Rabbit life expectancy: How long can a rabbit live?

What age can a rabbit live to? How old is your rabbit anyway? Is there an averge rabbit life expectancy? Here's how to help your pet live to a ripe old age.

You love your floppy-eared bunny to bits and naturally hope it reaches a ripe old age. That’s why you have a burning desire to know what age a rabbit can live to. You might be wondering: how old is my rabbit actually? And how do I give it a long and healthy life?

Unfortunately, we can’t give you a hard and fast answer to the question of how long a rabbit can live. A rule of thumb? About 8 to 10 years, although there are also rabbits that live 12 years or older. In general, smaller breeds live a little longer than the larger ones.

But of course there are exceptions. After all, nutrition and exercise play an important role in the life expectancy of your rabbit even more than its breed and predisposition. Rabbits require very specific nutrition and care, and if you take this into consideration, your beloved pet will receive the best gift you can give it: a healthy and long life.

Adapted food

Your rabbit's health is closely related to the food it eats. Preferably give the animal muesli or extruded pellets tailored to its needs. This way you can be sure that your bunny gets the necessary nutrients and that the food you give it supports its gastrointestinal system. Also provide plenty of hay: it keeps the digestive system active. This not only helps wears down your rabbits teeth - which continue to grow throughout its life - it also helps your rabbit get long in the tooth.

Active lifestyle

A rabbit does not belong in a small cage. Your pet should be able to move freely, and ideally should be allowed out of its enclosure for a few hours a day. After all, a sedentary life can lead to obesity and heart problems.

Neutering or spaying a rabbit can also positively affect the life expectancy of your rabbit, because sterilization significantly reduces the risk of cancer. Also have the animal regularly vaccinated against the viruses that cause myxomatosis, RHD and RHD2.

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