He or she? How to distinguish the sex of rabbits. How to independently determine the sex of a rabbit when purchasing: primary and secondary signs What kind of eggs do decorative rabbits have?

Knowledge of how to determine the sex of a rabbit will be relevant not only to those people who are just starting to breed these animals.

This information will also be useful for those who want to get themselves a decorative pet. In most pet stores, sellers have this knowledge and will help you choose a “fluffy”, but there may be mistakes. In such a case, you should know how to distinguish a rabbit from a female rabbit if the sex of the animal matters to the buyer.

When breeding rabbits, it is necessary to find out the sex of young animals before 3 months of age. By this time, individuals have already reached sexual maturity, but it is too early to increase their number.

Rabbit age

It is almost impossible to distinguish a boy from a girl in the first days of life after birth. During this period of time, the sexual characteristics of the cubs are similar. Only about a week after birth can the first examination be carried out. An inexperienced breeder may not be able to accurately determine the sex of all individuals. If you do not have the necessary skills and to avoid mistakes, before determining the sex of a rabbit from a new litter, it is recommended to wait until the animal is one month old.

You should also not purchase baby rabbits before this age. Such livestock will have poor health, as they are separated from their mothers prematurely.

Inspection rules

Before determining the sex of rabbits, it is necessary to prepare properly. You need to wear an apron and thick rubber gloves. Preference should be given to clothing with long sleeves. Such precautions are necessary in order to protect yourself from damage that an animal can cause. Rabbits have long claws and muscular lower limbs.

All subsequent actions should be as follows:

1. The animal is taken out of the cage with its tail first. The hand should be under the chest. To make the rabbit resist less, the hind legs are fixed with the second hand.
2. The rabbit is placed on your lap or on the table.
3. Carefully turn the animal onto its back. With one hand they hold the rabbit, with the other they pull the tail back and hold it between two fingers, using the thumb to stretch the animal’s genitals towards themselves.
4. Small individuals are held by the scruff of the neck with one hand, and under the croup with the other.
5. We distinguish the sex of the rabbit and carefully return it to the cage.

Primary sexual characteristics

The optimal time to determine sex in rabbits is 2 months of age. In order to distinguish females from males, it is necessary to examine the genitals of the animals.

In females, external sexual characteristics are presented in the form of a V-shaped slit. It narrows towards the anus. Nearby is a triangular loop. If the rabbit is young, the loop will be pink. As the female gets older, the color of the gap changes. If the gap is dark, this indicates that the animal is sexually mature.

In male rabbits, the genitals have a cylindrical tube, at the edge of which there is an opening (this is the penis). During adolescence, the male genital organ is white. As the penis ages, it becomes swollen and takes on a pink color. The testicles descend and stand out because they are not covered with down. Inexperienced breeders often mistake male genitals for tumors when examining rabbits.

Secondary sexual characteristics

You can distinguish a female from a male by indirect (external) sexual characteristics. But this method is considered inaccurate and is not suitable for small livestock. Differences appear approximately six months after birth.

Boys have the following characteristics:

• the physique is strong and muscular;
• The male's head is larger than that of the female;
• narrow croup;
• males mark their territory.

The physique of rabbits has a smooth outline. Their head is small and their croup is large. In individuals that have reached sexual maturity, there are 2 rows of nipples.

Determining the sex of animals by their behavior is difficult. Female rabbits often demonstrate their dominance, especially when they are in an excited state. To understand where the male is and where the female is based on the nature of their behavior, you will need to observe the animal for some time.

Habits of females:

1. Rarely participate in fights. If this happens, there is virtually no damage to the coat.
2. They dig holes.
3. They periodically lose their appetite.
4. They can sit in the corner of the cage for a long period.

A characteristic difference between a female and a male is the arrangement of the home. Females tear out fur from their bellies. They make nests from it. As a rule, this feature of behavior is observed during the period when the female is ready for mating or is already pregnant.

Decorative rabbits

If an ornamental rabbit was purchased as a pet and there is no need for procreation, then determining the sex of the pet will help to carry out castration in a timely manner.

It is recommended to castrate dwarf or decorative “fluffies” for your own safety. When the male reaches sexual maturity, he becomes aggressive. In addition to frequent fights among themselves (if several boys live in a cage), the rabbit can attack the owner.

