There are various signals that suggest a rabbit is young. When bunnies are just a few days old, they lack hair and do not yet have open eyes.
They don’t move from the moment they’re born, and they need their mother for absolutely everything.
An age size chart for rabbits can help you determine your pet’s age based on his body measurements.
There are many charts available for rabbit breeds of varied sizes.
Domesticated rabbits live longer than their wild counterparts, however, the wild rabbit’s early years take up the bulk of its total lifespan.
Wild rabbit kits should be left alone unless they are very young or injured, but any domestic rabbits that are discovered need to be saved.
You should call your local humane organisation for advice if you ever come across a purebred rabbit.
Baby rabbit characteristics
In the rabbit world, three months of age is considered the baby stage. When a rabbit is born, it has no fur and its eyes are closed.
Also, they are unable to move about on their own. Both their outward look and their demeanour shift as they enter adulthood.
Beginning at day 7, the newborn will begin to develop a coat of fur. After 10 days, their eyes will open for the first time.
Animals that appear to be attempting to hop are actually older infants, as rabbits grow too large to hop at such a young age.
Young bunnies are those under 12 months of age. After three to six months of age, a rabbit is considered a juvenile.
The adolescent phase for rabbits lasts anywhere from six to twelve months.
They will have grown the majority of their fur and be confident enough to explore on their own.
Once a female rabbit achieves adulthood, her rate of growth significantly slows.
When a rabbit reaches adulthood, sometime between 12 months and 5 years of age, it becomes quite active and quite huge.
Everyone who is older than that is considered a senior.
Weigh Your Baby Rabbit to Tell How Old they Are
A rabbit’s weight can be measured at the vet after purchase or after adoption.
A trip to the vet is highly advised so that they can determine if your newborn rabbit is healthy.
You can safely weigh a newborn rabbit all on your own if you need to.
A newborn rabbit weighs between 1.5 and 2 ounces… although you probably won’t need a scale to tell that a rabbit is a newborn if it’s a baby.
Baby rabbits have an average weight of 3.5 to 5 ounces at 2 to 3 weeks old.
It is at this time that they first leave the safety of the nest to go on their first exploratory journey.
This means that they will appear to be little versions of full-grown rabbits (no larger than a chipmunk or gerbil).
Domestic versus wild rabbit life span
Pet rabbits have an average lifespan of 8 years, though this can be as high as 12 years for some breeds.
The amount of attention, fun, and exercise you provide, in addition to the type of food you feed your pet, will determine how old they live to be.
When kept in captivity, they require a large area for exercise.
Rabbits, contrary to popular belief, are not low maintenance and require extensive care in order to live and grow.
Due to their ability to conceal pain, rabbits require frequent trips to the vet.
As a result of being prey, wild rabbits only live to be approximately 2 years old, despite the fact that they have a higher quality of life.
They can get the necessary exercise, but threats from human development and other animals offset the benefits.
Finding a baby rabbit outside
The release of domestic rabbit kits into the wild is cruel and should be avoided.
As a crime in numerous jurisdictions. You shouldn’t just abandon a domesticated rabbit in the wild if you come across one.
Rabbits raised in captivity are not taught self-defence, so they are defenceless against the wide variety of predators they may face in the wild.
You can either try to capture the bunny yourself or get in touch with a rabbit rescue or humane group for assistance.
In most cases, the first thing in the morning is the most productive time to get something done.
Rather than using a live trap, an exercise pen might help you gain the bunny’s trust gradually.
If you find a newborn rabbit in the wild and it is not yet weaned, it will be fine outside.
Mother rabbits abandon their young throughout the day to feed and avoid being sniffed out by predators.
If you locate an unfurred rabbit baby with closed eyelids, you can test whether or not the mom has visited by placing leaves on top of the rabbit burrow and checking for movement the next day.
Leaves that refuse to budge should be reported to a wildlife centre for additional instruction.
When a rabbit of any age is found hurt or acting sick, this is the best course of action.
Baby Rabbits Will Start Showing Interest in Solid Food at Week Two
It normally takes newborn bunnies two weeks of exclusive nursing before they start showing any interest in grass, foliage, or other foods.
Depending on the results, this could be a reliable means of determining age. Is your young bunny interested in table fare?
You will need to bottle-feed your newborn rabbit until he or she is fully weaned, which usually occurs around the eighth-month mark.
Look At the Baby Rabbit’s Fur
The fur on a newborn rabbit isn’t developed yet. In a matter of weeks, they will have a full coat.
This suggests that a baby rabbit is usually only a few weeks old if its fur is thin and downy.
Maybe their mom is nearby. In that case, it might be necessary to mount a rescue.
Are the Baby Rabbit’s Eyes Open?
Newborn rabbits are completely blind and won’t open their eyes for another week or so.
Are the eyes of your newborn rabbit open? If so, you know they have been around for at least a week.
Check Your Baby Rabbit’s Ears
For most of the first week of a rabbit’s life, the baby’s ears are closed.
This means you’re dealing with a young rabbit, and if you really did manage to separate it from its mother, you’ll need to exercise extreme caution and get it to a vet as soon as possible if you want it to survive.
After 9–2 weeks of age, a baby rabbit’s ears will begin to stand up and grow more robust.
Make Sure to Take Your Delicate Baby Rabbit to the Vet
When separated from their mothers, young rabbits have a very low survival rate.
Any newborn rabbit should be taken to the vet immediately.
Baby rabbits require goat milk or Kitten Milk Replacer, which can be provided to them via dropper or bottle.
They’ll require regular feedings, proper heating, and the undivided attention of a reliable caregiver.
