How long are rabbits pregnant for?
Rabbits are one of the most popular non-dog-or-cat pets in the world. There are over an estimated 900,000 pet rabbits in the UK alone. Their calm, gentle temperament, combined with the relative ease of care needed to look after a rabbit, makes them an ideal first pet, or a pet for a family that is ready to bring a furry friend into the home.
Rabbits are highly intelligent and are often very inquisitive, which means that they can provide young children in families an opportunity to explore just what it takes to care for a pet. It is a well-known fact that rabbits are one of the most prominent breeders in the animal kingdom, but just how long are rabbits pregnant? In this article, we will answer this question, as well as providing information on how many babies a rabbit can have, how many times a rabbit can give birth, and ways that you can stop your pet rabbits from becoming pregnant.
How long is a rabbit pregnant?
A Rabbit’s Gestation Period
A rabbit is usually pregnant for around 31 days, although this can be slightly longer or shorter depending on the individual. The gestation period of an adult female rabbit is actually very short when compared to that of a human. On average, a human woman is pregnant for around nine months, which, when compared to a rabbit, is incredibly long.
The length of a rabbit's gestation period can also vary based on the breed of the rabbit in question. The European rabbit can be pregnant for between 28-35 days, whereas a swamp rabbit can be pregnant for around 37 days. The longest gestation period for a rabbit belongs to the common tapeti, which is pregnant for around 42-45 days. The most common pet rabbit breed is the Holland Lop, followed by the Mini Lop, and then the Dutch rabbit. These rabbits all have an average gestation period of 31-35 days.
How many babies can a rabbit have?
Again, the number of babies that a rabbit can have at one time depends on a few things, including their breed. On average, rabbits as a whole can have between one to 15 babies at a time, although the average litter number is actually around seven.
The largest-ever litter of rabbits is a whopping 24, the litter was born in 1978 in Nova Scotia, Canada. After that, the record has nearly been broken on two other occasions, once in New Zealand and once in Cyprus in 1999. A baby rabbit is known as a kit or kitten. These kits will need to live with their mother for around eight weeks, but then should be taken away from their mother as they are now sexually mature. If you do not separate the rabbits then you may end up with inbred kits. Rabbits can also become pregnant very soon after giving birth, so the number of babies a rabbit can have in a lifetime can be huge.
How many times can a rabbit become pregnant?
As previously mentioned, rabbits can become pregnant very quickly after giving birth. Humans and other mammals can have to wait months before falling pregnant again, but a rabbit can become pregnant just days after giving birth. A rabbit's genetic makeup means that they are motivated by continuing their species. A rabbit will look to have as many babies as possible during its lifetime.
Unfortunately, this does mean that rabbits are not particularly maternal, and they do not live as happy families. Often, the mother will only focus on the strongest kits in their litter as these are the ones that are most likely to continue their bloodline. As rabbits can have a large number of kits in a litter, this means that some can be neglected. For a pet rabbit, these kits should be looked after by the pet owner as they can still grow into healthy, adult rabbits.
A rabbit is fertile at around four months of age and can have babies for around four years. As they can become pregnant within a matter of days, rabbits can become pregnant many times throughout the year. This means that female rabbits can become pregnant around 40-45 times during their lifetime. If a rabbit has the average number of babies in its litter, this means it can give birth to around 280 kits in its lifetime. This number of course can be much less, or much more, depending on how often the rabbit becomes pregnant.
How do you stop pet rabbits from becoming pregnant?
Of course, if you are a pet owner you will not want around 280 kits running around your house, and you may not even want any baby rabbits being born at all. Thankfully, there are definitely ways in which you can limit your rabbits from reproducing. The only way your rabbit can reproduce is if it has enough time alone with a male to reproduce.
If you only have one rabbit, they will not be able to get pregnant. If you have a male and female rabbit it will be best to keep them apart, but this can be expensive as you will need to get more than one hutch to house them. You can however get your rabbits spayed or neutered. This can be done by your vet. When you purchase your pet rabbit you should look to have them neutered between four to six months old. A vet will much prefer spaying a rabbit that is six months old. A male rabbit will also usually be castrated at five months old, but the procedure can be done from three months. When a male rabbit is castrated, they are placed under general anaesthetic and the two testicles are removed, this will stop the rabbit from being able to produce sperm that will get the female pregnant.
Key Takeaways
Here are the biggest takeaways from this article about rabbit pregnancy:
Rabbits have a short gestation period of around 31 days, although this can vary slightly depending on the breed.
Rabbits can have large litters, with an average of seven kits (baby rabbits) per litter. However, they can have anywhere from one to 15 kits at a time.
Rabbits can become pregnant very soon after giving birth, sometimes just days later.
Rabbits are not particularly maternal and may neglect some kits, especially focusing on the strongest ones.
To prevent unwanted pregnancies, pet rabbits should be kept apart from opposite-sex rabbits unless they are spayed or neutered.
Sources
A Guide to Rabbit Pregnancy | Petplan
Pregnancy in Rabbits: A Guide to Rabbit Gestation | The Spruce Pets