© amenic181 ID: 72767837 – stock.adobe.com
At first glance, male and female rabbits look very similar. They are almost the same size, have a similar build and their sex organs are well hidden in the fur between their hind legs. This makes it much more difficult to determine the sex with certainty. Unlike many other animal species, the fluffy Hoppler hides their genders well. Neither the coat color nor the size tells you whether it is a male or a female. When rabbits are perched on all four paws, their privates are not visible. Even determining while a long-eared makes males is not possible. Since it is not spared the holder to inspect the genitals.
However, this can be quite challenging at times. Sexing is especially important for bringing new rabbits together and keeping them in an existing group. In same-sex groups, it is possible for individual hoppers to adopt behaviors from the opposite sex. This is another reason why the external assessment of whether it is a male or female animal is impractical.
If the wrong sex was identified, the consequences of such claims can be fatal: Because unplanned offspring is a big problem. The couple suddenly becomes a small rabbit family and ignorant owners are suddenly surprised with a litter of baby rabbits due to the false information. If a second buck is unintentionally added to the one already there, they can seriously injure themselves due to their pronounced territorial behavior. If the breeder wants to breed with a new rabbit and puts two females together, he can wait a long time for the hoped-for offspring. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to be sure of sexing the new rabbit before it moves in.
Find someone with experience
© byrdyak ID: 196974309 stock.adobe.com
The sex of rabbits cannot be determined by external characteristics. Therefore, a closer look at the genitals is necessary. If you want to be sure, have this done by two independent people with rabbit experience. If you have been keeping rabbits for a long time, you can check for yourself whether the judgment is correct.
Finding experts is initially more complex than conducting the test yourself. But this way you can be sure that you have selected the right rabbit with the desired sex. Experienced rabbit breeders, shelter workers, and rabbit-savvy veterinarians can safely determine the sex.
If you later want to set up a rabbit breed yourself or permanently avoid offspring, you can have the sex determination shown to you. However, until you can tell for sure whether it is a male or female, it takes patience, time and practice. No master has fallen from the sky yet, but you can have the basics of identification explained to you by experts.
This is how gender determination works
Characteristics of the genders at a glance:
- The genitals of female rabbits are slit-shaped
- As in bucks, it is covered by a fold of skin
- The penis of male rabbits is tubular
- The testicles can sometimes be seen from the side
The right time
Experienced breeders can tell whether the rabbit is male or female the day after it is born. For the newborn baby rabbits, however, this is associated with enormous stress. For this reason, you should wait a little before determining the sex. An examination of the genitals makes sense in the second to fourth week of life. The sexual organs are further developed and an identification by the experienced breeder is now certainly possible.
As a layman at this age, however, you have little chance of clearly recognizing the differences. The clear sexual characteristics differ only minimally. If even the rabbit breeder is unsure, you should get a second or third opinion. Especially with young rabbits, it is advisable to repeat the examination of the genitals after a few weeks. In this way you can confirm or correct your first impression. At eleven weeks at the latest, i.e. before the start of sexual maturity, young rabbits must be examined for their gender. This is the only way to avoid the unpleasant consequences of being the wrong gender. In general, it is easier to tell the sex of adult rabbits than young ones.
The right grip
In order to carry out the gender determination safely and as stress-free as possible for everyone involved, the so-called C-handle is recommended. The rabbit is picked up with one hand under the chest and with the other hand under the rear. Now sit on a chair or cross-legged. Then you turn the long ear on its back and put it on your lap. The rabbit’s back is leaned against the stomach. The hand that was previously under the chest holds the front paws in this position.
A second person stretches the rabbit’s abdominal wall upwards with one hand. At the same time, she carefully scans the genital area. This way she can feel and see the otherwise hidden private parts between the hind legs. She may need to gently pull up the fur or skin around sensitive genitals. The genitals, which are now turned outwards, provide information about whether it is a buck or a rabbit. However, if there is still uncertainty about the gender, the procedure should be repeated with another experienced breeder or veterinarian.
The right course of action
For a successful sex determination, you should create a safe space for the rabbit. Despite all caution, holding on means stress for the animal. That’s why you have to be patient and calm at all times. Reliable gender determination takes time, especially in the beginning. Good eyes are essential for a reliable statement.
It doesn’t matter whether the animal is male or female, both sexes must be identified by gently stroking a finger over the sex organ. It then turns outwards. It is framed on the side by the so-called genital corners. There are the anal glands for marking the territory and the groin glands, also called inguinal glands. In males, the testicles are parallel to the genital corners. The bare skin is wrinkled to the right and left of the genitals and sometimes smeared with secretion. During the determination, the skin folds can be cleaned immediately with a damp cotton swab or one soaked in baby oil.
male or female?
After the finger has been stroked over the genital opening, the slit-like genital organ comes out above the anus in the female animal. Inexperienced rabbit keepers may mistake this for a male’s penis. However, the slit clearly indicates a female. It forms a «U» with the opening to the anus and extends over the entire sexual organ up to the genital area. If you compare the distance between the genital opening and the anus, this is slightly smaller in females than in male rabbits.
In the case of the male animal, the penis appears with the same procedure. This does not have a long slit and is tubular. It is located some distance from the anus. But beware: some rabbits suffer from deformities of the genitals. Inexperienced rabbit keepers are quick to confuse a male with a cleft penis with a female rabbit. In sexually mature bucks, the testicles can sometimes be seen to the right and left of the genital opening. These are often not seen in young male animals. Even if they are not recognizable in older animals, it can still be a male. Because rabbits can retract their testicles into the abdominal cavity when they are very excited. Therefore, one should always remember that rabbits with testicles are definitely male; However, testicleless rabbits can be male or female.
If you want to identify a male animal, you should think that this is easy compared to the female. Because normally a buck has two testicles, which should be able to be felt and seen from the outside, and a penis. However, in reality it is not that simple. The testicles only become clearly visible when they reach sexual maturity. Depending on the breed, this happens between the sixth and eighth month of life.
sexual maturity
When a rabbit becomes sexually mature depends on its size. Small breeds become sexually mature at around three to four months. Medium rabbit breeds are sexually mature between five and seven months, while large rabbits take seven to 12 months to reach sexual maturity.
With female animals this is a bit more complicated. Females born in the fall should be sexually mature at just under five months. Spring-born rabbits reach maturity at around eight months. As a precaution, female rabbits should be considered sexually mature at 14 to 16 weeks.
Sexual maturity in bucks cannot be recognized by the so-called mounting. This usually happens before that. Rabbits use this to establish hierarchy and to practice the later act. However, fertilization is unlikely at this early stage. However, rabbits of different sexes should be separated by twelve weeks at the latest.
If you do not want to breed with the animals, the castration of the male rabbits is a good alternative. This should also be done before the twelfth week. Then it is the so-called early castration. Castrated bucks can be kept with female animals. Castration is recommended even in all-male groups. Unneutered animals tend to be territorial, which can be expressed in fights. Serious injuries are not uncommon.
Conclusion
Sex determination should be carried out not only to prevent unwanted offspring, but also in order not to disturb the harmony in a group of rabbits. One should not rely on external characteristics of the long-eared cats. There are petite males and tall females. A reliable determination only offers the control of the sexual organs in the widespread C-grip. It is imperative that sexing be performed before sexual maturity is reached at twelve weeks.