Just how long do rabbits live?
If you are thinking about getting a pet rabbit it is certainly worth asking "just how long do rabbits live?" Luckily for any prospective rabbit owners, there is actually a huge misconception around the lifespan of a rabbit.
Most people assume that the life expectancy of an animal correlates directly with how big the animal is. Which this is true in a lot of instances, it is not that way with rabbits. A rabbit that is well taken care of can live just as long as a great number of dogs. The range of different life spans is anywhere from five years to twelve.
However, there are a lot of factors that play a huge role in determining the exact answer to "just how long do rabbits live?"
Genetics!
Before purchasing a new rabbit, it is recommended that you do a thorough search on the internet before settling on a single choice. Decades of intense breeding have weakened the physiology of certain breeds of popular rabbits. As a result many can develop some nasty issues later on in their life. The Lop breeds are one such example of rabbits that you want to watch out for. Though they are extremely cute and popular, they are at high risk for teeth and eye problems.
The problem with selective breeding sustained over such a long time is that the species doesn't become diverse enough. You have select rabbits being bred often and producing large amounts of offspring while less desirable rabbits of the same species are prevented from copulating and passing on their own traits.
Breeders can also run the danger of accidentally (or purposefully) allowing rabbits that are related to keep breeding with one another and that also creates for weaker offspring that is more prone to issues.
When choosing a rabbit, make sure that you find a breeder that offers rabbits that have not been known to develop terrible issues.
Size - Larger rabbits
If your child has ever innocently asked you "how long do rabbits live" on the way to the pet show, now you know what to look for. Even though rabbits live a deceptively long amount of time for their relative size, that trend does not apply relative to rabbit's own lifespans. In other words, larger rabbits on average tend to live for shorter periods of time.
This might seem counter-intuitive because some of the larger rabbits can be very relaxed and wise in the same way we've come to expect turtle to behave. However, the largest of breeds almost never make it for longer than five years.
All of those pictures of ridiculously large bunnies that you've seen on the internet probably are not going to be around for much longer. It is similar to how freakishly tall people die younger because there is more stress being put on their body by gravity.
If you want to ensure that you or your child can enjoy the pleasures of having a cute little pet rabbit then you are much better off going for one of the smaller breeds. If you don't mind then you can go for a larger one!
Size - Smaller rabbits
How long do rabbits live if they are tiny? It might be a little shocking but tiny bunnies can actually live more than twice as long as large ones. This actually works out in a lot of people's favor because smaller mammals tend to stay super cute for longer. The only real issue with smaller rabbits is that you can't cuddle with them! You might also step on them if you're not careful.
If you want to maximize your time with your bunny, select one of the dwarf breeds. Those are the ones that can hit up to twelve years of age. Of course, if you want any animal to live that long then you have to be sure to take it to the veterinarian as often as you can. You should also keep your bunny inside where it will be safe from the possible bacteria and infections it can find outside in the grass.
It is not difficult to find a dwarf rabbit because most of them have "dwarf" in their name. They have also become very popular among families with small children and single people who want something to take care of.
Perspective
"How long do rabbits live?" can be a pretty ambiguous question because it strongly depends on the environment in which the rabbit grows up in. It is commonly understood that the conditions refer to a bunny being taken care of in a home. However, before anyone gets down in the dumps about the fact that rabbits don't live for longer, it may be useful to compare their indoor life expectancy to their outdoor life expectancy.
In the wild the majority of rabbits don't grow up to be older than one year old. That is why rabbits have evolved to produce so much offspring. It is hard to take an accurate average because of that startling death toll. There are just too many things that can go wrong for a rabbit out in the wild. Between all of the predators, hunters, and deadly diseases out there it is truly a miracle that any rabbits reach adulthood.
Even if all of the most dangerous factors that contribute to the massive death toll were removed, rabbits would still only make it to their tenth year. That is two full years less than ideal conditions within a home.
Diet
In order to give your rabbit a strong chance of surviving for as long as it possible can, you need to make sure you are feeding your bunny all of the right ingredients. Despite what most people think, carrots are actually not the best thing for a bunny's diet! You don't have to refrain from feeding your bunny carrots, just don't feed them too much.
What you should feed them, however, is tons and tons of water. You also want to give them plenty of greens that they can safely digest. Some of the best are asparagus, cabbage and broccoli. Having a diet with the right amount of greens lowers your rabbits chances of developing any illnesses and strengthens their immune system greatly.
Hay should also be another invaluable part of your rabbit's diet. Hay can help strengthen your rabbit's teeth and keep them perfectly healthy. The fiber that they get from the hay is essential for digestion as well which will allow your rabbit to better process foods!
If you are thinking about getting a pet rabbit it is certainly worth asking "just how long do rabbits live?" Luckily for any prospective rabbit owners, there is actually a huge misconception around the lifespan of a rabbit.
