Wait at least two months after the new rabbit is spayed or neutered before beginning introductions. This is a sure sign that your two rabbits will become lifelong friends. Ensure there is enough space for the rabbits to move around and exercise, as well as plenty of bedding and hay for them to snuggle into. Ill be getting my first a mini lop buck, which I intend to keep as a house rabbit tomorrow (Sat 21st July). They had separate cages inside but a huge 10x15 homemade PVC & fencing cage outside. Bonding two female rabbits: Is same-gender bonding possible? Im not trying to discourage you from getting her if you really want her, just keep in mind that it wont make your bonding any easier and youll need two separate cages and habitats for quite a while. One may accept the others display of dominance, or they may contest it. They're known for their distinctive mane, making them look like the lions of My interest in rabbits started over a decade ago when I bought one as a gift and ended up being the primary carer. Separate the two male rabbits. Let them work it out for themselves, but separate them if they fight. Provide plenty of opportunities for socialization and interaction with other rabbits, humans and animals. Replies 10 Views 610. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are in the same situation with your pets, consider changing their surroundings. Neutered males tend to be calmer and more likely to get along. How To Keep Two Rabbits Together Rabbit Care Tips The bonded rabbit of the same sex will show signs of jealousy. This is a good thing as their personalities often complement each other. If your rabbits are fighting, try to distract them. Having done a lot of reading on the matter, I am still confused as to whether it is ok to keep a brother/sister pair together. How Cold is Too Cold? For your rabbits first face-to-face encounter, choose a room that neither of them has been in. This is the optimal time for a rabbit to be separated from its mother, as this is when it can begin to eat hay and pellets on its own. I'm sure you're as curious as I am about the adorable and fluffy Lionhead rabbits. Male rabbits can reach sexual maturity as early as 10 weeks. As Elrohwen said, they wont remember so you are not harming them emotionally when separated, or reinforcing any bond made at birth by keeping them together after a certain point. Females can be spayed once they reach sexual maturity, which occurs once they are about 4-6 months old. Provide the baby rabbit with plenty of mental stimulation and exercise. Dogs don't really have the mental capacity to reflect on their early-life peers, so they won't really "miss" their siblings in the way a human might. Theres no guarantee that two rabbits will get along together. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Rabbits can be separated from their mother at 6 weeks of age. Separating them gradually can help the mother rabbit adjust to the new situation. For this reason, we would always suggest having your pets neutered as soon as possible to remove the risk of unhealthy young. However, despite their different appearances, all rabbit breeds are the same species (Oryctolagus cuniculus). (Guess who is off to the vet for spaying first). Once you have both cages set up, place them next to one another. Nicole is the proud mom of 3 rescue fur babies, Baby, a Burmese cat; Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway; and Mac, a Lab/Mastiff. Let them get used to one another for short periods each day until they bond. Waiting too long can also cause the rabbits to form strong bonds with each other, making them more difficult to separate. Odds are he bred with her again shortly after the first time. Baby rabbits can depart their nest, and go alone into the wild, at a very young age of three weeks. With the right care and attention, baby rabbits can live a long and happy life. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. However, its not the norm as it usually takes at least a week of daily meetings. Theres every chance that the baby will not get on with the adult when it grows up. Proper care should be taken when separating the mother and the babies to ensure the health and wellbeing of all involved. A rabbit, being apart from the partner, needs someone who can play and cuddle the rabbit. The information on our site represents the webs best answers combined with over 10 years of real-world rabbit ownership. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Slowly re-introduce your rabbits to each other so that they can properly bond again. Discover the Surprising Size of Lionhead Rabbits: How Big Do They Get? Check the temperature of the environment and make sure it is suitable for the baby rabbits. Wait not no they have to separated immediately - boys and girl are fertile at 12 weeks! This should contain non-toxic paper pulp litter with a layer of hay on top. Rabbits dislike being sprayed with water. If possible, re-introduce these rabbits to each other after some . It might seem like strange behavior but it is perfectly natural. Make sure theyre spayed and neutered before introducing them. Both rabbits need to be spayed or neutered before they meet. You should remember that, while rabbits are cute and cuddly, they are still animals. 