Buck Jones
Well-Known Member
In another post, Bunty said Dr Bonney estimated a rabbit to be seven years old. Does anyone know how to do that, estimate the age of a rabbit?
By and large, I know young ones, obviously are small; they tend to have needle-sharp, little toe nails; they are inquisitive and mischievous and may bink a lot.
R.M. Lockley, in The Private Life of the Rabbit (1964) states one test, admittedly not always reliable, was,
"In the rabbit the ossification of the growing parts of certain bones, of the apophysis with diaphysis bones of the tibia, does not take place until it is about ten months old; if the soft cartilagenousgap between those bones can be felt with the thumbnail the animal can be estimated to be less than ten months' old"
Lockley studied wild European rabbits which are of the same species asour domesticated versions. His "test" has to do with leg bones, the location of which I am not entirely certain.
Has anyone else any pertinent information regarding estimating rabbits' ages?
Buck
By and large, I know young ones, obviously are small; they tend to have needle-sharp, little toe nails; they are inquisitive and mischievous and may bink a lot.
R.M. Lockley, in The Private Life of the Rabbit (1964) states one test, admittedly not always reliable, was,
"In the rabbit the ossification of the growing parts of certain bones, of the apophysis with diaphysis bones of the tibia, does not take place until it is about ten months old; if the soft cartilagenousgap between those bones can be felt with the thumbnail the animal can be estimated to be less than ten months' old"
Lockley studied wild European rabbits which are of the same species asour domesticated versions. His "test" has to do with leg bones, the location of which I am not entirely certain.
Has anyone else any pertinent information regarding estimating rabbits' ages?
Buck