Question Horned Rabbits

Why do so many Japanese Novels have Horned Rabbits as a low level monster? I can understand not wanting to use goblins or wolves as beginner mobs, as they're a bit generic and can be for adventurers who are above the lowest rank, but why are horned rabbits so common? Is it a reference to something? A play on words? Why does a rabbit having a horn make it dangerous, it probably has sharp teeth or something as a horn is underwhelming when you're talking about a creature so small and that won't have too much force behind it, but why not just get rid of the horn and call them 'Feral Rabbits' or something instead? Realistically a bite should have more piercing power than headbutting something with a horn. It just seems weird that I've read more than 5 novels with horned rabbits as a trash mob and have received no explanation why they're common in these kinds of novels.

 

Either that or slime or goblins or dire wolves or weird small shadowy thingy.

 

Because rabbits are horny?
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Ba-dump-tss

 

Horned rabbits are actually a decent first enemy and here is why:

1) They are cute so easily underestimated

2) Most new adventurers lack proper armor, if the rabbit uses its powerful feet and smashes into your heart that isn't protected, you are dead.

Effectively, horned rabbit is the ultimate noob slayer

 

Well, I think it is easier to use such creatures than to come up with new ones, have you read arifureta, the rabits there are crazy
Look at this thing

 

I'd break it down to three reasons:
1. The Author really wants to show it is Fantasy/Isekai genre so they need every creature to be magical. Putting a horn on a rabbit is one of the easier ways, rather than understanding that if you have the isekai/fantasy tag, the readers know it's isekai/fantasy.
2. Rabbits are small and aren't as intimidating as, let's say, a boar (going back to reason one, beef and chicken wouldn't be an choice since the Author trying to repeat that the story is fantasy would use bulls for minotaurs, cows as cow-girls, roosters as cockatrices, and hens as sources of eggs or a harpy (depends if the Author includes them, harpies are almost always forgotten)

Spoiler: Poor Harpy

3. They can be used as a food source, as compared to a slime or goblin.

 

Yeah, you and I are clearly thinking of a different kind of rabbits than what is mentioned by OP
A very different kind of bunnies that isn't to be beaten by noobs, the kind that should censored for less than 18+
ps: I will stop here before this turns to a different kind of thread

 

The correct answer is that horned rabbits are common monsters in the Dragon Quest games. These books already base their worlds on the Dragon Quest games so what's so strange by them using the monsters as well?

 

Well, a 5 kilogramm wild rabbit with a horn (on the head) can easily stab an unsuspecting victim to death. Seriously, straight, solid and sharp horns are pretty much natural spears... and rabbits can hide pretty good, if they want.