Sex determination in decorative rabbits. How to determine the sex of a rabbit? Differences between a male and a female. Sexual differences in adult rabbits

Quite often funny cases occur when people buy a boy rabbit, call him, say, Fluff, and after some time Fluff turns into Fluffy. Or vice versa. How to find out the gender of a decorative rabbit?

At determination of sex in small rabbits Even an experienced breeder can make mistakes. This is due to the fact that up to 3 months until the rabbit begins puberty, - his testicles are inside - they will descend only by three months or a little later. This means that visually a boy-bunny is practically no different from a girl-bunny. Practically, this means that there are still some differences.

In order to figure out who is in front of you: a boy or a girl, you need to take the baby rabbit in your arms, turn it over with its tummy up, its head facing you. Usually they hold baby rabbits with two hands, one to support the head, the other to support the butt. And in this position, with your ponytail slightly lowered, you can examine all the necessary details, namely:

in FEMALES, the genital opening is located quite close to the anal (almost close) and is an oblong slit (similar to the letter V);

in MALES, the anal and genital openings are slightly further apart (2-3 mm) and the genital opening is a slightly elongated cylinder (“tube”), when pressed this “tube” can lengthen;

If in childhood it was still not possible to determine the exact gender of the rabbit, your pet, then after puberty sex determination in rabbits will not be difficult. The males' testicles are already descending, it is impossible not to notice them. The testicles look like elongated pink sacs. In adult males they are quite large.

Also, under certain circumstances, a boy's penis can be seen. It looks like a thin "pod".

Also, some believe that characteristic hallmark females - the presence of nipples. It's a delusion. Nipples can be found on both female and male rabbits.

Boy ∨ girl?

General remarks.

What real rabbit breeder has not encountered in his practice the establishment of the gender of his pets? This procedure, although not complicated, is very responsible. Of course, you can always use the services of a veterinarian or a more experienced professional for these purposes. However, this is not always possible, or is associated with additional hassle and time costs. I think that you, dear colleague, will show a desire to learn how to determine the sex of rabbits yourself, and with great reliability, approaching 100%. This is what this publication of mine is dedicated to.

As they say, it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times. Therefore, I bring to your attention, as an addition to the theoretical part, the most understandable and high-quality videos, from my point of view, recorded in three different countries: the USA, Finland and on the Rabbit Coast (that is, in Spain). I did not translate them. Everything the characters say is either intuitive or written later in the article. After looking at them, you will be convinced that there is nothing complicated in determining the sex of rabbits, and that the same approaches and methods are used all over the world. So, let's go.

At what stage of a rabbit's development should you know its gender?

Do not rush to determine gender in the first days after birth. By external signs it is not possible to do this in the genitals. It's still in the early stages of development and looks the same. Even after a week, you are unlikely to know with great certainty who is who. For example, an experienced specialist - a breeder, who has been dealing with such issues all his adult life, determines the sex of rabbits no earlier than two weeks old, and then with a probability of about 90%. The older the rabbit, the more accurate the result will be. There is no point in such an early definition.

I recommend that you, first of all, learn how to identify your pets, starting from the age of one month. From a practical point of view, this is simply necessary to be able to do when buying (selling) babies. Never rely on the seller's words. I generally do not recommend purchasing (selling) earlier rabbits, since they have not yet drunk their mother’s milk and have weakened health and immunity. By the way, the legislation of many countries even prohibits the sale of “nursing” rabbits - babies for humane reasons. If it is impossible to determine the sex of a rabbit upon purchase or this raises serious doubts, then it is still too small. It’s better to avoid such a purchase for a while.

You need to determine the gender of the rabbits that join your household no later than 3 months after their birth. It is at this age that animals reach sexual maturity. If males and females are not separated, uncontrolled mating will begin, which often results in low-performing offspring. Both family ties and incompletely formed ones have a negative impact here. reproductive organs. In addition, males, obeying natural instincts, will engage in martial arts and prove their superiority, which is very, very dangerous for their health. In general, it is better, if possible, to place rabbits that are already two months old.

