Did you know that the world’s oldest rabbit had a long life of 18 years?Did you know, a rabbit’s teeth never stop growing? But the only reason they never increase in size is because of grass.Yes, you read that right, constant munching on grass files their teeth and makes sure they don’t exceed a certain size and don’t get overgrown teeth. The world’s oldest pet rabbit on record was caught in 1964 and was named Flopsy. This pet rabbit lived for 18 years, 10 months. The oldest live bunny is named Mick and is currently 16 years old.Rabbits are small, social creatures who are often preferred as pets, as many people consider bunnies to be low-maintenance pets. Rabbits like other small animals live an average number of years if they get a healthy environment and proper nutrition. House rabbits live inside houses under their owners. On the other hand, wild rabbits live in the jungle and are more prone to diseases and health problems and therefore wild rabbits have comparatively shorter lives as they have to survive on their own and receive much less nutritious food and diet.In primal times, larger breeds of rabbits were hunted for their meat and fur, these wild rabbits were considerably larger than the bunnies we see today. Rabbits started to be domesticated as domestic pets due to many different factors around the 15th century by French monks who domesticated rabbits for their meat, which they considered.Rabbits have been domesticated ever since and in recent times have become companions rather than food supplies. Today, rabbits are a popular pet choice as they are docile and calm in their life, while some rabbit breeds are still used for their fur and laboratory experiments. After reading all about how long do pet rabbits live, do check out rabbit facts and bear lifespan.What is a rabbit’s lifespan indoors?So how long do pet rabbits live? Just like any other pet, domestic rabbits’ or house rabbit’s lifespan is longer than that of wild rabbits and for a house rabbit to live indoors, it is due to a better quality of care which includes good nutrition, unconditional love, indoor warmth, protection, and yearly vaccinations to prevent any kind of disease or illness.If you are a bunny owner and are worried about how long your pet rabbits are going to be with you, do not worry because if you take good care of these small animals, they’ll live just as long as any other pet like a dog or a cat. Pet bunnies have an average lifespan similar to that of dogs and some breeds live up to 8-9 years and some breeds can even live up to 12 years! Which is way longer than wild bunnies, which have an average lifespan of 1-2 years due to various environmental factors.To make sure your domesticated rabbit lives a long life and healthy life, you must take care of its needs. Many people believe that bunnies are not bothered by the confinement of the small cages people put them in, but it is not true. Rabbits like any other animal need space to hop and are free, long hours of confinement can be really depressing for a rabbit which will result in a shorter lifespan.How do rabbits usually die?Rabbits are small delicate creatures that require a lot of care, although pet rabbits can live up to 12 years which is considerably longer than wild rabbits, it’s never easy to say goodbye to a pet. Rabbits can die due to a variety of causes. Rabbits who die naturally also have to suffer in their final days before crossing over the golden bridge to heaven.If your pet rabbit has reached old age, he/she might catch a lot of infections and diseases due to a weakened immune system like many other animals. In his last days, your pet bunny might experience trouble breathing due to a respiratory infection. If the situation gets worse and your bunny starts panting aggressively, take it to the vet, as respiratory problems in rabbits are treatable and can be cured. Other signs of a dying bunny include absolute loss of balance and appetite, refusal to eat food, and difference in fecal pellets. Differences in fecal pellets can indicate a digestive problem. Small scattered pellets are an indication of internal pain and stress, while clumped pellets can indicate the shutting down of the bunny’s digestive system and lower of a regular diet.Other reasons for death include seizures which are caused by a wide range of causes which include abnormal brain activity like blood clots, brain infections, and genetic epilepsy. Apart from that rabbits can have parasites residing in their brain which become stronger in old age due to weakening of the immune system and can cause seizure or brain hemorrhage. Female rabbits can die due to birth complications and postpartum infections.Rabbits are big screamers, rabbits tend to scream when they’re scared, they scream when they are mating and they scream when they are hungry. If you’ve witnessed a dying pet rabbit or have heard about rabbits screaming when they die, you may have wondered the reason behind it.A pet rabbit