Re-bonding brother and sister

[Teddy & Taffy]

We recently adopted 7-week old sibling Holland Lops, a male and female. We plan to get them spayed/neutered (the local vet will do it at 6 months). We’d love them to be bonded through this but realized they’ll have to be separated fairly soon until after their surgeries. Any advice on keeping them happy and bonded during this separation? They are outdoor bunnies so I was thinking we’d just have a second hutch where they can still see each other and touch noses etc.

Also, how soon do we need to separate them to avoid the risk of a surprise pregnancy? I’m very new to this and would appreciate any advice and help I can get!

[DanaNM]

Hi there, welcome 🙂

You’ll want to separate them at 12 weeks to avoid pregnancy. The good news is that babies don’t really bond, so when you separate them it won’t be like breaking a true bond. Buns have been known to mate through cage bars, so you can house them next to each other, but you should have a bit of space between. You might be able to get your boy neutered a bit younger than the female, depending on when his testicles drop.

Separating them before hormones kick in and cause issues is the best way to keep them happy together, as well as getting them neutered/spayed as early as you can. I used to volunteer at a shelter and we have had quite a few sibling pairs come in. Sometimes after neutering and spaying they go right back together (even after being separated for several weeks), but sometimes they do need some work to bond them.

Since you are new to bunnies, feel free to check out the “Rabbit Info” section at the top of the page. There is lots of good info on housing, diet, bonding, etc, as well as some ideas for safe outdoor runs.

Also check out the info on RHDV (rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus). Not sure where you are in the world, but there is an RHDV outbreak in the USA currently, so it’s strongly recommended to keep rabbits indoors if you are in an outbreak area.

. . . 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.  

[Teddy & Taffy]

Thanks for the helpful info! We’ll be sure to have them at a safe distance when the time comes…

[Hazel]

Yes to everything Dana said!

It sure would be recommended that you house them indoors if at all possible. As Dana mentioned, there’s the danger of them catching RHDV along with parasites and other nasties and also, you will be able to spend a lot more time with them and build a much closer bond, which is very important in case they get sick. Rabbits can go from being fine to deathly ill within hours so immediately recognizing the slightest change in behavior can be life saving.

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