Hello guys - I need some advice!

Hi there

I'm here to find out some more info on rabbits and hopefully get a few questions answered. :wave:

My boyfriends's boss's rabbit, accidently got prengnaat and now has 8 gorgeous babies. They are willing to keep all the babies if they don't find homes, and have a great set up for them at their house. I'm seriously considering adopting a pair from them, and want to make sure I get everything right. I'm planning on converting our shed into a home for them, with a run attached.

There's one thing I can't seem to figure out though - the bunnies are 6 weeks old now, and the family are hoping to rehome some at 8 weeks. I'd love a male and female pair, or even a pair of sisters. But I can't figure out how I can stop the doe getting pregnant if I get a mixed sex pair, given I've read they can mate at 10 weeks, and I can't get them neutered until 4 - 6 months!

Also I'm concerned that sexing will be difficult so there's no guarantee I won't end up with a totally different sex than I thought I had!

Any help or advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks x

Hi, I would go for a male and female just because generally they get on better, you will find once they mature around 4-5 months the aggression will start.. particulaly 2 girls :shock:.

I would split your shed and have them side by side until they can be spayed / neutered then by the time they have been done they will be used to each other. You could swap litter trays etc so they get used to each others scent.. Bonding then should be fairly easy - this is how I did Sooty and Oreo and when I put them together Oreo humped Sooty once, they snuggled and that was it! Theyve been best friends ever since!!!

You sound like you are preparing well - well done - a shed and run sounds brill!! and as you probably know buns are sociable buns and prefer to be in a pair (apart from a few exceptions :lol..

Edited to say - regarding sexing - you could always take them to the vets and get a 2nd/3rd opinion to be sure

Thanks for your speedy responce.

Won't they be lonely though, until they're old enough to be neutered?

Does 8 weeks sound about right to you for seperating from mum? If so do you think I could keep them together for the first week or so, just so its not too traumatic being taken away from mum and the family, then seperate at 10weeks to avoid more babies?

Thanks so much

Tigger said:

Thanks for your speedy responce.

Won't they be lonely though, until they're old enough to be neutered?

Does 8 weeks sound about right to you for seperating from mum? If so do you think I could keep them together for the first week or so, just so its not too traumatic being taken away from mum and the family, then seperate at 10weeks to avoid more babies?

Thanks so much

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They shouldn't be lonely so long as they can see each other through through the barrier, and you spend plenty of time with them. It's far better for them to be alone for a few months than have the girlie end up pregnant anyway!

8 weeks is fine to leave mum. It might be a good idea to keep them together the first week at home, although then it will be hard seperating them.

Welcome to RU anyway! It's a great site so hopefully you'll stick around! :wave:

As Hoppit said - I think it might be more traumatic seperating from each other, as that would be 2 changes in the space of a week - if it was me I would probably just seperate from the start - 8 weeks is ok to leave mum, are they outdoors at the moment? if they are then they should be ok to go to the shed.
Mine didnt act lonely :lol: give them lots of things to play with, toilet roll tubes, boxes - maybe a cuddley toy to snuggle into and fleece blankets - just keep an eye they are not chewing on anything...and most of all make sure you have lots of time otplay with them and you need to bond with them too!!
If they are side by side they can still see and smell each other.. they will be fine and as Hoppit said you dont want to risk pregnancy so there is no other option - it will worth it in the long run... xx

oh and another thing, be very careful what veg you give them , they shouldnt have any to start with as they have very delicate tums, when you do introduce it do it very gradually and look for changes in their poo..
They will need lots of hay and pellets are better than a mixed food.. though mixed food 'looks' nicer it isnt as nutricious... I used Excel Junior and dwarf pellets..Science Selective is also very good...

Cant wait to see piccies of your little fur babies
What breed are they?

:wave: welcome!

All the above is great advice. Glad you are having a pair

Thanks everyone for the warm welcomes and great advice! :wave:

You are right, if seperating is the only way to prevent more babies, then that's what I'll have to do. I'll be feeding them Burgess Excel Junior and Dwarf, that's what they're on now too, so no need to worry about upset tum's. I run a small online petshop, so just been to wholesaler and stocked up on loads of stuff ready for the new arrivals! Have bought tunnels, toys, things to chew on, straw for bedding and some Burgess Excel forage hay and herbs and treats. I've gone for all natural stuff.

Will set about transforming the shed this weekend and getting a run set up. Have 2 weeks until they're ready so should have everything done by then.

Not sure what breed they are, but Dad is pure white and very big, mum is also quite large and wild bunny coloured. The babies are all different colours - some are white with grey patches, some are white with cream patches, one is white with a fawn stripe, one is cream with grey patches, and one looks just like mum!

I have four cats, and there are alot of cats in my neighbourhood. Will seeing the cats hanging round through the run cause them alot of stress? I'll make sure they can get back into the shed if they are feeling scarded, and I'll make sure there's no way the cats can get at them. I'm pretty confident all the cats will be fine with them, as my neighbour has a rabbit that she lets have the freedom of the entire garden all day while she's at work, and they never bother that rabbit. Sometimes it will chase the cats around! :lol:

Thanks again everyone!