Belgian Hares. House Bunnies. Lots of Questions.

[CuriousBun]

So I have been looking for a house pet or two that's a little different. I'll be perfectly honest - I'm from a rural area where bunnies are kept as meat animals, outside in tiny hutches, and for most of my life I thought this was just the way to keep them. I've had bunnies before... a rescued male/female pair of meat bunnies who lived exactly as I described because I didn't know any better until they died of old age. And I very briefly had a trio of Holland Lops that lived indoors in a cage but I didn't let them run around really.

Now I am looking for something I can let run around during the day while I'm watching. I have all the cords picked up and think everything's safe. I bred small rodents (as pets) for many years until I developed a bad allergy and I ache to have a pair of something to breed again, but if that's not possible a pet or two is fine too. That is what this/these bunnies would be for primarily either way.

Questions: Can I keep an intact male/female pair together if I let them run around for the majority of the time? Is there some issue with this? (I see everyone seems to spay/neuter their house bunnies. Not sure why? None of my previously mentioned buns were... though they never bred either so that wasn't an issue. I can see if a male/female pair were constantly "bred back" this might be an issue but I'm not sure if rabbits do this - I know rats and the other fancy rodents I had certainly would if you allowed them!) If not would getting two females to roam around be better? I could always get a male somewhere down the line if I decided to go in that direction.

Just so you know I am planning on building two 6 foot long cages, indoors, for them to sleep nights in anyway, perfect if I have to separate them (I hope not but I realize bunnies can be hard to predict as far as getting along.) When the snow melts I'll even have an outdoor run for them- not a hutch - an actual enclosed large run, shaded.

And what are Belgian Hares like? I know they're intelligent, nervous, and high-energy, all things I find admirable, but does anyone here have actual experience with them they'd like to share? And where can I find a breeder in New England? Having a hard time there.... really have my heart set on a black and tan if it is at all possible....

Thank you for any advice in advance.

 

[Bville]

I think the majority of people who spay and neuter their pet rabbits do it to eliminate unwanted hormonal behavior and prevent breeding. There is an overpopulation of pet rabbits with many in shelters and rescues.

 

[woahlookitsme]

You can certainly let an intact female and male roam around together if you are expecting to breed because that is exactly what will happen. I highly recommend at least neutering and/or spaying rabbits if you are going to have them together. Neutering a rabbit is much like neutering a cat it is less invasive and lower in cost. But the pair needs to be separated for some time (minimum of 3 months) due to the male still being able to impregnate the female. Spaying a female is more costly but once the ovaries and uterus is removed there is no chance of the pair having babies and they can be put back together once the incision heals.

If you are keeping the rabbits separate in wire cages at all times then there really is no need to spay/neuter BUT at all times can be tricky. Many people end up having breakouts from indoor setups and then a month later a new litter on their hands. Rabbits do not care who is related to who and will breed with whatever is available so yes breeding back is a real issue especially if the rabbits are closely related. Inbreeding is a procedure that is used by breeders but is highly regulated and often has a goal in mind for doing it.

Most people suggest getting a male/female pair that are both fixed but like I said before one or the other can be performed but there are risks involved when just neutering. People have kept pairs of intact males and intact females together but these are very dynamic relationships and must be worked on to achieve. Simply tossing two intact rabbits together can result in a serious brawl.

Housing sounds fine as long as the above points are considered.

Belgian Hares are a rare breed in the states and only a few breeders are working with them. They are more common in the UK and are recognized in the black and tan variety over there. In the US there may be breeders working on that variety but it will be very few. I do not raise belgians nor have I owned one but I do have another full arch breed known as the Tan. They are highly intelligent and very active. Here is the belgian hare breed clubs website and it looks like they have some breeders in the new england area.
http://www.belgianhareclub.com/index.html

Highly recommend looking at the breeding and raising page because it has very important info about the things people should know when caring for a hare.

 

[CuriousBun]

By "bred back" I mean having one litter right after the last one is weaned. This can strain a female animal's health and I don't advise it in any form of animal. I'm sorry if this is not a rabbit term... I borrowed it from my rodent breeding days. I am fully aware of line breeding (you call it inbreeding) - what it does, what risks it carries, and I am not one to pick poor stock if I do get into the breeding side of things. I also am looking into Belgian Hares because know their rarity, the fact they are challenging to breed, and I feel if I am to breed something I want it to be something rare enough that I know for sure someone will want the babies.

