Sexing rabbits

[pam9]

Hi all,

I have two new rabbits that I've had for less than a week. I picked them out off the rescue website, and funnily enough, they were buddies and were sharing a cage together. The woman running the rescue believed they were both boys, but when we were there, one began showing...interest in the other. She turned that one over to check again, and now we're not sure. So we let them be together for the first night then separated them.

The one we believe could be female is about 9 weeks, the other, who we definitely know is a boy (can feel the testicles developing under the skin), is around 7.5 weeks. I've separated them, but my father put them together once the other day (we can't tell him one might be a girl - he'd have a fit) when no one else was around, and he says the male was showing definite interest in the (possible) female.

I'll try to get some pictures soon and maybe someone can tell the sex, but I wanted to check - could the (possibly) female rabbit be pregnant? I know she is way too young to have babies safely, but is it even possible right now? Someone please tell me it's not, because we don't want any babies! We're hoping they can be friends again once they're fixed.

Thanks.

 

[Runestonez]

I would keep them seperated until you can get them sexed or speutered (spayed/neutered). Better safe than sorry!
Even if they were the same sex they would show"interest" since this is the way they settle dominance.

Even the most rabbit savvy person or vet canbe fooled...:biggrin:

I wouldn't be too worried at 7.5 weeks...but just to be safe house them side by side...with a nice safe no bunny sex through the bars space in between and wait to try to bond them until they are speutered!

Smaller breeds of rabbits mature sooner than the larger breeds...but I think you should be OK...they are still a little young to breed yet.:whistling

Danielle

 

[ASKidwai]

what breed are they?


they are usually sexually mature at around 5-6months in the smaller breeds

 

[pam9]

One is a Dutch mix, the other is a Lionhead/Angora mix. They're both pretty small right now, the 7-week Lionhead is 2 pounds, the Dutch (possible girl) is 2.6 pounds.

And thank you Danielle, that was a relief to hear. We're going to take the Butterscotch (the possible girl) to the vet later this week to see if they can tell. But I'm kind of thinking it's a girl. I can't feel the testicles developing under the skin, plus he/she digs in his cage, which I'm told can be a sign of a female exposed to a male. Though Dutch rabbits are kind of crazy (this one in particular), so it might just be his/her personality.

I'll let you know what happens!

Pam

 

[Runestonez]

Good Luck!:biggrin:

Let us know the verdict!

Danielle

 

[pam9]

So Butterscotch went to the vet yesterday - he IS a he! Now the two rabbits can play together again - though that might be kept to small amounts of time until they're both fixed. It's so funny - the little one is chasing him around, and Butterscotch can't get any peace!

 

[elrohwen]

Awww, poor Butterscotch! Bunnies of both sexes can be humpers, but it's good that neither of yours will get pregnant from it ;-)