3 - 5 years old: Middle Age At this age rabbits tend to slow down a little, sleep more and be generally less active. They may also become more and more affectionate, particularly house rabbits who live closely with their owners.
The average rabbit is considered elderly as they reach around 7 or 8 years. But every rabbit is individual and will start showing signs of ageing at different times. Some larger breeds have shorter lifespans and age more quickly. They're considered old when they're only 4 or 5, sometimes younger!
Figuring Out the General Age of a Rabbit
A young rabbit is up to 9 months of age. An adult rabbit is approximately 9 months to 4 - 5 years of age. An elderly rabbit is 4 - 5 years upwards. Some rabbits live to be 10 - 12 years of age.
In addition, a very important aspect of chewing is to keep the teeth of the rabbit worn down. Perhaps older rabbits chew less because they know the taste and texture of the world and need only food to keep their teeth worn-down and their jaws strong.
Smaller rabbits are said to be seniors from about the age of seven or eight, while large bunnies age more quickly and are usually classified as a senior rabbit at around four to five years old.
Unlike their wild relatives, who live for an average of one to two years, domesticated rabbits can live between eight to 12 years. This is because they are not exposed to disease, food scarcity and predators.
Around 3 to 4 months of age, the baby grows into a “teenager,” and then the hormones start to rage. This causes your dear sweet bunny to become aggressive, often biting, spraying urine, tearing at her cage or your clothing, destroying your towels, furniture, or electrical cords.
Unwanted Cardboard boxes and newspaper always make fun toys. Cut rabbit sized holes in two sides of a large cardboard box, then at the bottom fill with scrunched up newspaper, hay or anything rummage-worthy. Your rabbit can burrow through, searching for perhaps a few treats amongst it all.
As your bunny gets older, they'll probably become less active and sleep more than usual. They may also become clingier and more affectionate.
It can be helpful to think of one year in a rabbit's life as ten years in a human's life, so an 8 year old rabbit could be thought of as approximately 80 years old in human terms.
Perhaps the most critical aspect of a rabbit's quality of life is their attitude and overall happiness. There are rabbits that are able to handle tremendous obstacles whilst still keeping a positive, happy outlook on life.
After the first year, each rabbit year is equal to 6 human years. So by the age of 10 years a rabbit is 75 in human age.
The average lifespan of a rabbit kept in an outdoor hutch is 3-6 years. The average lifespan of an indoor house rabbit is 8-14 years.
You may worry that your rabbit will be lonely. If you spend a lot of time with your rabbit, they will undoubtedly miss you when you're away, the same way you miss them. The two of you have developed a bond and friendship that your pet rabbit also understands.
A lonely rabbit may become hyperactive and angry. They may display destructive behaviour such as gnawing at the carpets and other furniture. Lonely rabbits may pull at their fur and overeat.
Many rabbit caretakers struggle with behavior problems that include destructive digging and chewing behaviors. Some rabbits also develop bad litter box habits. Other rabbit behavioral problems include fear and aggression toward humans and other animals.
Pet rabbits have a life expectancy of 8-12 years. This number will change depending on the breed of rabbit and the quality of care they receive. Wild rabbits have a much shorter life expectancy of only about 1-2 years. There are many factors that influence the lifespan of a rabbit.
Life expectancy for a house rabbit is between 8-14 years. But when do rabbits become seniors? There is not an exact age when it happens. However, sometime between the ages of 5-8 a rabbit becomes a senior.
Rabbits are very social creatures who are happier and healthier, and live longer, if they have a mate. In nature, the wild European rabbit (from which all of our domestic rabbits are descended) bonds for life.
Both indoor and outdoor rabbits can have happy, healthy lives so it's up to you and your bunny pals to decide whether inside or outside is best for them (or maybe even a combination of both!).