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When Do Rabbits Stop Growing? #Age #CareTips

You brought that little bundle of fur just a few days ago, and you find it growing rather rapidly in a year. That can be quite confusing and difficult to understand aspect for the pet owners. Are you ever keep wondering at what age do rabbits stop growing?

When do Rabbits Stop Growing?

So, what is the age that the rabbits stop growing? Smaller breeds of rabbits ideally grow to their full growth in 5 to 7 months. Larger breeds can take anywhere between one to one and a half year to grow adequately.

You can find the smaller breeds of rabbits such as Netherland dwarfs reaching an adult stage in 4 to 5 months, while the larger breeds of rabbits are likely to keep growing till they are 18 months.

While that may be a broader aspect of when do rabbits stop growing. We will discuss the age at which rabbits stop growing for different species.

Like we have repeatedly been stating, the age at which rabbits stop growing is dependent on the individual species of the rabbit. The kits (or the baby rabbits) are separated from their moms at the age of around eight weeks and sold to you through the pet shops or otherwise. They may not be of their adult size and thus would need some extra protein to grow to their adult size.

When Do Rabbits Stop Growing

We will check out a few rabbit breeds and find at which age do they stop growing.

When do Lionhead Rabbits Stop Growing?

Lionhead rabbits are found to grow to their full size in 6 months. After this age, they stop growing. The average weight of a Lionhead rabbit should typically be in the range of 2.5 to 3.5 pounds.

Once they reach the age of 6 months, it would be a good idea to keep a check on their weight. This is because since Lionhead rabbits do not grow after attaining the age of 6 months, it may be worthwhile to keep a tab on their weight so that they would not turn obese or overweight.  This would be in tune with the other dwarf rabbits which tend to stop growing in around six months.

When do Rex Rabbits Stop Growing?

There are two varieties of Rex Rabbits, and they have different ages at which they stop growing. Standard Rex Rabbits are considered to be the medium-sized ones, and Mini Rexes are the dwarf rabbits.

Standard Rex rabbits stop growing at the age of 8 to 9 months of age, while Mini Rex rabbits attain the full size by the age of 6 to 7 months. As for the weight, standard Rex rabbits would weigh around 7 to 10 pounds when grown-up entirely, and Mini Rex species grows to 3 to 4.5 pounds.

When do Dwarf Rabbits Stop Growing?

Dwarf rabbits reach adulthood and stop growing at the age of 4 to 5 months. Of course, the exact time frame and the age may vary across species.

As for the weight, a few good examples can be:

  • Netherland Dwarf rabbit – 2.5 Pounds
  • Dwarf Hotot Rabbit – Under 3 pounds
  • Jersey Wooly rabbit – 1 to 3 pounds
  • Britannia Petite Rabbit – 1.5 to 2.5 pounds

When do Dutch Rabbits Stop Growing?

The Dutch rabbits stop growing at the age of 6 to 7 months as most of the dwarfs do. Dutch rabbits are categorised as the small to medium-sized rabbits. While they are not precisely dwarfs, they do not grow the size of medium-sized breeds either.

The Dutch rabbits are known for their distinctive coat pattern. They resemble the Tuxedo cats in terms of the white and black patterns of their coat.

When do Lop Rabbits Stop Growing?

There are different breeds of lop Rabbits. The most commonly found Lop Rabbit; the French Lop rabbit can take up to 10 months to stop growing further. The French Lops have been considered to be the larger breeds and can reach the weight of up to 15 pounds.

The Lop rabbits are characterised by their ear structure. While a vast number of rabbit species have their ears standing upright, Lop rabbits have their ears flop down. Along with the popular French Lop rabbits, you can also find the other breeds such as English Lop rabbits.

When do New Zealand Rabbits Stop Growing?

New Zealand Rabbits reach maturity at the age of 10 to 12 months and stop growing after that age. The New Zealand Rabbits are medium-sized, broader in size and can grow to be muscular.

They grow to attain around 9 to 11 pounds of weight. The females can reach a weight of 10 to 12 pounds. Also, they are genetically created and have a defect which gives them pink eyes.

When do Angora Rabbits Stop Growing?

There are multiple species among the Angora rabbits. The most popular English Angora rabbit reach the adult weight at the age of 7 to 8 months and stop growing after this age. These are medium-sized rabbits and can reach a weight of around 5 to 7.5 pounds.

The Angora Rabbits are known for their longer and a luxurious coat. The coat needs to be brushed regularly and will need to be shed. The fur keeps growing continuously and needs to be collected. It can be used for making socks, scarves, and sweaters.

When do French Rabbits Stop Growing?

The French Rabbits are larger breeds and can be bigger than the domestic cats. They can keep growing until the age of 10 months and then stop growing further. While they can be smaller when born and may appear to be like dwarf rabbits, they can reach the weight of up to 10 to 15 pounds.

The French rabbits have been one of the most popular breeds and were bred explicitly between the English lops and Flemish Giants. Initially bred for meat, they went on to become the popular pets by the 1900s.

