

Another one would be to look at health complaints in specific breeds.

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Yes - it was presented at last year's Pet Industry Forum. It covered housing, health, companionship, diet...can't remember what else. I seem to think there might have been a brief summary posted on here at some point, but I know nobody is meant to discuss the details until it's published. Found a brief mention of it and some links here: file:///home/chronos/u-f4764c205a467f9dcc75b80dd1eaa534f8ba682e/Downloads/RSPCA%20Science%20Group%20Review%20of%202013.pdf

The difference in stress levels between single rabbits kept outdoors in a hutch and those kept as house rabbits as part of the family. I say this because I haven't really seen any research into the latter.

SJ_R said:

Interestingly, when I brought Amy in to be spayed, the vet said that they'd never actually dealt with uterine/ovarian cancer at the practice; it's a small, sometimes rural town, and the practice had two sides, one for pets, one for farm animals... What I think is that what probably happens is that few people get their does done, so they die before anyone notices they have cancer. Or maybe it isn't as prevalent as previously thought. Perhaps you could look at statistics at vet practices, then at the variables that contribute to the state of care of these rabbits.

What I'm personally interested in is if rabbits pick up on our body language the way we do with them; we all know the very basics of how our rabbits communicate with us (ear position, nose twitch speed, tooth grinding etc), but I wonder if they observe our body language and work it out themselves? They're social animals that don't do much vocal communication, and reasonably intelligent. I have no idea how you'd study that, sorry, but it's a thought!

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Interesting because my vet (a large practice, with about 8 vets) said that although they think castrating is a good idea, they don't think testicular cancer is a valid argument for it as it's not something they've seen in rabbits. I know this vets gets a lot of rabbits in as I've seen them in the waiting room, so I'd be interested in that too.

Yes, I'd agree, testicular cancer is pretty rare plus as they are on the outside it's easier to spot changes earlier and neuter then, so it's not a major reason for neutering - decreasing hormonal behaviour and preventing pregnancy is the bigger benefit.

Just had another thought, whilst feeding Scamp grass. How about the effect of different feeding methods on hay consumption i.e. is putting hay in the litter tray the best way to maximise intake or are there other options that do better, or does it not actually make any difference? That's a bit diet related but more about behaviour.