What are primary and secondary sexual characteristics in rabbits?

To primary include the external genitalia. It is their appearance that provides a 100% guarantee of identification. In the future, we will look at exactly what they look like and what is their difference. Moreover, the determination method differs in some ways between small and mature adult rabbits.

To secondary signs include indirect confirmation of one gender or another. For example, an experienced rabbit breeder can immediately tell by the shape of the body who is in front of him, a male or a female. The male has a more rounded, strong body, a massive head, he marks his territory more often (sprays urine) ... The female is more delicate in appearance, the lines of the body seem smoother, the croup is relatively larger in proportion, there are two rows of nipples on the belly. When determining the sex of a rabbit only by secondary characteristics, one can make a mistake, so they are only an additional tool for confirmation.

Do not try to guess the gender of young rabbits by their habits. Novice specialists, seeing how one rabbit jumps on another from behind and makes characteristic movements, immediately mistake the upper one for a male, the lower one for a female. It is not always so. Some female rabbits, when overexcited, can imitate the behavior of a male. With this “maneuver” they show who is boss in the cage. In my practice, even an adult female more than once jumped on a rabbit when trying to mate, which looked very funny. Temperament, playfulness and other character traits are also not determined by belonging to one gender or another.

Method for determining the sex of adult rabbits.

It is better to sit an adult rabbit on your lap or put it on a table and pet it a little so that it calms down. As a rule, when determining gender, the rabbit behaves calmly, but it can also kick with its strong hind legs. Be prepared for this. Then, grabbing it by the neck, turn it belly up, head towards you. Hold the animal in a stable position with one hand, and use the fingers of the other to stretch the skin in the crotch area. To do this, lightly press your index finger at the base of the tail next to the anus, thumb With the same hand, apply light pressure to the area on the opposite side of the protruding bump.

Female. Male.

● Females will develop a loop - a conical tongue - pink in juveniles, dark in adults. When viewed from the side, it has the shape of a triangle. An oblong slit is also visible, narrowing towards the tail.

● Young males will develop a small white cylinder with a hole in the middle. As the rabbit grows older, its genitals will transform and change somewhat. Gradually the tip of the penis swells. In adults, it is pink, slightly curved, and has a bullet-like outline. As the male reaches sexual maturity, his testicles descend and become visible. If you find them right away, you don’t have to check anything further. Guy - 100%. Unlike other pets, they are located separately, slightly protruding to the surface in the form of two hairless swellings. Some novice rabbit breeders mistake them for tumors and run to the veterinarian. In the next video, they are clearly visible in the first “patient” (the second is a female).

Method for determining sex in young rabbits.

By young rabbits I mean animals one month old and younger, up to two weeks old. Although this procedure does not have any practical significance, many rabbit breeders are sometimes impatient to find out the gender of their pet. I’ll immediately make a reservation and repeat (this is important) that this method does not provide a 100% guarantee, although the probability of it with sufficient experience is very high, reaching 80% and higher.

In small rabbits, the external genitalia are not yet formed and are weakly expressed. When you press on the points indicated in the previous section in the perineal area, you will see a small gap in the female, narrowed towards the anus. In the male, the genitals are more like a tubercle (bulge) with a round hole in the middle. Sometimes these signs are faintly visible and the rabbit breeder cannot determine the sex of the rabbit even under a magnifying glass. In this case, the main feature is the distance from the genitals to the anus. Definitely, this distance is smaller in females and is usually in the range from 0 to 2 millimeters. The male has correspondingly more than this value.

Notice how the Spanish specialist draws a simplified view of the outline on a piece of paper, first looking at the male’s crotch from the side, then the female’s.

Consolidation of the result.

It is now very important to practice on your own and try to “discern” the sex of six to seven rabbits on your farm. Select the oldest individuals with a known gender and look carefully at what is there and how. Next, move on to increasingly younger rabbits. Finally, try to determine the gender of your smallest pets. If everything worked out, you can consider yourself an expert in this matter. Congratulations to you!

