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Two brothers 8 weeks old, advice please :)

Kit.pike

Young Bun
Hi,

I was just wanting some advice please.
I have bought 2 male rabbits today, 2 brothers from the same litter and they are both very close.
They are in the same hutch at the moment as I thought it would be easier for them to settle in if kept together.
When should I seperate them as I do not want them to fight etc?

I will be getting them neutered as soon as I can, the vet I spoke to said they do it at around 4momths is the correct?

Do I buy a new hutch and keep them next to each other and seperate them now or do I leave them for a while?

Any help would be great.

Thanks
Kirsty
 
I'm no expert, but I would say they would be fine left together seeing as they are from the same litter. I think they would get lonely on their own.
 
I'm no expert, but I would say they would be fine left together seeing as they are from the same litter. I think they would get lonely on their own.

that they are from the same litter makes no difference at all to whether they fight or not at a later date. The real difference will be neutering (at about 3 months or as soon as the testicles drop and the vet feels they are ready), and their characters.

I would keep them together until you see any signs of friction (of if not friction until 4 months)- at that point put them in cages next to each other and book a castration for them. Leave them in cages next to each other for another couple of weeks (I am afraid that I really do not adhere to the 6 weeks that some people on here do for - and am pre[ared to explain why if people query it -) then re-introduce on neutral ground.
 
I agree with Parsnipbun. I find boys start to fight between 12 and 14 weeks, if they are going to, and most do. If they don't fight right up to 16 weeks then you are perhaps going to be lucky as if you get them to neutering stage ,according to Cottontails Rabbit Rescue, they will bond for life. I have 2 brothers who are now a year old neutered and have always been together but this is the exception rather than the rule. One day they will be cuddlled up together next day bitter enemies. It is such a shame but that's what they are like. Hope yours stay friends.
 
The youngest I've had a boy bun done is 13 weeks, usually the vet will doing provided they are healthy, the testicles are clearly visible and over 1KG in weight. I would just keep them together unless they show signs of aggression towards each other but it depends. If for example you are out at work all day then it may be best to err on the side of caution and separate as if they do fight they could have already done serious damage to each other before you realise what's happening.
 
Thank you for your replys and help.
Luckily I have my own business so I am at home all day and also I am on maternity leave as I had a baby in January.

I have a 4 1/2 year old female rabbit who is not spayed as i never thought I would get other rabbits.
I will not get her spayed as she is quite old and don't want to stress her out, luckily she is a very placid and quiet rabbit.

I will see how they get on and hope for the best. One seems more submissive and quiet and one seems more outgoing. Is this a good sign?
any more advice?

Thanks
 
I have a 4 1/2 year old female rabbit who is not spayed as i never thought I would get other rabbits.
I will not get her spayed as she is quite old and don't want to stress her out, luckily she is a very placid and quiet rabbit.

I know that's a very final statement but if you read up on here and elsewhere you will see your doe now has around an 80% chance of developing cancer if unspayed. At 4 1/2 she isn't old, rabbits that are well cared for have a lifespan of 10/12 yrs old. There are many many rescues on here who will still spay a rabbit 3 plus because the risk of them dying from cancer is far far higher that the risk of the anaesthetic.

With regards to the boys, if you're around all the time I would personally keep them together as long as possible. They should even be able to go to the vets together for each of their castrations. You only need to separate them if they start becoming aggressive to each other or chewing each others stitches (unlikely). Make sure they have enough space as being confined can increase aggression.
 
If the entire Doe is in smelling distance of the two Bucks then the Bucks are VERY likely to fight, even before there are signs of descended testicles.

Also agree re the Doe and spaying. Not only is she at great risk of uterine cancer she may also start to have pseudopregnancies and become very stressed and frustrated now that there are two Bucks on the scene. 4.5 is not too old to spay an otherwise healthy Doe and I would recommend you give the matter more thought

Good luck.
 
I am just really worried about having my doe (honey) spayed as my friend had her buck neutered last week and that night he died and he was 3. Is it common for it to happen?

Thanks
 
Hi

no its very uncommon, although underlying previously unknown conditions can obviously cause problems - though a good vet will try and screen for these in advance.

Understanding of rabbit anaesthesia has come on leaps and bounds (hops!!) in the last decade. Unfortunately not all vets have taken this on board.

