STUDY ON FEEDING AND BREEDING BEHAVIOUR OF DOMESTICATED RABBITS (Oryctolagus cuniculus) IN ASPECT OF BANGLADESH.

Abstract

A study was conducted on the feeding and breeding behavior of domesticated New Zealand white rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus 1758) during December’08 to February’09 in a residential house at Kosba thana under B.Baria district. The studied group had two individuals initially, the parents and their 3 generations of offspring. New birth and death of these offspring slightly changed their age-classes composition. During breeding time, the parents were observed mate 7 to 8 times in a day during the study period. The litter size was 7 to 8 and the total numbers of offspring found 19 in 3 generations. Food consumption of adult male, adult female and juvenile were assessed, and suckling time was recorded. Time spent in feeding by adult was also recorded