Male and Female behaviour

When I got my rabbits a while back - some people were moving and they didn't want them anymore - we were told they were both male and to seperate them because they fight.

We've had them for over a year now and, because we let them out one at a time, they sniff each other through the bars of the hutch and have become friendly. But when we let them out together they start humping each other.

I've looked up how to tell if they are male or female but I just can't tell the difference at all. Is it normal for same-sex rabbits to hump each other?

One of the rabbits (Bobby) sprays white stuff everywhere when the other rabbit (Dusty) comes near. Is that any indication to the gender?

Two different vets have told me two different things. I'm still on the look-out for a decent vet - whenever my animals need treatment, we go to different places because we are never happy with the ones we find. It shouldn't be this difficult to find a good vet. The best one I know of is the RSPCA one in Manchester/Salford, but it's such long waiting times there and I don't want me bunnies to get scared.

Hi Vickyjane :wave:welcome to RU

I would start a new thred and call it " can anyone recommend a rabbit savvy vet in Bolton?"

Yes same sexes can and do hump to try and decide who is dominant. If you have has them obver a year you should be able to tell now, males will have testicles unless they are undescended for some reason in which case might be hard to tell but goo dbunny vet should be able to tell. The one who is spraying (it will be urine) is more likely to be a male than a female but the other one may be too. When you find a good vet I would get them neutered.
Not sure if you can rebond them or not though if they havenet had a fight yet?

Does anyone else know?

Whilst we've had them, they've never had a fight. The people who had them previous to us said they had though, and that was why they were seperated. She said she got them from a pet shop and they hadn't been done.

I want to get them fixed but I'm worried it will scare them too much. When they first came to us they were really terrified of people. They are much calmer now and let me pick them up and cuddle them, but I'm worried taking them to a vet for an op will undo all that.

it shouldnt do if you get a good vet. Ive had my Flopsy done it he was fine and i think it was the best decision. I think you should start that other thread for the vet :wave:

If you have them neutered it sounds like they may well be happy living together. I'm slightly sceptical about them both being boys as generally in the situation you describe (previous fighting, humping when let out together) I'd expect it to end in a fight and it sounds like it hasn't.

I would avoid letting them out together at the moment as if you have a boy and a girl then you could end up with a litter and that gives you all sorts of extra work/cost to deal with.

Males should have obviously testicles by now, then are underneath one each side of the anus, pink, furless and about the size/shape of peanuts in the shell.

Yeah, I saw pictures online of the testicles and I'm going to have a look now. If they are both males and enjoying humping each other, should they still be kept apart incase, after the humping has finished, they start fighting?

A fight usually starts with each bun trying to hump the other and that degrades into faster and faster circle/chasing and then they start rolling over the floor kicking/biting each other.

However, if one is doing a little humping then wonders off and the other seems not to care, then I'd keep a close eye but they are probably okay for supervised meetings. If that's all they are doing, and you got them neutered, that would probably get rid of the humping etc. completely and they could live together full time.

My rabbits have been bonded since December 2009 and they still try hump each other and they are both girls :lol::lol::lol:

I have to sex rabbits at work and if you gently press around that area, the penis will show and like others have said, because of their age testicles will be visible (assuming they haven't been castrated). No penis but (put as delicately as i can ) a "slit" shape http://www.newcreationproductions.net/Creators/Articles for web/sexing rabbits jpg/maturedoe.jpg rather than it being round indicates a girl.

Dunno how else to put it :lol::lol:

Yeah, I found a couple of websites with pictures. It just confused me because the male and females parts looked kind of alike lol. It looked like the makes have a mini foreskina and the girls have a slit If they really haven't been done then I'm looking for testicles!

I tried doing it earlier with one of the bunnies, Bobby, but he bit me! :lol: I still have the tooth marks on my arm. This is easier said than done!

My two boys have been neutered since August last year and they still hump each other. they don't seem to care though. No fighting or biting, just quick humping and then after it they groom each other!:lol:

They only ever do it when they are in their big pen in the garden. Lots of space and I think they get over excited!!!!

Meant to also say my two sprayed a lot before they were done, and since then no spraying whatsoever. when you find out what sexes they are I would definitely get them done. Might stop them biting you too!

I managed to check Dusty. He's a male, though it looked like he had two testicles (obviously, that's good lol) but also two penis's :shock: He was very...symmetrical.

Bobby I stuggled with. He had too much fur for me to see much. Definitely a two person job. I thought I saw testicles but I can't be sure. Will have to check again tomorrow. I'm still annoyed that the vets couldn't tell, and still no luck with good rabbit vets in my area. Looks like it will have to be the RSPCA one in Manchester to get them done.

I don't want the bunnies to hate me though if they get scared going all that way for an op. I've had my cats done, but the rabbits are more timid when it comes to things that are out of their comforts zones. I know it has to be done though.

Rescues are good places to ask for a vet rec as their vets see a lot of bunnies and neuter them! Kayj (on here) runs a rescue in/near Bolton, she might have a vet to recommend, here's the rescue website: http://www.bunnyhop.co.uk/

Thank you!