Most people assume that the life expectancy of an animal correlates directly with how big the animal is. Which this is true in a lot of instances, it is not that way with rabbits. A rabbit that is well taken care of can live just as long as a great number of dogs. The range of different life spans is anywhere from five years to twelve.
However, there are a lot of factors that play a huge role in determining the exact answer to "just how long do rabbits live?"
Tip!
Wait! Before you buy a rabbit make sure you know exactly what breed it is! Some breeds are more prone to disease than others.
Genetics!
Before purchasing a new rabbit, it is recommended that you do a thorough search on the internet before settling on a single choice. Decades of intense breeding have weakened the physiology of certain breeds of popular rabbits. As a result many can develop some nasty issues later on in their life. The Lop breeds are one such example of rabbits that you want to watch out for. Though they are extremely cute and popular, they are at high risk for teeth and eye problems.
The problem with selective breeding sustained over such a long time is that the species doesn't become diverse enough. You have select rabbits being bred often and producing large amounts of offspring while less desirable rabbits of the same species are prevented from copulating and passing on their own traits.
Breeders can also run the danger of accidentally (or purposefully) allowing rabbits that are related to keep breeding with one another and that also creates for weaker offspring that is more prone to issues.
When choosing a rabbit, make sure that you find a breeder that offers rabbits that have not been known to develop terrible issues.
Size - Larger rabbits
If your child has ever innocently asked you "how long do rabbits live" on the way to the pet show, now you know what to look for. Even though rabbits live a deceptively long amount of time for their relative size, that trend does not apply relative to rabbit's own lifespans. In other words, larger rabbits on average tend to live for shorter periods of time.
This might seem counter-intuitive because some of the larger rabbits can be very relaxed and wise in the same way we've come to expect turtle to behave. However, the largest of breeds almost never make it for longer than five years.
All of those pictures of ridiculously large bunnies that you've seen on the internet probably are not going to be around for much longer. It is similar to how freakishly tall people die younger because there is more stress being put on their body by gravity.
If you want to ensure that you or your child can enjoy the pleasures of having a cute little pet rabbit then you are much better off going for one of the smaller breeds. If you don't mind then you can go for a larger one!
Size - Smaller rabbits
How long do rabbits live if they are tiny? It might be a little shocking but tiny bunnies can actually live more than twice as long as large ones. This actually works out in a lot of people's favor because smaller mammals tend to stay super cute for longer. The only real issue with smaller rabbits is that you can't cuddle with them! You might also step on them if you're not careful.
If you want to maximize your time with your bunny, select one of the dwarf breeds. Those are the ones that can hit up to twelve years of age. Of course, if you want any animal to live that long then you have to be sure to take it to the veterinarian as often as you can. You should also keep your bunny inside where it will be safe from the possible bacteria and infections it can find outside in the grass.
It is not difficult to find a dwarf rabbit because most of them have "dwarf" in their name. They have also become very popular among families with small children and single people who want something to take care of.
Careful!
Be careful to weight your pros and cons before deciding on a rabbit. Having a large rabbit can be fun and cute but they will not live anywhere near as long.
"How long do rabbits live?" can be a pretty ambiguous question because it strongly depends on the environment in which the rabbit grows up in. It is commonly understood that the conditions refer to a bunny being taken care of in a home. However, before anyone gets down in the dumps about the fact that rabbits don't live for longer, it may be useful to compare their indoor life expectancy to their outdoor life expectancy.
In the wild the majority of rabbits don't grow up to be older than one year old. That is why rabbits have evolved to produce so much offspring. It is hard to take an accurate average because of that startling death toll. There are just too many things that can go wrong for a rabbit out in the wild. Between all of the predators, hunters, and deadly diseases out there it is truly a miracle that any rabbits reach adulthood.
Even if all of the most dangerous factors that contribute to the massive death toll were removed, rabbits would still only make it to their tenth year. That is two full years less than ideal conditions within a home.
Diet
In order to give your rabbit a strong chance of surviving for as long as it possible can, you need to make sure you are feeding your bunny all of the right ingredients. Despite what most people think, carrots are actually not the best thing for a bunny's diet! You don't have to refrain from feeding your bunny carrots, just don't feed them too much.
What you should feed them, however, is tons and tons of water. You also want to give them plenty of greens that they can safely digest. Some of the best are asparagus, cabbage and broccoli. Having a diet with the right amount of greens lowers your rabbits chances of developing any illnesses and strengthens their immune system greatly.
Hay should also be another invaluable part of your rabbit's diet. Hay can help strengthen your rabbit's teeth and keep them perfectly healthy. The fiber that they get from the hay is essential for digestion as well which will allow your rabbit to better process foods!
| Breed | Size | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Dwarf | Very small to very tiny. Usually weighs anywhere from 2 – 4 points. | Dwarf rabbits are the longest living of all of the different breeds of rabbits. They typically grow up to have 10 – 12 years of age. |
| Giant | Huge, as big as a medium sized dog | They live the shortest. Anywhere from 4 – 5 years assuming they don't succumb to disease before then. |
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