Rabbit sizes

Supercell

I'm lucky to live in a pretty rural area in the Wicklow mountains so get to see wildlife up close pretty often.

The rabbits around here are really small, really no more than mouse size, have a white tail and big ears.
They run around the pheasants and deer seemingly without a care in the world.

Whenever I'm at my uncles place in Armagh up the north the rabbits are massive by comparison, about cat size and a lighter brown colour fur , but here are very small and colour is more grey than brown (they are not squirrels..we have both greys and reds here and are nothing like them)

Are there different rabbit populations by area which have huge differences in size?

brianthebard

eh,you sure you aren't looking at baby rabbits?even miniatures aren't as small as you're describing.maybe they are very far away...

Supercell

Nope, they are that size all year round.

If I had a decent zoom lens (they scatter whenever I try to get close with my camera) i'd show you a picture with one beside a pheasant for size comparison.
They really are about grey squirrel size except with a small white tail instead of a long grey one, and long pointy ears of course.
They are not far away at all, theres one outside my kitchen window sheltering below my weather station right now.

brianthebard

well then i'd have to ask if the rabbits in the north aren't hares,because thez would be about cat size or a bit bigger.if your local rabbits are about grey squirrel size (but better fed probably?) i would say they are normal tbh.

Supercell

brianthebard wrote: »

well then i'd have to ask if the rabbits in the north aren't hares,because thez would be about cat size or a bit bigger.if your local rabbits are about grey squirrel size (but better fed probably?) i would say they are normal tbh.

Thanks Brian.

That sounds plausible, didn't know hares were any different to rabbits in size (are hares not rabbits?).
I really should read up on this, sorry if my questions seem obvious and silly.

brianthebard

if you don't ask you won't learn i say.have a quick look at the wikis for both animals and see how they compare to what you have seen.hope i've helped.

Kaldorn

Supercell wrote: »

Thanks Brian.

That sounds plausible, didn't know hares were any different to rabbits in size (are hares not rabbits?).
I really should read up on this, sorry if my questions seem obvious and silly.

sorry but i did laugh out loud there when i read that,yeah hares can be Massive nearly the size of a small dog and the rabbits are normal..also i agree showing an interest and asking questions is they way to go mate!

boneless

I agree. Keep asking. One of us might even know the answer to something .

I think the hare explaination is the way to go...

myjugsarehuge

the hares down here seem to be getting smaller, would there be a reason for this do you think?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Yee are all confusing A) Young rabbits and young hares with adults - it's the time of year for plenty of young, folks. Hares and Rabbits are so very different in size and appearance. Look them up in a good book or even online for details. The size of Rabbits or Hares is not changing! (I carry out wildlife surveys so I see the figures)

myjugsarehuge

Jasper Famous Nose wrote: »

Yee are all confusing A) Young rabbits and young hares with adults - it's the time of year for plenty of young, folks. Hares and Rabbits are so very different in size and appearance. Look them up in a good book or even online for details. The size of Rabbits or Hares is not changing! (I carry out wildlife surveys so I see the figures)

I'm so sorry, I do know exactly what size a hare and a rabbit are lol we do genuinely have them where I live.

The first 6 posts on this thread were posted within half an hour seemingly by 2 friends, though it seemed serious at first, on second reading it isn't they are having a complete p**s take so I thought I'd join in. Sorry couldn't help myself ....

myjugsarehuge

boneless wrote: »

I agree. Keep asking. One of us might even know the answer to something .

I think the hare explaination is the way to go...

Have you read the first 6 posts seriously or are you in on the conspiracy? hare today gone tomorrow, or maybe thats after I go to the waxing salon lol ???

Supercell

myjugsarehuge wrote: »

I'm so sorry, I do know exactly what size a hare and a rabbit are lol we do genuinely have them where I live.

The first 6 posts on this thread were posted within half an hour seemingly by 2 friends, though it seemed serious at first, on second reading it isn't they are having a complete p**s take so I thought I'd join in. Sorry couldn't help myself ....

The first few posts was Brian answering my niave questions.
I don't know Brian in the real world. In boards.ie land he seems to be a pretty decent bloke.
myjugsarehuge , I dunno what your beef is but I'd rather you ground it some where else

myjugsarehuge

Supercell wrote: »

The first few posts was Brian answering my niave questions.
I don't know Brian in the real world. In boards.ie land he seems to be a pretty decent bloke.
myjugsarehuge , I dunno what your beef is but I'd rather you ground it some where else

Hey I'm sorry forgive me, no offence was intended, we do genuinely have hares and rabbits near the mountains where I live and I love all nature. It was just the comment about "are they in the distance" it reminded me of the joke in Father Ted with the confusion about plastic cows and the cows in the distance.

Sometimes people do post "fake" threads on here to get people going and they usually have banter going back and forth within a few minutes, like this one did. I really am sorry you took offence.

Supercell

No worries