How Long Do Domestic Rabbits Live

The cute and furry rabbit makes a wonderful pet and when tamed well, it adapts itself to the environment it is being brought up. The basic requirements about pet care and the lifespan of a rabbit are some of the important factors that one should know before deciding to raise a rabbit as a pet.

In this story, we shall basically deal with the question as to how long domestic rabbits live. Along with this, you will also be guided on the various requirements, necessary for their survival.

The lifespan of rabbits depend on various factors. If the environment around them is conducive for proper growth and development, then you can expect your pet to survive till a maximum period of 10 years. Sometimes newborn rabbits are deserted by their mothers and they struggle to survive.

Due to malnutrition, they tend to die at an infant stage. However, the life expectancy of rabbits definitely increase when rabbits are domesticated and provided shelter, care, healthy food and complete grooming by their masters.

There are various species of rabbits but the Oryctolagus cuniculus is the only domesticated species. Also known as European rabbit or common rabbit, this species has been bred to produce different pet rabbit breeds. They have an average lifespan of 7 - 10 years.

Under certain circumstances, they get inflicted with diseases that decease their longevity. Wild rabbits are also capable of surviving for up to 9 or 10 years, but most of the time they fall prey to predators.

American or Holland lops are timid species that could be domesticated without much difficulty. They are playful and active species, weighing 3 - 4 pounds with an average lifespan of 10 years. You can also look for the Agouti group containing colorful species, ranging from chestnut, chocolate and blue.

Chinchilla rabbits fall under this category and they also make excellent pets. Another domestic rabbit breed, the Dwarf rabbits have a comparatively shorter lifespan and you can expect them to survive for up to 8 years. They are cute, healthy and extremely soft, and your kids will love playing with them.

The New Zealand rabbit, also known as bunnies, are large species and are considerably heavy, weighing about 9 - 12 pounds. Their lifespan ranges between 5 - 7 years if tamed properly. Being prone to gallbladder diseases, hairball obstructions, respiratory diseases, and dental problems, their survival rate decreases considerably.

Another domesticated rabbit breed is the Polish rabbit. The average lifespan of Polish rabbits is 5 - 7 years and they are temperature-sensitive species. You always need to keep them under room temperature to avoid unnecessary health hazards.

Yet another wonderful breed of domesticated rabbit is the Rex rabbit, originally found in France. They are sturdy breeds and can survive till 8 - 11 years when sterilized. Taking care of their eating habits is the prime concern of pet owners. Lionhead rabbits are small and cute, with an average lifespan of 7 - 10 years.

Their stocky body is coated with smooth fur and fluffy mane. This friendly and docile breed weighs 2 - 3 pounds and they could be domesticated quite easily.

These are the common domestic breeds of rabbits and their respective lifespan. After considering all these facts, you should be prepared mentally that your adorable pet would survive for a maximum time period of 10 years.

However, some breeds of rabbits can survive for as long as 15 years. If you have planned to rear a pet rabbit, then you must be well aware of its requirements. If it happens to be a newborn rabbit, then you need to take special care of its food and surroundings.

The run should be well-ventilated, clean and tidy, and spacious for free movement of the rabbit. If you monitor its growth, feeding pattern and nutritional needs, and offer medical aid whenever required, your pet will definitely live a longer, happy and a healthy life.