Surely, every real rabbit breeder has been faced with establishing the sex of his farm. This procedure is not at all complicated, but it is very responsible. If you don't know how to distinguish a male from a female rabbit, you can call a veterinarian or other experienced professional, or read about it on our website. This is not always possible, and it will bring you additional costs and hassle. In this case, it will be much easier and more practical to learn how to independently determine the sex of rabbits 100%. You will see that there is nothing difficult in learning to determine the sex of rabbits by their external sexual characteristics.
Optimal age of a rabbit for sex determination
The best time to determine the sex of rabbits is when they reach four weeks after birth. Attempts to identify distinctive features in the early stages turn out to be incorrect in 80% of cases. Until one month of age, the genitals of males and females look the same. At three months they are ready to mate, but crossing closely related representatives will not produce healthy offspring. Therefore, the optimal period for establishing the sex and further delimitation of animals is exactly 30 days after birth.
Useful tips and tricks
Determining the sex of rabbits is necessary when keeping and breeding them. This process involves some rules and nuances that every owner of fur-bearing animals should know about:
- The result of examining the rabbit should not be affected by the presence of nipples, since their presence is characteristic of both sexes.
- Examination of young individuals is carried out in a calm state and with sufficient confidence. The animal must be held securely, but not tightly. Rabbits at a young age are fragile and delicate, especially for decorative breeds.
- For a comfortable stay, there should be about 10 female rabbits per two males. This should be taken into account when forming a livestock.
- In some cases, to obtain strong offspring, mixing sperm is practiced. This means that two males alternately join one female.
- You can determine the sex of rabbits by their behavior, external and other characteristics. But maximum accuracy can only be obtained by examining the genitals.
- You should pay special attention to determining the sex before placing the rabbits. Mistakes made are fraught with inbreeding and the production of weak offspring.
- When examining a male, sometimes only one testicle is found. This picture is characteristic of cryptorchids. Individuals with defects are not used for breeding.
- When purchasing a rabbit, an examination of its genitals should be carried out independently. You should not rely only on the opinion of sellers.
Determining the sex of rabbits is an important stage in the process of raising and breeding them. Every rabbit breeder should know and understand the methods and subtleties of its implementation. This will help to avoid inbreeding, fights and injuries in the case of mixed-sex housing.
Sexual characteristics
Allows you to identify differences between males and females.
Primary
These include the external genitalia, by studying the structure of which you can find out the sex of the animal with one hundred percent probability. They are already formed in utero at the genetic level and are caused by the growth of hormones.
Secondary
They are formed during the process of growth and puberty of individuals. They are classified by appearance:
- fur cover;
- shape and structure of the head;
- mammary glands;
- condition of the musculoskeletal system;
- body proportions.
They help visually understand gender, but are auxiliary, not fundamental. Males, unlike females, are larger, including their skulls. Females have a more fragile skeleton, graceful body lines, the gluteal region is larger than that of males, and there are 2 rows of nipples on the stomach. Observing rodents, you can see characteristic features in their behavior: Boys tend to mark their territory with urine and behave more actively and aggressively. Girls prefer privacy and do not get into fights.
How to distinguish a female from a male rabbit
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how to determine the gender of a rabbit
Do you want to breed rabbits? First you need to know how to distinguish a female from a male. Being able to accurately determine the gender of furry pets is necessary for the correct formation of a rabbit herd and, accordingly, for successful business.
At what age can you distinguish a female from a male?
Inexperienced rabbit breeders should begin determining the sex of rabbits no earlier than they reach one month of age. The genital organs of a male and female in the early stages of their development are no different. You won't be able to see the difference, because it simply doesn't exist. Some rabbit breeders, confident in their knowledge, make attempts to determine the sex of babies a few days after birth, but, alas... they fail. Even at 2 weeks of age, the probability of correct sex determination is about 80%. Sex determination at such an early stage is absolutely pointless and such a rabbit herd will not live up to the rabbit breeder’s expectations.
How to distinguish a female from a male rabbit
But even after a month, studying gender is also unprofitable, since both the purchase and sale of rabbits is carried out at this age. Some Western countries have passed laws prohibiting the sale of infant rabbits. They explain that this is not humane. In addition to the moral aspect, there is also a practical one: rabbits at this age still have weak immunity, since they were taken away from their mother early and did not receive the necessary microelements.
If you are a beginner breeder and are just thinking about buying rabbits, then I advise you to read this article carefully, otherwise you will have to take the word of the seller, who may deceive you.
buying rabbits at the market
Why is it important to determine the sex of rabbits between 1 and 3 months of age?
The deadline for determining the sex of rabbits is three months from their birth. At this time, baby rabbits reach sexual maturity and can begin producing offspring. If this process is left uncontrolled, you can end up with many litters with poor health indicators. Factors such as:
- close family ties
- defects in the formation of the genital organs
- injuries received by male rabbits due to fights for leadership
home rabbit mini farm
The most optimal age for raising rabbits is when the babies are 1.5-2 months old.
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Sexual characteristics of rabbits
Like all mammals, rabbits have the following two groups of sexual characteristics:
- primary
- secondary
Let's talk about each of them in more detail.