would scream as a way of communication to let its owner know about its agony or as a cry for help. Rabbits scream when they die because of intense fear and pain. Old rabbits also cry due to seizures when they are going through a fit. The best way to help your suffering pet is to silently support them and give them company to make it a little easier.What is the average lifespan of a bunny that is a pet and is dwarf?Dwarf rabbits have become a very popular pet choice in recent years, due to their adorable size and appearance and low diet. If you’ve always wanted a dwarf white pet rabbit, you must have wondered if these delicate furballs have a shorter lifespan when compared with their full-sized counterparts.On the contrary, the smaller the size of the bunny, the longer they tend to live. Larger or normal-sized rabbits have an average life span of 5-6 years whereas smaller breeds tend to live much longer and often have a two-digit lifespan. These dwarf breeds weigh a little over 2 lb (0.9 kg) as compared to normal-sized rabbits which can weigh up to 20 lb (9 kg). The smallest bunny breed is the Netherland dwarf, having the longest lifespan of up to 12 years. Smaller rabbits have better immune systems and an efficient digestive system, unlike larger rabbits.As we discussed earlier the world’s oldest living bunny is named Mick, who is now 18 years old and was mentioned in the Guinness book of world record back in 2019 when he was 16 years old.Mick was rescued when he was two months old along with his companion Bianca who died five years later. Mick then found love again in 2017 but his new friend died too leaving Mick alone. He suffers from a cataract which has clouded his eyesight, he has arthritis which makes it difficult to walk or move around as much. But despite all this, he is well taken care of and receives regular therapy to help combat his pain.According to his owners, Mick has had many near-death experiences but he had thrived and made it through every obstacle bravely. The secret to his long life they say is his healthy appetite and nutritious food riched diet which has not declined with old age.Now that we’ve learned a lot about old-aged rabbits and death, let us focus on the cutest phase of a rabbit’s life, when they are newborns, and try to understand how they grow and develop.The growth rate of house rabbits depends upon the size of the mother bunny’s litter and the baby’s weight when they are born. The kits that are heavier tend to grow much faster than the weak ones who weigh less, maybe because the strong ones are more competitive for the mother’s milk.Growth rates can also be influenced by many other factors like temperature and climate. It is observed that babies grow faster in places with higher temperatures as compared to places with colder temperatures. In places with lower temperatures, the baby rabbit’s body has to divert more energy towards maintaining heat regulation instead of growth.You may wonder that the smaller the size of the litter, the stronger the babies, due to less competition for milk which is their only diet. While this may be true for warmer places, it is quite the opposite in colder places, as the larger the size of the litter the warmer the kits are due to close proximity. Therefore it is observed that kits born in larger litters grow better and faster than the ones born in small sizes in spite of the increased competition for milk.What is the average lifespan of a Holland lop bunny in captivity?Holland lop rabbits are one of the smallest lop ear rabbit breeds out there and that is why they are also one of the leading choices as pets. These tiny rabbits weigh no more than 3.9 lb (1.8 kg). If you’re looking forward to getting a holland lop, then you must know how long your new companion is going to live.Although these pet rabbits are tiny, and as we discussed earlier the tinier the pet rabbits, the longer it lives. But in spite of their small stature and delicate appearance, these tiny furballs are extremely sturdy and would surprise you with their strength and energy. They love to hop around and enjoy long hours of playtime. If treated properly and responsibly, these tiny creatures can live up to nine years or even more. But like many other rabbit breeds and dogs, they do not like to be held and can get depressed by long hours of captivity and thus do not live as long. This pet rabbit’s lifespan in captivity would last about five to six years only. Any animal, either small or large, does not like captivity and requires exercise and freedom to grow properly and live a happy, content lifespan.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Bunny lifespan: interesting age facts for different rabbit breeds, then why not take a look at Chicken Vs Rooster: differences between male and female birds revealed, or can chickens eat pineapple? A healthy fruit, but moderation is the key!
Did you know that the world’s oldest rabbit had a long life of 18 years?
