As a rabbit raiser or pet owner it is essential to know about the reproductive biology and behavior of your bunnies.
Why is this critical knowledge?
Because bunnies are some of the most prolific breeders in the mammal world!
Rabbits naturally have a strong drive for reproduction. Therefore, if you can better understand this drive and the cycles, behaviors, and biology behind it, you will be that much more successful at raising happy and healthy rabbits!
Do Bunnies Go In Heat
One of the first questions to address when talking about rabbit reproduction is Do Rabbits Go Into Heat
Yes, rabbits experience heat. In fact, both female and male rabbits are known to go into heat.
Heat in rabbits is the biological and behavioral cycle centered around reproduction that can happen all year long among male and female rabbits, especially in domestic bunnies!
Do Rabbits Go Into Heat and Bleed
Heat in female rabbits is the term commonly used for the cyclical period of estrus (aka sexual receptivity) that female rabbits experience.
The biology of rabbits (and most other mammals) is different from that of humans, and therefore female rabbits do not experience menses or menstrual bleeding.
In fact, only humans, certain species of bats, the elephant shrew, and some other primates exhibit the specific phenomenon of menstruation!
To learn more about estrus in female rabbits and red urine in rabbits, read our post on Do Rabbits Get Periods.
Do Male Bunnies Go Into Heat
Heat in male rabbits is the term used to describe the incredibly strong urge to mate that all male rabbits experience once reaching sexually maturity.
The key point about heat in rabbits is that this cycle of fertility and urge to mate can result in certain novel behaviors in your bunnies.
Personally, I have found that male rabbit heat is a loose term and some other rabbit owners don’t recognize it, but I have seen very specific behavior in our bucks due to their sexual drive, so I like to describe this phenomenon using the word ‘heat’.
Rabbits in Heat: Female and Male Bunny Behavior
As mentioned, the time of heat or estrus in female rabbits is marked by specifically sexual behavior.
And when male rabbits experience heat, they also demonstrate specifically sexual behaviors.
Below is a table that highlights some of the primary behaviors that we have seen our female (doe) and male (buck) rabbits exhibit during heat.
| Behaviors During Heat | |
| Female Rabbits | Male Rabbits |
| Restless behavior | Restless behavior |
| Obvious desire to be around other rabbits | Mounting objects or other rabbits (male or female) |
| Laying flat with tail up when petted | Urine spraying |
| Swollen, wet and purple vulva | Aggressive behavior |
If you are unsure if your bunnies are in heat, but don’t want mating to occur between male and female rabbits, we recommend keeping your male and female rabbits in separate hutches or houses.
When Do Rabbits Go Into Heat
Female rabbits go into heat on a monthly basis. Officially, their period of high sexual receptivity usually lasts only 3-4 days, during which their symptoms of heat will be most obvious.
The females remain able to breed throughout the month.
The 3-4 days of estrus merely marks the height of their sexual receptivity.
If you pay attention and observe your female rabbits closely, you may be able to track their estrus cycles closely, especially by observing their vulvas.
During estrus this outer part of rabbit doe genitalia will be purple, swollen and wet. On the other hand, if she is not in heat the vulva will be whitish, small and dry.
Male rabbits will exhibit the particular sexual behaviors related to heat at anypoint after they reach sexual maturity.
Therefore, it can be harder to follow your buck rabbit’s patterns of heat as it can surge at any moment, especially if he lives near or around female rabbits.
How Long Are Male Rabbits In Heat
While female rabbits exhibit high fertility for 3-4 days on a monthly cycle, male rabbits may exhibit behaviors of heat at any point, and for any amount of time after reaching sexual maturity.
However, this can be greatly depending on the presence or lack thereof of rabbit does and/or other buck rabbits.
When Do Rabbits Become Sexually Active
Time of sexually maturity in rabbits depends on the size and type of breed.
For example, smaller rabbit breeds always reach sexually maturity faster than larger breeds, usually at about 3-4 months of age.
On the other hand, large and giant breeds won’t reach maturity until almost 7 months of age!
When female rabbits reach sexual maturity, they remain fertile and available to breed, with their periods of estrus marking optimal breeding windows.
The same follows for male rabbits, once sexually mature they are forever ruled by their strong hormonal urges to copulate!
Now it is important to note that domestic rabbits, due to their more protected and secure way of life, don’t necessarily follow the natural breeding season of their wild cousins.
While wild rabbits usually breed between late February and end of summer (when the most food resources are available), domestic rabbits can and will breed all year long if not managed correctly!
For example, once our rabbits reach sexual maturity we allow our does to breed for 4 summers while our bucks usually sire litters for 7 summers.
We do not allow our rabbits to breed during winter months, as the colder weather makes it that much more difficult for the mother and baby bunnies alike.
Neutering and Spaying Rabbits
Both female and male bunnies will mate if given the chance due to their ecological history as heavily preyed on small mammals.
Remember, a rabbits’ lifespan isn’t long (especially in the wild)!
Therefore, these animals have developed a strong desire to mate and a quick gestation period to combat constant predation.
However, this strong urge and monthly estrus cycle in domestic rabbits may lead to unexpected surprises, especially if you do not plan on breeding your pet rabbits!
Neutering your bucks and spaying your does is always an option, and can help reduce sexually driven behavior such as urine spraying and uncharacteristic aggression.
In fact, while spaying may not change the behaviors of your does much, neutering will completely remove the sexual drive that male rabbits exhibit.
We have successfully used neutering and spaying with some of our most aggressive and territorial male and female rabbits as a way to reduce their hormonal driven activity.
Yarmouth Veterinary Center has a great page on the considerations and reasons for neutering and spaying your rabbits; we recommend checking it out.
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Do Bunnies Go Into Heat
Why Do Rabbits Mate So Much?
Rabbits have a high drive for reproduction due to their biologic history as heavily preyed on small mammals. In fact, the list of rabbit predators is almost endless! So the only way to continue as a species was for rabbits to develop reproduction biology that allowed them to to breed very often and at any time during the year.
How Long Is Rabbit Gestation?
A rabbit’s gestation, or pregnancy, is about 28 days long. For more details you can go to How Long Is A Rabbit Pregnant?
Final Thoughts on Do Rabbits Go Into Heat
As we’ve discussed, specific sexual behavior due to heat is normal in both female and male rabbits.
And as a rabbit raiser, you get to decide how to manage your rabbits when they are in heat. Whether that be separating them, allowing them to breed, or looking into neutering or spaying them.
Either way, understanding the biological drive and reasons behind your rabbit’s specific behavior is key!
For more information on rabbit health, check out our posts on Can Rabbits Go Out In The Rain and Do Rabbits Throw Up – the answers may surprise you!
Watch this quick informational video for some best rabbit breeding tips