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Place the rabbit on its back on your lap with the back legs facing away from you. If you have a larger rabbit, you may prefer to hold the rabbit with the back legs facing towards you. Placing a rabbit on its back will cause the rabbit to enter a semi-conscious state, similar to a trance. Don't leave a rabbit on its back for long periods of time, as this position may cause the rabbit to feel pain.
If you're just learning how to sex a rabbit, you might want someone else to gently hold the rabbit's head; you'll need to use both hands to part the fur, and gently apply pressure to the sides of the vent, where the genitals and anus are located. As you gain experience, you can hold your rabbit's head with one hand and apply pressure with the other.
As you're applying pressure to the vent area, you'll see an opening closest to the tail, which is the anus; the opening farthest from the tail is the genitals.
Male rabbits have a tube-shaped penis that protrudes from the vent area. In young males, the penis will have a round diameter, with a tiny round opening at the center of the vent, and is a light pink in color. If a male rabbit is older than 10 weeks, his testicles will be visible on each side. Testicles feel like small lumps under the skin and are covered with fur in young males. Male rabbits have the ability to withdraw the testicles into their abdomen, so even if you are unable to feel the testicles, your rabbit might still be a male.
Female rabbits have a pink, oval-shaped protrusion from the vent area and have a slit rather than a small round opening.
As rabbits get older, physical differences between males and females become easier to spot. Males are smaller than females from the same breed and have a head that is more block-shaped. Most medium or large breeds of adult females have a large fold of skin, called a dewlap, underneath their chins. Females have nipples, and males do not, but if your female rabbit has never had a litter, her nipples may be difficult to find. However, even if you can't find your rabbit's nipples, she might still be a female.
Rabbit Network: How To Sex Your Rabbits
Identifying the gender of a rabbit can begin as early as three weeks of age. A male rabbit, known as a buck, generally has a head and body shape that is described as "blocky." Spotting the testicles is easier on a hot day, as they will descend further. On cooler days, the testicles will shrink back toward the body. It is also possible to identify a male rabbit by its personality traits. Males tend to be more curious and interactive, as well as attentive and affectionate. They are also more likely to spray their scent when they feel it is necessary to mark their territory or if they are startled.
To physically identify a female rabbit, look for a vertical slit with pink folds of skin in the genital area. A doe will also have four or five pairs of mammary glands and nipples once she matures. Additionally, females generally have a rounder head with a fold of skin, called a dewlap, under the chin. When they are ready to breed, does can become aggressive with their grunts and lunges because their nesting instincts make them territorial. A doe may also use her scent glands to mark her nest.
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