After reaching sexual maturity, the male's urine acquires a persistent and very unpleasant odor. The animal constantly marks its territory, which will create an unpleasant atmosphere in the apartment.

The difference between females and males in ornamental animals is the same as in ordinary (large) individuals. The only difficulty that may arise during examination of the genitals is their size. Therefore, before determining the sex of a decorative rabbit, it is recommended to take a magnifying glass.

It is difficult to determine the sex of a rabbit without certain knowledge, and at an early age this may not be possible even for an experienced breeder. It is important for those who buy rabbits for breeding to understand this issue. You can distinguish the sex of rabbits at different ages, focusing on the primary and secondary sexual characteristics of animals.

At what age can you determine the sex of rabbits?

Until three weeks of age, it is impossible to distinguish a boy from a girl rabbit. Even experienced breeders do not always cope with this task, and this is not necessary. Little rabbits should be with their mother for at least 30-35 days after birth; they are not separated before this period, which means there is no need to determine their sex.

Closer to two months of age, a veterinarian or breeder can already determine who is in front of them - a boy or a girl. It is at this age that baby rabbits are usually separated from the female and divided by gender, seated in different cages. This is necessary to prevent young individuals of different sexes from starting to mate. Inbreeding can lead to the birth of rabbits with various defects and mutations.

Primary and secondary sexual characteristics

You can distinguish the sex of rabbits by primary or secondary sexual characteristics. In the first case, we are talking directly about the genitals of the animal. In males this is the presence of testicles and phallus, in females - a genital loop. At an early age, the reproductive organs of rabbits are similar, but closer to 2 months they change, which makes it possible to distinguish them.

Secondary signs include pet behavior and body features. The body of males is larger, the muscle reliefs are more clearly expressed, the head is large, and its outlines are angular. You can distinguish a male by his behavior:

• he marks territory;
• shows aggression - gets into fights with other rabbits.

The female rabbit’s body is smaller, her shape is more graceful, her croup and belly are rounded. The head also has softer outlines. Females are almost always calm. They can only show aggression during the period of sexual hunting.

Attention! Identification of the sex of a rabbit based on secondary sexual characteristics does not provide complete confidence in the reliability of the result.

Gender determination at the time of purchase

In order not to make a mistake when choosing a pet of a certain gender when purchasing, it is better to purchase the animal from breeders. They have sufficient experience in this matter, since they have to seat small rabbits weaned from their mother, sorting them by gender.

If you buy a rabbit in a store, you will have to rely only on your own knowledge or blindly trust the seller. Rabbits up to two months of age have very similar genitals, so to avoid mistakes, you should buy older rabbits.

So, to find out the gender of a rabbit in a store, follow the instructions:

1. To examine the genitals of an animal, it should be laid on a flat, hard surface on its back. His body position is reclining.
2. While holding the rabbit in this position, you need to spread the hind legs and pull the skin in the groin area with your free hand.
3. Using your index finger and thumb, lightly squeeze the area just above and below the animal’s genitals. This allows them to open up as much as possible.

A sign that this is a female will be the presence of a large reproductive loop, a slit framed by thickened skin. The genital loop has the shape of an ellipse and is located in close proximity to the anus.

The male has a small round hole, from which, when pressed, a phallic-shaped appendage will appear.

Attention! Be careful when examining the reproductive organs of the animal; out of fear, the rabbit is capable of striking a strong blow with its hind legs and injuring a person.

Sex determination in young rabbits

To distinguish a rabbit from a female rabbit at an early age, you will need a magnifying glass. There are differences between the genital organs of animals of different sexes, but they are barely noticeable. The baby rabbit should be placed on the table with its paws up. Next, with your free hand, lightly pull the skin in the groin area and examine the genitals with a magnifying glass.

Baby rabbits are up to a month old

In babies less than a month old, the genitals have not yet fully formed, so they are visually similar. By stretching the skin near the genitals, the male manages to detect a tiny tubercle with an opening located at a distance of 5 millimeters from the anus. This is an unformed prepuce; the penis is subsequently formed from it. Females do not have such a tubercle.

At 1 month

When the baby rabbits are already a month old, their genitals are still in the formative stage, but some changes have already occurred. At one month of age, the rudiments of the genital slit are visible in females. The male individual is already developing a prepuce.

