Help! Introducing a female to male

[RoccoRuby]

Hi all,

I am a new rabbit owner and New to this website however I’ve come onto here to answer all my questions so far so thought I’d post one myself.

So… 2 weeks ago we bought a male rabbit now 12 weeks old. Rocco. He has settled really well but we have been reading how rabbits should be kept in pairs.

He is a house rabbit has a large cage and is always out in the run and freely around the lounge when we are in there.

So tonight we bought a 10 week old girl. Ruby.

The second we put them together in the run Rocco would not leave her alone humping her!!!

She is absolutely terrified and hides in corners and literally will not move.

She has been eating ok. Hasn’t pooped or peed yet.

I don’t want to breed so will be having them done when old enough.

However, will roccos humping calm down? Will she tell him off? Or settle?

Is there anything I can do to help the situation ?

Also how old are they able to reproduce as I defo do not want that happening !

Many thanks in advance!!

Xx

[Mikey]

They can reproduce now, so stop putting them together.

They shouldnt be put together until two months after BOTH are spayed/neutered. And even then, you still need to do prebonding. Just yoloing two bunnies together is a high risk for one of them getting bloodied or even killed.

[jerseygirl]

However, will roccos humping calm down? Will she tell him off? Or settle? [/quote
Afraid not. He’s intact and has a new flush of hormones. His no.1 priority will be trying to mate.
Bonding work when they are young and intact is fruitless really. As Mikey suggest, separate them and wait until both desexed and hormones leveled out before starting any bond work.

[tobyluv]

You need to house them separately, and don’t let them get together even for a minute. They will have to be let out for play and exercise at separate times. It only takes a few seconds for a pregnancy to occur, or for a fight to happen. Rabbits can severely injure each other if they fight. You will need to wait it out until both are old enough for their surgeries, and they have had a month or so afterwards to recuperate and for the hormones to abate. Then you can start the permanent bonding procedures.

Here are 2 good articles on bonding:

https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/9/PID/940/Default.aspx

http://rabbit.org/faq-bonding-multiple-rabbits/

[RoccoRuby]

Hi all thank you for replies.
I’ve kept them in separate cages however I’ve had them out together when on sofa and they’ve bonded great so quickly. Grooming and sleeping over each other. There’s been no humping but I still won’t risk leaving them unsupervised together. When can I get my make done as he is 12 weeks? My girl is 10 weeks?

[Deleted User]

They’re not bonded. Baby bunnies can’t bond. You need to keep them separated even if you are supervising them. At this stage then can get into a nasty and bloody fight easily. Even if you think they are being all loving, it can turn quick. Don’t let your guard down. Keep them separated until 1-2 months post spay for your girl. Your male can be neutered as soon as his testicles drop, most bun savvy vets will do it around 3-5 months. Your girl needs to wait to be spayed until she’s at least 6 months old. So you’re still looking at another 4-5 months until you can bond them.

[Author]

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