Male vs Female Rabbits | Buck vs Doe
Rabbits have been useful animals for humans for quite some time in many ways. Therefore, they have been kept in captivity and manage the captive populations through breeding. Therefore, the importance of identifying their sexes is very important. There are many differences between male and female rabbits those can be spotted easily if proper concentration is put forward.
Male Rabbit (Buck)
Male rabbit is known as a Buck, and it is usually smaller than a female of the same breed. Obviously, it is buck that possesses the all-important male reproductive system. They mount on the females while copulation is taking place. Thus, it could be used to identify the male if a couple is mating, but they do not do that all the time. Therefore, further examinations would be important to carryout. One of the most important features to observe is the penis. The penis becomes visible when the area just above the anus is slightly pressed. The penis of the male rabbit is a tiny tube-like organ of white or pink in colour. Their testicles are not visible to the exterior, especially in cold days or in winter. However, they protrude the testicles outside the body when the environmental temperature increases, which is a more or less a common feature of the mammals. It is evident that male rabbits tend to urinate more during the mating period than in other times. It is believed that males show more territorial behaviours than the females, especially during the mating season. The increase of male urination frequency during the breeding season could be understood as a sign of territory marking. In addition to all those morphological and behavioural characteristics, some highly experienced personnel can identify the males just by looking at their faces, as those have a block-like or square-like appearance.
Female Rabbit (Doe)
The female rabbit is commonly referred as a Doe, and it is usually larger than a male of the same age in the same breed. With a round-shaped face, the female rabbits can be distinguished, yet it requires much experience in identification. They grow dewlaps, skinfolds under the neck, when they get old. The doe waits for the buck to mount on her back and start the copulation process. The vulva and the vagina of the females could be observed when the area just above the anus is slightly pressed down. The vagina is a vertical slit and the vulva appears as skinfolds of pink colour. Observation of the vulva and vagina would be the most accurate defining of a female rabbit. There is no significant increase in their urination frequency during mating season. Female rabbits are not highly territorial, but they prefer to stay in the nest. After mating, the females get pregnant, and their gestation period is only 31 days. A doe can mate with a buck after delivery, and the litter size varies between four and twelve. That means the female rabbits are super-fast breeders.
What is the difference between Male and Female Rabbits?
• The size of the female is comparatively larger than a male of the same age in the same breed.
• Males are known as Bucks while females are referred as Does.
• The pink or white colour tiny penis could be observed in males, whereas the vertical slit (vagina) with a pair of pink colour skinfolds (vulva) can be observed in females.
• The round face in females is comparative to the block-like face in males.
• Old females have dewlaps but not in males.
• Males are more territorial than females.
• Male mounts the female while female waits for it.
• Males produce more urine than females during the mating period.