Reliable ways of judging how old a rabbit is...

[RebeccaUK]

Hi

I wondered if anyone had any reliable methods to get an idea of the ageof a rabbit. We have an adult female who was rescused fromthe shelter but I have no idea of her age.

I know some people have used dewlaps as an indicator but I believe thatis unconclusive as some older females never get them and some younggirls get them too. Are there any other ways that might helpme find out?

Thanks

Rebecca

 

[Buck Jones]

I don't think so other than dropping of testicleson males and the change from "baby" nails to "adult" nails, which areheavier and coarser. Teeth continually grow and are not areliable indicator.

I read in a old book somewhere that there was some bone in the leg thatonly completed growing as an adult, but I couldn't even locate it onthe drawing accompanying the text, much less on a live rabbit.

Older rabbits tend to appear less "thrifty," more bony and lessmuscular. They move around more slowly, nap and bask a lot.Some develop arthritis and will develop an "stiffer" gait.Coat is usually duller, as are the eyes, but none of these can"pinpoint" a specific age and probably vary from individual toindividual or breed to breed.

Link to the following site that might provide more information in a back-handed way:

http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00408.htm

Buck

 

[edwinf8936]

You could ask her but women don't like to tell

Ed

 

[RebeccaUK]

Thank you for this Buck. I had thoughtthat it might not be very simple but was just wondering.Feeling in a pragmatic mood I was idly thinking about how I'dsuccessfully bonded the bunnies and then got worried in case Twinklewas older than we thought and we lost her and broke Benjamin's heart inthe process after they'd only just fallen in 'love'.

Oh, Buck, I can't see the website you recommended.

Thanks for your comments.

Rebecca

 

[RebeccaUK]

Scrap that last comment Buck - I have now found the link - for some reason it didn't show til I refreshed my page.

Edwin *lol*

 

[Buck Jones]

RebeccaUK wrote:

..for some reason it didn't show til I refreshed my page.

Edwin *lol*

*chuckle* that's because the only way I know to insert a link is topost the reply without the link, then call the site up, cut the addressfrom the address bar, return to the post, edit post, and paste in addyto the edited post.

If I minimize the post to retreive the addy, the post disappears. You "caught" me in that process.

Buck

 

[Buck Jones]

For Your Further Information:

"At present, there are no reliable techniques to age rabbits once theyobtain adult weight(c.1200g),...."

2002 British Ecological Society, Journal of Applied Ecology, 39,, 549-560.

Buck

 

[RabbyBabbyRabbit]

UK, that betta isnt by any chance the one, Lucky, who was strapped to dynamite

 

[pamnock]

There have been some previous posts on the subject that you can find by doing a search.

However, except for the really young, and really old -- you can't tell.

The eye weight does increase as the rabbit ages, but we can't take the eye out and weigh it.

Pam