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Elena
How to determine the sex of rabbits?

In breeding rabbits, it is important to be able to accurately determine the sex of each of them. Incorrect distribution into cages leads to injury to animals. Professional rabbit breeders quickly and accurately recognize the sex of their rabbits, but do not always share their knowledge. Therefore, the ability to determine gender is an important skill for those who breed rabbits for household or decorative needs.

How to find out the gender of baby rabbits

When purchasing adult rabbits, it is easy to determine the gender by primary sexual characteristics, but in the case of baby rabbits this is difficult. First of all, the sex of the baby rabbits is determined in order to seat them in different cages in advance. After all, as rabbits get older, they begin to compete with each other, which can lead to injury to individuals.

Rabbits under one month of age are rarely sexed, since at this time they are under the supervision of females. After this period, when the distribution of the rabbits into cages begins, the sex of the animals is determined by measuring the gap between the genitals and anus. The greater the distance, the greater the likelihood that it is a male.

In three-month-old rabbits, it becomes easier to distinguish males from females. By this time, the males have a penis, and the females have a pink loop. Over time, these signs become more and more distinct.

Starting from six months of age, identification does not cause problems. In males, a curved process clearly protrudes, two testicles separated from each other, not covered with fur. If these signs are absent, and there is a pink loop in that place, then it is a female.

Attention! Mature rabbits also have differences in behavior - males are active and aggressive all the time, and the female becomes active only during sexual excitability.

Inspection technique

The technique for examining the genitals of rabbits is to:

press the rabbit’s tail to the surface, while tilting it up with its paws;
the thumb and index fingers are located on both sides of the reproductive organ;
when pressed, males will have a tubercle, or pink bulge with a hole in the middle, and females will have a small pink fold in the form of a loop, located very close to the anus.

Attention! In adult rabbits, the testicles look like swellings located next to the penis; they are easily palpable. When examining, you should be very careful, as the animal, when frightened, can easily pull them in.

To avoid injuring the animal or damaging your hand, you should:

Prepare a hard, illuminated surface for examining the rabbit.
With your left hand, quickly lift the rabbit by the withers and place it with its paws up on its tail.
With your right hand, stretch the skin between the hind paws.
Use your fingers to press lightly on both sides of the genitals.
Determine gender based on the above characteristics.

So, the skill of distinguishing females from males in rabbits is simply necessary for farmers and breeders. If it is easy to distinguish a rabbit from a female rabbit in mature individuals, then in small rabbits the gender differences are not so noticeable. To make a reliable determination, you need to resort to a thorough examination.

Gender of rabbits: video

How to determine the gender of a rabbit? This is the main question for beginning rabbit breeders. After all, for the reproduction of animals and their proper maintenance, a certain set of knowledge is needed. Before buying an animal, it is important to determine its gender. Or maybe even give him a nickname.

It is better to check the sex of a rabbit no earlier than a month

When buying a baby rabbit, you should not rely too much on the knowledge of the pet store sales assistant. Often, many of them do not know how to do this correctly. The optimal age for acquisition is two months. It is during this period that the rabbits are separated from the female. If you are not yet confident in your knowledge, take with you an experienced rabbit breeder or veterinarian who knows how to determine the sex of a rabbit, which one is needed, and will teach you. But if you don’t have such a friend, read our advice.

It is better to check the sex of a rabbit no earlier than a month. Until this time, there is no point in disturbing babies, since only an experienced rabbit breeder will be able to distinguish the sex of a rabbit at this age. It is important that during the laying of the rabbits from the female, the babies are placed in cages according to gender characteristics. Otherwise, when fighting for females, males can damage each other’s genitals, inflicting serious wounds, thereby creating additional ones.

Video about sex determination in rabbits

Rabbit genitals

Do you want to know how to distinguish a rabbit from a female rabbit? In a sexually mature male, the testicles are clearly visible, which are located near the penis in the form of small swellings. If it is the testicles that immediately catch your eye, you don’t have to look for other signs. Here is a typical male.

