Keeping Rabbits Together After Neutering

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nikoandnestle

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Hello! I have 2 6 months old, male Netherland Dwarf, Lop ear mixes (brothers) that I adopted as a bonded pair. They are both not currently neutered but one has been showing signs of being hormonal and territorial towards the other so I am getting it neutered. I will just be neutering one and seeing if that fixes the problem and if not I will neuter the other one but I wanted to know whether or not I should keep them together after just the one being neutered. What are your guys thoughts?
 
Hi.
Neutering just one won't fix the problem.
They are 6 months now so they will become hormonal inevitably and both, just the first one started earlier, but they will both be hormonal and will be humping each other and spraying urine all over and peeing and leaving stinky wet poos everywhere to mark their territory.

In fact, when you've got them they were not bonded, they were just babies and it always changes when they enter their hormonal phase, they start humping/circling, then fighting and it can (and will if you keep them together) end up in blood. Boys would usually become hormonal at 3,5-4 months but sometimes later like 6 months is a bit late I would say, but it is individual.

In your situation I would immediately separate them so they can't even see or smell each other (that's important), and I would spray my hands and clothes with 5% vinegar if I will hold them so they could not smell another rabbit, they can start showing aggression towards you and even bite. This is best to prevent than cure.

If you want to keep them together, both must be neutered and you will have to wait at least 2 months after that and keep them completely separately before you can start bonding them.

If you will separate them as I said so they are unable to smell or see another rabbit they will calm down a bit but you cannot stop that process of becoming hormonal, it's just nature.
One way to stop it is neutering (boys still stay hormonal about 6-8 weeks after neutering or sometimes even longer, they still fertile for a few weeks after neutering too, that's why you will need to keep them separately) or just keep one rabbit and let him or her overgrow their hormonal age naturally (it may work, but depends on their personalities largely), it can be after 1 year or two years for larger breeds. But when you have another rabbit there they are both under stress and if they are both boys there's competition so they will show hormonal signs more than if they see no other rabbit.


From what you described that one of them became territorial and attacks your hand, can you give more details about being territorial, is there also humping/circling or grooming just describe what you see.

In my experience I have raised many rabbits myself and I am a pet behaviourist specializing in home pet rabbits, it is more common for females to show territorial signs as you described. I would re-check their gender right now are you sure they are both boys?

Here's how you can do it yourself
https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threads/sexing-rabbit-pictures.44936/
 
Last edited:
I would give it a try! Could possibly work but what Zuppa said is what usually happens:( but it’s a possibility and if you work hard enough it could work out! But definatly check genders again:)
 
Hi.
Neutering just one won't fix the problem.
They are 6 months now so they will become hormonal inevitably and both, just the first one started earlier, but they will both be hormonal and will be humping each other and spraying urine all over and peeing and leaving stinky wet poos everywhere to mark their territory.

In fact, when you've got them they were not bonded, they were just babies and it always changes when they enter their hormonal phase, they start humping/circling, then fighting and it can (and will if you keep them together) end up in blood. Boys would usually become hormonal at 3,5-4 months but sometimes later like 6 months is a bit late I would say, but it is individual.

In your situation I would immediately separate them so they can't even see or smell each other (that's important), and I would spray my hands and clothes with 5% vinegar if I will hold them so they could not smell another rabbit, they can start showing aggression towards you and even bite. This is best to prevent than cure.

If you want to keep them together, both must be neutered and you will have to wait at least 2 months after that and keep them completely separately before you can start bonding them.

If you will separate them as I said so they are unable to smell or see another rabbit they will calm down a bit but you cannot stop that process of becoming hormonal, it's just nature.
One way to stop it is neutering (boys still stay hormonal about 6-8 weeks after neutering or sometimes even longer, they still fertile for a few weeks after neutering too, that's why you will need to keep them separately) or just keep one rabbit and let him or her overgrow their hormonal age naturally (it may work, but depends on their personalities largely), it can be after 1 year or two years for larger breeds. But when you have another rabbit there they are both under stress and if they are both boys there's competition so they will show hormonal signs more than if they see no other rabbit.


From what you described that one of them became territorial and attacks your hand, can you give more details about being territorial, is there also humping/circling or grooming just describe what you see.

In my experience I have raised many rabbits myself and I am a pet behaviourist specializing in home pet rabbits, it is more common for females to show territorial signs as you described. I would re-check their gender right now are you sure they are both boys?

Here's how you can do it yourself
https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threads/sexing-rabbit-pictures.44936/
One is very dominant and is the one who is trying to mount and occasinly nipping. he also rubbing his chin and not acting litter box trained anymore. the other rabbit is scared of him and will run away because he understands that they are the dominant one. Was there something else more specific you were wanting to know? they do not full on fight because the other one will not fight back but we have the separated but they can still see and smell each other through the grated fence thing. they are still acting as bonded bunnies as they were both looking a trying to figure out how to get to each other. was their something else you needed to know?
 
If they are in fact both males, it's highly unlikely you can get away with neutering only one and have them get along without a potentially very harmful fight breaking out. Your other unneutered male would basically have to have zero hormones and exhibit no hormonal or dominance behaviors for something like that to work out.

In almost all cases with male rabbits, unneutered males are just too hormonal to be able to coexist peacefully, and this then leads to serious problems, sometimes fatal ones. If you only neuter one and the other one acts hormonal at all, pursuing and trying to pester and mount the neutered male, this can eventually lead to a fight occurring. And actual fights can result in very serious injuries, expensive vet bills, or even the death of a rabbit.

Separate, neuter both, wait 6-8 weeks, then attempt the bonding process. Even then there is no guarantee they will still like each other and bond, but it's the best chance there is of them bonding, and it being safe.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-bunnies.html
http://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bonding_rabbits_together
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
 

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