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How to tell how old your rabbit is?

Photo by Lorna Ladril on Unsplash

Want to tell how old your rabbit is?

To tell a rabbit’s age you can check several things:

• eyes, ears and fur can help to determine how old a baby bunny is;
• size, weight and behaviour can give hints if a rabbit is a teenager or an adult;
• activity level and health conditions can tell if a rabbit is of old age.

The easiest is to tell the age of a baby rabbit or even a young bunny. And if your rabbit is already an adolescent or has reached adulthood, it becomes nearly impossible to tell the exact age.

Knowing your rabbit’s life stage and age is important, as it helps determine how to care for your pet properly.

In this article we will tell you what in your bunny’s looks and behavior to look at, so you could tell your rabbit's age.

How to tell how old a baby rabbit is?

You can quite easily determine a baby bunny’s age in case mother-rabbit kept her pregnancy and delivery date a secret from you:

• under 5 days old: the newborn kits are with their eyes and ears shut, and the fur is only starting to grow;
• 8-10 days of age: little bunnies will have their eyes and ears open and will be smaller than the palm of your hand;
• around 12 days old: bunnies can move their ears;
• between 6-8 weeks: little rabbits are weaned from their mother
• between 2 and 3 months old: bunnies still have their baby fur, which is much softer compared to an adult rabbit.

By the age of 3 months, baby rabbits are independent, lively, and very curious about their surroundings (try to guess how old these bunnies are in human years).

How to tell your rabbit is 4-6 months old?

As little rabbits become older, their behavior changes too. Here’s how to tell your bunny’s age is 4-6 months:

• Increasing activity level
• Increasing interest in the opposite sex as rabbits reach sexual maturity
• For the same reason, both female and male rabbits become more territorial and aggressive towards rabbits of the same sex
• Their coat changes from baby fur to “transitional”
• At this age bunnies usually are half of their adult weight

How to tell your rabbit is 6-9 months old?

And here begins the trickiest time to tell the age of your rabbit. Some rabbit owners note that this “teenage stage” can be recognized by moodiness, but aside from it - there’s not much you can check:

• You can tell the rabbit is between 6-9 months old if the healthy growth continues (but its rate is much slower now). You should also check with the breed’s size chart - some rabbits reach their adult size even by 7 months.
• Also, you might note that he still has those “cute” body proportions when his head seems a bit too big for his body.

How to tell your rabbit is 1-6 years old?

After the rabbit reaches adulthood, the only age he is for sure is, well, “adult”. And to be sure your bunny is that old, you can check with the standard size according to the rabbit’s breed:

Rex

• Adult size: 7.5-9.5 lbs / 3.4-4.3 kg
• Adult size age: 8-9 months

Dutch

• Adult size: 3.5-5.5 lbs / 1.6-2.5 kg
• Adult size age: 6-7 months

English Angora

• Adult size: 5-7.5 lbs / 2.3-3.4 kg
• Adult size age: 7-8 months

French Lop

• Adult size: 10-15 lbs / 4.5-6.8 kg
• Adult size age: 9-10 months

Harlequin

• Adult size: 6.5-9.5 lbs / 2.9-4.3 kg
• Adult size age: 8-9 months

Netherland Dwarf

• Adult size: 1.1-2.5 lbs / 0.5-1.1 kg
• Adult size age: 4-5 months

Flemish giant

• Adult size: 14-22 lbs / 6.4-10 kg
• Adult size age: 12-18 months

Of course, all bunnies are different, but you might observe that:

• During the first two adulthood years, bunnies are very active and playful. They explore, enjoy exercising, eat and sleep.
• When around 3-5 years old, rabbits tend to become calmer and more affectionate towards their owner
• If the rabbit is over 5 years old, he might already tend to sleep more and be less active.

How to tell your rabbit is 7+ years old?

If you got a rabbit of old age, there are numerous things that can tell you that.

• First of all, his activity level and maybe even appetite would be low. In this case, the rabbit will be sleeping more, eating less, and losing weight.
• You may notice yellow and overgrown teeth, thicker nails, and a thinner coat
• Many health issues may also be a strong signal of old age. At this stage rabbits’ health can get much worse, including developing arthritis, heart, and other illnesses.

How old is your rabbit: The cheat sheet

Hope, now you can tell how old your rabbit is - at least approximately. Don’t forget to go and see a veterinarian. A professional might tell you more than you can notice!