When purchasing a rabbit, carefully examine its genitals; there should be a pair of testicles. Otherwise, the animal has an abnormality or injury. Interesting feature In males, it is believed that when they are afraid, they instinctively retract their testicles inward. And when examining the genitals of rabbits, at first glance it may seem that there is only one penis. Basically, up to three months, in male rabbits, the testicles can be inside and therefore it is so difficult to see them visually. But, after some time, the testicles drop into place, and distinguishing a rabbit from a female rabbit is as easy as shelling pears.

How to distinguish a rabbit from a female rabbit without examining the genitals

Experienced rabbit breeders will visually distinguish an adult male from a female based on external characteristics. Males have large, massive heads. Their body is more muscular. But still, the control is a genital examination.

Experienced rabbit breeders will visually distinguish an adult male from a female by external characteristics

Method 1. Before you begin to determine the sex of a rabbit, you need to wear hard gloves and an apron. Rabbits have strong and strong hind legs, and a careless sudden movement can injure you.

The rabbit needs to be placed on a horizontal surface and held by the withers. You need to hold it tightly so as not to let go of the animal.
Next, we lift the rabbit and try to quickly place it on its tail. The animal should be belly up, in a reclining position. The rabbit's paws are also directed upward. This position is the safest for humans and most comfortable for animals.
Wherein, right hand You need to hold the rabbit by the withers, and with your left hand, gently stretch the skin over the animal’s crotch. Using your index finger and thumb, slowly apply pressure around the rabbit's genitals.
It is important to position it correctly forefinger. It should be located between the anus and the genitals. The fingers should be facing each other. It is this position that will allow you to correctly determine the sex of the rabbit.

In females, the genital slit is located very close to the anus. In males, the small round opening is located much further from the anus than in females.

Before you begin determining the sex of a rabbit, you need to wear hard gloves and an apron.

Method 2. You can use this method to determine gender. The rabbit needs to be held by the skin in the area of the hind legs and lifted. In this case, the front legs rest on the surface, and the hind legs hang freely. With your free hand, use your fingers to press on the area located between the anus and the rabbit’s genitals.

In females, you will see the genital slit shaped like a small pink cone. Males have a protruding penis Pink colour, and in very young ones it is white.

How to determine the sex of a baby rabbit under the age of one month

It happens that you simply need to determine the gender of a little rabbit: a boy or a girl. This is especially true when it comes to choice ornamental breeds. The determination method is slightly different from the method for adults. It is impossible to establish accurately, since the procedure is quite complicated. At first glance, the genitals of babies are practically no different.

For more precise work, you can arm yourself with a magnifying glass. We press with our fingers in the same way as in the case of adult animals. In females, almost nothing appears. In males, a small tubercle protrudes, in the center of which there is a hole.

Video about determining the sex of baby rabbits

It can also be determined by the distance from the anus to the baby rabbit’s organ. Females have a very short period. Males, on the contrary, are more than two millimeters apart. In this way, you can determine the sex of baby rabbits between two and four weeks of age.

When engaging in rabbit breeding, it is necessary to combine knowledge with the pleasure of breeding animals. Only under this condition will rabbit breeding become a joy. Theoretically, you know how to distinguish a rabbit from a female rabbit. But the main thing is practice!

Determining the sex of a rabbit population is not difficult, but can sometimes be difficult. Breeders identify the herd incorrectly or use false criteria during the procedure. But it is important for a rabbit breeder to know how to determine the sex of a rabbit. This skill will come in handy when buying young specimens. And in your own household, the separation of males and females will be necessary when the cubs reach puberty.

To find out the gender of a rabbit, you need to have some experience

Age

Determination of sex is associated with the age of the rabbits or adult specimens. In the first days of a pet’s life, you won’t be able to find out who is a boy and who is a girl in your household. At the initial stage of development, the sexual characteristics of rabbits and female rabbits are similar. Even a week later, to determine ownership, you will need to contact an experienced breeder or a veterinarian.

