As small-scale rabbit raisers, we’ve come to learn a lot about the growth and life cycle of rabbits here on our hobby farm.
From hairless newborns to mature adult bunnies, we’ve witnessed the development of countless rabbits over a short period of time!
As natural prey animals, rabbits’ biology allows them to grow quickly and reproduce often, so if you’re wondering just when are rabbits fully grown? Or, At what age does a rabbit stop growing? The best answer is that not all rabbits grow at the same rate and the time of full maturity highly depends on the type of rabbit.
Read On To Learn Why Not All Rabbits Grow At The Same Rate
When Do Rabbits Stop Growing
First, we must realize that the life cycle of wild rabbits is very different from our domesticated friends.
Wild rabbits face countless threats such as lack of resources and rabbit predators which usually results in a quick lifespan of only a few years.
On the other hand, a domestic rabbits’ average lifetime is anywhere between 8-12 years.
So, if domestic rabbits live much longer than wild rabbits, do they also have more opportunity to grow?
Not quite, no matter how long a rabbit will live, bunnies usually stop growing within the first year of their life. However, the exact time that a rabbit stops growing is individual and breed dependent!
In addition, across all breeds, female rabbits usually take longer to reach full adult size, although they usually end up being a bit larger than mature males.
At What Age Do Rabbits Stop Growing
Rabbit age is very different from human age as they don’t live as long as humans.
This is why most rabbits stop growing within the first year (if not first 6 months!) of their life.
What Age Do Rabbits Reach Maturity
A rabbit stops growing physically when it has reached full adult maturity.
That’s right, for a rabbit, being fully grown is synonymous with being sexually mature.
Best Tips: How To Tell Age Of A Rabbit
Generally, full maturity usually occurs between 4-6 months of age, which also means that rabbits usually stop growing after about 6 months.
Rabbit Breeds: How Long Does It Take Bunnies To Grow
In order to give more exact answers to how old are bunnies when they stop growing, you must look at the specific breed of the rabbit.
The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognized just over 50 different domestic rabbit breeds, so let’s check out a few common ones.
When Do Lionhead Rabbits Stop Growing
Lionhead rabbits are well-loved pets because of their small size (full grown adults are usually less than 4lbs!) and their fluffy, mane-like neck fur.
Because of their petite size, lionhead rabbits will reach sexually maturity and full adult size between 3-6 months.
The difference in time is individual dependent and sex dependant, with males usually reaching full size before females.
When Do Rex Rabbits Stop Growing
Rex rabbits are plush bunnies that are popular pets due to their soft fur.
They are big rabbits, and some of ours on the homestead have grown to weigh 10lbs!
Because they are a larger breed, they don’t usually stop growing or reach sexual maturity until 6+ months.
However, some individuals may stop growing after just 4 months (again, individuals vary!).
At full size, male rabbits will have dropped their testicals and females will have developed their dewlap (fatty roll below their chin).
When Do Mini Rex Rabbits Stop Growing
Mini rex rabbits’ full grown size is about half of that of the regular rex rabbit.
They are often kept as indoor pets due to their small size and classic plush rex coat of fur.
These smaller bunnies will stop growing after 4-6 months, with males usually reaching full maturity before females which is normal.
When Do Netherland Dwarf Rabbits Stop Growing
Netherland dwarf rabbits are tiny little bunnies! They usually weigh less than 3lb as mature adults and as such, mature quickly.
These small bunnies stop growing after just 3-6 months of age like lionhead rabbits. Again, it usually takes females more time to reach full sexually maturity and adult size than males, so your does may not grow into their ears until they are half a year old.
When Do Giant Rabbit Breeds Stop Growing
Giant rabbit breeds grow large (some don’t have a maximum weight limit!) but at a slower rate than the normal or small rabbit breeds.
Most giant rabbits won’t reach sexually maturity or full adult size until 6-12 months of life.
And the biggest breeds, like the Flemish Giant, may not stop growing until they reach 18-24 months old.
Other Factors That Influence Rabbit Growth
Nutrition
Proper nutrition can greatly influence the healthy growth and development of your bunnies.
Rabbits require high-fiber diets and we recommend a balanced mix of high quality hay, rabbit pellets, and rabbit-safe veggies, herbs, and fruit treats.
If you want to know more about what foods rabbits can eat, and how best to support the long term health and happiness of your bunny, check out What Can Rabbits Eat.
A rabbit growing on a balanced, high fiber diet is much more likely to reach full maturity and size and maintain good health throughout their adulthood.
For more information on how to best store your rabbits food, read our posts
Genetics
As we’ve mentioned, a huge factor that influences how long it takes a rabbit to reach their full size and sexually maturity are their unique genetics.
This is why we never recommend holding your rabbit to a fixed standard, even based on their breed!
Instead, monitor their behavior, habits, diet, take them to regular vet appointments, and allow them time to grow and develop on their own time.
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Fully Grown Rabbits
Can You Tell How Big A Bunny Will Get?
Although you can never know just how big or small an individual rabbit may get due to their unique genetics, you can get an idea of their potential full size by knowing which rabbit breed they are.
Final Thoughts on When Are Bunnies Fully Grown
We’ve raised rabbits that stopped growing after 5 months and others who haven’t fully matured until 8 months old, and while females are usually larger than males, they also take more time in reaching their full size.
Overall, although knowing your bunny’s breed provides a good average for how long it will take them to reach full size, each individual rabbit will develop and mature according to their unique biology.
Be patient and tend to your bunny by providing proper housing, food, and enrichment and allow them to grow, grow, grow!
If you want to know more about what to expect with your immature bunny, read How Much Does A Rabbit Weigh for the other rabbit breed specific information.
This video provides a great overview of the entire lifespan and growth of a rabbit