Furry Friends
Our furry friends, you can buy a pair, or you can help us make them happy, simply by adopting one of them.
Rabbits and horses: so different, so similar
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🔹 1. Herbivorous and fermenting animals
Both feed mainly on raw fiber (grass, hay, leaves).
They have a digestive system specialized in post-gastric fermentation: in horses it occurs in the cecum, in rabbits in the cecum and colon.
They both produce special soft feces (caecotrophs in rabbits), which are re-ingested to absorb essential nutrients.
🔹 2. Extreme sensitivity to stress
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They are both prey in the natural food chain, so they react with fear and escape to sudden stimuli.
Stress can cause serious digestive disorders in both (ileus in rabbits, colic in horses).
🔹 3. Social animals
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They need the company of their peers to feel good.
They live in structured groups with hierarchies, affective interactions and mutual grooming.
Chronic loneliness can lead to stereotyped behavior or depression.
🔹 4. Active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular)
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Both horses and rabbits show peak activity during the hours of dim light, typical behavior of prey animals.
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🔹 5. Body communication
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Both communicate much more with their bodies than with their voice: ears, eyes, posture, movements of their paws or muzzle.
They develop empathic relationships with humans, if treated calmly and respectfully.
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🔹 6. Need for space and movement
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They need to move regularly, graze, explore.
Confinement (small cages or closed boxes) is harmful to their physical and psychological well-being.
An educational and therapeutic bond
Precisely because of these affinities:
Both are excellent animals for pet therapy, rehabilitation and education;
The approach with them teaches patience, empathy and respect;
They offer complementary models in the human-animal relationship: the rabbit in the domestic dimension, the horse in the dynamic and collaborative one.
Why horses and rabbits in the Association?
Adopt a furry friend or buy a copy of bunnies
The World of Rabbits: Biology, Behavior and Relationship with Humans
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1. Who are rabbits?
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Rabbits (genus Oryctolagus) are small herbivorous mammals belonging to the order Lagomorpha. They are social, intelligent animals with complex communication skills. In nature, they live in family groups and dig burrows called “common burrows” or “rabbit holes”.
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2. What is their natural lifestyle like?
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In the wild, rabbits:
Live in organized social colonies;
Spend the day alternating phases of feeding, exploration and rest;
They are most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular);
They dig complex systems of underground tunnels to sleep and protect themselves from predators.
3. What habitat should be recreated in captivity?
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To ensure their well-being, you need to offer:
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Sufficient space: a large cage is just a base; they need freedom of movement daily;
Hiding places and structures for digging or climbing;
Natural or soft floors, never wire mesh;
Fellow villagers: rabbits are social animals, they suffer if isolated, it is best to raise them at least in pairs (preferably sterilized male + female);
Quiet environments, far from loud noises and stress;
Temperature control: they do not tolerate heat well (above 26–28°C they can suffer a lot).
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4. What do rabbits eat?
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Their diet must be rich in fiber and low in sugar. The ideal diet includes:
Fresh hay at will (essential for digestion and dental wear);
Grass, green leaves (dandelion, chicory, plantain);
Fresh vegetables in moderate quantities (e.g. fennel, carrots, celery);
Very little fruit (only as a treat);
Always clean and available water.
Never give: bread, biscuits, iceberg lettuce, potatoes, chocolate, raw legumes.
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5. Hierarchy and social behavior
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Rabbits establish a group hierarchy based on:
Dietary and grooming dominance;
Rest position;
Interactions with other rabbits.
They are not aggressive animals, but if forced into small spaces or left alone for too long, they can develop behavioral problems.
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6. What feelings do they have towards humans?
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Rabbits are empathetic and affectionate, but:
They do not behave like dogs or cats;
They need time to trust;
They reciprocate the attention received: they recognize voices, gestures and can bond deeply with those who take care of them.
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A well-managed rabbit can:
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Seek cuddles spontaneously;
Hop around its human (a sign of joy);
Lying down next to a person, a sign of complete trust.
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7. Why educate to know the rabbit?
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Understanding rabbits:
It helps prevent abandonment (still too frequent);
It promotes respect for all forms of life;
It promotes educational, therapeutic and relational activities, especially for children and fragile people.
✅ Conclusion
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The rabbit is much more than a "pet": it is a social being, sensitive, endowed with intelligence and capable of creating deep relationships with its peers and with humans.
Providing it with an adequate environment, a correct diet and a social life is an ethical duty and the key to building an authentic and respectful bond with it.