To independently identify the sex of the livestock, wait until the animals are one month old. As you get older, it is easier to tell a male rabbit from a female rabbit. Experienced owners know how to determine the sex of a rabbit at a young age.

Breeders do not advise purchasing livestock younger than one month. The health of such specimens, torn off ahead of schedule from the mother, will be weakened, and the immune system will not be strong enough to resist diseases. Do not trust the seller's words about the gender of the rabbits.

Finding out the sex of a rabbit before one month is very difficult

If you yourself cannot distinguish a male from a female when purchasing, this is a signal that the animals are too young. Such a purchase will result in financial expenses associated with the treatment and additional feeding of this livestock.

Remember that the sex of herd members is determined before they reach three months of age.

This age is associated with the entry into the puberty phase. However, it is too early for breeding. If the livestock is not placed in different enclosures, the resulting offspring will show signs of degeneration. Start seeding as early as two months of age to avoid conflicts between males.

Primary signs

To accurately distinguish the sex, examine the animal's external genitalia. If the examination rules are followed, the female will develop a V-shaped slit, which narrows towards the anus. Nearby is a triangular loop. In young female rabbits it is pink in color, in mature female rabbits it is dark.

When examined, male rabbits appear to have a white tube with a hole at the end - a penis. In an adult male, the genitals are pink, slightly swollen at the edges and curved.

Sequencing

Before determining the gender of your rabbit, be sure to wear strong gloves and an apron made of tough material. Mature representatives have muscular lower limbs and long claws. If they resist, they will easily hurt you.

Rabbits are very strong and can easily hurt

Inspection of adult specimens:

place the animal on the table or on your lap;
calm down (if the rabbit is nervous, it kicks with its hind legs, which interferes with the inspection);
take it by the neck and lift it so that the belly opens;
hind limbs rest on the surface;
stretch the skin in the lower abdomen and lightly press on the point at the anus;
with another finger, press on the opposite side of the protruding area;
be careful not to hurt the rabbit;
find out whether the person in front of you is a boy or a girl.

Another way to hold the animal is to lift it by the skin in the area lower limbs. In this position, the front legs rest on the surface. Otherwise, the examination of the genitals occurs as in the first method.

Hold the young representatives with both hands, one by the scruff of the neck, the other under the croup. Using the fingers of your lower hand, spread the fur and perform the same manipulations as with adult specimens.

The genitals of the young animals have not yet fully formed, so use a magnifying glass when examining (you will need help).

To distinguish a boy's genitals, look at the distance between them and the anus. In males it reaches 0.2 cm. In females you will hardly notice it.

Secondary (indirect) signs

By behavior and appearance An experienced rabbit breeder will tell you whether the animal in front of him is a male or a female. The boy is characterized by:

stronger physique, muscles;
larger head sizes and smaller body sizes;
narrow croup;
Frequently marking the area with urine.

Boys have a strong build and a large head

External characteristics of a female include:

graceful body with smooth outlines;
less massive head;
large croup sizes;
in sexually mature ones there are two rows of nipples.

It is easy for a novice breeder to make a mistake in dividing a young herd according to behavioral characteristics. Female rabbits often imitate the behavior of a male when they are excited or showing dominance. Temperament traits (agility, playfulness) characterize both sexes and are not distinctive features.

Up to six months, the sizes and proportions of the male and female do not differ. For these reasons, external sexual characteristics (behavior, physique) do not show with one hundred percent accuracy who is in front of you.

do not be guided by the presence of nipples: they characterize representatives of both sexes;
in adult and grown-up specimens, pay attention to the testicles: in mature males they are quite large;
if the number of testicles is less than two, then this is an injury or a congenital defect;
The testicles descend after the third month of life, are placed separately, and no hair grows on them.

To distinguish the sex of a rabbit, follow the instructions provided. Don't trust what sellers say. If in doubt, seek help from an experienced rabbit breeder or veterinarian. Timely established sexual identity will help in regulating the population and adhering to the breeding plan.