We often hear that dogs age about seven years for every human year, but have you ever wondered just how big the difference is between rabbit and human years? While there are other factors that contribute to a rabbit’s age, and whether they have aged well or not, the bunny years of your pet fluffy depends on simple genetics.
Here’s all the latest info on what the difference is between human years and rabbit years.
Rabbit age is calculated at a ratio of 3 years for every month of life during the first 4 months of their life. A 4-month-old rabbit is as old as a 12-year-old human child. Then, rabbit age is determined at a ratio of the first rabbit year equaling 20 human years. After the first year, each rabbit year equals 6 human years.
Knowing the real age of your rabbit can help you decide on the best care for them and whether or not they are too old to breed or should be retired.
Average Life Expectancy of Rabbit
The average age of your rabbit changes, depending on breed and gender.
In most breeds, rabbits live for 8-10 years, but certain breeds live much shorter lives. Larger breed bunnies such as giant breeds don’t live as long as smaller breeds like miniature buns.
While smaller breeds equate to about 6 years of life for every human year, a large breed rabbit’s equation is closer to 7 years per year of life.
So a miniature rabbit that’s 1 year old would be 6 years old in human years, but a large breed rabbit such as a giant lop would be seven years old when they turn one.
The living conditions of a rabbit also influences the age they can reach. When they have optimal nutrition, health care, and security, they will live much longer or grow much older equivalent to human age.
Rabbit to Human Age Table
The year’s conversion for rabbits to humans or age calculator are as follows:
- For the first 6 months, rabbits age 3 human years per month, reaching a total of 12 human years at four months of age.
- From months 5 to 12, rabbits age one human year per calendar month, equating to 20 human years in one year of bunny life.
- The following calendar years age small breed rabbits age 6 human years per 1 calendar year. Large breed rabbits aged 7 to 8 years for each calendar year.
For quick reference, you may find this rabbit-to-human age chart handy to determine your bun’s age.
| Human Years / Calendar Years | Year Rabbit Age (Small) | Year Rabbit Age (Medium to Large) |
| 1 month old | 3 years old | 3 years old |
| 2 months old | 6 years old | 6 years old |
| 3 months old | 9 years old | 9 years old |
| 4 months | 12 years old | 12 years old |
| 5 months | 13 years old | 13 years old |
| 6 months | 14 years old | 14 years old |
| 7 months | 15 years old | 15 years old |
| 8 months | 16 years old | 16 years old |
| 9 months | 17 years old | 17 years old |
| 10 months | 18 years old | 18 years old |
| 11 months | 19 years old | 19 years old |
| 12 months / 1 year old | 20 years old | 20 years old |
| 2 years old | 26 years old | 27-28 years old |
| 3 years old | 32 years old | 34-35 years old |
| 4 years old | 38 years old | 41-42 years old |
| 5 years old | 44 years old | 48-49 years old |
| 6 years old | 50 years old | 56-57 years old |
| 7 years old | 56 years old | 63-64 years old |
| 8 years old | 62 years old | 70-71 years old |
| 9 years old | 68 years old | 77-78 years old |
| 10 years old | 74 years old | 84-85 years old |
| 11 years old | 80 years old | 91-92 years old |
| 12 years old | 86 years old | 98-99 years old |
| 13 years old | 92 years old | 105-106 years old |
| 14 years old | 98 years old | 112-113 years old |
| 15 years old | 104 years old | 119-120 years old |
Rabbit Life Stages
But how do a rabbit’s life stages match up to the age human life stages appear?
Since they age faster than we do, they have a much shorter time to go through the different developmental stages.
Infancy or Baby Stage
A rabbit is considered a baby from months 1 to 3, while a human is considered an infant or baby from birth to their first life year.
Humans also go through a toddler stage from 1 to 4 years of age, while rabbits skip that and go straight to adolescence.
Adolescence or Teen Years
Rabbits are adolescents during months 3 to 6 on the calendar. Humans are children from 5 to 12 years of age, while they only hit their teen or adolescent years at 13 to 19 years.
Adulthood
For rabbits, adulthood is considered from 12 months to 7 years. Humans are adults from 20 years to the middle age of 59.
Senior Age
Rabbits are seniors when they reach 7 calendar years, while humans are seniors when they turn 60 years old.
How Old Is a 13-Year-Old Rabbit in Human Years?
What does the age difference mean to your 13-year-old rabbit? A miniature or small-breed rabbit will be the equivalent of a 92-year-old human.
A large breed or giant-size rabbit will be quite a bit older if they are fortunate enough to reach 13 years, equating to a 105 or 106-year-old human.
My Last Bunny Thoughts
Your bun may be quite a bit older than you thought when you do the conversion to human age based on your fluffy’s calendar age.
It’s very important to be mindful of your rabbit’s age equivalent and life stage as this will influence their healthcare requirements and nutritional needs.
You wouldn’t expect a 120-year-old human to romp about or go for long walks around the park, so don’t expect your 15-year-old bun to do this either. Instead, meet your rabbit’s life-stage needs and ensure they live a comfortable and suitable lifestyle.
So how old is your bun in human age?
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