Question about bonding rabbits...?

[Crisi1987]

Well, i have 4 dwarf rabbits, 3 are about 2-3 months old and the other is 6 months old about. were really not sure, the pet store of course had no idea. anyways, i was trying to introduce the older one who is a girl with a littler one who were really not sure what sex it is. but when i put them in a neutral area the little one tried to snuggle with the older one and all she did was run up to him and push on his back legs, i dont get what she is trying to do. is it bad or good? is she trying to bite him? whenever she does this i stop her so she doesnt try to fight with the little one. but since this is my first time bonding rabbits i have no idea what shes doing means.

 

[naturestee]

I'd really wait until they are all spayed/neutered. You don't want to risk an accidental pregnancy, plus rabbits can change a lot once they hit puberty. There's been a lot of cases where rabbits that were inseperable as babies hate each other as adults, and they can have dangerous and even deadly fights.

By "pushing on their back legs" were they mounting? Or nudging each other?

This is a really good site on bonding that you might want to read.
http://www.mybunnies.com/bonding.htm

 

[TinysMom]

naturestee wrote:

There's been a lot of cases where rabbits that were inseperable as babies hate each other as adults, and they can have dangerous and even deadly fights.

This is very true and I have littermates that are Netherland Dwarfs that can't stand each other. Mind you - I have photos of them sleeping together when they were little - and sleeping with Tiny, my Flemish Giant.

I would keep them separated until you not only know their sex - but have then neutered.

Also - I know that with lionheads - they can breed as early as 3 1/2 - 4 months (I had a buck who had his parts drop at 9 1/2 weeks). Rabbits can breed so fast too....turn your back and by the time you look around .... they can have bred. (Ok..maybe not quite that fast -but pretty close to it).

I agree with Naturestee that you need to have them neutered before you try to bond them. In fact, I'd wait at least 2-3 weeks after neutering them. Its going to be much safer for them.

Peg

 

[Crisi1987]

thanks. yea by pushing shes just nudging him. im trying to get her spayed but were having trouble finding a good place to take her. and the other one is too young to be neutored/spayed so we have to wait.

 

[FlopsnWills]

http://www.wisconsinhrs.org/Recommended%20Vets.htm

there's one in milwaukee that specializes in small animals. be careful too, because males can still impregnate females up to 6 weeks after their neuters.

 

[Akkatia]

Dwarf rabbits hit maturaty by four months of age, and this is when they can start producing litters. I don't keep all my breeders together, so I wouldn't know what your dwarf is doing. What I do know is that it takes one time of breeding, and in about thirty-one days you'll have a litter, if you're not careful. If you're not a breeder, spay and neuter, or you risk them with cancer.

 

[Crisi1987]

yes, i know all of that. and we are going to spay her. i just was wondering what it means when she pushes the other one

 

[Akkatia]

Oh, okay. Well, if the other rabbit runs away when your rabbit pushes on it, than it's probably wanting to mate. I would separate them both.

 

[naturestee]

She could be asking the other rabbit to groom her, although usually they will put their nose under the other rabbit's chin for that. Or she could just be trying to nudge him out of the way. Sorry I didn't answer that part earlier!

 

[Crisi1987]

maybe shes just trying to get him out of her way, i know shes REALLY pushy. if even i dont move out of her way she'll bite me, not hard or anything just to warn me of what can happen in the future i guess, haha. their seperated right now, i would rather have them both spayed/neutored so they arent territorial with eachother