Domestication While under the warren system, rabbits were managed and harvested, but not domesticated. The practice of rabbit domestication also came from Rome. Christian monasteries throughout Europe and the Middle East kept rabbits since at least the 5th century. While rabbits might be allowed to wander freely within the monastery walls, a more common method was the employment of rabbit courts or rabbit pits. A rabbit court was a walled area lined with brick and cement, while a pit was similar, although less well-lined and more sunken. Individual boxes or burrow-spaces could line the wall. Rabbits would be kept in a group in these pits or courts, and individuals collected when desired for eating or pelts. Rabbit keepers transferred rabbits to individual hutches or pens for easy cleaning, handling, or for selective breeding, as pits did not allow keepers to perform these tasks. Hutches or pens were originally made of wood, but are now more frequently made of metal in order to allow for better sanitation.
dOmestIcatION while unDER The warREn systEM, rabbitS wEre MaNagEd and haRvesteD, But not dOmesticatED. tHe pRactiCe Of rabbit domestICAtIoN also came frOm RoMe. chRiStIan MonasTerIes tHroughoUt EuropE aND the MIDDle eaSt kept rABbiTS SInCe At leAst the 5Th CeNtury. WHILE RabbIts miGHT bE allowed To waNDer freElY wIThIN tHe mOnasTery Walls, a MoRe cOmmoN methOD WAs the EmploymEnt Of rAbbit CourTs or rabBiT PitS. a rabbit cOUrt wAs a WAlLEd arEA Lined With brick and cEmenT, wHIle a pit wAS SiMilar, AlthouGH less well-linED and mORe sunKen. inDIviduAl boxES Or burROW-sPaCes couLD LINE ThE WAll. rabbits would BE KepT IN a grOup in theSE piTs oR coURts, aNd inDIvidUalS colLectED wheN DeSIred for eating or peLTs. RabbiT kEeperS Transferred rabBitS To indiVidual hUTcheS or peNs FOR EaSy cleanInG, handling, or fOr SElective breEding, as pitS Did Not allow keepErs tO peRform theSE TASkS. HuTChes Or PenS were OrIGiNally made of woOd, but arE now more fRequentlY MAde oF meTaL in order TO aLlOW fOr beTteR SanitAtion.