Update date on neutered + unspayed rabbit bonding!

[Dahlia-Romeo]

I made a post a few weeks ago about bonding my neutered male rabbit with my unaltered female rabbit. Everything was going very well, so I moved forward by building a grid-cube cage or "NIC" cube cage with a few levels. I thought that by introducing them to the new, big cage together while they were getting along, it'd have a positive impact on the bonding process. I was right!

I went ahead and put them in the cage together. They were both pretty freaked out at first considering they've been in cages far too small for them (ridiculous pet store ones supposedly meant for rabbits). I had to put them up on the levels a few times before they learned to hop up and down by themselves, but after that they seemed pretty happy. They've been in there for about a week or so now and they're stuck to each other like glue. Both are noticeably happier together!

I'm hoping they'll continue to behave themselves and I won't have to separate them, but I do have a back-up cage in case anything happens.

I just wanted to let a few people know that the unspayed female/neutered male pair can be possible... so far.

Here's a few photos of the bonding process...

 

[sugarbunnies]

What kind of breeds are they?

 

[ldoerr]

They are cute together Glad that it is working out so far

 

[Blue eyes]

Having an intact female and a neutered male together is unconventional. I also tried an unconventional bond by attempting to put my spayed girl with 2 neutered brothers for a trio.

They were close like this for a full 4 weeks. I thought things were going great. Then, one day, 2 of them decided to go at it.:boxing I ended up having to settle for just a pair.

The reason I bring this up is not to be johnny raincloud, but to let you know that things can change on a dime, onder:so keep a close eye.
I truly hope it continues to go well for both of your bunnies. They look so sweet together.

(I saw in a prior post of yours that you wondered if altered buns ever don't get along. Aside from the example of this threesome story, I have had a couple other buns that were altered but refused to get along. Altering is certainly no guarantee, it just increases chances for success)

If they're getting along well now, I don't know.:dunno I don't think I'd want to mess with spaying her and risking a break of their relationship. But that's just my gut thought. I don't have personal experience with your "unconventional" :wink situation. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut and do what feels right to you.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Before Amelia was spayed, I did have her bonded to Korr (neutered for a few years). While they did get along, she was hormonal and would hump him frequently. This did seem to annoy him, but he is pretty easy going so would just get away from her. They were together for about 3-4 months before I got her spayed. Once she was healed (they have a multi level cage so could not stay together but they could see and smell each other), they got along again right away. It took about another week or so before she really stopped the hormonal humping.

I would recommend getting her spayed if you can. It is in her best interest both health and behaviour wise. Bonding really is better if both rabbits are altered.

 

[dungeonbunnies]

Minion was neutered, and Nemesis wasn't spayed. And I had absolutely no issues at all until Minion escaped the run and passed away. The reason I didn't spay though, is that the vets where I'm at aren't very experienced, and I'd rather not risk my does in that situation.

But yes, it CAN be done, and like any bond, it can change on a dime, but I've seen altered pairs "break up" too, so it's not 100% fail-proof.

I wish you the same kind of success that we had (minus the bunny loss, you can definitely skip that part)

 

[Dahlia-Romeo]

Like dungeonbunnies, the vets in my area aren't experienced enough with spaying rabbits for me to risk having it done. Otherwise I'd have it done already, without a second thought because it has more than one benefit.

Dahlia and Romeo stopped mounting each other after they actually bonded, as well as chasing. I made sure those behaviors ceased before I put them in the cage together, and there's been no sign of them since. Dahlia is also not very hormonal behavior-wise. I've never seen her have a false pregnancy (so far) and she doesn't get grumpy with me - ever. Romeo seems more like the female, to be honest, he gets cranky with me more often than he should!

I'm unsure of what breeds they are but Dahlia has some lop in her, her mom was half breed lop. I'm assuming Romeo has some Netherland Dwarf, but I'm really just taking a guess.

Thanks for the responses, guys!

 

[Thumperina]

I have four rabbits who have always lived all together - two males (both neutered) two females (both unspayed). They are actually parents and their two children. I haven't had any major problems with them. Sometimes some of them show dominance but it's far from being dangerous for anybody. Maybe the fact that they are parents and children, or that they have been together forever, contributed, I don't know. Mom likes to pair with her son. Daughter is hanging out with her dad.