Breeding rabbits is a labor-intensive process that requires a lot of knowledge and skills. Among them, it is worth highlighting the determination of the sex of the animal. This is because this procedure is not an easy task even for experienced rabbit breeders. And, without being able to distinguish between the sexes of animals, their rearing becomes impossible.
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.
Why is it important to determine gender?
The sex of a rabbit is a specific criterion that must be determined at all stages of breeding.
- This is especially important when it comes to expensive breeds that are purchased for breeding. Rabbit breeders recommend taking rabbits and female rabbits from different nurseries in order to ultimately get high-quality offspring without closely related relationships. You should not completely believe the sellers' stories. After all, they can also be wrong. Therefore, you need to be able to independently distinguish between gender characteristics.
- The sex of the rabbit also matters when raising it. As they grow older, same-sex individuals in the same cage begin to fight for territory. Therefore, it is worth separating them in time. And, as you know, males and females need to be kept separately to prevent uncontrolled inbreeding (inbreeding).
- Gender determination is also reflected in nutrition. Depending on the physiological state (pregnancy, mating, lactation), they are fed differently.
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.
Methods for determining gender
The procedure for identifying gender characteristics in adult rabbits and babies is different.
Video Determining the sex of Rabbits
In adult rabbits
To correctly determine what gender an animal is, you need to be able to examine it correctly without harming the little ear and without injuring yourself.
The inspection should be carried out carefully so that the rabbit does not worry. When very frightened, the animal will retract its genitals, and it will be impossible to examine them normally.
The rabbit is placed on a hard surface. You need to lightly hold the animal’s withers with your left hand, and at this time place the animal on its tail so that the limbs are at the top. The rabbit feels comfortable in this position, and it is completely safe for the rabbit breeder.
Without relaxing the hand on the withers, with the right hand they carefully spread the skin between the hind limbs of the animal, placing the index finger slightly above the anal passage, but without touching it. The thumb is placed below the anus. The fingers should be placed one opposite the other. At the same time, pressing your fingers on the sides of the genitals, you can examine the structure of the genital organ.
After the first examination for gender, after a certain period of time - 20-30 days - it is worth re-checking the animals. A repeated procedure confirms or challenges the correctness of the primary result. To do this, the breeder is recommended to re-examine the genitalia of each animal.
In adult rabbits, the bent, elongated pink penis is clearly visible. The eggs near the penis look like small oblong balls without a wool covering.
In females, a loop is clearly distinguishable - a conical tongue of light pink color in young individuals, and dark red in adults. From the side it looks like a triangle. Closer to the tail, a stretched gap stands out.
Baby rabbits
Each period of eared growth is characterized by its own characteristics of the formation of the genital organs. In an adult rabbit, they are all formed, and upon examination you can accurately determine the gender. It is very difficult to find out whether it is a boy or a girl until the ears grow up. When examined, only poorly developed rudiments of future genitalia can be seen in babies. In order not to be mistaken in the determination, the breeder must know the features of their development at different stages.
| 0-30 days | There are very few features in this period. In girls, you can see a small hole that stretches towards the anus, and in boys, a small bulge is noticeable. But these signs are very conventional, and to distinguish them requires great skill. During this period, attention should be paid to the length from the genitals to the anus. In females it becomes 0 - 2 mm, and in males - 2 - 5 mm. |
| At 1 month | Male rabbits are characterized by the presence of a small prepuce (foreskin), from which the adult penis is formed. In girls, a specific triangular organ of a pinkish hue is formed. |
| At 2 months | In boys, it is still quite difficult to view the testicles. But the females already have a small tubercle. Changes begin to manifest themselves in behavior: males become more aggressive, and females become quieter. |
| At 3 months | Normally, in males, the testicles descend completely, and the penis extends into a tube. Female rabbits acquire a fully formed tongue (loop). |
Video How to determine the sex of a rabbit//Female or male?
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.
At what age can gender be determined?
Immediately after the birth of offspring, you should not begin to determine the gender of newborn rabbits. But this can only be done competently at a certain age.
There are signs by which you can accurately determine the sex of rabbits. It is very difficult, almost impossible, to do this immediately after birth. The recommendation of livestock breeders is to find out the sex of a rabbit when it is one month old. Of course, there were differences before, but they could not be detected with the naked eye. If necessary, you can try to do this two weeks after birth, but the result will not be guaranteed, even if an experienced rabbit breeder undertakes this.
There is a rule - the older the animal, the more accurately its gender can be determined. This is also important when purchasing animals. It is recommended to purchase them no earlier than 1-2 months of age, when they have already received the required portion of high-calorie mother's milk, which ensures the acquisition of strong immunity. An experienced seller will be able to determine the gender of a future purchase and select the required copy.
The need to determine the sex of a rabbit also exists when there is already a large population. This should be done in order to timely separate animals of different sexes from the same litter when they reach sexual maturity. Otherwise, inbreeding may occur - inbreeding of close relatives, in this case brothers and sisters, which leads to degeneration of the breed. Inbreeding can lead to the appearance of genetic diseases and the birth of rabbits with defects. It is advisable to start seating residents of the same cage at the age of one and a half months.
Examination of the genital organs also makes it possible to determine the presence of malformations and prevent their use as producers.
After determining the sex of young rabbits for procreation, it is enough to leave two males for every ten females.
Consolidation of the result.
It is now very important to practice on your own and try to “discern” the sex of six to seven rabbits on your farm. Select the oldest individuals with a known gender and look carefully at what is there and how. Next, move on to increasingly younger rabbits. Finally, try to determine the gender of your smallest pets. If everything worked out, you can consider yourself an expert in this matter. Congratulations to you!
