Approximately 100 breeds of rabbits are recognized. These breeds include rabbits used for laboratories such as the New Zealand white, for meat such as the checkered giant, and for pelts such as the angora rabbits. Rabbits have a life-span between 5 and 10 years. Determining the sex of young rabbits is sometimes difficult. As they mature, anatomic differences become more obvious.
Prominent dewlaps occur in mature female rabbits or does.
Adult male rabbits or bucks have moveable testes. If these differences are not apparent, ask your veterinarian to determine your rabbit's sex. After reaching puberty around 4-6 months of age, does and bucks will often fight viciously with other members of the same sex, and spray urine to mark their territory. For these reasons, it is often best to have pet rabbits neutered or spayed. Female rabbits are also very susceptible to uterine cancer, which is prevented by the spay operation.