Introducing a 2 month old Flemie to a 8 month old Flemie

[Momma bunny]

I have an 8 month old Flemish giant male that was neutered last month.  He is so super friendly and loves attention.  He goes crazy over the cats too when they are near his enclosure so I thought he would love the companionship of another rabbit.  I’m getting a 2 month old female Flemie to bond with him.  She is obviously not spayed due to her young age and won’t be able to be fixed for another 4 months or so.  I have a cage for her that will be placed right next to his so that they can smell each other and get acquainted.  Can I bond the 2 before she is spayed since she can’t be for quite awhile?  Looking for any advice since she will also be much smaller than him at this age.  I have always had just 1 rabbit and have never bonded 2 rabbits together.

[Wick & Fable]

You most likely cannot bond her to him, as her hormones will make it extremely challenging once they emerge. Young rabbits pretty easily get along with other rabbits, making the appearance that all is well, but when hormones hit, the relationship may change. There’s also the possibility that the presence of an unfixed rabbit will make your current rabbit act “hormonally”, even though he’s neutered. I would keep them separated, though I understand that might be difficult.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Momma bunny]

Wick…do you think I can’t bond them at all or just not until she is spayed?  I haven’t gotten her yet so I’m trying to decide if this is a bad idea before I commit and pick her up.

[DanaNM]

Once she is spayed, you will most likely be able to bond them. It’s very rare for pairs to be completely unbondable.

I think Wick was trying to say it would be very challenging to bond her before she is spayed, or at least very risky. The concern is usually that all goes fine until the female hits puberty, and then her hormones can trigger fighting, which then makes it harder to repair the bond. So it’s safest to just wait to bond till she’s spayed.

 

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Wick & Fable]

There’s always a possibility you may be able to, but you need to keep in mind that as she progresses through puberty, the dynamic of the relationship can change and may require you to intervene and separate them to varying degrees.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Bu20055]

It’s harder with babies because you don’t know what their personality will be, whereas with adults, you’ll have a better idea of their personality and how it will mesh with you existing rabbit. You should be able to bond then after she’s spayed, but I wouldn’t bother trying until then.

[Momma bunny]

I understand the hormone thing.  I just keep second guessing and wondering if it’s a bad decision overall to try to bond another rabbit with him.  He is happy and healthy, but I always hear rabbits are better in pairs.  However I have now just read that Flemish giants are better off by themselves…not sure if this is true or not.  I just want to make the best decision for him whether that’s leave the situation alone and he is happy as is or try and hope a companion works out.  Plus I also worry that I only have a small cage for her to be next to him while bonding, but don’t think I can keep her in that for possibly 6 months…she after all is a flemish giant too and needs the large space like he has.

[DanaNM]

Well there is no need to rush into it if you are having doubts!  I am always a fan of bonded pairs but it is definitely not a decision to undertake lightly! Why not wait a bit and think it over? Proper housing is important during bonding, as even when you don’t need to wait for spaying it can take several weeks (or even a few months in very tough bonds). I am a fan of using x-pens and/or NIC cube grids to make temporary housing that can be reconfigured once the pair is bonded.

Maybe you can adopt an already spayed female  (or neutered male) in the future, then you won’t have to deal with the extended waiting period? If there is a rescue in your area you might even be able to do some speed dating to find a good match. Size, age, breed, or sex don’t really matter, so you might consider other breeds as well. I can’t remember who it is, but there’s a forum member here who has a Flemie bonded with a Netherland Dwarf, and it is the cutest, most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. 🙂

Not sure where the idea that flemies would be better alone would come from… maybe just that they are so big that housing might be tough with two? Or the bonding process might be more intimidating? One of my friends at the rescue I volunteer at has a pair of Continental Giants (Thunderpaws and Stormcloud! :)) and they are soooo amazing to watch together. They are just lovely gentle giants. You have to rub your eyes to make sure you are seeing them correctly because they are so huge!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Author]

Messages