Skip to content
Ate something?
EN

Choose

Welcome

My pet

Emergency

Italiano Español Français Português

Choose

Rabbit: lifespan, size, diet and care

Lives7–10 years
Lives bestin pairs, always
Spacefor a pair, at least 3 × 2 m (about 10 × 6.5 ft) and 1 m (3.3 ft) high
Foodhay and grass: about 85% of the diet
Adult weight900 g (2 lb) to 5 kg (11 lb)
What few people know

A pet-store cage isn’t enough: two rabbits need at least 3 by 2 meters (about 10 by 6.5 feet) to run and jump. Above 26 °C (79 °F) move them somewhere cool.

Take the quiz: is it right for you?

How big it is

An adult is up to 50 cm (20 in) long, head and body.

Zoomed ×2: here you see the man up to 95 cm (37 in) off the ground

Manup to 95 cm (37 in) off the ground
Miniature Schnauzer35 cm (14 in) tallPembroke Welsh Corgi30 cm (12 in) tallRabbitlong (head and body) 50 cm (20 in)Miniature Pinscher30 cm (12 in) tallFrench Bulldog35 cm (14 in) tall
  1. Miniature Schnauzer35 cm (14 in) tall
  2. Pembroke Welsh Corgi30 cm (12 in) tall
  3. Rabbitlong (head and body) 50 cm (20 in)
  4. Miniature Pinscher30 cm (12 in) tall
  5. French Bulldog35 cm (14 in) tall

All the pets next to a person

Before it arrives

  • An enclosure of at least 3 × 2 m (about 10 × 6.5 ft), 1 m (3.3 ft) high, for two rabbits: one connected space where they can run
  • A companion: rabbits should live at least in pairs (often a male and a female, both neutered)
  • A shelter they can always reach, and enough hiding places for everyone without fighting
  • Plenty of good hay, sweet-smelling and dust-free, and fresh water at all times
  • A litter box with recycled paper or hay, never clumping litter or wood shavings
  • A dry spot at 10–20 °C (50–68 °F), away from drafts, radiators and direct sun
  • A rabbit-savvy vet, for the first check-up and the vaccines

Its home: temperature and light

The room
10–20 °C (50–68 °F)

What it eats and how often

hay and grass: about 85% of the diet

  • Adults: every day

Every day, a pile of good hay as big as your rabbit, and hay always available (85% of what it eats); a large handful of washed leafy greens (10%); pellets only 25 grams, about an egg cup, per kg of body weight (5%).

Vaccines and checkups

Every year against myxomatosis and rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD1 and RHD2), from 5 weeks of age: in Europe (Italy included) there is a single combined vaccine authorized across the EU. In the US, rabbits get the RHDV2 vaccine: two doses 3 weeks apart, then a booster every year.

A checkup at the vet every year. With a rabbit-savvy vet.

The care calendar

What to do, from the most frequent to the least.

  • every dayHay, greens and pelletsFresh hay always available, a large handful of leafy greens and an egg cup of pellets (25 g) per kg of body weight. Fresh water at all times.
  • every dayCheck under the tailThe fur and skin should be clean and dry. In summer, check twice a day: urine and droppings attract flies.
  • every weekCheck its front teeth and nailsThey grow fast: the front teeth 2 to 3 mm a week. If they are crooked or too long, only a vet should trim them.
  • every weekFull clean of the enclosureSpot-clean the litter box every day; once a week clean everything with hot, soapy water.
  • every weekBrush its coatShort or medium coat once or twice a week, more often while it sheds; long coat every day.
  • every 6 weeksTrim its nailsEvery 1 to 2 months, or when they're long.
  • every yearVaccinesMyxomatosis and hemorrhagic disease (RHD1 and RHD2), every year.
  • every yearYearly check-upWith a rabbit-savvy vet.

Call the vet right away if…

If you see one of these signs, call your vet now: don’t wait for it to pass.

  • Has stopped eating or passing droppings for 12 hours or more
  • Breathes through its mouth (rabbits normally breathe through the nose)
  • Maggots or fly eggs in its fur, often around the tail
  • Watery or jelly-like droppings, and it sits hunched
  • Strains to pee, especially with spots of blood

Ate something dangerous? What to do now

Frequently asked questions

How long does a rabbit live?

Usually 7–10 years.

How big is a rabbit?

An adult is up to 50 cm (20 in) long, head and body.

How much does a rabbit weigh?

An adult usually weighs 900 g (2 lb) to 5 kg (11 lb).

What does a rabbit eat, and how often?

Hay and grass: about 85% of the diet. Every day, a pile of good hay as big as your rabbit, and hay always available (85% of what it eats); a large handful of washed leafy greens (10%); pellets only 25 grams, about an egg cup, per kg of body weight (5%). Adults: every day.

Does a rabbit need vaccines?

Every year against myxomatosis and rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD1 and RHD2), from 5 weeks of age: in Europe (Italy included) there is a single combined vaccine authorized across the EU. In the US, rabbits get the RHDV2 vaccine: two doses 3 weeks apart, then a booster every year.

When should a rabbit see a vet right away?

Right away if you see one of these signs: has stopped eating or passing droppings for 12 hours or more; breathes through its mouth (rabbits normally breathe through the nose); maggots or fly eggs in its fur, often around the tail. The others are above, in “Call the vet right away if…”.

How old is a rabbit in human years?

There’s no serious human-years chart for a rabbit: the ones online don’t cite sources. What counts is where it is in its life: its senior years start at about 5.3 to 7.5 years old.

Tools for your rabbit

Age and life stageWhat and how much it eatsWhat it can eatHealthy weightVaccines and checkupsWhen to call the vetHow big it is, next to a person

Always ask your vet: this site helps you understand, it doesn’t replace a checkup.

Sources

All 18 sources, pet by pet