1. You could use a bathroom, for instance, or a spare bedroom. The biggest thing is: rabbits of the opposite sex cannot be together until they have both been altered and recovered from surgery. Once theyve been grooming each other for a few days, its OK to let them live together permanently. Bonding is unlikely to happen straight away. Even a neutered doe and buck can decide that they dont like each other. Your rabbits may be fighting to reestablish dominance through humping and chasing. Any earlier than three weeks and the kits are still dependent on their mother for milk and protection. If they are not ready to be separated, they may not be strong enough to survive on their own. They will grow together and are likely to spend their entire lives with each other. That makes sense, I'd have to make a little window and probably a run area in the enclosed side for some ventilation and more space, but that wouldn't be too much work. It might seem like keeping two rabbits would double the destruction, but because it gives them company and the rabbits have something other than the furniture to entertain them, keeping multiple rabbits may prevent them from chewing your stuff. At worst, they can become aggressive and physically pick on your new rabbit. Rabbits are very social animals and form strong bonds. For a male-male pairing to work, one rabbit needs to be much more submissive than the other. However, most of these memories will be ones that are not relevant to the survival of the rabbit. The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. This can be done from around five months of age. Search our database of over 13528 posts with up-to-date information from our experts and veterinarians. Consequences of separating bonded rabbits. If you want to bring two rabbits from the same litter, it is better to get a pair of females or two males. Because they are sociable animals, rabbits get easily bored when they are left alone and to their own devices. How long do you leave rabbits together to breed? Also so happy to see stuff with the Funeralbi/Inmbis siblings idea, God made them from separate mods because they couldn't handle them as siblings 01 May 2023 03:52:45 It may also break their bonds with their partners. Do Rabbits Get Cold Outside? When two rabbits from the same litter mate and produce offspring, inbreeding occurs. Just because they get along, or ignore one another, when in separate cages, it does not mean that they will definitely get along when introduced, so be prepared for some warring. They will stop fighting, and will likely start grooming themselves. However, keeping brother and sister rabbits together doesnt always work out in the long-term. The rabbits can break off their bonding with each other when they make it into sexual maturity. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. They seem to have been ok overnight together but we're concerned to take our eyes . Provide the baby rabbit with a comfortable and safe environment. Lets look at whether you should get two babies, two adults, or one of each. It is important to note that while baby rabbits can be separated from their mother at 8 to 12 weeks old, it is still a good idea to keep them together for as long as possible. Best way without buying a new cage would be to split it in half and enclose the end of the other side. You could get bitten or scratched yourself. Sometimes, these bonds can break off, including the strongest ones between rabbit siblings. Have you ever found yourself daydreaming about the perfect furry duo frolicking together in your backyard? Whilst at work, at least until trained, I was planning on keeping the rabbit in a two-tiered hutch, which is very large on its own, with a play pen attached to the front. After this period, the mother rabbit will usually start to reject them, and it is important to remove them from the nest. They may vocalize, honking, or chirping at one another. Introduce the baby rabbit to its new habitat. Male rabbits can and will try to mate one another. At this stage their ears are erect, they can easily hop, their eyes are open, and their size is almost similar to that of a chipmunk. If you already have a rabbit that lives in a wooden hutch, youll have to acquire a temporary cage. You can encourage mutual grooming by smearing a little banana on both rabbits foreheads. For example, they can survive even if there is a change in each others smell or if you keep them away for a certain period. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED. Menu Toggle McFunnyFarm; Nov 17, 2022; Other Pets & Livestock; 2. Additionally, the cage should be equipped with the appropriate bedding, food, and water. Gentle nipping is normal as its their way of establishing the pecking order. Rabbits do get bored quickly, and after losing a friend, a bunny will act anxious. This should include plenty of space to explore, as well as a secure place to sleep. Will Two Female Rabbits Fight? 