How Long Do Rabbits Live?
There is an increase of individuals buying exotic pets. Many people opt to buy rabbits for their children as gifts, not realizing what type of animal they have spent their money on. A common misconception about rabbits is that they are rodents. Contrary to that popular, yet misconstrued belief, rabbits are considered lagomorphs. This species of animal includes hares, pika and rabbits.
On average, it can be said that those rabbits that are used as house pets (domesticated) live between five to ten years, although some could live longer and, depending on the habitat of the rabbits in the wild, the life span could be shorter.
Rabbits, such as the New England Cottontail, that are listed on the endangered species list will naturally have a shorter life expectancy. Often times rabbits are only bred for their meat and/or exhibition. In the event that the rabbit was only bred for its meat, then the life span would be much shorter than usual. More often it is the larger rabbits that are bred for their meat.
Life expectancy for rabbits is dependant the particular breed of rabbit. When selecting a breed, buyers should be conscious of the size of rabbit that they are interested in buying. There five categories in which all breeds of rabbit fall into: tiny, small, medium, large, and giant.
Tiny Rabbits
Tiny rabbits range from a Netherland Dwarf to a Jersey Wooly. These rabbits weigh between two and four pounds. The Netherland Dwarf rabbit actually weighs no more than two pounds and comes in an array of colors. It is one of the most popular rabbit pets in the tiny category because of its attractive, large eyes and small ears.
The life span of a Netherland Dwarf is between five and six years but if you spray or neuter the rabbit their life expectancy can increase an additional five years. The Jersey Wooly, on the other hand weighs no more than 3.5 pounds, and is quite furry. The Jersey Wooly also has a five to six year life expectancy with a possibility of five additional years if you spray or neuter the rabbit.
Small Rabbits
Small rabbits range from the American Fuzzy Lop to the Holland Lop and Mini Rex. These rabbits can weigh in between three to five pounds, depending on the breed. The American Fuzzy Lop is a crossbred animal; the product of the Holland Lop and the Angola rabbit. The Holland Lop is considered a dwarf rabbit and the Mini Rex is a smaller version of the standard Rex, yet it only weighs four pounds. Most, but not necessarily all, small rabbits have an estimated life span of around 8 years according to The Dominican Rabbit and Cavy Breeders Association.
Medium Rabbits
Medium sized rabbits are breeds of rabbit that weigh between four and seven pounds. Popular breeds of medium sized rabbits include: the Chinchilla, Havana, Mini Lop and the Florida White. The Mini Lop and Chinchilla are considered calm rabbits. While the Havana and the Florida White are considered more curious breeds. While Mini Lops have a life span of an estimated ten years, according to Right Pet.com, the Chinchilla, Havana and Florida White rabbits could have a life span as short as 5 to 10 years.
Large Rabbits
A rabbit is considered large when it weighs between six to ten pounds. Some of the more popular large rabbits on the market include: the Rex, Palomino, Crème D’Argent, and the American Sable. These rabbits have an average life span of approximately three five years according to The Dominican Rabbit and Cavy Breeders Association.
Giant Rabbits
Rabbits are considered giant if they are over ten pounds. A few examples of popular rabbits within the Giant category are: the American Chinchilla, English Lop, the Silver Fox, and the New Zealand. It has been said that larger rabbits have a shorter life span. These rabbits allegedly only live up to around five years although some could live longer.