Primary sexual characteristics
Primary signs are the genitals of the female and the male. Gender can be reliably determined only by careful examination of the rabbit's genitals. There are two methods of determination, different for adult and young rabbits.
How to distinguish a female from a male rabbit
The first method for adult rabbits
It is important that the rabbit is not frightened by the manipulations carried out with it; you need to start with stroking. Place your pet on your lap and lull its alertness with your petting. When the rabbit calms down, you can begin. Grab him by the scruff of the neck and turn him over on your lap so that his head is facing you. Hold the rabbit with one hand and use the other to spread the hair in the genital area.
how to distinguish a female from a male
Appearance of the female genitals
The female's genitals resemble a loop shape that looks like a tongue. The color can be light pink (this applies to younger rabbits) or dark (this applies to adult females). The loop on the sides is triangular in shape and has a gap in it that tapers towards the tail.
bunny girl
Appearance of the male genitals
The male genitals are shaped like a cylinder with a round hole in the center. In adolescent rabbits, this organ is usually white. However, the older the male gets, the more his genitals change. After some time, the end of the penis becomes swollen and turns pink along its entire length. The male's genital organ looks like a bullet.
bunny boy
When the male reaches puberty, the testicles can be seen descending. This is a 100% indicator of gender, so when you find them, you can rest assured that this is definitely a male. The testicles of a male rabbit are very similar to tumors, not covered with hair. Due to the similarity with painful formations, some new livestock breeders get terribly scared, panic and run to the veterinarian for help.
male testicles
The second method for baby rabbits
This method can determine the sex of animals in a period from 2 weeks to 1 month. I would like to remind you once again that at this age the genitals of rabbits look almost the same and the probability of correct identification does not exceed 80% even among experienced rabbit breeders, so there is no 100% guarantee. Place the baby rabbit exactly as described in the first method. Gently pull back the animal's skin by pressing with your index finger in the anus area and with your thumb on the belly.
Appearance of the genitals of a young female
If you are holding a girl in your hands, then you should see an oblong slit that narrows towards the anus. If you don’t understand that there is a gap in front of you and not a round hole, then take a ruler in your hands and measure the distance from the genitals to the anus. For girls it will be no more than 2 millimeters.
Appearance of the genitals of a young male
In male rabbits, if you spread the skin using the technology described above, then instead of a gap you should see a round hole. If you still fail to see anything, then again arm yourself with a ruler and measure the distance from the genitals to the anus. It should be from 2 to 5 millimeters.
Due to the fact that rabbits are small animals, examining their genitals and determining their gender is quite problematic. During the determination procedure, take a magnifying glass. Then you will more accurately determine whether the person in front of you is a boy or a girl.
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Secondary sexual characteristics of rabbits
Secondary sexual characteristics are also the external characteristics of animals. And yet, most often they are indicative only for experienced rabbit breeders, since they are not always noticeable to beginners even over a long period of time.
how to distinguish a female from a male rabbit
Secondary characteristics of females
The female is distinguished from the male by smooth body lines. Since the female must produce offspring, she has a voluminous croup and nipples running in two rows on her belly. Some rabbit breeders claim that the fur of females is much softer and fluffier than that of males.
Secondary characteristics of females
The male's physique is much stronger than that of the female. For comparison, feel the leg of a male and a female. In a male rabbit it will be wider and more powerful than in a female rabbit. The rounded body of the male ends with a massive head. They have a narrow croup. This is especially noticeable when you plant a female and a male next to each other.
Behavioral factor in determining sex
The main thing is not to panic when you see one rabbit jumping on another, as if mating. The bottom line is this: the female is overexcited and she can imitate the behavior of the male by jumping on her sister. Such pseudo matings are also a demonstration of one’s strength in identifying a leader. In general, rabbits are very emotional and playful animals, so it is almost impossible to determine their gender by their behavior. But still, such methods exist.
pseudo-mating of rabbits
Male behavior
Watch the rabbits. Watch them go to the toilet. If the male sprays his urine frequently and randomly, then there is no need to run to the veterinarian. Simply, in front of you is a sexually mature male, who is marking his territory in this way. The male can also be distinguished by the pungent odor of urine, which occurs when secretions from the male’s gonads enter it. And the males will rub against the edges of their cages and feeders so that only his scent is everywhere.
rabbit marks territory
If two males are in a cage together, you will see gladiator fights. They will tear out the fur of the enemy, leaving bald spots. As a rule, such rabbits are considered defective, because their wool is damaged and unsuitable for further use. However, as a producer, it remains valuable if it is a purebred individual.
Behavior of females
Females, unlike their brothers, behave much calmer. They are constantly engaged in arranging their homes and love to dig holes (if there are any), and arrange corners in the cage for a comfortable stay for future offspring. Sometimes they huddle there themselves and sit there for several days, without demanding food. This behavior of rabbits should not bother you; this behavior of rabbits is quite normal. Sometimes they pick off the fluff and line their prepared home with it.
refuse food
Females are usually not pugnacious people. But sometimes these quiet creatures can fight with each other. This happens when conquering succulent food or a soft place in the cage. During fights, damage to the fur is possible, but, as a rule, this does not happen.
