# how big should a 12 week old rabbit be?



## moonstruck (Aug 10, 2008)

hi all, myself an my sister have fell in love with a rabbit we saw on saturday, he looks healthy and in good condition, and the pet shop owner told me he is 12 weeks old.

Now i haven't owned rabbits for years, but somethings telling me he's too big to be 12 weeks old. He looks fully grown.

Are male rabbits generally fully grown (or near fully grown) at 12 weeks?

is there an easy way to tell their rough age?

as i really dont want him to turn out to be middle aged and not live a slong as we expected


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## moonstruck (Aug 10, 2008)

after having a look on the net, i believe he's a hotot, he is pure white all over, with black eye rings and colour at the very tips of his ears, so obviously not a pure bred, seeing as they get to 11lbs would this be a normal size for a 12 week hotot? he looks about the size of a medium rabbit


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

It's more likely to be an English cross, Hotots are very rare so not likely to be in a pet shop. Many pet shops can't sell their Rabbits so it is more likely to be older than 12 weeks. Rabbits live for 5-7 years (average) so if you were to get this one it could be around for many years yet. If you buy it just make sure that it's nose & mouth are dry, it has no mess around it's vent & check the teeth, the top ones should just overlap the bottom ones. There is something called Malloclusion which is a problem with the teeth (any good breeder wouldn't breed with malloclused Rabbits as it is hereditary). Good luck & i hope hope you have many happy years with him/her :2thumb:.


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## moonstruck (Aug 10, 2008)

thank you 

i havent kept rabbits for years so that was useful, his nose and mouth were dry when i saw him on saturday, ill have to check the teeth and vent (i didnt know rabbit bums were called vents, or is that just a slip because you own reps?)

i thought the pet shop guy might be fibbing a bit about the age lol


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

the chances are the rabbit has come from a dealer, so he would have no idea about the age!

there a lot of lionhead crosses and english crosses with those markings, neither of which are massive rabbits and make great pets.

bun bums are called vents too!
he should have a clean back end, dry nose (never get a bun with a discharge ) and if youupenhismouthslightlyand lookat his teeth,thetop ones should fit nicely over the bottom ones.then thye will wear each other down properly.
they should not be level or sticking outat funny angles

the size of his ears and the length of his back feet when you turn him over will give an idea of thesize he will mature at, 
bigger ears and feet = bigger bun.

you could have a look at his toe nails.
if theylook like he needs them cut, he`ll be closer to 6 months old.

dont be put off by an older one,they usually settle better and you can see what their temperament is like. 
if he`s nervous i wouldnt get him though
( saying that, you could get a discount if he`s been there a longtime? )


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## moonstruck (Aug 10, 2008)

thank you everyone, i checked him over, his teeth are perfectly as you said they should be, dry nose and mouth, clean bum, his claws are to a point but i dont think they need clipping, he's bright and lively but not skittsh and he has the most beautiful eyes

he's just gorgeous, ive already sat and had a cuddle with him, he just lay down nicely while i stroked him :flrt:


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## Charlibob (Jun 21, 2008)

I have a bun with the same description we we're told shes an English cross. We got her at 8 weeks old and she was tiny, she fitted in my boyfriends hand! Now she is mahoosive!!!! I really didn't think she'd get as big as she has when she lays down properly shes getting on for 2 foot long :lol2: but she is the cuddliest rabbit I've ever had :flrt:


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## moonstruck (Aug 10, 2008)

he's definately older than 12 weeks me thinks lol

here's a few pictures  I called him spookie coz he looks like a sheet ghost

Mr Spookie Bunnykins :flrt:


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## Charlibob (Jun 21, 2008)

Awwwww:flrt: He looks so much like Princess and he's def not 12 weeks old! 

This is Princess at 8 weeks


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## temeraire (Nov 13, 2009)

Actually, this little one has a lot of the shape (type) and coat of a pure bred English. 

This bunny is not a giant breed, nor any breed large, and looking at the ears and proportions, and coat development, is likely 12 weeks or more. Meaning it's old enough to be homed and therefore probably healthier than littler babies, and won't turn into something the size of a whale.


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## moonstruck (Aug 10, 2008)

Oh my god!! princess looks just like him!! :flrt:

god he's gorgeous, i love him so much already. i've missed have bunnies soo so much!

any ideas on his age then? he doesn't look _too_ much bigger than princess, comparing your hand to my hjand and their bodies


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## Charlibob (Jun 21, 2008)

moonstruck said:


> Oh my god!! princess looks just like him!! :flrt:
> 
> god he's gorgeous, i love him so much already. i've missed have bunnies soo so much!
> 
> any ideas on his age then? he doesn't look _too_ much bigger than princess, comparing your hand to my hjand and their bodies


She's twice maybe three times that size now :lol2: But not fat in any way

I'll get some piccies of her when I go down for cuddles. 

That was the day we got her and she could fit in my boyfriends hand like in the pic below now its difficult to get your hands round her!

She's really cheeky and chases me around the kitchen to try and get my feet :lol2:
Edit: can't you tell hes really excited to get his first bunny! haha


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## moonstruck (Aug 10, 2008)

awwwwwhhhh!!!!!!! *squeaks* shes so cute!!

spookie is lying down next to me now on my bed  he's awesome

he is pretty big alreayd but i'd love him to get bigger! i have a massive rabbit when i was a kid who i couldnt even fit on my knee, she hung off either side, such a huge rabbit, but like you said, not fat!


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## *mogwai* (Feb 18, 2008)

i love massive rabbits. i have a french lop & on the lookout for another. people say frnchies don't make good pets for children coz they're too big to be handled but mine loves the children & they know not to try to pick her up but they'll both sit on the floor with her & give her loads of strokes & attention & brush her. i think a smaller rabbit would be too skittish for them.


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

Can you post a pic up of his nails please? So long as they haven't been cut this will give a good idea to the age :2thumb:. Yes looks like an English cross (or could be pure English but very mismarked). If i can find the pic of an English i once had i'll post it up.


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## moonstruck (Aug 10, 2008)

oh thank you lots  i havent cut them, and they dont look like theyve been cut. do you just want a macro of his nails, or need some foot and bunny for size?


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

moonstruck said:


> oh thank you lots  i havent cut them, and they dont look like theyve been cut. do you just want a macro of his nails, or need some foot and bunny for size?




Pic of the foot showing the nails will do nicely hun, no need for the whole Rabbit :2thumb:. Will give me an idea to age then. When we show our Rabbits we never cut the nails on a Rabbit that is under 5 months old, this gives the judge an idea to it's age then. Also it used to be a BRC unwritten ruling, not sure if it still is.


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## Shazza4505 (Apr 8, 2006)

Oooooh gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous bunny! English are one of my fave breeds.


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## Shazza4505 (Apr 8, 2006)

This is my english Holly


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## pookey (Nov 29, 2009)

*so pretty*

Your rabbit is so pretty! I love the eyeliner! good luck.


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## moonstruck (Aug 10, 2008)

corny girl said:


> Pic of the foot showing the nails will do nicely hun, no need for the whole Rabbit :2thumb:. Will give me an idea to age then. When we show our Rabbits we never cut the nails on a Rabbit that is under 5 months old, this gives the judge an idea to it's age then. Also it used to be a BRC unwritten ruling, not sure if it still is.


sorry, i haven't forgotten, i need batteries for the camera and don't know where the charger is. The disposable batteries in the cupboard are aweful and don't last long enough to take a picture


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