Although people think that rabbits are all small pets, they come in many different sizes. They bring home a baby rabbit with a cute little cage, and they are surprised when the rabbit outgrows it.
The average weight of an adult rabbit is around six pounds, and the smaller breeds are around four pounds full grown, while the giant breeds can weigh as much as 10 or 15 pounds. You can even find rabbits that weigh more than 20 pounds.
If you are considering a rabbit for a pet, it is a good idea to do some research and choose a breed that fits with your home and your lifestyle. Rabbits of different breeds have different characteristics, so you will want to know what you are getting.
What Is the Average Size of a Rabbit?
The average size of pet rabbits is around six pounds. This can help you understand the general size that your rabbit could become, but the size can vary widely between breeds and between individual rabbits.
Rabbits all have different genes, so some may end up being larger than expected, even for their breed, and others may be smaller. You can break rabbits down into small, medium, and large categories, much the way that they do dogs, but it is important to know that their size can range outside of their category.
Small Rabbits (Less Than Five Pounds)
Small rabbits include the mini and dwarf breeds. They are rarely more than five pounds, and if you get one, you can be fairly confident about this.
There are fewer rabbits in this category than any other, as only 11 out of 50 recognized breeds fall into this range. In spite of that, they are easier to find as pets because they are in high demand.
Most people want a small rabbit this size, and they are generally bred to be pets.
Medium Rabbits (Between Five and Eight Pounds)
Medium rabbits are the most common rabbit breeds, and they reach a weight anywhere from five to eight pounds. Most of these breeds are closer to five or six pounds, and they surprise people who expect them to be smaller.
There are around 15 different breeds that fall into this category, but you can have small rabbits from a larger breed in this category as well. There are also mixed breeds that end up in this range.
Large Rabbits (More Than Eight Pounds)
The majority of the recognized breeds fall into the large rabbit category, which ranges from eight to fifteen pounds. You will often find meat rabbits more than pet rabbits in this range, but some people do keep them as pets.
Common Rabbit Breed Sizes:
Lionhead Rabbits
Lionhead rabbits have long fur, and they are soft and cuddly. They require a lot of grooming or their fur can mat. They can have either a single mane or a double mane, with the double mane being longer.
Most of what the Lionhead rabbit eats is Timothy hay, and you can buy it in both baled and pelleted forms. You can also feed it leafy greens, celery, and some berries, but only as a treat.
Lionheads live between four and seven years, and they are curious, energetic, and cuddly. They have personalities similar to cats, and people love them.
Lionhead rabbits are small, and they end up being around three pounds in weight and eight to ten inches long. Their ears are usually less than three inches long.
They are said to have descended from a dwarf rabbit crossed with a Swiss fox rabbit, which is why they are so small.
Netherland Dwarf Rabbits
The Netherland dwarf is one of the smallest of all the rabbit breeds, and it is one of the most popular pets. They are compact and still energetic, and they stay fairly small.
These rabbits are a true dwarf breed, so they carry the dwarf gene, which was first used by a breeder in Holland to produce very small rabbits. The breed was created when five men worked for thirty years to create this small, standardized rabbit in a variety of colors.
They have a life expectancy between ten and twelve years, and they are the tiniest rabbit with adults staying as small as 1.75 to 2.5 pounds. They are between 33 and 50 cm long, and they have small ears that stand up on their heads.
Rex Rabbits
Rex rabbits are docile and friendly, and they make excellent pets. One of the best things about them is that they have velvety fur that doesn’t shed very much.
They were first discovered in a village in France in 1919, and breeders started a new line. They have the recessive Rex gene, which is what gives these rabbits dense, smooth fur.
The standard Rex rabbit weights between seven and eleven pounds when it is full grown, and there is a mini version. Mini rex rabbits weigh between three and four and a half pounds.
The mini rex is a popular house pet, while the standard Rex is used by breeders who show them.
Dutch Rabbits
The Dutch rabbit is a small rabbit that is round and balanced. Although they are called Dutch rabbits, they originated in England.
They are not a dwarf breed, but they are small, and adults weigh between 3.5 and 5.5 pounds. They are known for their compact body that is rounded and balanced, and they have upright ears.
Flemish Giant Rabbits
Known as the gentle giants of rabbits, Flemish giants can reach sizes between 12 and 15 pounds, with some weighing as much as 20 pounds. They have short hair and come in a variety of colors, and they are great pets.
However, you need a lot more space for a Flemish giant than you do for smaller rabbits. They don’t fit in standard-size rabbit cages, and they need to get out and exercise.
How Big Does a Rabbit Cage Need to Be?
The cage you need depends on the type of rabbit you have, and a general rule is that they need a cage that is four times the size of the rabbit.
You have a lot of different options, and people often have several different enclosures for their rabbits. You might want one cage in the house where your rabbit sleeps, but you could have a hutch or an enclosure outside as well.
