Spayed female and Intact female?

[BunnyMummy]

I have two bunnies: Shadow is a spayed one-year old female, and Lizzie is an 8-week-old intact female. They are lovely! We got Shadow about one month ago (a rescue from the local shelter), and got Lizzie yesterday (from a local family that had some babies available). I was told that it would be ok to try to bond a spayed female with an intact female. We put the two of them together in a neutral space at Lizzie’s previous owner’s home, and they got along great (I think). There was no fighting. They sniffed each other. Shadow was licking Lizzie’s feet. Shadow was thumping quite a bit, but never rushed Lizzie or attacked her. So we thought it would be a good fit. I brought Lizzie home, and her and Shadow cuddled for a bit in a corner of the living room (I didn’t put them in their cages immediately when we got home). Then, they started chasing each other. Shadow was mounting Lizzie. Lizzie started mounting Shadow. Shadow jumps over Lizzie and kicks her with her back legs. I’m not sure if this behavior is ok. This is my first time bonding rabbits. They’re still in separate cages right next to each other, and I let them out together for 20-30 minutes at a time, a few times a day, fully supervised, of course. Am I doing this right? 

My second question is: do I need to get Lizzie spayed? If they’re getting along well now, then do I need to get her spayed? Again, I’m not sure how all of this works. I just want to do the right thing for both of them.

[Mikey]

Thumping shows discomfort, dislike, or fear

Kicking with the back legs is boxing. That is very aggressive and NOT ok. One or both rabbits could end up severely hurt. Mounting is ok, but only for a few seconds. All chasing shoudl be stopped immediately as it leads to fights like youve witnessed, and worse fights that you dont want to witness. Stop letting them out in nonneutral territory. Do not bond until both rabbits are spayed and healed (it can take up to six months for hormones to leave). Hormones often make rabbits aggressive and even fixed rabbits who can smell hormones can start to act aggressive because they smell it. You also want to spay to avoid uterine cancer with female bunnies are prone to getting

[tobyluv]

You do need to get Lizzie spayed, and the bunnies should be kept separately until she has had her surgery and a few weeks have passed. Then you can start the bonding process. I have always had good luck using a x-pen to bond my bunnies. My husband and I get in with them, to break up any fighting (a little scuffling can be normal) or to stop excessive humping if it occurs. Even if the room you are in is not neutral to either or both of them, the pen itself is neutral (if neither has used it) and you can put towels or a sheet down on the floor to hide any of their scents that might be in the carpet or rug.

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