How Fast Does a Rabbit Run?

Function

• Rabbits are prey animals, and their bodies have evolved to move quickly over short distances to avoid predators. Aside from man, in the wild they are hunted primarily by foxes, birds of prey like owls or eagles, badgers, weasels, minks and stoats. Group predators like stoats can run at about 20 mph and may not always be able to catch a rabbit running at its top speed. Foxes can run at 45 mph, which is at the highest speed a rabbit can achieve, but the fox may still be outmaneuvered by a rabbit's ability to zigzag, bound and leap around objects and other animals.

Features

• Rabbit anatomy is designed for speed. Rabbits have a long hindlimb and short forelimb combination that supports the weight of the animal across terrain and functions in digitigrade form. Digitigrade limbs show high ankles and long carpals and tarsals, which allow an animal to move on the tips of the toes. At rest, the plantar surface of the hindlimb touches the ground, bringing the rabbit off its toes. Rabbits have five toes in the forelimb and four toes in the hindlimb.

Types

• When it comes to speed, rabbits are divided into several different categories. Most people will be familiar with the common domestic rabbit, descended from the European oryctolagus cuniculus, which has been bred for different characteristics for many centuries. Some domestic breeds, like the small Jersey Wooly, are fairly slow, while others have been bred for their running speed, such as the lean Belgian Hare. Other types of rabbits are faster than the domestic rabbit. Jackrabbits, of the genus Lupus, have been known to reach the top level of rabbit speed at 45 mph, and cottontails, which move in a scampering gait, can reach 30 mph in short bursts.

Size

• The size of a rabbit can contribute to its speed. Domestic rabbits can weigh from 2 to 28 lbs., depending on the breed and growth of the individual rabbit. There are five size categories for rabbits. Dwarf breeds like the Netherland Dwarf and the Dwarf Hotot, and small breeds like the Dutch or Havana, are squat in shape but can have much greater agility and energy than larger rabbits. Medium-sized breeds like the Harlequin and large-sized breeds like the Hotot or the American Sable tend to hold a medium ground between high speed and agility. Giant breeds like the Flemish Giant are less active overall and sometimes prone to joint problems due to their weight. Running breeds of all sizes will be faster on average.

Considerations

• Other factors like illness, injury, age and obesity can cause a rabbit not to reach its full speed potential. Domestic rabbits are often not exercised enough and suffer from osteoporosis and low calcium levels as a result of poor nutrition. This can often lead to fractures in vertebrae and femurs when a rabbit moves quickly, and sometimes hind limb paralysis can occur. Poor muscle tone, particularly in the heart muscle, can also cause a rabbit to slow down. Wild rabbits have constant heart muscle exercise and are used to running from predators, while a domestic rabbit that is not exercised enough can drop dead from heart failure when chased. A rabbit that moves slowly may also suffer from sore hocks, which are foot ulcerations caused by poor cage conditions. Healthy rabbits should be able to run easily.