Hornhare (horn-hare)
Basic Information
Anatomy
The hornhare is a descendant of a large breed of hare, and appear generally very hare-like with the exception of, well, the antlers. Or more accurately, horns, because they are not shed from year-to-year. Male hornhares grow a permanent set of horns that can have between one and four prongs. Female hornhares do not have horns.
Genetics and Reproduction
Hornhares are always fertile, and usually produce 2-3 young ("leverets") per pregnancy. A female is pregnant on average 40 days, and can potentially bear three litters in a year. Hornhares are also capable of inter-breeding with regular hares and rabbits, and the hornhare characteristics appear about 15% of the time, and are capable of popping back up several generations later, greatly surprising everyone involved.
Growth Rate & Stages
After a gestation period of about 40 days, hornhares have typically 2 or 3 leverets who are born haired and with open eyes. Mom will nurse the young somewhere between three weeks and two months; they are capable of living independent of mom by three weeks. They will reach adult weight by eight months and are sexually mature at that time also. Male hornhares will start to develop antlers around three or four weeks and have a complete set by the time they are a year old.
Ecology and Habitats
The hornhare was created domestically but if released or escaped, is completely capable of living in the wild. They prefer temperate to warm climates, but will also adapt to cold climates.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The hornhare is an herbivore that forages for large quantities of basically any type of plant material.
Biological Cycle
In cool and cold climates where winter signals a lack of vegetation, hornhare will do a sort of torpor or hibernation, burrowing and sleeping most of the time in groups to conserve heat and energy. Hornhares do not hibernate when food is available year-round.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Hornhares generally prefer to be solitary or live in pairs. They are known to show mourning behaviors if they lose a long-term partner or in the case of domestic pets, even same-sex friends who were kept together. A loose colony-like social structure has been observed to form in wild hornhares around mating season in the spring and during hibernation in cold climates.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Generally, hornhares are kept as pets by those who have the time and inclination for such things. They can be eaten, but as they are slightly harder to raise than rabbits and hares that is less common. Hare and rabbit farmers have been known to keep hornhares amongst their non-horned cousins because they can be more aggressive, and protect the colony from predators.
Quick Look
Origin/Ancestry
Magical Hybrid
Lifespan
5 Years (Wild), 15 Years (Domestic)
Conservation Status
Uncommon, Not Endangered
Average Weight
8-12 Pounds
Average Length
20-30 Inches (Tail to Ear Tip)
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Hornhares come in many colors, due to interbreeding in species of domestic and wild hare and rabbit. The predominate coloring in the original genetic lines is a dark gray to black coloration with white or gray spots and natural buff colored horns.
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