Should I keep them separated until neutered?

[Feelix]

Hi everyone,

I have three Netherland dwarf rabbits (2 males and 1 female).

I’ll try to describe the full story as shortly as I can but it will be hard… sorry…

I bought them all 7 months ago and they currently are 8 months old. The 2 males are brothers and the female is from another litter.

At the beginning, they were all living together in the same cage and were bonded (which I know is normal, since they were babies)

At the beginning of September, the males began mounting the female. Since I didn’t have enough money to get them neutered and they were a bit too young, I bought another smaller cage and put the female in it.

The males then began mounting and backward mounting each other as well as circling quite a lot. I read a bit about the mounting thing, but since they weren’t fighting I just let it go and it eventually stopped after 2-3 weeks.

Also, whenever I would get them AND the female out of their cage at the same time, they would try to mount her and she would fight back quite aggressively, so I stopped doing that to prevent any injuries.

About 1 week ago, the 2 males began mounting each other and circling again. I also noticed that patches of fur were missing from the back of one of them. At first, I thought that it was just normal shedding but after observing them, I noticed that it was caused by the other rabbit which was pulling the fur…

I didn’t like that at all, so I built a big cardboard wall and separated the cage in 2.

2 days ago, I tried putting the female with one of the male in neutral territory just to see how they would behave, and she immediately started squeaking and violently attacked the male even though he didn’t try anything, in fact he did not move AT ALL…

Yesterday, when I was cleaning the big cage, I removed the cardboard wall and the same thing happened but between the 2 males. The moment that they saw each other, the one that had his fur pulled violently attacked and bit the back of the other…

I’m quite lost and don’t know what to do anymore… Of course, the employees at the pet shop never told me that the rabbits would get aggressive toward each other as they grow to adulthood…They just told me that they would bond since they were brothers (I was naive to believe that…I know)

Also, I did quite a lot of research before getting rabbits but I never thought that neutering/spaying would be THAT expensive (about 350-400$ total PER rabbit where I live (Canada)). I’m a university student and definitely don’t have that kind of money at the moment…

I know that the best course would be to keep all 3 separated until I get them all spayed/neutered but that could take a long time (4-6 months) and I’m wondering if I’ll still be able to bond them afterward… I also fear that the 2 brothers might get depressed of being alone since they are used to always be together… I’m also wondering if I will ever be able to bond the 2 males with the female since they are not from the same litter and have only been in the same cage for the 1st month at the very beginning…

Thanks a lot for any insightful info and sorry for the long post…!!!

 

[Houtth01]

A similar thing happened to me last night! Everything I’ve read says not to keep them together if they started to fight and are uneutered. Especially two of the same gender. I know I was super upset when my babies started fighting! I also was worried about them being depressed so I put them close to each other where they could smell each other and see each other but not get to each other at all. I also put little teddy bears in their cages hoping that it would make them less lonely. One of my little guys just looks so sad and keeps staring at the cage at his brother. This morning during individual play time he just flopped next to his brother’s cage. But I guess them being a little sad during the adjustment period is worth them not getting seriously injured.

[tobyluv]

Before bonding is attempted, all rabbits should be spayed or neutered. Young bunnies will usually live together peacefully, but when they get to or approach puberty, they need to be separated – because of aggression and fighting and to prevent pregnancy.. Rabbits can severely injure each other when they fight. You should definitely separate all of your rabbits now and not let them get together until they have all had their surgeries and recuperated from them. If the male didn’t move when you put him together with the female recently, it is unlikely that she is pregnant, but it happens very quickly and sometimes people don’t even see them mating. Hopefully, your female is not pregnant, but if you suspected it, you could have the vet do an emergency spay. All it takes is a few seconds of being with a male, then you are facing having to deal with a litter in a few weeks. Don’t even have the cages of a male and female side by side, as they can mate through the bars.

It’s not as easy to bond 3 rabbits as it is to bond 2, but it certainly can be done – only after their surgeries. You may be able to find a low/lower cost clinic that spays and neuters rabbits (so many just do dogs and cats) or you may be able to find some lower prices at different vets, by calling around. Just make sure that the vets are rabbit savvy and have performed a lot of surgeries.

