Why is it that people mix up the sex of their rabbit? Do rabbits change gender?
How do you determine the sex of a rabbit? Can a rabbit be both male and female? There’s so much to learn about rabbit gender identification.
In this article, let’s cut out the misconceptions and stick to the facts. Do rabbits change gender or not? I was dying to find out and I hope you will benefit from this information too.
Do Rabbits Change Gender?
It’s extremely rare for members of the animal kingdom to change sexes. Rabbits do not belong in this exclusive group. Rabbits do not change gender.
The difficulty in trying to successfully sex a rabbit could be the reason for this misconception. When rabbit babies are younger than 6 months, the ability to tell them apart by gender is challenging, but not impossible.
Misidentifying rabbits is common, but they cannot be both male and female at the same time.
Rabbit Gender Identification
Identifying the gender of a rabbit can be tricky and requires some handling with care and assertion.
- The genital opening is furthest for the tail.
- Apply pressure with one finger and one thumb to either side of this opening.
- A female rabbit will reveal a slit opening. It will be like a straight line resembling the letter I.
- A male rabbit will reveal rounder structure that you can describe as the letter O.
How Do You Know if a Rabbit is Male or Female?
Telling apart the sexes of rabbits can be challenging.
Male rabbits have:
- Longer bodies
- Larger heads
- Visible testicles
- Larger border ears
Females rabbits have:
- Shorter bodies
- Smaller heads
- No protrusion under their bodies
- Flatter, more lined ears
These physical differences are harder to tell when a rabbit is under 6 months of age. They are also not applicable when comparing a make rabbit of one species and a female of another or vice versa.
Do Rabbits Have Balls?
A male rabbit is a buck. They have testicles and they are used frequently in their life with their incessant urge to mate and procreate. Rabbit testicles are large compared to their overall bodies.
The average size is around 15x35mm. When the testicles grow larger than the average, this could indicate stress or illness. A buck could die from enlarged testicles and needs medical attention.
Will Two Male Rabbits Try to Mate?
Male rabbits tend to have incredible urges to mate on most occasions. They may be found humping other males in an unsuccessful attempt to mate.
Rabbits who are de-sexed could still carry this habit. This is a natural instinct that is almost impossible to stop.
Rabbit trying to mount each other or your leg, shoulder, back and objects around the house is a normal part of their intense urge to mate.
Do Girl Rabbits Hump Things?
Female rabbits are also found humping objects or each other. She may do this to assert their dominance over another female.
Two females in the same enclosure need to establish hierarchy on most occasions. This is when you might find one trying to mount the other without the urge to mate, but to show who is the boss.
Are Rabbits Hermaphrodites?
No. Mammals like rabbits do not carry both sex organs. There are extremely rare occasions where mammals can do so and there is at least one reported and accepted case of a rabbit being born as a hermaphrodite.
The exception to the rule is fine to accept, but do not be confused. Determining the gender of your young rabbit might be difficult and requires some handling to figure it out, but your rabbit is not a hermaphrodite.
How Can You Tell a Male Rabbit From a Female?
If you wish to tell a male rabbit from a female, try to wait 3 months or longer to make sure the sex organs are developed and easier to spot.
Wear gloves. Two people working together is best. One of you will hold the rabbit and the other should apply gentle pressure to make this work easier.
- The rabbit must open their legs and be held in a lying down or upright position.
- Between the hind legs and tail is the vent. The anus is part of it.
- Press your fingers on either side of the vent.
- A slit shows that you are looking at a doe or female and an O shape means you have a buck or a male.
- Press the base of the vent and you might also see a penis or vulva.
Do Rabbits Know Their Gender?
Rabbits are not socially aware of their gender classifications, but they understand their role in the nature of things.
- A female realizes that she will be delivering her young.
- A male knows he must earn the right to mate with a female if there are other males present.
Rabbits have their own personalities that may or may not have anything to do with their gender. You cannot say that a female is more reserved or kinder than a male.
A female doe or a male buck can be nurtured and treated with compassion, patience, love and kindness to possibly develop into an deal rabbit.
Conclusion
Rabbits do not change gender. Moray eels, gobies or even clownfish in the open water can partially or fully change gender, but mammals like rabbits cannot. They are born with their genitals that you cannot see.
Wait until 3-6 months pass and you will be able to identity your rabbit’s gender much easier. You will apply gentle pressure at the genital opening to discover a slit (female) or round shape (male).
The female doe may also reveal a vulva at the base of this opening and testicles or a penis may show up if you press in the same area of a male.
Wear gloves, take it easy and do not ruin the trust you have built with your rabbit by performing this task with force.
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