When do Harlequin Rabbits Stop Growing?

The Harlequin Rabbits are a medium-sized rabbit and can stop growing at the age of 9 months. They can reach a weight of around 6.5 to 9.5 pounds when fully grown. Females can slightly outgrow the males in the case of Harlequin rabbits.

Nicknamed as Magpie, the Harlequin rabbits come with the orange and black coats. They originated from France, the Harlequin breed is based on color and not necessarily on the shape of the body.

When do Holland Lop Rabbits Stop Growing?

Holland Lop rabbits are dwarf breeds. They can reach their full size at the age of 6 to 7 months and stop growing further. They can attain a weight of 2.75 to 4 pounds by the time they grow to their adult age.

The Holland lop rabbits resemble the French lop rabbits in many ways. These dwarfs were bred from French lops, Netherland Dwarfs, and English lops. First recognised in 1979, they have become popular as thee best rabbit breeds.

When do Netherland Rabbits Stop Growing?

Netherlands Dwarf is the smallest breed of pet rabbits currently found. The Netherland Dwarf rabbits stop growing at the age of 4 to 5 months. The maximum adult weight that can reach up to is limited to 4 pounds. A few of them can grow to 2 pounds while a few others grow to 3 pounds.

The Netherland Rabbits are specialised by the short skulls and tiny ears, they have been one of the most popular pets ever. They can be trained and are found to be much sociable. However, they can be fragile and may not be a good option as the pets for children.

When do Flemish Giant Rabbits Stop Growing?

Flemish Giant rabbits grow to the full size up to the age of 1.5 years. They can consume a lot of food during this period. The Flemish Giant rabbits are giant true to their name and will stop growing at the age of 18 months.

They can attain a weight of 14 to 22 pounds and thus has been primarily kept as livestock animals. They are bred to achieve a larger build and so as to get enough meat and fur.

In summary of what we have discussed so far:

Breed of the Rabbit

Age at Which Rabbits Stop Growing

Adult Weight

Lionhead Rabbits

6 months

2.5 to 3.5 pounds

Standard Rex

8 to 9 months

7 to 10 pounds

Mini Rex

6 to 7 months

3 to 4.5 pounds

Dutch Rabbits

6 to 7 months

4 pounds

French Lop Rabbits

10 months

15 pounds

New Zealand Rabbits

10 to 12 months

10 to 12 pounds

Angora Rabbits

7 to 8  months

5 to 7 pounds

Harlequin Rabbits

9 months

6.5 to 9.5 pounds

Holland Lop

6 to 7 months

2.5 to 4 pounds

Netherland Dwarf

4 to 5 months

1 to 4 pounds

Flemish Giant

18 months

14 to 22 pounds

How Long do Rabbits Live?

Under ideal conditions, rabbits kept as pets will live anywhere between 8 to 12 years. In the wild, the rabbits will live only for one to two years and can be preyed upon during this period; the domesticated rabbits can live anywhere between 8 to 12 years.

The stages in the life of a rabbit can be classified and analysed as here below. This can be helpful in understanding your rabbit well enough and interact with it in the right spirit.

Infancy or Babyhood
Ranges between 0 to 3 months

  • They are born hairless. They are also blind and have closed eyes.

  • The mother feeds the babies once or twice a day.

  • Eyes open in around 10 days

  • Weaning begins at around 3 to 4 weeks

  • Begin to socialise in around 4 to 5 weeks

Adolescence ( 3 to 6 months)

  • Male rabbits reach sexual maturity at 3 to 4 months

  • Females reach maturity at 5 to 6 months

  • Females may exhibit phantom pregnancy or fake pregnancy

Teenage (6 months to 1 year)

  • They may have dental problems

  • If de-sexed, they may avoid exercises and begin gaining weight

  • Can be moody and less likely to socialise

Young Adults (1 to 3 years)

  • The most active phase of a rabbit's life

  • They undergo a lot of exercises

  • You need to give them a lot of attention and play with them

Middle Age (3 to 5 years) 

  • They begin sleeping more and tend to be less active

  • They will begin becoming more affectionate

  • They would be peaceful and happy

Upper middle age (5 to 7 years)

  • Age related issues such as arthritis may begin to surface

  • A lower level of motility

  • Regular health checks may be necessary

  • Extra care required

Old age (7 to 9 years)

  • They will slow down considerably

  • May develop a chronic illness

  • A close bond may develop between the rabbit and the owner.

  • Extreme care would be needed during these twilight years.

The Concluding Thoughts

Well, that should provide you with an idea into when do rabbits stop growing. Each of the species has a different age at which they stop growing. The discussion above should provide you with an insight into the different species at which they stop growing further.

The weight of the rabbits as outlined here should provide you with a further idea into how to monitor and take care of the rabbits and their actual weight. This can further help you take care and thus assist you in avoiding the rabbit from getting obese or overweight.

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