I am also very familiar with break outs. I had a child (who was supposed to be being watched - not by me) put a male rat in my female cage. 15 litters. I was NOT pleased! I literally put locks on the cages after that. :/ Never had an incidence since....

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

whoalookitsme covered it pretty well.

As far as Belgian Hares go, it may be difficult finding a reputable breeder who will sell them as pets. Hares have very specific housing needs and are pretty fragile health-wise. People are generally pretty careful about letting them leave the show/breeding community. A friend of mine raised them for awhile and they were a very difficult breed to work with.

You may be able to find a breeder by visiting the ARBA site. Go to the breed page and click on Belgian Hares. That should take you to the breed specialty club page. There are usually contacts on there.

Be sure to be thorough in your email about your intentions and the housing setup/diet you're planning on for the rabbit. OR ask questions if you're not sure and ask the breeder for recommendations.

 

[Kipcha]

Most people spay/neuter to eliminate accidental breedings, help with hormonal behaviours and it also helps with litter habits, something I'd imagine you would care about if they're free roam. Last thing you want is them just going all over the house. The does do have a risk of developing ovarian/uterine cancer, which can be avoided by getting them spayed.

Also, if they are running loose together, I would be careful that your doe doesn't neuter your buck for you. It's not uncommon to have their scrotums torn open by other rabbits, which makes putting them in pairs a hazard.

With Belgians, we have one pure bred and one that is mixed with a Tan. Our TanxBelgian boy named Jabberwocky has a LOT of energy while our purebred Belgian, Peace, is pretty much the laziest rabbit I've met. He's very content to come and cuddle, but otherwise he prefers lounging in his bed or eating.

However, you do need to be very careful with them. We talked with a number of breeders before committing to getting one, so I would recommend to talking to some of the specific breeders. They are known for breaking their backs. Their spines are so long and so fragile, you have to be very careful when handling them. They wouldn't make a good first pet rabbit, so they could be difficult for you to rehome. They also appear to be prone to respiratory problems because of their narrow chest cavities. Their hocks are also pretty prone to sores as well.

Here's our boy,

 

[woahlookitsme]

By "bred back" I mean having one litter right after the last one is weaned. This can strain a female animal's health and I don't advise it in any form of animal. I'm sorry if this is not a rabbit term... I borrowed it from my rodent breeding days. I am fully aware of line breeding (you call it inbreeding) - what it does, what risks it carries, and I am not one to pick poor stock if I do get into the breeding side of things. I also am looking into Belgian Hares because know their rarity, the fact they are challenging to breed, and I feel if I am to breed something I want it to be something rare enough that I know for sure someone will want the babies.

I am also very familiar with break outs. I had a child (who was supposed to be being watched - not by me) put a male rat in my female cage. 15 litters. I was NOT pleased! I literally put locks on the cages after that. :/ Never had an incidence since....

Ah yes I understand. Yes rabbits are able to be bred back to back with litters and this occurs in more commercial rabbitries. Female rabbits actually have a bicornuate uterus and are able to become pregnant in each individual horn. Although rare, this means that a rabbit can potentially become bred again even if she is already pregnant.

 

[Azerane]

Another thing to consider with housing intact males inside, is that they can be prone to spraying urine, especially if there are other males or females around that they can see/smell. An intact male on his own might not do it, but it will be more likely if you have more than one.

 

[CuriousBun]

Yeah, I was worried about the spraying thing but I guess we'll just have to wait and see there.. I'm hoping supervision will be all that's required.

I did get in contact with a breeder and had quite a chat. Looks like if the transporter agrees I am going to be able to bring home a baby boy in a couple weeks! Super excited!

:jumpforjoy:

 

[woahlookitsme]

Spraying can definitely be an issue. I have a Brit boy that lives inside. He never sprays when he is inside unless there is a female rabbit around him then he goes nuts. This stained the walls in my apartment and became super stinky

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Spraying really depends on the rabbit. I have 2 intact Tan bucks who don't really spray (the odd time they get excited). I have fostered a few intact females and well as males and some spayed/neutered rabbits and it doens't affect them. I think I am fairly lucky in that respect though.