You say “bunny,” I hear “carrot.” But it turns out that in nature, the iconic duo never meet (I know, right?).
According to the RSPCA, “while carrots are fine as an occasional treat, rabbits don’t actually eat fruit or vegetables in the wild.” In other words, rabbits CAN eat a bit of carrot ― but don’t by nature.
So, why do we have such a strong association between Leporidae and the root veg? Well, TikToker @deadboydetective explained that part of the reason so many of us make the association is because of Bugs Bunny ― but “the weird part is why Bugs Bunny eats carrots in the cartoon in the first place.”
Which is?
It’s not just a misconception on the animators’ part, which is what I thought.
Instead, “This was actually a specific reference to a specific movie that was popular [when] Bugs Bunny was created ― because you see Bugs Bunny’s entire character was a reference [to] or parody of the actor Clark Gable.”
In the movie It Happened One Night, Clark Gable’s character Peter Warne was seen leaning up against a fence snacking on a carrot.
The movie, which came out in 1934, was popular by the time Bugs Bunny came out in 1940. “It’s a movie reference that at the time everybody understood,” the TikTok creator explained.
“But now it’s been so long that nobody realises it’s referencing a movie” ― instead, many of us (myself included) think rabbits naturally chow down on carrots, even though they’re actually a bit sugary for the small snifflers.
People were pretty surprised
While many people commented that their rabbits love carrots (again, we’re not saying they can’t ever eat them, just that they shouldn’t have too much and don’t usually go for the root veg in the wild!), others were wowed by the info.
“This is my new fun fact,” one TikTok user commented.
“I always thought the carrot was meant to represent a cigar,” another said.
What a time, eh?