Knowing the exact age of rabbits is pretty hard to do. Some people might say that it can be short of impossible. This is most especially true when said rabbit is already a few years old. Rabbits don’t tend to change much in appearance as they grow up, so it takes a keen eye and lots of expertise to guess the exact age of a rabbit.
It does not mean however that a rabbit’s age cannot be approximated. There are physical features and behaviors that an owner can check to approximate the correct age of their rabbit. I say the word approximate here because unless you were there when the rabbit is born, it’s hard to tell exactly what the age of the rabbit is.
This article will help walk you through the different ways in which you can get some idea of how old your rabbit is and how to take care of a bunny. The problem of knowing a rabbit’s age is usually for those who have adopted bunnies. It is important for an owner to at least have some idea of their bunny’s age range as each life stage of a bunny is comes with different challenges and nutritional needs that should be addressed.
How To Tell the Age of a Pet Rabbit?
There are a few factors that can help you check your rabbit’s age. You can approximate if they’re fully grown based on their weight. The table below gives you an idea of the maximum weight a rabbit is when they’ve reached full maturity :
| Rabbit Breed | Weight | Age at Full Maturity |
| Dutch Rabbit | 5.5 lbs | 6 to 7 months |
| English Angora | 7.5 lbs | 7 to 8 months |
| Flemish Giant | 22 lbs | 12 to 18 months |
| Harlequin | 9.5 lbs | 8 to 9 months |
| Holland Lop | 4 lbs | 6 to 7 months |
| Mini Rex | 4.5 lbs | 6 to 7 months |
| Netherland Dwarf | 2.5 lbs | 4 to 5 months |
| French Lop | 15 lbs | 9 to 10 months |
| Standard Rex | 10.5 lbs | 8 to 9 months |
As the table above shows, it can be seen that rabbits’ full maturity is dependent upon their breeds. Generally, rabbits reach full maturity at 5 to 18 months. Bigger rabbits such as the Flemish Giant also mature later than smaller rabbits like the Netherland Dwarves.
However, most of the rabbits that are being adopted are mixed breeds. Thus, we can not always use the table for pure breed animals to approximate their age. Also, rabbits who are severely abused or neglected by previous owners might be underweight or their growth stunted even if they are already of age. Also, some rabbits can be genetically smaller or bigger within their breeds.
In this case, we have to rely on other factors to help approximate their ages. Some of these factors include:
- Temperament
- Teeth and nails
- Coat
- Feet
Approximating the Age of Each Rabbit per Life Stage:
It is generally believed that you will be able to still differentiate or tell exactly how many weeks or months a rabbit is when they are below 6 months of age. This is because, during these times, they are still developing some physical features or traits that are standard across their species. Once they go beyond 6 months, however, some breeds are already fully grown, and thus would be harder to tell their exact age. At this point, we could only make a close approximation based on their features and behaviors.
Rabbits at 1 to 2 weeks
Rabbits who are 1 to 2 weeks of age are born hairless. They probably can’t open their eyes yet and are not able to hop around as adults bunnies do. This age for rabbits needs special attention and constant feeding to not stunt their growth.
Rabbits at 2 to 3 weeks.
Rabbits at 2 to 3 weeks will already be able to open their eyes. However, they won’t still be able to hop around and may need help getting back to their mommies. They will slowly be growing fur during this time so they must be kept warm.
Rabbits at 1 month
By one month rabbits will already have fur but these babyfurs are softer and a bit thinner than their adult counterparts. They would also have more energy during this time and would have gained more energy and independence to hop around.
Rabbits at 2 to 4 months.
During these months rabbit will have developed their furs already. For smaller breeds, they should already be half of their maximum weight. Rabbits during this time will have lots of energy and can already be weaned off their mothers. This means that they can now eat hay and leafy greens, and lots of it!
Rabbits at 4 to 6 months
This is the time when rabbits reach sexual maturity. Male rabbits will have discernible testicles during this time and some females will have developed a dewlap. Rabbits are still pretty young at this stage so they will still be energetic. Remember that you can have your rabbits neutered and spay during this time as well.
Rabbits at 6 to 12 months
Rabbits at 6 to 12 months will continue to gain weight as they reach full maturity. They would also be very curious and active during this time. Some rabbits will exhibit territorial tendencies and be aggressive if they are neutered or spayed.
Rabbits at Young Adulthood
Young adult rabbits usually range from 1 to 3 years. You cannot tell their exact age during this time but ideally, young adults should have already reached their max weight. Other characteristics of young adult rabbits are the following:
- Temperament: rabbits are active and curious during this time. They will be very interested in play and bonding activities. However, female rabbits need more patience as they can be aloof and more headstrong than male rabbits
- Teeth and nails: rabbits at this age should have pearly white teeth especially when they are on a good diet. Their nails should also be soft and thin nails, that are easy to clip and trim.
- Coats: young adult rabbit coats have a soft coat called their “transition coat”. This will shed eventually that will shed every season.
- Feet: since the rabbits are relatively young, the heel of their foot should be soft and should not show lots of callousness.
Rabbits in Their Middle Age
Rabbits that have reached their middle ages are approximately 4 to 5 years of age.
- Temperament: Rabbits are still active but are not as active as they were during their childhood and young adulthood stage. Some owners even claim that rabbits are more affectionate during this time
- Teeth and Nails: should still be white but not as pearly white as younger rabbits. Nails should also be thicker and harder to trim
- Coat: middle-aged rabbits have shed their transitional coats and thus now have their adult coats. For extra fluffy breeds, heavy shedding is expected
- Feet: middle-aged rabbits tend to have red soles and callousness in their feet because of all the hopping and playing they did as kids.
Rabbits in Old Age
Rabbits are considered senior rabbits when they have reached 6 years old and above.
- Temperament: rabbits who are old will have significantly decreased their activity levels. They will spend most of their time sleeping or just hanging around rather than binkying or playing around with another rabbit .
- Teeth and Nails: old rabbits will have very hard nails that are hard to trim. They can appear brittle or flaky as well. The teeth of old rabbits will likely be yellow because of years of use. They can also be suffering from dental issues already.
- Coat: some rabbits will shed some of their luscious furs due to old age. However, this isn’t a huge problem as long as their skin does not develop inflammations.
- Feet: the sole of an elderly rabbit will be calloused. Some rabbits develop sore hocks during this time as well, so it is important that an owner keeps them extra comfortable during this time.
Conclusion
While you might not be able to always tell exactly the age of your rabbit, remember that a rabbit shows some subtle signs of their age. Young rabbits tend to move around a lot thus they need more food. However, once they reach middle age and old age, their diet and portions should be controlled to avoid them gaining weight as obesity can also pose a health risk to rabbits.
I hope that I was able to walk you through many informative topics today and I hope to see you in my next articles!
