What is the average lifespan of rabbits?
The average lifespan of a tame rabbit that is mainly kept inside is between 8 and 12 years. Tame rabbits that are mainly kept outside live to be half the age as inside rabbits. The average age for tame rabbits has significantly increased over the years. Today the lifespan of rabbits is longer than it used to be. This is mainly due to better quality food, more knowledge about the animal and better care by veterinarians. Wild rabbits live a lot shorter lives. The average lifespan of a wild rabbit is between 1 and 2 years. Wild rabbits have a lower average lifespan because they have to deal with predators, starvation and diseases. It is difficult to determine whether certain breeds live longer than others. In general we can assume that larger rabbits on average have shorter lifespans than smaller breeds.
How old was the oldest rabbit ever?
The oldest rabbit ever was Flopsy from Australia, who became 18 years old. The oldest rabbit in the UK was Hazel who became 16 years old.
How can you ensure that a rabbit lives a long time?
If you want to make sure that a rabbit becomes older than the average age, here are a few tips:
- Supply good nourishment
- Clean the pen regularly
- Always provide the rabbit with clean water
- Make sure it gets regular body movement
- Frequently give the rabbit affection
- Give the rabbit toys to play with (also give the rabbit new toys from time to time)
- Make sure the rabbit has enough space, a 16 square foot pen is reommended. Take the rabbit out of its pen for a few hours a day.
- Watch for large temperature fluctuation, this is bad for rabbits.
See besides average lifespan of a rabbit also:
Average Lifespan of a Cat
Average Lifespan of a Dog
Average Lifespan of a Horse
Average Lifespan of a Cow