Generally speaking, if you have a small rabbit, you can get a cage that is 24” x 36” and for a larger rabbit, you will want it to be at least 30” x 36.” Rabbits love hutches, and there are many different options.
Some hutches have a small area where the rabbit can run around on the grass and a shelter where they can sleep. Others have two stories, and it offers the rabbit plenty of options depending on what it wants to do.
When you are choosing a rabbit hutch, you should start by making sure that the hutch is large enough that your rabbit can stretch out in every direction. In addition, your rabbit should be able to stand on its hind legs comfortably without touching the top of the cage.
Your rabbit should be able to move around in the cage to get some exercise. You may find some cages with a wire floor, but this is hard on rabbits’ feet. You can place a board over the wire to make sure that your rabbit is comfortable.
When you bring home a baby rabbit, it will be much smaller than it will be as it grows up. You should always get the cage that will house the rabbit when it grows up.
If you find that your rabbit outgrows the cage, you need to replace it.
How Tall Do Rabbits Get?
Rabbits are measured by their shoulder height and their length. The height and length of your rabbit will depend on the breed and the rabbit’s genetics.
Lionhead rabbits grow to have a shoulder height of between five and six and a half inches. Their bodies are on average between eight and ten inches long.
The lionheads weigh from two and half to three and a half pounds, and their ears are usually two to three inches long.
Netherland dwarfs measure five to six inches at the shoulder, and they are between seven and a half and nine inches long. They weigh between two and two and a half pounds on average, but they can be a little smaller or larger.
The standard Rex rabbits are a bit larger, measuring up to twelve inches long, and they weigh between seven and eleven pounds.
The mini Rex is just six and seven and a half inches at the shoulder, and can be between ten and a half and twelve and a half inches long. They weigh between three and four and a quarter pounds on average.
Dutch rabbits are also a small breed, measuring seven and a half to nine inches at the shoulder, and they are between eleven and fourteen inches long. They weigh between three and a half and five and a half pounds.
Finally, the Flemish giant is a very large rabbit, and it can reach a length of two and a half feet. The largest one on record was over four feet long, and they can weigh up to 20 pounds.
How Fast Do Rabbits Grow?
As a general rule, a rabbit will be half of its adult size when it is around four months old. If your four-month-old rabbit weighs three pounds, it will grow to be around six pounds.
By the time the rabbit is six to eight months old, it will be around two-thirds of its adult size. In other words, if your rabbit weighs three pounds at eight months old, it will end up weighing around four and a half pounds.
Rabbits of different breeds finish growing at different times, with the smaller rabbits growing more quickly and reaching maturity at a younger age. Some larger breeds, such as Flemish giants, grow until they are 18 months old, while medium-sized rabbits reach adult size by about ten months.
When rabbits are born, the heavier rabbits grow faster than the light ones. Larger rabbits grow faster, such as Flemish giants. They are around three or four ounces when they are born, and by eight to nine weeks, they weigh five pounds.
Then, between eight weeks and eight months, they gain between a half and three-quarters of a pound each week. Smaller rabbits grow at a slower rate, but most of them are full grown by eight or ten months.
How Much Do Rabbits Weigh?
Rabbits can weigh anywhere from two pounds to twenty pounds depending on the breed and its genetics. Certain breeds have general guidelines so that you can estimate how big your baby rabbit will be.
If you want to know how much your rabbit will weigh, you need to research the breed. This will give you a general idea. Once your rabbit is four months old, it will be half of its total adult weight.
This means that if your four-month-old rabbit weighs three pounds, it will weigh six months as an adult. The first step to understanding what your rabbit will weigh is knowing the guidelines for your breed.
There are different factors that play a role in your rabbit’s weight. The first is the breed, as there are certain guidelines that most rabbits will fit into. Another is age. Your rabbit will weigh less when it is young, and it will grow throughout the first year of its life.
Another factor is the rabbit’s height. The height depends on its environment, food, and health. For example, if the rabbit gets sick, it will weigh less and it might not grow.
The type of food you feed your rabbit will impact its weight. If you offer your rabbit food all the time and feed a number of treats, your rabbit might weigh more than one that is on a regulated diet.
You can actually weigh your rabbit if you use a postal scale or a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a scale, you can check the weight in other ways.
If you have a small rabbit, you can expect it to weigh less than five pounds. A medium-sized rabbit will weigh between five and eight pounds, and a large rabbit will weigh more than eight pounds.
What Rabbits Stay Small?
Some rabbits do stay small, especially the dwarf and mini breeds. The smallest rabbit is the Netherland dwarf, which can weigh as little as one and three-quarters pounds full grown.
On the other end of the spectrum, Flemish giants can weigh as much as twenty pounds. Most medium sized rabbits weigh five or six pounds on average.
If you want a small rabbit, choose one of the following breeds:
- Netherland dwarf
- Dwarf hotot
- Teddy dwarf
- Jersey wooly
- Polish
- Lionhead
- Miniature lop
- American fuzzy
- Mini plush lop
At What Age Do Rabbits Stop Growing?