[mcb100]

I have two rabbits (male and female)that have only known each other for six months, (two of those months were in the same cage.), and they already love each other. I recommend separating. What I did was separate them until both of them were fixed. (The vet had told me it wouldn’t be a huge problem to have them together with only one of them fixed but that they would be sniffing each other like crazy and that humping would occur so I opted to separate them.) To get them used to each other, I would let one out of his cage and let him go up to the female with her still in her cage with the door locked, or vice versa. The one on the outside could still sniff the other one (sometimes it looks like kissing haha), and get their scent, but because they were new to each other and one was inside a cage, no harm could be done had anything gone wrong like foot thumping or getting scared. One would still be protected from the other one. So that is what I recommend people to do, since it worked so well for me. Now they are best friends, sharing a cage, and they snuggle a lot. I have not seen any humping, not even once, I think it is because they are fixed.
What I would recommend to you is keep them in the same room but in separate cages. Only let one out (outside of the cage) for playtime at a time, so that way no one gets hurt. But they will still see each other (although separated in different cages) everyday, which I think, is a good thing, to get used to each other. When they are all fixed, start gradually letting them out for playtime together. Then, when you feel that they are all bonded, or “friends”, only put them in the same cage when you are 100% confident and comfortable that they will not harm each other when you leave the room. My buns are so bonded, that I have total faith that they would never do anything to hurt each other when I’m not watching them. It’s a slow, gradual process.

[BB & Tiny]

I would suggest checking around, my vet only charges $ 140 for spay or neuter.

[Shervv]

Posted By mcb100 on 11/28/2015 9:53 AM

I have two rabbits (male and female)that have only known each other for six months, (two of those months were in the same cage.), and they already love each other. I recommend separating. What I did was separate them until both of them were fixed. (The vet had told me it wouldn’t be a huge problem to have them together with only one of them fixed but that they would be sniffing each other like crazy and that humping would occur so I opted to separate them.) To get them used to each other, I would let one out of his cage and let him go up to the female with her still in her cage with the door locked, or vice versa. The one on the outside could still sniff the other one (sometimes it looks like kissing haha), and get their scent, but because they were new to each other and one was inside a cage, no harm could be done had anything gone wrong like foot thumping or getting scared. One would still be protected from the other one. So that is what I recommend people to do, since it worked so well for me. Now they are best friends, sharing a cage, and they snuggle a lot. I have not seen any humping, not even once, I think it is because they are fixed.
What I would recommend to you is keep them in the same room but in separate cages. Only let one out (outside of the cage) for playtime at a time, so that way no one gets hurt. But they will still see each other (although separated in different cages) everyday, which I think, is a good thing, to get used to each other. When they are all fixed, start gradually letting them out for playtime together. Then, when you feel that they are all bonded, or “friends”, only put them in the same cage when you are 100% confident and comfortable that they will not harm each other when you leave the room. My buns are so bonded, that I have total faith that they would never do anything to hurt each other when I’m not watching them. It’s a slow, gradual process.

Hey there I would like to ask how old did each of your rabbits got fixed. I have a male and a female living together now (they’re both 2 months old and are really close) should i separate them as early as now or about a month later at 3 months old when it’s the beginning of puberty? And do you think it’s better to get them fixed at the same time or one at a time and if it should be the male or the female first? Thank you so much. 

[Kimy]

Hi females shouldnt be fixed until 6months and males should be neutered at 3 1/2 months and I would recommend separating them before his hormones kick in then they will start to fight and they will remember it when you try to bond them later I have a girl who is a year old she is spayed and I rescued a little boy bunny who was almost 3 months I figured I would bond them Before he was nueterd and he started humping her and I had to separate them anyways he will
Be fixed In 2 weeks so happy finally they will be friends again

[Vienna Blue in France]

Sorry guys – old post

Kim – be sure to wait 4-6 weeks after neutering your boy – by then his hormones will have settled down, and bonding should be easier (on neutral territory !)
I’m in the waiting game myself as my boy has just been neutered one week ago – it’s so looooong, but I know it will be worth it.

[Author]

Messages