Rabbits And There Whiskers!

Rabbits have two sets of whiskers: the large, long ones that run along their jaws and the short, thick ones underneath. These sensitive hairs are called vibrissae and are used by rabbits to detect movement in their environment on a wide range of frequencies.

The long whiskers provide a sense of security because they allow rabbits to see where they are going when it is dark or foggy outside. Rabbits keep these whiskers clean by licking them with their rough tongues. Rabbit's whiskers are an important sensory system, helping them to detect changes in their environment.

Rabbits can use their whiskers to determine if a hole is too skinny for them, or if the gap between bars is wide enough for them to pass through. They also use them to judge whether the floor of their habitat is level so they can run fast without tripping over small bumps or holes in the ground.

In addition, rabbits rely on their whiskers when burrowing tunnels or feeling around large objects (like humans trying to pick up an unfamiliar object).

How many whiskers does a rabbit have?

Rabbits have upto 100 whiskers in the front. Rabbit's whiskers are highly sensitive, they can feel very small vibrations as well as detect chemicals, light and temperature changes, even if it is dark.

Whiskers are also used by the rabbit for its curious nature, to explore and to check if a hole is big enough for them. They can also use their whiskers to feel their way out of a burrow when they want to go somewhere.

Rabbits keep their whiskers clean by licking them with their rough tongues.

Anatomy and physiology of rabbit whiskers.

The vibrissae represent a specialized sensory system in mammals, which is used not only for touch detection but also for the detection of air flow and changes of light. This tactile sensory system comprises three different types of mechanoreceptors: Merkel disks, Pacinian corpuscles and tactile hairs.

The sense of touch is essential to detect dangers or foods, to orient the body during locomotion or to obtain information about position and three-dimensional orientation of the body in space (Blomqvist et al., 2002).

Why do rabbits touch things with their chin?

Rabbits touch things with their chin so that they can use their whiskers to detect how far the object is and see if it is something they would like to play with or eat. When rabbits do this they are using their sense of touch to get information about objects.

Rabbits lean in one direction, depending on what their whiskers sense.

Whiskers are the rabbit equivalent of GPS.

This is because their whiskers have very high sensitivity and they can detect tiny changes in air pressure or light even in pitch black. They use this to determine whether there are holes between the bars of their cage as well.

Whiskers helps rabbits to judge how far an object is away from them by using their sense of touch. These whiskers help them to determine where things are with respect to them.

Whiskers help rabbits communicate with each other.

This is because rabbits show different kinds of behaviour for different reasons and body language. For example, a rabbit will show increased body lean in one direction when they are either excited or curious about something. They also use their whiskers to communicate with each other when they are about to attack or play with each other.

The five types of responses rabbits can make by using their chin(whiskers).

• 1. A stiff whisker, indicating aggressive behavior.
• 2. A short and stiff whisker, indicating fear response.
• 3. An upright tail twitching to alert other rabbits during their attack response.
• 4. Shaking of the head with a stiff whisker (waggle) to indicate that the rabbit is going to move in a particular direction
• 5. Licking the lips.

These responses are used to evaluate other rabbits presence, intentions or to show what the rabbit wants. Some rabbits have been observation that when a rabbit is about to attack them they show increased body lean in one direction by using its whiskers.

It's important that rabbits keep their whiskers clean and free from dirt and debris.

Is it ok to trim my rabbit’s whiskers?

No, it's not recommended to trim your rabbit's whiskers, for a variety of reasons.

1.  If you trim your rabbit's whiskers, it could damage the feeler or cause the rabbit to lose its ability to feel things as it grows.
2.  If you trim too much of your rabbits whiskers, it'll cause them to be more sensitive and even more sensitive they will be if they don't grow back.
3.  You might not be able to tell what your rabbit likes or what it wants by what he touches with his chin (if you trim all of his whiskers off).
4.  If you trim them too short, they could get irritated and spend more time cleaning them than they do normally.

Common whisker problems in rabbits

Rabbits are often seen with missing or bare whiskers. They can experience these problems if they get a cold, and then can't clean themselves effectively, or if they are housed in the wrong conditions.

Common whisker problems are:

1.  Infection caused by the environment of the rabbit's cage, like the temperatures in which they are housed and humidity.
2.  Poor hygiene: Rabbits have very sensitive skin, so it is important that they do not pick or scratch at it.
3.  Injuries and illness: Rabbits are very full of energy so they are often injured in their playtime or fighting. They will often become ill with some type of parasite, like giardia which can cause a loss of appetite and lethargic behavior.
4.  Exposure to toxins: They can also be exposed to pesticides, cleaning products, toxic chemicals, etc

How to prevent the whisker problem?

It's important to keep your rabbits' home in a good condition by having them separated from their own waste (keep clean) and that their cages are kept in a temperature-controlled room that is free from drafts, moisture and excessive heat or cold to maintain proper hygiene. You should also avoid using wire mesh as flooring, as this will be uncomfortable for the rabbit's feet and legs.

How far can a rabbit smell?

A rabbit's sense of smell is known as its "nose." Rabbits can detect movement from up to six feet away. However, some can detect motion from as close as about two feet.

Rabbits have an acute sense of smell that they use to identify their territory and to attract a mate. To sniff out food, rabbits will stick their nose into the greenery of the area they are in searching for food. A rabbit's nose is moist so it can collect as much scented information from its surroundings as possible.

A rabbit's nose is also its airway, which means that it breathes through its mouth and nasal passages, rather than through its mouth and throat like humans do.

A rabbit’s sense of smell is 20 times better than a humans smell

Do rabbits have good smell?

The rabbit can smell every danger that comes near the rabbits area. Also, the rabbit has smell for their food, they will sniff around to find their food.

The rabbit’s sense of smell is a key factor in social interactions and recognition of other rabbits and humans. The nose is also used as an air passage so by breathing through the nose they are able to take in more scent information than when taking breaths through the mouth.

What smells do rabbits hate the most?

Rabbits hate the smell of garlic , fish, onions or other changes in scent. They will not tolerate other rabbits smell of ammonia in their urine.