Ok, my attempt at bonding the bunnies ended in a bloody way. Help me.

[justlookingforhelp]

Gonna get to the point. I have 2 hutches next to each other. One has a female bunny who had kits 3 and half months ago. The other hutch has 2 male rabbits. One of the kits started showing mating behaviour and I can see his testicles(balls) easily when he lies down. I dont want any baby rabbits as the heat here would kill them and it would stress my female bunny out. Plus, the ones I have are already a huge responsibility.
I started letting them smell each other from across a fence a week ago, and today I tried to introduce them on neutral ground. All hell broke loose. The 3 and half month bunny pretty much tried to kill the other 2. Fur was flying and I separated them immediately. When he tried to get back with the his siblings and the female.she bit his lip mistaking him for one of the males since he had their fur in hos teeth. Once she realised she calmed down and started grooming him. I have applied some betadine, not well though since he wont let me.
I cant neuter him. I simply can’t at this point in time, for complicated reasons and a long story. Plus, there are no vets that will do it at this age. Period.

So what do I do??????? Do I attempt this again knowing that it could end much more badly, or leave him with the female knowing it would result in a major disaster. I have only 2 enclosures. and if anyone has any experience with a cut lip, I would really love to hear it. Thank you all in advance.
P.s the 2 male rabbits are older than a year and 2 years each. Also I have only 2 hutches ans no additional cages. I cant purchase any other cages either

[Bam]

I’m sorry but I have no good tips for you. Intact male rabbits should never be housed together. They can kill each other. If they don’t kill each other they can hurt each other really seriously. They will go for each others’ genitals, and injury to that area requires complicated vet care. Rabbits are a belligerent species. In nature they more over large spaces and can solve most conflicts by chasing each other away. In captivity the will fight.

Bonding them won’t work, but the mature young buck has to be separated from the mother or there will be more kits.

Could you perhaps get a cheaper, used cage? I don’t know if you have Craig’s list type websites where you are. If you are in a country where rabbits aren’t commonly kept as pets it would be difficult to find second hand rabbit cages, I do understand that. I can’t see any other solution but separation.

[Sirius&Luna]

I don’t know how anyone can give you any advice when you rule out all the advice people could possibly give. There is no advice other than separating and neutering them. The one with the bitten lip probably needs vet care.

This is very distressing, you should not be keeping rabbits in this situation, whatever the circumstances.

[justlookingforhelp]

This very distressing?? You think you have any idea. However distressing it is to you, it is a hundred times more so for me. I know they should be kept in much better conditions, but claiming that I should somehow magically give them the best conditions no matter the circumstances is easy for you to say without knowing anything. I did not rule out the options of my own free will, I am saying this is all I can do at the moment. I wish I could do more, but I cant. If you had to deal with half the $*&! that I deal with just to keep them alive, you would $*&!ing kill yourself. So dont go acting like I somehow choose to keep in these conditions, because i dont.

[Vienna Blue in France]

Hi. Let’s keep this useful advice.

In agreement with bam. You cannot keep them together any longer, and if you can’t neuter them (and even that doesn’t guarantee an automatic bond if you wanted them to be together in the future) you must, just must keep them apart.

Simple as.

Someone will correct me, but even the boy baby rabbits could get mummy bun pregnant if they stay together and neither are neuteured, so they will have to be separated too.

If they have shelter from the weather, shade from the sun, adequate food and drink and are being treated for ilnesses or injuries, and kept from harm, then that’s all in the lines of responsible animal welfare.

I’m sure you are doing the absolute best for the buns in these conditions, and there are lots of ways, at no cost, to keep bunnies separate and safe from harm from each other.

[Bunny House]

I agree with all the advice given

[Bam]

Kudou, honestly, no one is judging you or taking your troubles lightly. We do know that the situation you’re in is very difficult. It’s marvelous of you to do what you are doing for these rabbits, and we are grateful to you for doing it. You have really gone out of your way to care for them, despite the unfavorable circumstances that you are in no way to blame for.

The rabbits still need to be separated though. It would be unethical to tell you that you could keep up your bonding efforts. The risk of grave injury is too huge. In my country it’s even illegal to house two or more intact mature males together. I have read people claiming they’ve done it, but in a large enclosure and together with several females. This of course results in many, many babies, and I know you don’t want that.

I’m sorry we can’t be of more help to you.

[Whiskers]

Not sure what country you are in or area. Where I am the animal shelter(no kill ones) will sometimes give a brochure for you to take to a qualifying vet and you can get animals spayed/neutered at a discount. Also some vets will do payment plans. Doesn’t hurt to make a few phone calls and to inquire. Hope this works out.

How about going to a lumber yard and asking for scaps of wood that could be used for a temporary separation? Do you know of anyone that has an extra large dog crate(48″x30″x33″) that would work temporarily as well. Sometimes you can find those easier than hutches.

I am sorry you are having a rough time right now. Sometimes things happen so quickly and puts us in a pinch. Hope all works out for you and please keep us posted. I know you care about your bunnies or you wouldn’t have posted for suggestions ?

[Author]

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