Advice please - interaction between young unfixed male and female rabbits

[Leopold_Ruby]

So heres what happened. I have four rabbits in the same room. Two are male and bonded and one will be neutered this monday. The other two are not bonded yet and are a neutered male and a female. All will
Be altered as soon as theyre old enough.

The two bonded males share a cage, the two others have their own, and share a penned off area for several hours each a day for hop time. I open my females cage and she gets free run of the pen at night.

This morning I went to go put her back and let the two bonded males out for hop time and one was missing. My females fur was in chunks on the floor. She has no injuries thank god. I found him outside the pen!

I have NO idea how he got outside of his cage (his friend was still inside) let alone out of the pen. I'm worried they may have mated. Why else was her fur pulled out? She was only born in dec, is there a good chance she didnt conceive? Wth do I do?!
I'm going to get my husband to figure out a more secure way of housing them but I'm so worried a out my female.

 

[pani]

She may be too young to conceive, but it's also possible that she bloomed early. I think smaller breeds tend to mature earlier, and bigger breeds later; what size is your female?

If she is pregnant she may need extra care, as I think it can be a bit risky for younger buns to have kits.

I hope someone can provide more advice for you soon! ray:

 

[Leopold_Ruby]

Shes a polish.
What kind of extra care should I give her?

 

[MuddyAcresHomestead]

At 3 months she wouldn't be sexually mature yet, I don't think mating would have been successful, even as a small breed they won't reach sexually maturing until 5-6 months of age. Her fur was probably pulled out because they were fighting...if she's not bleeding and doesn't have any open wounds, I'd leave it be for now.

I wonder how he got out! They are good little contortionists!

 

[Leopold_Ruby]

We've figured out how, if rabbits can climb a three foot cage. He can squeeze out at the top. Can they climb?

 

[HiddlesKenway]

Oh you bet they can climb!! That's how mine have escaped so many times! One night I was just about asleep then I heard a big thud and went to the bunny room and one of my does had climbed over the play pen!

Also that's the doe in my profile pictures favourite passed time.

 

[MuddyAcresHomestead]

OMGosh! Climbing bunnies!

 

[Leopold_Ruby]

Well Gromit must have heard that monday he loses his boys and thought he better get at least one go at the girl.
I'm so worried about her, shes tiny.

 

[Leopold_Ruby]

How do I make sure he doesnt climb the fence during hop time? I cant watch them 24/7 as I have a baby

 

[HiddlesKenway]

I usually put a blanket over the top.

 

[Watermelons]

Your title has been altered.
Please try and use more specific titles when creating posts.

 

[BlueMoods]

Make sure they can't get out even when they do climb up there. As for worrying ovr the female, there is no point in that. Just give her twice the pellets for now, that won't hurt her for the nest 4 weeks anyway until you know for sure if she is pregnant or not. 28 days from now, offer her a nest box, just in case. Let your vet know so it won't be a surprise to them if she is pregnant and needs to come in for birthing difficulties.

You can't undo what has already happened and, odds are she is not mature enough to be pregnant anyway but, there is the rare bunny that matures early so, it is possible. Just traet her as if she is pregnant until you know, it won't hurt her to have a bit of extra food for a few weeks, even if she isn't.

 

[Leopold_Ruby]

Half the room is penned off, I dont think a blanket will work

 

[Azerane]

If they're climbing out, you can secure something smooth, like a strip of cardboard or plastic about 6 inches wide around the top of the inside of the pen, that way if they start climbing up, the get towards the top but can't climb up any more.

Do you know when in december your polish was born? Woahlookitsme and her mum (sorry forget the username) breed polish rabbits, so they will know the likelihood of whether she is pregnant or not. But I believe small breeds such as polish are able to become pregnant from 3 months of age.

 

[Leopold_Ruby]

She was born on the 17th of december. Thats a great idea about the cardboard. Ill do that.

 

[ladysown]

at three months for a polish she might well be old enough to mate successfully. All you can do is wait and see. By the time they would be born she'll be four months... good age to be a mom for the first time. Youngest rabbit known to be bred (female was 10 weeks or was it seven?) some rabbits bloom early. Generally best to separate males from females by 10 weeks of age.

Anyways, time will tell for sure.
You'll need to find a way to secure those cages in the meantime....

 

[majorv]

At not quite 3 months it's possible she's pregnant, but very possible she's not. Only time will tell. We don't breed our does until they're six months old, since they're more mature by then.

 

[ladysown]

i breed polish as well and often start them at four-five months. Waiting can increase the internal fat and that can make it more difficult to get them breeding well.

 

[Leopold_Ruby]

Ladysown, where in Ontario are you? I live here too.
It she IS pregnant, any suggestions on finding good homes for crazy looking polish/lion head crosses?