Rabbits are known for growing quickly. They are prey animals in the wild, and they have short pregnancies and grow quickly to keep their species alive.
When you keep rabbits in captivity, even though they are safe, they still grow quickly. In fact, they stop growing at the same time as their wild cousins.
Different factors determine when each type of rabbit is full grown, most importantly, its breed. In addition, their growth can be impacted by other factors.
Most rabbits start growing quickly from the day they are born. By the time they are two months old, they need more protein and fat to keep up with their growth rates.
If you have a pet rabbit, it will grow fast enough that you will notice it from week to week. Generally, how much they grow and when they finish will depend on the breed, but some rabbits of the same breed grow at slightly different rates.
The best way to understand at what age your rabbit will be fully grown is to understand the growth rates for the different breeds.
The rex rabbit comes in both standard and mini varieties, and the primary difference is the size. The standard size stops growing at about nine months old, and it is usually seven to ten pounds fully grown.
The mini rex will finish growing at around seven months, and it reaches a weight of between three and four pounds. Lionheads are also small rabbits that are full size at two and a half to three and a half pounds by six months.
Dutch rabbits are small, and they usually reach their full size of five to six pounds at seven months. The Netherland dwarf, one of the smallest rabbits, reaches its full size of one to three pounds at five months.
The Holland lop is a popular little rabbit that reaches three or four pounds at seven months of age. One of the larger breeds, the New Zealand rabbit, is a meat rabbit, and it weighs up to 12 pounds fully grown at ten months.
The Flemish giant is the largest domestic rabbit, and it can weigh upward of 20 pounds. They grow until they are around 18 months old.
In addition to the breed, there are a few factors that affect how quickly rabbits grow. Genetics is a large factor, as some rabbits have a genetic mutation that could make it grow more quickly or slowly.
Another factor that impacts the rate of growth is how much food it eats. Rabbits that don’t get enough to eat or don’t have the food that they need for growth will not grow as quickly as those that do.
Rabbits need hay as the primary source of food because it has the protein, fat, fiber, and micronutrients that are necessary for them to grow quickly. If they don’t have enough, they will not be able to grow.
The living conditions of the rabbit also has an impact on how your rabbit grows. Your rabbit needs bedding, space, and stimulation, and if it isn’t there, it may not be happy or stimulated enough.
You should make sure that your rabbit’s habitat is large enough; it should be four times the size of your rabbit at its full size. In addition, it should be clean and have plenty of fresh bedding.
Your rabbit should have free access to clean, fresh water at all times, and it needs to have food. If it is lacking any of these needs, it won’t grow as quickly or to its full potential.
Does Exercise Impact How a Rabbit Grows?
Rabbits in the wild get a lot of exercise from the time they first venture away from the nest. When you have a pet rabbit, it needs the same amount of exercise, even though it lives in a cage.
If you have ever seen baby bunnies, you may have noticed that they become very active as soon as they open their eyes. They actually need a lot of exercise, so it is important for you to make sure that you provide this opportunity.
Rabbits should not be stuck in a small cage all of the time. They should have enough room that they can stand on their hind legs and stretch out. However, they also hop around.
Rabbits like to dig, and they are out digging tunnels in the wild. Pet rabbits have this instinct, and they need to have a place to dig.
You can hide treats in a digging box for them, and keep it in an animal playpen. This is a great way for your rabbit to get some exercise.
Pet rabbits don’t need to go out foraging for food, but this is how they explore in the wild. You can hide treats in toys and give your rabbits an excuse to forage for exercise.
If your rabbit is in the cage all the time, you may not think it wants to do more than relax and sleep. However, this isn’t the case. Rabbits are naturally curious, and they love to explore.
You can provide your rabbit with tunnels, tubes, and a hiding house so that it can explore during the day. Remember that in the world, rabbits travel as much as three miles in a day.
Your pet rabbit needs around three hours of access to a safe place to exercise each day. Some people choose to have a large rabbit hutch with room for them to exercise, while others provide runs or play areas.
If your rabbit doesn’t have an opportunity to exercise, it will have health problems, and as a young rabbit, it may not grow the way another rabbit would. Rabbits can become obese, and they will have a weaker heart.
The best way to encourage your rabbit to exercise is to offer it a place with the stimulation that will encourage it to exercise. This will help to ensure that your rabbit is healthy and grows at a standard rate.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Film/Video/Media Studies, as well as an associates degree in Communications. I began producing videos and musical recordings nearly 15 years ago. I am a guitarist and bassist in Southwest MI and have been in a few different bands since 2009, and in 2012 I began building custom guitars and basses in my home workshop as well. When I’m home, I love spending time with my three pets (a dog, cat, and snake) and gardening in my backyard. I also like photographing wild birds, especially birds of prey.