Attention! At this age, you can distinguish a female rabbit from a male by the distance from the anus to the genital organ. In boys it is about 5 mm, and in girls the genital slit is located very close to the anus.

At 2 months

By two months, the genitals of the baby rabbits have already fully formed; moreover, they have become larger, which allows them to be seen better. In female rabbits, the genital loop is clearly visible, and in rabbits a penis has formed. The testicles are not yet visible; they descend later.

At 3 months

Three-month-old pets begin the process of puberty. Now it's easy to recognize the gender of a rabbit. The rabbits have a fully formed penis, and the testicles are already beginning to descend into the scrotum. In females, the genital loop can be seen without any magnifying glass.

How to determine the sex of a decorative rabbit?

You can find out the gender of a decorative rabbit using the same instructions. At an early age, the genital organs of animals are difficult to distinguish due to their small size. Armed with a magnifying glass, you will be able to examine the rudiments of the prepuce in males aged 1.2 to 2 months. The genital loop in female rabbits is almost invisible until two months of age.

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.

Determining the sex of a rabbit is a task that is almost impossible to cope with without certain skills. As for small rabbits, in this case it is difficult to distinguish a male from a female even for an experienced rabbit breeder. However, in some situations it is simply necessary to know the sex of the animal, for example, when choosing a pet for further breeding. So what knowledge do you need to be guided by in order to figure out the sex of an animal without any problems?

At what stage of development do you need to know the sex of a rabbit?

The sex of rabbits before three weeks of age is not determined, as this is practically impossible. Closer to 2-2.5 months, experienced rabbit breeders can already distinguish a female from a male. Usually, before this age, gender knowledge is not required, since the babies are still too dependent on the mother and giving them to a new owner can be dangerous. Thus, we can draw the following conclusion: knowing the sex of a baby rabbit until it is separated from the female is impractical.

What are primary and secondary sexual characteristics in rabbits

Rabbits, like other mammals, have primary and secondary sexual characteristics. The primary ones include signs associated with the reproductive system, namely the presence of the corresponding genital organs. Secondary - do not participate in the reproduction process, but it is thanks to them that a female can be visually distinguished from a male. In rabbits, these signs are so smoothed out that they are practically absent. It is in this regard that difficulties arise in determining the gender when choosing a pet.

How to determine the sex of a rabbit when purchasing

Photo - rabbit

Of course, it is best to purchase a baby rabbit from an experienced breeder who has extensive experience in this matter. However, in some cases you have to rely only on your own knowledge and skills. To independently determine the sex of a rabbit, you must follow the following steps.

Firstly, place the rabbit on a table or other hard surface and firmly grasp the withers with your right hand. Then carefully lift it and sit it on its tail (the rabbit should recline on its back).

Secondly, with your free hand, without causing pain to the animal, stretch the skin in the genital area and press on both sides with your thumb and forefinger, which should be between the anus and the reproductive organs.

With the right actions, you will be able to see either the female’s genital slit, located in close proximity to the anus, or a small round hole - a sign of a male.

When performing these manipulations, follow safety regulations. Please note that rabbits have quite strong back legs and if you cause them any discomfort they can easily injure you.

Method for determining the sex of adult animals

To determine the sex of an adult rabbit, it is best to sit it on your lap, but you can also sit it on any hard surface. The method for determining gender is exactly the same as described above. In addition, the testicles of an adult male can be felt. If you succeed, then all subsequent manipulations are eliminated.

Methods for determining sex in young rabbits and ornamental rabbits

Photo - male (rabbit)

So, how to determine the sex of a rabbit that has not reached its maturity? In an adult animal, all organs are already formed, and when pressing on the appropriate points, it is impossible to make a mistake in determining the sex. In small rabbits, the genitals are practically no different when examined. In this case, you can deal with determining gender as follows. After performing all the above manipulations, you will see poorly developed genitals. Pay attention to their location; in the female, the genital slit is located at a distance of up to 2 millimeters from the anus, and in the male, accordingly, much further.

The method for determining sex in decorative rabbits does not differ from the methods described above. The small size of an adult animal is another factor that complicates the question of how to determine the sex of a decorative rabbit. It is worth noting that even when buying an animal at a pet store, you cannot be completely sure that when your pet grows up, it will not be of the opposite sex. Thus, it is worth asking the seller to inspect the animal in front of you.

