We all know that rabbits and bunnies of all sizes use their hind limbs to hop from place to place. We see it everywhere, from cartoons like Bugs Bunny, to petting zoos, pet stores, and even in your backyard, rabbits are known for their expressive jump. But just how high do bunnies go with those hippity hops? Realistically how high can a rabbit jump? Dr. Jess explains it all below:
Can Rabbits Jump?
Rabbits definitely jump.
A rabbit’s hind legs have extremely strong leg muscles that help the bunny push off and leap, both vertically and horizontally.
How High Can Bunnies Jump?
The average rabbit can jump around 2 feet high. This is a HUGE vertical leap when comparing their body size with that distance!
Some bunnies have been recorded as amazing jumpers, jumping over 3 feet in height.
The official world record for the rabbit high jump was set in June 1997 in Denmark by a rabbit called Mimreslunds Tösen, owned by Tyne Bygom in which this black and white bunny jumped a recorded 99.5cm (39.2 inches).
There are even stories of rabbits jumping at the 4 foot high range, but these accounts have yet to be fact-checked.
The larger wild rabbits and hares can jump even higher, partially due to their larger size and then need to get out of the way from their natural wild predators.
When Do Rabbits Jump?
Rabbits jump for many reasons. It’s their way of moving around, from little hops to propulse them forward when they are calm, to super jumps when they are zooming around playing or being chased from a predator.
How Fast Can A Rabbit Jump?
Rabbits can run and jump between 25-40 miles per hour (mph), depending on the size of the rabbit, the age of the rabbit, and if the bunny has any medical conditions that could hinder them from running at their fastest speed.
Rabbits were engineered with bodies built to be fast, to escape their predators in the wild. It’s a built-in natural selection indicator.
How High Can YOUR Bunny Jump?
Now you’ve read about how high these cute little guys can jump. You may be wondering just how high your rabbit can jump. What would be the easiest way to determine that?
The easiest way is to set up a jump, a jump like one of the jumps in the pictures in this article.
Simply measure the distance from the top bar of the jump, to the ground.
Then ask your rabbit to jump – some rabbit owners use treats or rewards to ask them over the jump. Other rabbit owners have trained their rabbits to jump over these obstacles without incentive.
Either way, never make or force your rabbit to jump over an obstacle – if they are unsure or scared, a forced leap could injure them.
Which Rabbit Breed Jumps The Highest?
Typically a larger rabbit, with larger hind limb muscles, would be able to jump higher than a small or dwarf rabbit. This is the case up until a certain point.
A very large breed rabbit or an overweight rabbit, will have more body weight to push off the ground with, commonly decreasing their trajectory upward.
Therefore, rabbit breeds that are medium-large in body size will typically be able to jump the highest, followed by small/dwarf varieties, and the overweight bunnies or those with medical conditions, with the lowest vertical jump.
How Far Can Rabbits Fall?
Rabbits should be able to healthily fall the same distance they would be able to jump vertically up from the ground.
Because rabbits can jump 2 to 3 feet high, they can also fall the same distance, the distance they would naturally fall, the second half of a vertical leap back down to the ground.
Of course, this would change if the bunny could not leap to those distances, due to old age and arthritis, neurological issues, or if nervous or scared, for a few reasons.
How Far Can A Rabbit Jump?
Rabbits can jump even farther than they can leap vertically.
The world record for the longest rabbit jump is 301 centimetres (9.88 ft), achieved in August 2017 by Miss Pinkys Grand Champion Harajuku “Dobby”, owned by Julia Samson from Sweden [source].
That’s right, a modern domesticated pet rabbit can jump around 8 to 9 feet in length – a wild rabbit beating that impressive number out by being able to leap up to 15 feet across to out-maneuver predators in the wild.
What Are Rabbit Binkies?
Rabbit binkies are the cute little wiggles or twists that a rabbit will do mid-air, when they are zooming around very actively.
Binkies usually are seen when your bunny is playing and acting silly and happy. If you see your rabbit perform a binky, you are looking at one happy bunny!
High Jump Rabbit Competitions:
That’s right! Just like horses compete around a course with specific height jumps in which the horse and rider jump over, there are now these same type of concept, but in rabbit form.
These high jump competitions are called rabbit hopping, where a rabbit and it’s handler leap high jumps to see which rabbit has the largest vertical jump.
Can Jumping Be Dangerous For Rabbits?
Rabbits are very good jumpers, however, just because rabbits are made for leaping, doesn’t mean that they can’t be hurt jumping.
Never force a rabbit to jump when they do not want to. They can hurt themselves physically, but can also impact them mentally, creating anxiety that can turn into a physical problem.
If your rabbit jumps from a high distance, they can also be injured. If you place your rabbit on a high surface, you must make absolutely sure that your rabbit can not jump or fall off of the surface.
This situation includes jumping from furniture, jumping from your arms, or jumping from their enclosure or hutch. They can be injured if they fall from any of these places.
Therefore it is best to keep your rabbit on the ground and let your bunny choose when they want to jump!
Summary:
Rabbits are naturally fantastic jumpers. Their back legs are made up of large, strong muscles that help propel them into impressive leaps.
A typical pet rabbit can jump somewhere between 2-3 feet high, with the extreme jumpers reaching heights close to 4 feet in height.
Rabbits can jump even farther than they can leap vertically.
A modern domesticated pet rabbit can jump around 8 to 9 feet in length – a wild rabbit beating that impressive number out by being able to leap up to 15 feet across to out-maneuver predators in the wild.
Just because rabbits are natural jumpers, does not mean that you should never force your rabbit to jump.
If they are not prepared to jump, they can actually hurt themselves if forced into the act.
If you noticed your rabbit moving or jumping abnormally, contact your local veterinarian to find out more. We are always happy to help!
