Together or separate?

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This topic has 1sd reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 3 years ago by DanaNM.

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- 04/07/2021 at 5:42 AM
  CitizenErased14
  Participant
  1 posts
  Hi there!
  
  My husband and I are adopting a pair of rabbits, a male and a female, who are siblings. They come from a shelter (previously a foster home — they were surrendered shortly after birth) and, according to the rescue, have always lived together in the same cage (partially because it was thought up until about a week ago that both were female… whoops!)
  
  They each got spayed/neutered less than a week ago, and my question is whether it’s alright to still keep them in the same enclosure together when we bring them home? I have heard that pairs should not be put together until a few weeks after being fixed (due to hormones and such). I am wondering if the fact that they have always been together since birth would change that fact? Can they handle being together? Or is it still too risky and they should be kept separate for now?
  
  Thank you!
- 04/07/2021 at 8:41 AM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  8935 posts
  Hi there, welcome! And thank you for adopting!
  
  So with youngsters that are together as babies, if they are spayed/neutered young enough (before hormones set in fully), they are often OK to stay together. Shelters usually spay/neuter really young, so the chances they can stay together are better and they don’t experience as much of a change after they are castrated. That said, sometimes a change in environment can upset things a bit.
  
  I think the best thing to do would be to keep them together, but have a back-up enclosure ready to go in case any fighting occurs (perhaps the shelter could even loan you an x-pen and litter box). If they are happy together now at the shelter, they will find a lot of comfort in each other going to a new home and will be happier together. There are usually warning signs that the bond has been upset. Like you might notice some chasing, nipping, fur pulling. In that case I would separate but keep them side by side, and then you can work on re-bonding in a few weeks once hormones have calmed more.
  
  . . . 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.
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