About my 2 girls...

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FallingStar

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Ok, I have 2 female rabbits and they have been together since they were born. They are in the same cage and -seem- to get along great. And I'm never going to breed either of them.

So do you think they will fight?

Thanks

Karlee:)
 
I think this is the wrong section, but oh well.

I was actually mentioning your two girls to someone who is getting two English Lop boys....

Anyways, I don't think they will fight, since they seem pretty happy together, but once they reach sexuall maturity (around 6-8 months old) they could start to become aggressive. Since you have no boys, though, they may not get aggressive at all. It's just something you should watch in case, because you will want to move them right away. Like with Willow and Savannah, when we first got them they hadn't reached maturity yet, and even though they weren't nessisarily around boys, they still fought once they hit a certain age, and they had to be split up.

Emily
 
Well BlueSky this isn't in the wrong one because it's in "Behavior, but oh well. I thought it would be in the right one. But anyways I don't think they will because they have been with eachother and all. And they all ways snuggle and sleep in the nest-box together. So I think they are pretty happy with eachother.
 
FallingStar wrote:
Well BlueSky this isn't in the wrong one because it's in "Behavior, but oh well.
Click to expand...
It's in the right section, no worries:thumbup.

How old are they now? When they reach puberty, things could change, yes. You'll just have to keep an eye out. See if anything changes.
 
Once puberty hits, they will no longer be the same buns. Once you get them spayed they will no longer be the same buns..again. And in that I mean their smell and how they react to other buns along with how they react to you. Ever fight? Yeah I think they will eventually. Especially if they're not spayed.
 
Not all hormones are triggered by other rabbits. They will hit sexual maturity regardless of if you raise them in a barn full of other buns or alone in a shoe box in the basement.
 
okiron wrote:
Not all hormones are triggered by other rabbits. They will hit sexual maturity regardless of if you raise them in a barn full of other buns or alone in a shoe box in the basement.
Click to expand...
Too true. I'm going to take some advice I gave in another thread, and use it here, because it applies...

I, personally, wouldn't take the chance. I have four-not-yet-spayed girls...and I wouldn't dream of putting any of them together. They're just too hormonal...fights WILL happen, and I don't think it's worth the risk.

You may find that bonding them before altering and/or puberty, they have personality changes that make it so the bonded pair you've got right now winds up having to be separated. They might wind up so cage agressive, you'd wind up with a fight on your hands...and possibly mortal wounds or absesses resulting from wounds to then worry about.

I just don't see bonding unaltered buns (no matter what the gender) as worth the risk...no matter how you look at it.

For instance, Flower's almost two years of age, and not yet altered...and totally smitten with Trixie (who's spayed)...but I've never put them together, nor would I even consider trying to bond them...because I don't want them to wind up fighting when Flower's hormonal. Flower is a TOTAL and complete LOVEBUG when she's not hormonal...but take the other night. She was hormonal and actually CHARGED at me, honking and grunting, ears back, ANGRY! I was laying down and sprang up so I wasn't prone if she decided to do more than charge. I think that's a good illustration of how personality can vary in an unaltered bun...particularly females.

They might seem just fine and cuddly and happy to have company now, but they're both still very young. Their desire for company now (i.e. before hormones) is simply from having had their siblings around and being used to it. Once their hormones hit, they might become quite cage agressive and not WANT company.

The statistic of how many females become cage (or otherwise) agressive once puberty hits is just too high for me to ever say it's a good idea.

Anyway, just my :twocents

 
Ok fallingstar, you have mentioned that they've always been together and have never been separated and love each other and snuggle and everything. We got it, promise ;) Wont change anything though, hormones are hormones.
 
I'm just wondering why even mention it, since shes already set her cap to it.

Trying to convince us or herself?

Zin
 
It's going to be hit or miss.

I have fostered several litters, and they all started fighting around 4-6 months. But, on the other hand, Wildfire never fought with any of her baby girls even when they stayed with her till 4 months in a smaller cage.

You will have to monitor them carefully. Best way to make sure they never fall out of love, is to get them spayed as early as possible and at the same time.

Watch for humping or circling. If they start, then I would seperate, but otherwise just watch carefully.

I've seen it happen both ways.

--Dawn
 
FallingStar wrote:
Well sorry Okiron. Jeez, and the only reason I said that because I thought you didn't read it.
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Lol you said it in every post you made on this thread, how can I not read it silly :p
 
Most likely, as soon as their hormones start kicking in - they will start tussling and fighting. Not always, but it's something to be very aware of and be prepared to separate them in the near future.

If you aren't planning on breeding them, I think it would be great to look into spaying both, and then work on bonding them once the pesky hormones are out of the question. Spaying is also a wonderful idea for does not intended for breeding for healthy reasons also.

They sound like they do enjoy each others company, but even the most in love bunniescould and usually dofight when their hormones kick up and their instincts to be dominant and territorial kick in.
 
Yup! If you choose to spay them, you can have little bunny dates and introductionsto reintroduce them to each other called bunny bonding. There's lots of resources about it in the Bunny 101 section.. pretty much it's just a process to introduce the bunnies and for them to form a trusting bond, so that they can become bonded and able to live together.

As you know, bunnies personalitieschange from when they are young to when they become adults.. so eventhough they arefriends when they are young, they may still need to be bonded to reintroduce the trust after the hormones are eliminated by spaying.

That's how I personally would handle the situation to have the best outcome for bunnies who seem to enjoy each others company.I highly recommend spaying if you do not have any plans of breeding for the health and bonding aspects.

:)

 
Ohhh. I see now Spring. Ok. I just didn't understand the first time. And do you have any idea about how much it costs to spay 2 bunnies? And do you that if I -do- spay them that it will affect anything to do with the fair? Because I have heard from some people that you can't enter rabbits in some events if they are spayed. But I'm not sure about that.
 
Prices on spays depend a lot on your area and what vet you choose. It is usually more costly than spaying a dog or a cat. Sometimes there are low-cost options avaliable.

Were you thinking of showing them?

Edited to add:
Now I see you mentioned a fair. I don't personally show rabbits, so I'm not sure, but it would depend on the organization in charge of the show, for example if it was the ARBA or more like a 4H group that might have a pet category or something of the sort.
 
Hi Karlee :).

That's alright!

I would just phone around.. it all varies depending on the places you call.. it may be a bit expensive, but definitely worth it! You could also phone local rabbit rescues/SPCA's who deal with rabbits to see who does their spays and neuters, and who they recommend.

Here are some rabbit savvy vets in Washington..

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11637&forum_id=9

I would maybe ask that question in the rabbitry forum if spaying effects entering a rabbit for judging?
 
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