4 things you need to know. The second advantage is the sibling rabbits bonding will go deep. The rabbit siblings pose the same genes and increase the powerful traits of their breed. In addition to this, for rabbits that are not spayed, brothers and sisters arent fussy about who they mate with and interfamily breeding is not uncommon. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband and new baby daughter in New Zealand. Thanks. I run this site with my husband Danielle. It can provide social or familial links, prevent them from getting bored, and it can even provide you with a means of teaching a young rabbit to be sociable and better behaved if you introduce them to an older rabbit that likes to be handled and enjoys spending time with you. But the typical litter size is around six. There is a higher chance that two female rabbits will fight when compared to doe-buck pairings. When it is time for the baby rabbits to leave their mother, it is important to create a safe and comfortable environment for them to live in. How do rabbits protect themselves from predators? It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist. For the most part, siblings that have had a falling out can be successfully rebonded but this should be done in a controlled environment. same for females? Can You Keep More Than Two Rabbits Together? How to separate young rabbit siblings? | BackYard Chickens - Learn How For their whole life, rabbits build personal bonds. Refusal to eat or drink, leading to illness, Become lethargic and hide in their cage all day, Destructive behaviors, such as digging and gnawing at furniture, Food bowl to hold occasional fruits and vegetables. Whether two rabbits can happily coexist depends mostly on their temperaments. Rabbits can make bonds even if they are not related to each other. They also must be neutered. Allowing them to remain with their mother for too long can cause them to become overly dependent and lead to behavioral issues. New to rabbits keep opposite-sex siblings?Help! BigBlueHen53. When to Separate Grow Out Rabbits From Each Other - The SR Rabbit Sisters from the same litter often get along exceptionally well. This can sometimes be prevented if you have your baby rabbit(s) spayed or neutered. If you wait for 6 weeks, theres a better chance that your rabbits will get along. One rabbit will probably start mounting the other, to assert dominance. When Is the Right Time to Separate Baby Rabbits? Can Rabbits Mate with Siblings? Is it Safe? - Rabbit Heaven After neutering or spaying them, you do not have to worry if they change their bonded partner. Another thing to consider is that being related has no effect on whether or not the rabbits will bond together, just because they are siblings does not mean they will be compatible. This week I discovered his sister was still un-homed. Would it be possible for you to keep them separate (this would have to be right from the first day you bring them home)? Theres never a guarantee that two rabbits will get along. So, if you did decide to bring them both . There are millions of rabbits in need of homes. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. Indeed, many pet owners can not deal with many litters of rabbits. However, you should be on hand and you should monitor what is going on. With prompt medical care, most illnesses can be treated and cured. When the rabbits consume something terrible, they will try to prevent the same thing. As the mortality ratio of pet rabbits is less many baby rabbits can manage till adulthood. When the baby rabbits are old enough, they should be spayed or neutered to ensure they do not breed with each other. Any help/comments will be much appreciated! Its vital that it has a neutral smell, so neither rabbit feels that its territory is being invaded. Females can be spayed once they reach sexual maturity, which occurs once they are about 4-6 months old. Ok, we just recently decided to get into meat rabbits and we went ahead and bought 7. Rabbits only bond once theyve decided whos dominant and whos submissive. Moreover, having your pets spayed will ensure that they have a much calmer and less aggressive nature, meaning that everyone is happier.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'bunnyadvice_com-banner-1','ezslot_3',631,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bunnyadvice_com-banner-1-0'); The most common problem in inbred rabbits is to do with the teeth. Its possible to keep two pregnant rabbits together, as long as you have enough space. Its important to realize that some rabbit behaviors look aggressive, but arent. This may cause the following issues: Unless you can spend many hours each day interacting one-on-one with your rabbit, you should always adopt two rabbits. Rabbits are incredibly social animals and they love to interact with others. This is because your rabbits may fight when they first meet, so its vital that their wounds are fully healed first. I still have one girl