Difference Between Male & Female Rabbits

How to Tell a Buck from a Doe

• In order to choose the proper rabbit for your home, you will first need to be able to tell the difference between a buck and a doe. This can be done easily by holding the bunny in a cradling position on its back until it relaxes into a hypnotic state. Be sure to wear long sleeves, just in case the rabbit is resistant to the idea of being handled by you and decides to scratch. Once the bunny is relaxed completely, use the non-supporting hand to the bunny's genital area, and separate the fur to better reveal the bunny's vent area--the area between his hind legs where the rabbit's genitals are located. Using your thumb and forefinger, press down lightly just above the anus to make the area protrude. If the bunny has a vertical slit with pink folds of skin on either side, it is a female, or doe. If, however, you see a tiny pink or white tube-like organ without pink sides, it is a male, or buck.

Other Physical Characteristics

• Aside from the difference in the vent area, bucks and does have other distinguishing characteristics that may help you to tell them apart at a distance. Bucks older than three weeks old have a head that is more block-shaped than the rounder female bunny's head. Older females develop folds of skin and fur under their necks, called "dewlaps," which may be quite prominent. Female rabbits are usually larger than male rabbits of the same breed. If you are viewing the rabbits on a hot day, you may notice that the male rabbit has protruding testicles. On cooler days, the testicles are not as prominent.

Hormones

• Bunnies have a reputation for being constant breeders, and it is not without merit. Female rabbits are concerned with little else and will even go so far as to mimic pregnancy when they miss a season and have not mated. It is because of this drive to mate that older male rabbits may spend much of their time marking their territory by urinating on vertical surfaces. Female rabbits will also mark to attract male rabbits by their scent, but they will generally do so in the vicinity of their cage or bedding. Male rabbits will spread their scent as far as they possibly can, so if you are concerned about the possibility of having rabbit urine throughout your home, you may wish to purchase a female bunny instead of a male. Of course, the solution to hormone-related behavioral problems could be to have your male or female rabbit neutered or spayed as early as possible after purchasing the bunny. "Fixing" your bunny--male or female--could fix the problem of territorial urination. Spaying female bunnies will also help to prevent uterine cancer--a common condition seen in does that are not spayed and do not mate by 4 months old.

Personality

• Male rabbits tend to be more territorial than female rabbits, and they will defend a wide territory--claiming not only the area of their cage or nest, but also any other areas they feel fond of. Female rabbits are much more nest-minded and can be extremely territorial of their cage and bedding, but they are not as likely as males to become aggressive or territorial in other areas of the home. If you have small children or other pets, you may consider purchasing or adopting a doe for this reason. Both male and female rabbits are capable of inflicting significant harm with their sharp claws and large teeth. When properly adjusted to family life, most pet rabbits will relax their guard a bit around familiar people, but they may still be aggressive and territorial to strangers, including house guests.

Bonding

• If you are considering getting more than one rabbit, and you plan to house them together, choosing the right sex combination is important to maintaining the peace around your house. A male and a female rabbit will get along much better than two rabbits of the same sex. A neutered male and spayed female will have little left of the potentially troublesome hormones that could create friction between the two. An unneutered male may bond with a spayed female rabbit, but he will continue to mount her. This could lead to fighting or injury to one or either of the rabbits. Same-sex rabbits are likely to fight, as they attempt to establish dominance.