What is the difference between Rabbit and Bunny?
Rabbit and bunny both belong to the same family Leporidae. Many people use both words interchangeably to refer to the same animal.
Rabbit is the correct word to refer to this animal. A bunny is used for baby rabbits. A bunny is often considered as cute, cuddly, fluffy, and friendly.
A bunny is a rabbit but a rabbit is not a bunny. The words should not be used interchangeably as they mean different.
The main difference between rabbit and bunny is that the word rabbit is the correct one to be used to refer to this animal while the word bunny is an endearment.
Comparison Table (Rabbit vs Bunny)
| Characteristics | Rabbit | Bunny |
| Meaning | They are types of mammals that are small, furry, large ears with powerful hind legs. | It refers to a young rabbit. |
| When to use the word | Used in a formal, scientific setting. | Used in a colloquial setting. |
| Example | Cottontail. | Eastern bunnies |
What is Rabbit?
Rabbit is a type of mammal in the Leporidae family. It is found all over the world. It is a domesticated animal and can be kept as a pet or for its meat.
There are many species of rabbits. The more popular ones are; cottontail, English Lop, and Lionhead rabbit.
They can either be wild or domesticated depending on the species and origin. The wild ones live between 1 to 2 years while the domesticated ones live between 8 to 10 years.
They feed on good quality hay or grass. They can graze eating grass or other plants for long periods of time during dawn or dusk. Their digestive system needs hay or grass to function properly.
The females are very fertile and can give birth to young ones every month. Their gestation period is between 31 to 33 days. They can give birth to between 1 to 5 young ones at a time.
What is Bunny?
The term bunny is used to refer to baby rabbits. The word originated from the Scottish language where the word ‘bun’ means a rabbit or tale of rabbit.
Over time the word was coined into bunny hence many people use it interchangeably to refer to the animal which is to be referred to as rabbit.
The word is used to mean cute, cuddly, friendly, and fluffy animal. Mostly it is used with children before they learn the word rabbit.
The word should be used colloquially. It should not be used as a formal word or scientific word to refer to the animal rabbit.
A bunny is a rabbit but a rabbit is not a bunny.
Main Difference between Rabbit and Bunny
- Rabbit is the formal and scientific word that should be used to refer to the animal while bunny is a colloquial word.
- A rabbit is a small mammal with long ears, soft fur, and powerful hind legs while a bunny is a young one of a rabbit.
Similarities between Rabbit and Bunny
- They both belong to the family Leporidae.
- They both depend on plant matter for survival.
- They both have soft fur on their bodies.
In Conclusion
Both rabbit and bunny belong to the same family. Actually, there is no difference between rabbit and bunny. The names are the ones confusing but it is the same animal.
A rabbit is a type of small mammal with long ears, soft fur, and powerful hind legs while a bunny is a young one of a rabbit.
The main feature that makes the two different is how the words are used. The word rabbit is used formally and scientifically while the word bunny is used colloquially.
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