Nermal from the first and two girls Pipi and Blossom from the second. A rabbit guardian cannot do everything for the rabbit, similar to another rabbit. At least twice per day. I love them both and would love to see them get along but happy just the same if they just are not meant to be bonded. You dont want to introduce them too early, even by sight. If necessary, you might have to separate them to discourage this. This is because, female does can breed when they reach 6 . Begin the rabbit bonding procedure at their early age because it is effective. They will grow together and are likely to spend their entire lives with each other. Introduce new rabbits to existing pairs and groups slowly, and be prepared to intervene if there is any sign of aggression. Your local humane society or shelter will likely have lots of established rabbit pairings. Baby rabbits, or kits, are born with their eyes closed and with very little fur. They already have a bond, and bringing two rabbits home that grew up together usually gives the best results, in terms of them having a close relationship with one another. Rabbits are sensitive to transformation. While wild rabbits have the opportunity to spread out, this is not an option for two or more rabbits living in a relatively confined hutch. Rabbits do not care if they are siblings or family, they will mate together. When two rabbits lie down touching each other, this indicates that theyre starting to bond. Our mission at Pet Keen is to make the life of you and your pets easier and even more enjoyable. Males can be neutered when they have testicles, which usually happens after around 10-12 weeks. Introducing a baby rabbit to an older rabbit. Start by giving them a physical barrier, such as a barrier-like cage, for a few days so they can get used to each others scent. She will have baby bunnies! Its also normal for rabbits to gently nip one another while theyre figuring out the hierarchy. Your rabbits will likely start to sniff each other and touch noses. We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. Rabbit breeders all over the world have been using the techniques to mate sibling rabbits for generations. Can you Breed Brother and Sister Rabbits? {INBREEDING} 2022 Introduce them slowly, using the same techniques detailed above. Teaching them to respond to their name, litter training, and even following commands are all possible thanks to the excellent memory of a bun!if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'bunnyadvice_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_11',634,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bunnyadvice_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Darren is the founder and editor at Bunny Advice and has been caring for rabbits for over a decade. Adult rabbits rarely bond well with babies. After this period, the mother rabbit will usually start to reject them, and it is important to remove them from the nest. This can be done from around ten weeks of age. You can separate them a little earlier if toy want to. A female rabbit will rarely be territorial around a male, for example. You can then gradually move them back in together but this is a process that should never be rushed. Finally, provide each rabbit with a healthy diet and regular veterinary care to ensure a long and happy life. This should be done around the age of 4-5 weeks. This means that you would have to take both rabbits to the vet, even if only one will receive treatment and they should never be housed separately, unless a fight has broken out.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'bunnyadvice_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_12',632,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bunnyadvice_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); In this case, it is important to move the rabbits away from one another while they calm down. However, incorrect sexing can happen. It is crucial that both rabbits are spayed and neutered before a meeting. They open their eyes at around seven to fourteen days of age, become more coordinated and active, and begin to eat solid food. If there is a gap between the bars it can be used for amorous purposes. . Not only is it possible to keep two male rabbits together, but it could benefit them. Menu Toggle Are rabbits nocturnal? Ensure each rabbit is registered with a vet so they can receive regular check-ups and treatments if necessary. Once the baby rabbits are separated from their mother, they should be monitored closely to ensure they are healthy and happy. I had not had a pet rabbit since I was about 5 and was 49 when I got them so its was a dramatic learning experience. Not only this, but after a spaying or neutering operation, it takes some time for the hormones to dissipate. The babies should not be weaned earlier because they need to receive necessary gut flora and antibodies from their mother. . Large warrens can be home to 100 individuals or more, living nearby. . So, it is natural for them to feel comfortable, happy, and safe with each other's presence.