The average lifespan for a pet rabbit is 9-12 years. This is much higher than the average lifespan of a wild rabbit which is only 2 years.
Of course, there are some pet rabbits that can live even longer than 12 years. My House Rabbit co-founder, P.A. Smith, had a rabbit named Buka that lived to 14 years.
The oldest rabbit on record was a rabbit named Flopsy, who was a wild rabbit raised as a pet in Australia. Flopsy lived to a whopping 18 years old!
How Old is My Rabbit in Human Years?
Here is a table showing the relative age of a rabbit in human years. Note that this is just my rough estimate. I detail what I based these numbers on below.
| Rabbit Age | Human Age |
|---|---|
| 0-3 months | Baby |
| 3-6 months | Adolescent |
| 6-12 months | Teenager |
| 1 year | 18 years (Adult)* |
| 2 years | 24 years |
| 3 years | 30 years |
| 4 years | 36 years |
| 5 years | 42 years |
| 6 years | 48 years |
| 7 years | 55 years |
| 8 years | 61 years |
| 9 years | 67 years |
| 10 years | 74 years |
| 10.5 years | 77 years (Average Lifespan)** |
| 11 years | 80 years |
| 12 years | 86 years |
| 13 years | 92 years |
| 14 years | 98 years |
| 15 years | 104 years |
| 16 years | 110 years |
| 17 years | 116 years |
| 18 years | 122 years (Oldest)*** |
* Since rabbits are typically considered adults at one year, I make the assumption that a one-year-old rabbit is the equivalent of an 18-year-old person.
** Since the average lifespan of a rabbit is about 10.5, and the average lifespan of a person is 77, that makes each rabbit’s adult year the equivalent of about 6.1 human years.
*** The oldest rabbit on record was 18 years old, and the oldest person on record was 122 years old.
How to Extend Your Bunny’s Lifespan
A bunny’s lifespan will depend on their size, breed and genetics. But follow these tips to ensure the longest, healthiest life for your bunny:
- Keep your bunny inside your home. This protects them from predators and extreme weather.
- Feed your rabbit fiber-rich hay, a limited amount of pellets, and fresh vegetables.
- Make sure your bunny has plenty of space to exercise and gets lots of social interaction.
- Spay or neuter your bunny.
- Take your rabbit to a rabbit-savvy vet regularly. If you see that your bunny is not eating, drinking, pooping, or peeing, take your rabbit to the vet immediately.
See our article, How to Keep Your Pet Rabbit Healthy, for more tips.
Further Information
About the Author
Abi Cushman is a veteran house rabbit owner and a contributing editor of My House Rabbit. She currently shares her home with one mischievous dwarf bunny named Otis.
When she's not writing about bunnies for My House Rabbit, Abi writes and illustrates funny books for kids, including Soaked! (Viking) and Animals Go Vroom! (Viking). And yes, there are bunnies in them. Learn more at abicushman.com.
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