This is where we can end the article and summarize:
The technique for determining gender depends only on the age of the pet. Determining the identity of small rabbits whose age does not exceed 1 month is very problematic due to the underdevelopment of the animals’ genitals. At this time, the female's loop and the male's penis are very similar to each other. They are almost impossible to distinguish even by the gap and the round hole.
Teenage rabbits (1-3 months) have more developed genitals. The loop in females becomes like a tongue and turns pink. In males, the penis becomes like a cylinder with a swollen foreskin. In sexually mature individuals, the genitals acquire a dark pink tint. In females, an oblong slit is clearly visible, and in males, the testicles descend, looking like two mounds not covered with hair.
Now you will not be tormented by the question of how to distinguish a female from a male rabbit, and I am sure that you will succeed!
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Inspection technique
In order to accurately find out the sex of a baby rabbit, you should do the following:
- prepare a flat, hard surface with good lighting;
- calmly lift the rabbit by the scruff or ears with one hand, and with the other, supporting the body from the back, place it at the inspection site, lightly pressing the tail to the surface and lifting the hind legs up;
- With the thumb and index finger of your free hand, stretch the skin in the perineal area and press lightly on both sides of the genitals;
- if a pink bump or bulge appears with a hole in the middle, it’s a boy, if a small loop-shaped fold appears, it’s a girl.
The most important rule during inspection is not to disturb the animal. Whenever frightened, rabbits retract their genitals, which prevents an examination.
Determining gender by indirect signs
If you have difficulty determining the sex of a rabbit based on its genitals, you should pay attention to the behavior of the animals. How do females behave:
- they are calm most of the time;
- during sexual hunting they show aggression;
- They tend to engage in digging holes and arranging a nest.
Now let's look at how boy rabbits behave:
- they are more active and inquisitive;
- males fight with each other for the right to own territory;
- They mark their possessions by scattering droppings and rubbing their snouts on the equipment to leave their scent.
Based only on indirect signs, it is difficult to determine the gender of animals. At an early age, their behavior is identical, all rabbits are equally mobile, and the instincts inherent in adults do not yet appear in them.
You can accurately determine the gender of a rabbit starting from 2.5-3 months. Until this point, identification is difficult even for people with experience. To avoid mistakes when buying a pet, enlist the support of the breeder. If this is not possible, examine the animal's genitals with a magnifying glass. The presence of a tiny tubercle with an opening at a distance of 4-5 mm from the anus indicates that it is a boy. If there is no prepuce rudiment, then it is a female individual.
Character of males and females
Gender differences are also evident in the behavior of rabbits.
Males have glands on their chin that secrete special enzymes that allow them to mark their territory. Therefore, they rub their faces against the feeders and cage walls, reinforcing both the smell and their superiority. They also use another way to mark boundaries - they release a stream of urine while jumping, trying to spray as large an area as possible.
In females, this desire is much less common. They prefer to hide in secluded corners of the cage, dig the litter, creating a “nest”, behave noisily, and often pluck the fluff on their belly.
During games, sometimes the female rabbit can mount the rabbit and begin to imitate the movements characteristic of mating. This is normal and should not be a qualitative sign for identifying the sex of animals.
Identification method for adults
How to distinguish a female from a male? There is a proven method used by experienced breeders. Remember that animals have very strong hind legs. With one movement, the animal will strip the skin until it bleeds. Before the procedure, we recommend wearing protective gloves and an apron.
Eared is seated on the table, I take him by the withers. To prevent the individual from escaping from the hands, it is held tightly. They slightly lift the body, trying to sit it on the tail. The rabbit turns out to be reclining, belly up. This is the safest position for humans and most comfortable for pets.
Holding the scruff of the neck with one hand, the other gently pulls back the skin in the perineum. Apply pressure around the genital area using the thumb and index finger. Remember to place your limbs between the anus and genitals.
Now you can arm yourself with a magnifying glass and carefully examine the signs. In females, the genital slit will be located in close proximity to the anus. In males, a small, bullet-like appendage is seen, distant from the anus.
Things to remember
It is impossible to identify baby rabbits immediately after birth. Organs are just being formed, so it is difficult to understand and recognize any signs. Professionals determine sex in the second week of life, although the accuracy of predictions does not exceed 90%.
Distinguishing between tiny boys and girls in a litter is a thankless task. Some beginners try to capture their “marks” in photos and videos. Animals grow and change quickly, so in a month you won’t find them among the crowd of nimble young people.
At the age of 90 days, individuals reach sexual maturity, and hormonal changes require adolescents to continue the race. If males and females are not placed in different cages in advance, inbreeding will occur - inbreeding. As a result, the offspring can be expected to:
- mutations;
- illness;
- low survival rate;
- wildness.
The unformed nervous system of boys forces them to express their superiority over girls. There are constant fights in the cages, which end in serious injuries and death of the fighters. The “men” are in an excited state, which negatively affects their health and psyche.
If you know how to determine the sex of a rabbit, then there will be no problems with breeding. In search of signs, you no longer need to study videos or photos. Our methods will help to distinguish the developmental features of both a month-old baby and a strong adult.
