Can you keep an unneutered and a neutered male rabbit together?

[Cinnabun11109]

Hi!
I have an almost 2 year old male lion head rabbit (not neutered) and recently I've been wanting to get him a friend since I'm at work all day and don't want him to be lonely until I come home. My local shelter only has neutered males, all the females are not spayed and we all know why I'm not even going to try that. I've been trying to find answers online but everything just talks about them both being neutered or not neutered, not a half and half situation. Due to covid I would not be able to go get a female spayed so my only option is a male rabbit and I honestly would like a male more, if that makes sense. I'm not into neutering or spaying any animals, I don't agree with it ( This is my personal opinion, no hate lol ) so I'd prefer to get one already neutered or spayed and not have to neuter my current rabbit but I understand the need for it here. What are your thoughts?
Thank you!

 

[Mac189]

My thoughts here is that it is probably not a good idea to have an unneutered male with any rabbit. While I can't guarantee that the outcome would be bad, it is likely that the unneutered male would harass and try to fight the neutered male. The situation MIGHT be better with a spayed female, although it would still likely turn bad.

The other truth of the matter is that males in a fight often bite each other's testicles, which can cause an infection and a required neuter, whether the male and you are ready or not. Females are not above trying their hand at non-optimal castration either.

While I have no business on instructing you to neuter or not, there are quite a few benefits, including smell and behavior. Speaking as a former veterinary assistant, the consequences of an unaltered animal can be horrific and deeply saddening, either from cancers (I've seen a testicular cancer operation and the outcome is not always good, even after the testicles are removed) to hormonal issues to fights (some of which end in amputation or death). I didn't spay my bunny until I got the job (largely due to age and finances), but seeing the consequences certainly sped scheduling the procedure. The animals really don't care either way, but they will if they face medical issues from failing to do so.

While those are my two cents, others may have different experiences, particularly @Preitler , who I believe has some mixed altered bonds. I personally think the situation could turn sour and lead to a lot of pain and expense, as well as bonding trouble.
Additionally, many rescues will require both bunnies to be altered in order to adopt out. Best of luck in your decision and I hope this helps.

 

[Preitler]

My free range house bunny is intact, and has his spayed cuddlebun. I'm lucky that Dotty is such a patient girl, at some times of the year he follows her around with clear intentions for hours each day - she just keeps hopping away. At that times there is 2-3 times a week there's something to mop up because he doesn't care where he tries to spray her, they spend most of daytime outside so he might try more often than I know of.
But lots of lounging, grooming and cuddling too, they are a good couple. Hormones play a big role in their behaviour. I considered getting him neutered, but now that he has athrosis I think all the additional activity is beneficial, and he can't follow Dotty on furniture and window sills anymore. I think it's really good that she can avoid him when she feels like it. Never saw any kind of aggression between those two.

Toward kits he is just friendly, when bucklings coming of age got old enough they started attacking him - 3 times their size - he was just somewhat irritated about that. But I wouldn't dare having him meet my other buck, i'm pretty sure that would be bloody. Hormones really have a say in how they react. Male bonds are the most difficult, and even neutering doesn't turn a buck into a neutrum, it's still a buck, and an intact rabbit has quite a drive to act out his instincts about other bucks.

If you search long enough you'll find examples on the net where it works, or seems to work since not all will report when it turns sour after some time, but those cases are rather rare. As far as I know the best thing for male pairs would be if they were neutered early - before puberty hits (for some reason that doesn't seem popular in the US and UK?) so that hormonal behaviour doesn't become learned behaviour, or at least both neutered to switch off that little savage voice in their heads. Can't tell anything about bonding neutered males, never done it.

A spayed girl is an option, but to an intact buck it's still a doe, and depending on his drive he can be a PITA to her at times.