Determining the sex of a rabbit by indirect signs

These signs do not provide a complete answer to the question of sex determination, but are suitable as additional measures.

• When examining an adult female, you can feel two rows of nipples;
• Female rabbits are usually larger than males of their breed and age;
• Males have a shorter and wider head, as well as a narrow croup.

Correctly determining the sex of a rabbit is an extremely important and responsible task. This especially applies to rabbit breeding for commercial purposes, when several animals must be kept in one cage. In this case, we are talking about the safety of the animals themselves.

Watch the video on how to determine the sex of a rabbit.

When buying a furry pet, you can trust the seller, but it is better to know in advance about the peculiarities of determining the sex of a rabbit yourself. The seller may not be competent, so you should primarily rely only on your own knowledge in this area. It is quite easy to distinguish a rabbit from a female rabbit in adulthood, since the genitals of an adult male are large and clearly visible. Difficulties arise only with children and teenagers.

When buying a furry pet, you can trust the seller, but it is better to know in advance about the peculiarities of determining the sex of a rabbit yourself.

It is important to understand and be able to distinguish between rabbits of different ages by sex. There are characteristics of adult animals and rabbits.

In adults

Before determining the sex of a rabbit, it should be remembered that although it is a peaceful creature, if frightened or in pain, the animal can seriously injure anyone with quick blows of its strong hind legs. Therefore, you should follow safety precautions, acting gently, lightly, stroking the animal on the head and talking to it affectionately. You need to take him by the withers with one hand and quickly turn him onto his back into a semi-lying position.

You can hold it in your hands, but it is better to place it on a hard surface.

With your free hand, gently but firmly, you need to gradually stretch the skin between the hind legs, placing one finger just above the anus, and the second opposite it, at a distance of about 3 - 5 cm. When the genital organ is exposed, you need to press lightly with your fingers on both sides so that it could be seen. The female rabbit's genitals will look like a small pink loop and will be located very close to the anus. A rabbit will be distinguished from a female rabbit by a slightly curved reproductive organ of a bright pink color, similar to a horn, located slightly further from the anus than that of the female. In addition, in an adult animal you can see the testicles in the form of swellings next to the genitals, unless of course the male retracts them out of fear, because these are very timid animals.

In babies

Experts recommend purchasing a baby rabbit no earlier than two months of age, because it is during this period that they are separated from their mother. It is very difficult to find out the gender of rabbits under 1 month old. They look and behave so alike that it is almost impossible to distinguish a boy rabbit from a girl one. Only experienced specialists with certain skills are able to recognize the sex of baby rabbits, but they are often mistaken.

There is a method for distinguishing rabbits that have already reached the age of one month, because it is during this period that rabbit breeders need to place the animals in different enclosures so that the growing males do not damage their reproductive organs in fights. You can find out the sex of babies during this period only by comparing the distance from the anus to the genitals of each animal: the greater this distance, the higher the chances that this rabbit is a male.

When babies turn 2 months old, this technique will work flawlessly.

At 3 months of age, males have already formed a distinct penis, gradually taking the shape of a tube, and females have a pink loop, which greatly simplifies the procedure for determining sex. Over time, the coloring of the genitals becomes brighter, and gender differences become more obvious. When the rabbits reach six months of age, an attentive person can easily determine the sex of each. By this time, the male will already have a curved genital organ in the form of a bright red process, and testes will be formed, which will be easy to notice, since they are not covered with hair.

A 3-month-old rabbit (video)

By behavior and appearance

Rabbit breeders recommend taking a closer look at the behavior of their pets: if, when the owner appears in the enclosure, the animal rushes to the side, trying to hide, it is a female, but if the animal runs towards you, is active and inquisitive, then it is a male. Of course, this method cannot always be used, and it is suitable only for adult animals, but this method can serve as an addition to the visual examination of the genital organs of animals and themselves as a whole.

Visual inspection of rabbits allows you to distinguish the sex of the animals by their size: females are always slightly larger than males of the same age and rounder than them. Males are more angular and have a more massive, shorter and wider head. You can feel the nipples of rabbits if you touch their belly.

In decorative pets

The sex of an ornamental rabbit is determined in the same way as its larger counterparts, although a little more attention will be required, since even adult ornamental animals are small in size, making this procedure difficult.

