Two male rabbits

[KayleighQuestions]

Hi, I’m wondering if anyone can .

I have an 8 week old Lop called Munch who we collected a couple days ago and we’re wanting to get him a friend. We have seen a rabbit that we love but he’s not available for another few weeks. We’re going to get Munch neutered when he’s old enough but I’m just a little bit concerned about the how the other male would be with Munch until his turn with their being a few weeks age difference. Would they be ok for a couple weeks until the other gets neutered?

The seller wanted to sell each rabbit in pairs, however, 1 buyer only wanted one rabbit as it was their first pet which meant that Munch was the last one to leave, otherwise he’d have a sibling being neutered at the same time.

Thanks in advance

 

[zuppa]

Hi, as largely discussed on this site already, it would be best to neuter your rabbit and only introduce him to another neutered rabbit after 8 weeks post neuter. Both rabbits must be neutered and 8 week period is necessary for their hormones to calm down.

If you feel like you absolutely want the second baby-boy right now and cant wait, you should have two completely isolated setups to keep the two absolutely separately until they are neutered + min 8 weeks after neuter, then you will have to prepare some neutral place for them to meet so they both not feeling offended by new rabbit entering their own territory (which can cause a fight after which it can be very difficult to bond them), then bonding process can take time but you will see if they like each other or not during the first few sessions.

If you just take in another 8 week old boy right now and let them together, they are just babies and it is possible that they will get along for the next few weeks, but boys will become hormonal at 10-12 weeks (it also depends on their breed, dwarf rabbits can start a bit sooner, as soon as 9 weeks), and what you will have there, both boys will start chasing and humping each other, spraying urine on each other, you and your walls, marking their territory by peeing everywhere and leaving hundreds dark and stinky 'marking' poos everywhere, then they will start fighting and can seriously damage each other (and there will be blood), all that because they will feel need to establish their dominance over each other. Usual scenario when you leave two baby-boys together would be at about 14-16 weeks they will have scars on their bodies and maybe some torn ears or bitten genitalia and you may need an emergency vet to fix that. It is also very shocking for you and especially kids to see the fight and it can traumatize your family to the grade you will want to get rid of them. I personally have adopted a few boys from people who were horrified and so just were looking to rehome them.

Not trying to scare you but if you will be getting another baby right now make sure they are kept completely separately until their neuter + 8 weeks, so usually boys are ready for neutering at 4 months, so that's 2 months from now plus two months after neutering. And i have to warn you that you should let them alone for full 8 weeks post-neuter, without trying to pre-bond them, because it can complicate things dramatically and make bonding very difficult, if not impossible at all.

There's no guarantee that they will bond after all, it will depend on their personalities and if they like each other or not.


Your other option if you want a companion for your baby boy, you have to neuter him (at about 4 months) and let him calm down for another 8 weeks minimum, then you can start looking for already neutered (8 wk+) boy or girl, you can keep an eye on your local shelters or adoption advertisements, and then you can do pre-bonding sessions to see if they like each other and hopefully can be bonded.

So this is not an easy process. If you are happy with having two isolated setups for the two babies for the next like 4 months you can go for it, surely.

 

[zuppa]

I should add that it would be same scenario if you had two brothers, when they become hormonal they won't be friends anymore they will want to kill each other for dominance, no matter was it their brother or father, they won't be friends anymore, hormones will drive them.

 

[SirLawrence]

Being the bunny dad for two (neutered) boys, you always run the risk of them not bonding. I love my boys very much, and won't get rid of one, and have had them both for over a year, and they still wont bond. I wanted to get a friend for Sir Lawrence, and took him to my local rescue for a series of bunny dates. He met many girls, and many boys, and only one interaction (with Lucas) went well. They seemed to get along, no spraying, and Lucas submitted to Lawrence's dominance. Fast forward, and they live in separate enclosures, because after many, many, MANY, (and still ongoing) bonding sessions, they just don't want to bond. And I simply won't stress-bond them. They love being around each other, and living in the same room, they just don't want to be BFFs.

So, if you get another boy, be prepared for the possibility you'll have two separate boys!

 

[Jill D]

The advice above seems very thorough and sound but just offering my experience... I got 2 young male rabbits from 2 seperate places on the same day( think they were around 8 weeks old but not sure but definitely young) and they got on well from the start though after a few weeks continual attempts at humping each other began so got both neutered, think around 12 -14 weeks but this could be wrong as some years ago. Vet said if was a little early as their parts weren't fully dropped but each went fine and they lived in harmony till Milo died. Guess the problem with having to wait a few weeks is that Munch will have established his territory. At that point I got a rescue female and introduced them slowly on neutral territory (my bed) for a couple of weeks. Magnus bullied her initially but gradually they bonded and have been best friends ever since.