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How to determine who is who when purchasing?
Firstly, it’s worth saying right away that it’s best to buy rabbits from trusted breeders or specialized breeding farms, whose owners have extensive experience in this matter. Such breeders are usually very sensitive to their reputation, and will certainly provide you with assistance in choosing future pets based on gender.
But situations cannot be ruled out when there is no experienced rabbit breeder nearby, and the sex needs to be determined. Then you will have to rely only on your own knowledge in this matter. To avoid getting into trouble, follow the simple rules given below:
- first of all, sit the little rabbit on a table or any hard and flat surface and with your right hand firmly grasp it by the withers;
- after this, carefully move the animal to the “reclining on its back” position;
- with your free hand, trying not to cause pain to the rabbit, stretch the skin in the area where the genital organs are located;
- Use your index finger and thumb on both sides to press on the edges of the stretched area;
- Next to the anus, either the female rabbit’s genital slit or a small round hole should appear, which is a sign of a male.
When performing the above manipulations, you should be careful. Remember that the hind limbs of these animals are distinguished by enviable muscularity, and if you hurt the rabbit or frighten it, it can cause you quite serious damage.
Determining the sex of adults
The older the rabbit, the easier it is to determine its gender. The sequence of actions is the same as the manipulations described above. To do this, you can sit the animal on your lap, but be sure to secure it well.
In an adult male, it is enough to simply feel the testicles, since his penis is hidden by the foreskin.
If this works, no further actions can be taken.
More on the topic: Reasons why a rabbit sheds for a long time
How is the sex of young and decorative rabbits determined?
How to distinguish a rabbit from a female rabbit if they have not yet reached the age of puberty? Unlike adults, whose fully formed reproductive organs cannot be confused, in small cubs these organs are practically no different from each other upon external examination. What to do in such a situation?
In such cases, knowledge of the anatomy of these animals can help you. Following the instructions above, after applying pressure, you will see the genitals of young rabbits, which are not yet sufficiently developed. Look carefully at their location relative to the anus. The distance from the anus to the female's genital opening is approximately two millimeters, and the male's genitals are located much further from this opening.
Igor Nikolaev
auto RU
When determining the sex of animals of decorative breeds, the sequence of actions is no different from a similar procedure for ordinary rabbits. The process is complicated only by the small size of these animals, since most ornamental breeds are dwarf. I would like to warn you right away that even buying a pet at a pet store does not give you complete confidence in the correct determination of its gender.
There are often cases when a purchased charming female grows up and turns into a very respectable and active male. It happens, of course, the other way around. Therefore, do not take the seller’s word for it, but with his help, examine your future pet yourself to determine its gender.
Why do decorative rabbits need to be neutered?
Uncastrated decorative rabbits grow up and become incredibly aggressive. They can begin to rush not only at their fellows, but also try to harm the owner.
The urine of sexually mature decorative rabbits acquires a specific nasty smell. Just like ordinary rabbits, they begin to mark their territory. If your long-eared pet lives in an apartment and, as sometimes happens, is not limited in movement, then soon absolutely everything in your house will smell of its pungent urine.
Due to the above reasons, you should start determining the sex of decorative rabbits immediately after, or even during the purchase. The method for determining sex in decorative and dwarf rabbits is no different from the methods presented for ordinary animals.
As a rule, the size of decorative rabbits is even smaller than ordinary ones. Be sure to take a magnifying glass with you when you are planning to buy your eared friend so that you can inspect it on the spot.
Let's sum it up
Despite the small size of the animals you have chosen for breeding, they are just as lively and emotional as large representatives of the animal world. Proper care and consideration of the physiological and behavioral characteristics of rabbits will help you cope with your livestock tasks and ensure intensive business development.
One of the necessary manipulations when breeding rabbits is determining their gender. You have already read the detailed reasons for this need in our article, and also studied methods proven over the years to independently carry out this unusual procedure.
To summarize, it must be said that the technique for determining sexual characteristics depends directly on the age of your pet. Identification of small rabbits, up to a month old, is very difficult due to the underdevelopment of the animals' genitals. During this period of development, the female's loop and the male's penis are very similar to each other. It is difficult to distinguish them even by the gap and round hole.
Differences in the external structure of the reproductive system of rabbits
Teenage rabbits have much more developed genitals; the loop in females takes on the shape of a tongue and turns pink. The penis of males becomes like a cylinder with a gradually swelling foreskin.
The genitals of sexually mature individuals often acquire a dark pink tint. In females, an oblong slit begins to be noticeable, and in males, the testicles descend, looking like two bald mounds.
General remarks.
What real rabbit breeder has not encountered in his practice the establishment of the gender of his pets? This procedure, although not complicated, is very responsible. Of course, you can always use the services of a veterinarian or a more experienced professional for these purposes. However, this is not always possible, or is associated with additional hassle and time costs. I think that you, dear colleague, will show a desire to learn how to determine the sex of rabbits yourself, and with great reliability, approaching 100%. This is what this publication of mine is dedicated to.
As they say, it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times. Therefore, I bring to your attention, as an addition to the theoretical part, the most understandable and high-quality videos, from my point of view, recorded in three different countries: the USA, Finland and on the Rabbit Coast (that is, in Spain). I did not translate them. Everything the characters say is either intuitive or written later in the article. After looking at them, you will be convinced that there is nothing complicated in determining the sex of rabbits, and that the same approaches and methods are used all over the world. So, let's go.
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.
