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Abstract
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Rabbits have a distinctive feeding behaviour that sets them apart from other mammals. This is due to their unusual digestive physiology, which falls between that of monozastric and herbivorous animals. Being herbivores, their eating technique differs significantly from that of ruminants. Rabbits are classified within the Lagomorpha order, specifically the Leporidae family, which encompasses both rabbits and hares (Grassé & Dekeuser, 2015). Although rabbits exhibit certain behaviours similar to rodents, such as chewing, they are not categorised as rodents. The majority of our comprehension on rabbit feeding behaviour is derived from research conducted on domestic rabbits, who are commonly bred for meat, fur, or as subjects in laboratory experiments. These trials frequently entail rabbits being provided with some well-balanced, complete pelleted feed ad libitum, occasionally supplemented with dry forages or straw, but typically without a genuine unrestricted selection of food. A distinctive characteristic of rabbit eating behaviour is caecotrophy, a process in which rabbits excrete and promptly consume specialised soft faeces known as "caecotrophes". As a consequence, rabbits consume two distinct forms of food: feeds and caecotrophes. Caecotrophes are produced by holding food particles in the fermentative section (caecum and proximal colon) until they become sufficiently tiny in size. Contrary to ruminants, rabbits employ a different approach by prioritising
Rabbits have a distinctive feeding behaviour that sets them apart from other mammals. This is due to their unusual digestive physiology, which falls between that of monozastric and herbivorous animals. Being herbivores, their eating technique differs significantly from that of ruminants. Rabbits are classified within the Lagomorpha order, specifically the Leporidae family, which encompasses both rabbits and hares (Grassé & Dekeuser, 2015). Although rabbits exhibit certain behaviours similar to rodents, such as chewing, they are not categorised as rodents. The majority of our comprehension on rabbit feeding behaviour is derived from research conducted on domestic rabbits, who are commonly bred for meat, fur, or as subjects in laboratory experiments. These trials frequently entail rabbits being provided with some well-balanced, complete pelleted feed ad libitum, occasionally supplemented with dry forages or straw, but typically without a genuine unrestricted selection of food. A distinctive characteristic of rabbit eating behaviour is caecotrophy, a process in which rabbits excrete and promptly consume specialised soft faeces known as "caecotrophes". As a consequence, rabbits consume two distinct forms of food: feeds and caecotrophes. Caecotrophes are produced by holding food particles in the fermentative section (caecum and proximal colon) until they become sufficiently tiny in size. Contrary to ruminants, rabbits employ a different approach by prioritising
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