It would be wise to first ask the seller what gender the baby is, and then still diagnose the gender yourself. In females, the distance from the anus to the genital slit should not exceed 2 mm; in males, the distance from the anus to the reproductive organ will be about 4 mm.

Differences between males and females (video)

Every rabbit breeder sooner or later has a question: how to determine the sex of a rabbit? This procedure is absolutely not complicated, but at the same time it is very responsible. After all, it is very important to correctly determine the sex of baby rabbits so that there is no confusion in the future. If you wish, you can contact a veterinarian or a more experienced owner of the animal who knows exactly how to determine the sex of a rabbit, but this is not always convenient, and it incurs extra costs, both material and time. From our article you will learn how to distinguish a rabbit from a female rabbit.

How to determine the gender of a rabbit without examining its genitals? You can try to do this based on external signs. But remember that only an experienced rabbit breeder who has been doing this for several years can tell the difference. After all, the female and the male have minor external differences. The rabbit has a more massive head and a well-developed muscular body. The rabbit's body is round and soft. Her head is much lighter compared to the male.

Also, many believe that you can distinguish a rabbit from a female rabbit by the presence of nipples. But this is a very common misconception. Both females and males have nipples.

Very often, inexperienced owners try to distinguish rabbits by behavior. If you see animals mating, do not rush to draw conclusions, this does not always mean that they are of different sexes. At the time of puberty, such situations occur very often between same-sex individuals.

In general, with the help of external signs it is only possible to guess the sex of a rabbit; it can be accurately determined only by examining the genitals.

Genital examination

Many people, especially beginner rabbit breeders, do not know how to determine the sex of a rabbit by its genitals. It’s not difficult, the main thing is to correctly distinguish male organs from female ones. So, let's look at the main differences.

How to check the sex of a rabbit

Remember that it is best to purchase a rabbit at the age of 2-3 months. Only in this case will you be able to determine the sex of your animal without unnecessary problems and with 100% confidence. In a mature rabbit you will see the testicles, they are located right next to the penis and look like small swellings. If you notice testicles, then there is no need to further torment the animal or look for other signs. This is definitely a male.

When you buy a male, be sure to carefully examine his genitals, they should not be damaged. Very often, during games or fights, rabbits injure their genitals.

You should know that when a rabbit is afraid, it instinctively pulls its testicles inward, which is what makes it difficult to tell right away.

If at first glance it is not clear who is in front of you, you need to proceed with a detailed inspection.

To begin, put on an apron and tough rubber gloves. Remember that the animal has strong hind legs with claws, and it can hurt you. Then place the rabbit on the table and firmly grasp the withers so that he cannot escape. Next, with a sharp movement, turn the animal onto its back, into a reclining position. The hind legs should “look” up. In this position it will be most convenient to examine the organs.

Then, with one hand, still hold the withers, and with the other hand, gently press in the genital area. It is best to apply pressure with two fingers, place one between the perineum and the anus, and the other a little higher. The main thing is that they are on the same line. In a female rabbit, the slit is located close to the anus, while in a male it is located much further away. Also, when pressed, males will have a pink or white penis, the color depends on the age of the rabbit.

Video “Determination of sex in rabbits”

This video shows how to determine the sex of a rabbit in sexually mature adult rabbits.

How to determine the sex of a baby rabbit

Many people ask how to determine the sex of baby rabbits who are not yet a month old? Experts advise not to rush, since the external sexual characteristics of small rabbits are absolutely identical and it will be absolutely impossible to distinguish them. Even an experienced rabbit breeder will not tell you 100% the gender of your pet at such an early age. But if you still need to determine the sex of the baby rabbits and there is absolutely no time to wait, then you can try to examine the genitals with a magnifying glass. The technique for determining sex in baby rabbits is exactly the same as when working with an adult rabbit. When pressed, nothing will appear on the female, but on the male a tiny bump with a small hole will appear. But remember, it’s best not to rush and still wait until the animals become sexually mature.

We hope our tips were useful to you, and you now know how to determine the sex of a rabbit and can easily apply theoretical knowledge in practice.

Video “How to determine the sex of suckling rabbits”

The video shows how to distinguish a male from a female at an early age.

Featured Articles

Leash for a rabbit: how to put it on, how to make it yourself

In warm weather, rabbits are regularly walked. For this you need a special leash. Find out how to make a harness yourself and how to put it on correctly in the article