Scientific Facts
| Common Name: | Tapeti |
| Scientific Name: | Sylvilagus Brasiliensis |
| Life Span: | 5 years in the wild, 9 years in captivity |
| Size: | 9-17 inches long |
| Habitat: | Plantations of central and South America, forested areas, along river edges, close to swamps, gardens |
| Country of Origin: | Mexico |
Physical Description
Tapeti rabbits are cottontail rabbit species, and they are also known as the forest rabbits. They are normally seen in various countries such as Mexico, Panama, Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Belize, Brazil, Venezuela, and Honduras. Tapeti rabbits are medium-sized. If fully grown, these creatures can grow as much as 9 to 17 inches long and can weigh around 1.5 to 2.2 kilograms. Male Tapeti rabbits are commonly smaller compared to females. However, Tapeti rabbits on both sexes are easily comparable. They have a dark tail and body. The tail measures around 21 millimeters. Their hind feet measure around 71 millimeters. Their ears are very short, which measures around 54 millimeters. Their legs are short too. They are brown or yellowish in tone with an underside that is dull in color. Their neck has a brown or red patch and they mostly have dull spots over their eyes and on their muzzle. They have a whitish ventrum. These captivating species are greatly recognized for their capability to become big as they do, and their appealing coat that they form as adults.
Lifespan
There are no specific recordings about the longevity of Tapeti rabbits. Nevertheless, counterparts are learned to live around 5 years being in the wild and have even lived longer as much as 9 years in captivity.
Eating Habits
Similar to other kinds of rabbits, Tapeti rabbits love to feed on grass and green weeds. When food becomes insufficient in the forests, these creatures may feed on small shrubs and barks of trees to overcome it through the difficult times.
Sleeping Habits
The sleeping habits of Tapeti rabbits follow a certain pattern. Although these creatures are kept secure in your place or outside the hutch, these rabbits are aware that there can be potential predators around them that can devour them if given a chance. Tapeti rabbits naturally sleep in the daytime. If you are raising a Tapeti rabbit in your home, make sure to give your pet enough rest by keeping it in a quiet, secure place and give it with lots of convenient bedding.
Development and Reproduction
These Tapeti rabbits can breed throughout the year. Fortunately, these creatures are quite far from being endangered. When spawning, the mother would dig a nest that has a depth that is around 5 inches and takes off her fur to place inside the nest to help to warm her young. The young ones are fed by their mother once a day for not more than 5 minutes. Even though the mother is not seen to go inside the nest, she is seen sitting over the nest for the young to feed off of her. You will not notice the male parent be of any participation in caring for the young; however, he will help strike an enemy if surrounded. If they are surrounded when they are together with the young, these creatures may fight through their nails. Common predators of these creatures are eagles, falcons, and condors.
Further, there is very limited information about reproductive parental nourishment. Nevertheless, based on the sequences in the genus, it would be logical to consider that the young are precocial. They were born with their eyes already opened and are already capable of abandoning the nest by the age of 12 to 18 days. In certain species, sexual maturity may be attained once they age 80 days, even though many species happen to wait until the next year to mate.
The female may be giving the amount of parental nourishment, caring and grooming the young, and keeping them secure in the nest until they become set to disband.
How to Breed
Determining the Sexes
Determining sexes in Tapeti rabbits is important. Although both sexes of Tapeti are easily comparable, the most definite way of confirming its gender is checking its genitals. Male rabbits have a penis while females have a vulva.
Courtship and Mating
Nothing much has been known about the mating systems of Tapeti rabbits. Nevertheless, other breeds in the genus are allegedly polygynous. The male Tapeti may spar to create dominating ranking, which in exchange identifies the mating priority. The severity of these rankings differs between species.
Tapeti rabbits have a gestation period that lasts from 42 to 45 days. The common size of the litter is around 2. These rabbits seemingly to reproduce once every year. Females follow a cycle in which the interval of the inter-birth is around 270 days.
Common Health Problems
Tapeti rabbits are mostly exposed to the Myxoma virus. Blood-consuming arthropod vectors like fleas or mosquitoes, chiefly carry this kind of virus. This kind of disease mainly develops a swelling on the head and face, leading to mucoid cutaneous tumors.
Preventing Illnesses
Prevention is always better than being put into a situation of managing a fatal disease in your Tapeti rabbit. Illnesses can be prevented is proper care is established. A proper diet should be given. Its environment should be healthy and comfortable. The surrounding should be free from dirt too. It would also be smart if you set a regular consultation with your veterinarian to regularly monitor the health and status of your pet.
Behavior
Tapeti rabbits are nocturnal and crepuscular. They are commonly seen before dawn or after nightfall, eating grass and flip through. They are normally noticed in pairs or solitary. However, it may exhibit an odd reduction in abundance.
Tapeti rabbits are noticed to be very energetic throughout the year. They are characterized as quadrupedal. You will normally see them hopping around. Compared to other hours of the day, Tapeti rabbits are most energetic during the daytime. There were some reports that these rabbits are also capable of swimming. They are also believed to have the ability to keep very still, which is considered to be an effective means to inhibit the attention of the predators. Once they are hunted by a predator, these creatures would commonly move in volatile, zig-zag trend, probably facilitating them to break away from bigger species that cannot trail their course.
They are also believed to converse with distress calls and great pitched squeals. Being mammals, it is common that they utilize scent cues. Palpable communication may happen between rivals, mates, and mother-offspring.
Habitat
Cage
There are various approaches you can create a cage for your Tapeti rabbit. If it is your first time making a rabbit cage, the best option is a basic screened box with an open bottom to provide easy access to your rabbit. The cage is built through basic hand tools and some materials you can buy from the local stores. If you are planning to place it inside, you may like to establish a tarp underneath it to hold the droppings of the rabbit from attaching your floor.
Toys
Exposing your Tapeti rabbits with toys is one great way to keep it active, happy, and exercised, particularly during the moments when you do not have time to bond with it. There are plenty of rabbit toys you can provide your pet. Some of the common toys are rabbit dumbbell, ring toss, fiddlesticks, grassy mat, and willow ball.
Diet
Tapeti rabbits eat grasses and other kinds of vegetation. These animals were also known to eat Harrya chromapes, a kind of bolete mushroom. They also have to drink water to survive.
How to Care for Tapeti
You should know that Tapeti rabbits are unique pets. These animals have particular requirements in terms of nourishment and care to make sure that they can live a healthy, happy, and long life. Make sure that you secure safe housing for your pet. A good diet should also be secured. The challenging task when caring for a Tapeti rabbit is to understand its behavior and language. Remember that these creatures are not the same as your dogs and cats. If would be helpful to comprehend how your pet think so both of you can live a harmonious life together.
Availability – Where to Get One?
You may check on pet stores if you want to get a Tapeti rabbit. However, you should be careful about choosing a seller. Some cannot be reliable in terms of their pets. It is crucial that you get a healthy and happy Tapeti rabbit.
FAQs
How do I introduce my Tapeti rabbits to one another?
Rabbits are somehow the same as people. There are times that they do not just do well together. If you are planning to get another rabbit, it would be better if you get them at the same time. Getting them at the same time can make a greater chance of an adaptable rabbit relationship.
What is the safest way of approaching my newly acquired Tapeti rabbit?
The surest way to manage your newly acquired Tapeti rabbit is to begin by caressing its head. It is not recommended that you offer your hand because it may see this gesture distractive and could lead your pet attacking you.
