(Ripe) Chonkey Robbits

Direct neighbours and descended from (Catch) Whisker Runners, these take a different strategy.

You see, they hang out in colder areas than their cousins and rely more beating up the predator. You read that correctly. The thick undergrowth means that running away from any predator that's actually planned out their attack is useless and so these bois must build up as many chonks as possible to be as threatening as possible. On top of that the cold means their bodies have to be insanely efficient, while varying seasons mean they can adapt their bodies to a wide variety of temperatures

This combines with the fact that they only breed slightly slower than their cousins to make them the perfect animals to farm: chonky but with actual lean meat instead of fat, still pretty small and so easy to transport, resilient, able to be farmed in very various environments, rapid to breed, efficient with the food you feed them. Badaboom badabing forget cows cos these are da ting... especially with (Frail) Milkman's Disease going around so their milk is also sought as a replacement.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Ever seen a picture of a rabbit that doesn't merely possess chonk but muscly chonk as well? Yeah these are those.

Genetics and Reproduction

Females are extremely selective but both sexes are polygamous. Pregnancy lasts 4.5 weeks and females can mate the next day. 8 young are produced each time. Females won't take care of more than 2 litters at a time, meaning they just won't mate unless the number of young they have drops below 8 (the predators have that covered tho... and so do CHG meat farmers who consistently remove the children of the rabbits the moment they can be weaned off of milk to make the female mate again).

Growth Rate & Stages

Young take 3 months to be able to survive without their mother, who in CHG farms is replaced by a robotic bunny. Another 2 months is needed before they're adults and able to mate.

Ecology and Habitats

Cold jungles, but can be made to survive anywhere between 15 and -30 degrees, down to -35 if there are many of them as they'll cuddle together for warmth. Speaking of which farmers never have to pay for heating.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Can eat pretty much anything plant-based.

Biological Cycle

Can shed or quickly grow fur by varying degrees and will eat their own fur afterwards.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Brilliant hearing and smell. Decent side-based vision. Colourblind.

Origin/Ancestry

A rare case where it actually is descended from the other, still-existing species rather than just cousins to (Catch) Whisker Runners.

Conservation Status

Farmed for food. Only basic animal rights provided on SOME planets (basic laws like that are often made and enforced on individual planets rather than across the whole CHG).