How long do rabbits live: the average duration at home

Planning for keeping rabbits for many breeders begins with the question of how long these animals will live at home. The life expectancy of domestic and wild breeds varies due to living conditions and the absence or presence of human assistance. In addition, the characteristics of a particular breed, as well as gender and related circumstances, affect life expectancy.

Average

Average indicators are calculated by specialists based on the results of numerous observations. The limits are between 4 and 12 years old.

At home

Domestic rabbits stop growing at 18 or 24 months. A he althy rabbit can live in a cage with proper nutrition and good care for up to 12 years. Decorative dwarf breeds live from 9 to 12 years. Giants live up to 8-9 years, this is dictated by anatomical features. Meat breeds are kept for slaughter, so life expectancy is limited to the period of weight gain, it is achieved by 4-5 years. Lop-eared breeds grow up to the age of 24 months, but live much less than other ornamental breeds. The life span reaches 7-8 years.

Help! The record for the life expectancy of a rabbit was recorded in South America. He totaled 19 full years.

In nature

The life expectancy of ordinary wild rabbits is 3-4 years, this is dictated by the conditions of their natural habitat. Individuals do not live long, as they constantly have to take care of survival, they get food, often become victims of predators or die of disease.

What influences lifespan

A variety of factors affect the lifespan of rabbits:

1. Heredity and characteristics of the breed. The purity of the mating is important for subsequent offspring, so breeders of breeding rabbits can expect that they will live a maximum of years.
2. Vaccination and the creation of immunity. Routine vaccinations help prolong the life of pets. They protect against common diseases.
3. Hygiene and care. These are important criteria. Rabbits that are kept clean, warm and cared for can live a very long time. This is especially true for pets kept in an apartment.
4. Habitat. This factor involves taking care that the animal does not overcool, does not overheat, and receives the maximum amount of sunlight. Rabbits like to be in ventilated areas, but do not tolerate drafts.In summer, it is important to let pets go free.
5. Food. One of the most important conditions of detention is a balanced diet. The diet should contain traditional feed complexes, as well as vitamin and mineral supplements. What matters is the proper organization of nutrition, when rabbits receive food at the same time. In addition, it is important to change the diet when diagnosing pregnancy, when a certain age is reached.

Signs of old age

Breeders do not always know exactly the age of the wards, so you need to know the main signs that determine the onset of old age:

1. The condition of the coat. The hairline becomes less fluffy, stops shining, bald patches appear.
2. Eye expression. In young rabbits, the eyes shine, the pupils are constantly in motion, as the rabbit fixes the situation around him. In aging rabbits, the eyes do not shine, interest in what is happening is almost not fixed.
3. Physiological features. In aging animals, the skin begins to sag on the stomach. Some breeds lose their sight and hearing early.

Information! Many pets show signs of arthritis by the age of 5-7 years, their appetite decreases.

How to extend the life of a pet

Owners can stretch the lifespan of a rabbit if they follow the rules of keeping. Quality care includes not only the organization of food and living conditions, but also care for the mental state of pets.

Keep clean

It is important for a pet to have a separate place where he returns to sleep, or where food and drink are waiting for him. Domestic rabbits are usually kept in cages. The surface of the cage, drinker and food box must be cleaned daily. All items are recommended to be disinfected weekly with suitable antiseptics.

Food

The diet is made in advance, taking into account the characteristics of a particular rabbit. Young individuals receive a variety of food, given the fact that they need to gain weight. Separately organize the nutrition of females with offspring or aging rabbits, which gradually begin to lose their appetite.

The menu should contain the following items:

• dry cereal food: oats and barley;
• fresh root crops;
• compound feed;
• grass or hay;
• vitamins and minerals.

The drinking bowl is filled with fresh drinking water. If necessary, medicines for the pet are added to it.

Containment conditions

The most common way to keep rabbits is to place them in cages. As a rule, they are designed for one pet, although in summer two adults are housed in one block on the street, provided there are no conflicts between them.

The cell consists of two combined blocks. One of them is designed for sleeping, there is a litter. The other holds a feeder, drinker and toilet. The cages are positioned so that the animals do not overheat and do not overcool. This provokes diseases that animals are susceptible to.

Keeping in enclosures or in pits is a separate organization of the life of pets. In each case, it is necessary to take into account the air temperature and the humidity index. Enclosures are especially common in warmer regions, when owners don't have to worry about moving their pets over the winter.

Help! Maintenance using excavated pits is associated with the need to comply with the conditions of placement. The location for the pit should be far from groundwater or wetlands so that the humidity indicator is comfortable for the animals.

Safety

Cages with rabbits or mini-farms are usually located at a small distance from the ground. This is because rabbits are often attacked by rodents or insects. They are carriers of infection, so the safety of rabbits is given special attention.

Sheds or outhouses where animal blocks are housed are regularly treated with protective equipment to prevent pest attacks.

Protection from stressful situations

Mental he alth for a rabbit is no less important than physical he alth. Rabbits need to have relatives nearby. That is why aviary advocates oppose the construction of individual cages.

Breeders claim that caged content helps maintain hygiene and control the amount of food consumed, but at the same time, pets really need dosed communication with representatives of a related breed.

The constant suppression of the rabbit's desires negatively affects the mental state. Restriction in space provokes stress, loss of appetite, depression, therefore, when planning conditions, it is necessary to remember that animals need walks in nature, even if they are limited by protective nets.

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