A common question asked by pet bunny owners is how long do rabbits live for? Fair enough…if you’re planning on getting a pet rabbit, this is possibly one of the more important rabbit facts for you to have a solid understanding on. The answer to this question depends on a number of factors, but most importantly a rabbits lifespan boils down to how well a pet bunny is cared for during its life. The lifespan of rabbits that have been well cared for is likely to be much higher than the lifespan of a bunny that has not been well cared for. This is the same when considering the lifespan of a guinea pig as well.
What Is The Lifespan Of A Rabbit?
A pet rabbit lifespan will depend on the care and attention your rabbit gets during its life under your care. A well cared for rabbit that has been housed indoors and has been spayed or neutered can live for between 8-12 years – a domestic rabbit lifespan can even extend into the teens in some cases.
The oldest rabbit documented lived to the record age of 18 years old.
What factors determine how long rabbits live?
The lifespan of rabbits is effected to a certain degree by a number of factors:
Size of Rabbit
The lifespan of smaller rabbits is generally longer than larger rabbits, therefore a dwarf bunny lifespan will typically be higher than a large pet rabbit lifespan.
Lives Indoors vs Outdoors
The average lifespan of a bunny that lives indoors tends to be higher than the lifespan of rabbits that lives outdoors, as they are naturally more protected indoors. Outdoor rabbits are more vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, predators, and to bacterial infections and disease, which can end a bunny life prematurely.
Mixed Breeds vs Pure Breed Rabbits
The lifespan of rabbits from mixed descent tends to be longer than the lifespan of pet rabbits of pure breeds.
Spayed and Neutered Bunnies
Spaying and neutering increases the lifespan of domestic rabbits, particularly female rabbits, which are prone to cancer if not spayed.
Correct rabbit care will greatly increase their lifespan. By handling your bunny correctly, and gaining knowledge on the signs of illness and disease so that you can seek veterinary advice when necessary, is likely to increase the domestic rabbits lifespan. In addition, providing a nutritionally balanced diet (complete with fresh timothy hay) is essential to increasing the lifespan of your rabbit.
We hope this has helped answer the question “how long do rabbits live“. Till next time, love those bunnies…
Get all the information you need to keep your small pets living long and healthy:
- Pet Care Guide for Guinea Pigs
- Pet Care Guide for Rabbits and Bunnies
- Pet Care Guide for Chinchillas
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