I would suggest that you start a thread on here giving your location and asking for a rabbit savvy vet recommendation. e can then explore spaying your doe as without that she is very very likely to die from uterine cancer (and will also upset the relationship between the two males)

PS I had a 3 year old male castrated yesterday - he is a large French lop that has had a lot of stress recently (being rehomed) and has also had respiratory problems in the past - he sailed through it and was eating an hour later.

PPS sorry to hear about your friends rabbit.
 
I am just really worried about having my doe (honey) spayed as my friend had her buck neutered last week and that night he died and he was 3. Is it common for it to happen?

Thanks

I've had rabbits as old as 8 spayed (in my rescue) and she did fine, a friend had a 10 year old girl spayed recently because the previous owner didn't and she developed a tumour. She also did fine and is a much happier girl now. If the rabbit is otherwise healthy and in the hands of a good rabbit savvy vet who has a good anaesthesia record, you will have no problems I'm sure. Some vets are just not good with buns and sometimes rabbits who pass away under anaesthetic can be entirely due to an undiscovered underlying condition.

Regards the boys, I had to have two brothers netuered at 12 weeks due to them starting to fight so I would recommend again, using a good bunny vet and getting it done as soon as their bits appear. My two are still together and are now great friends.
 
There is always a quieter one, the submissive one and the other will be the dominant one. He is the one that will start any fighting. For the record,my 2 brothers got through to their neuters without any fighting and with unneutered girls nearby. Some rabbits seem to be old when they are around 4 and some die at 4 or 5 without knowing the cause. I think you are the best one to judge whether your bunny is fit enough to be spayed
 
There is always a quieter one, the submissive one and the other will be the dominant one. He is the one that will start any fighting. For the record,my 2 brothers got through to their neuters without any fighting and with unneutered girls nearby. Some rabbits seem to be old when they are around 4 and some die at 4 or 5 without knowing the cause. I think you are the best one to judge whether your bunny is fit enough to be spayed

It is ultimately the owners choice but it is a decision that should probably be made after consulting a bunny savvy vet. The OP has not said that she thinks her rabbit is not fit, simply that she is 'quite old' and as we know 4 is not considered old for a rabbit. That doesn't mean to say that she is perfectly fit either. That is where a thorough pre op check with a very competent vet is crucial.

Any owner will feel concerned about a GA, however, I personally would be more concerned about not spaying and what that means for the rabbit and for the likelyhood of a future partner being possible.

I'm not going to try and convince the OP to get her rabbit spayed as I don't know the rabbit or the vet, but I do think that it's something that should be considered seriously.
 
I had rabbits when I was younger (I am know 24) and I always thought that they didn't live long past 4-5, after looking into rabbits, i admit i wasnt to clued up, I have realised that this isn't the case.
I am thinking of taking the rabbits to King Richards in Leicestershire, is this a good place to take them?

When a rabbit has a post op check what do they do? Does this cost much?

I am a worrier and I know I shouldn't be but I am worried I would loose Honey if she has the operation.

Many thanks for you advice and I am not ruling out having Honey spayed, I am just weighing up the pros and cons etc and wanting some more information.

Thanks
 
I had rabbits when I was younger (I am know 24) and I always thought that they didn't live long past 4-5, after looking into rabbits, i admit i wasnt to clued up, I have realised that this isn't the case.
I am thinking of taking the rabbits to King Richards in Leicestershire, is this a good place to take them?

When a rabbit has a post op check what do they do? Does this cost much?

I am a worrier and I know I shouldn't be but I am worried I would loose Honey if she has the operation.

Many thanks for you advice and I am not ruling out having Honey spayed, I am just weighing up the pros and cons etc and wanting some more information.

Thanks

Hi

A post op check is the check the vet does after the rabbit has had an operation, a Pre Op check is the one carried out prior to confirming an operation.

The vet should check general overall health, which I would expect to include breathing (rate), heart rate and regularity, breath sounds to hear if the lungs are clear or crackly/noisy or any other irregularities, any other issues that could compromise the immune system (parasites etc, discharge from nose,eyes), condition of coat, mouth for dental issues, stomach/intestine/cecum etc to see whether it's moving correctly (doey/loose/empty/full) - I'd take a poo sample and any good vet would be pleased to see what your rabbit is producing. They would normally also check the ears and feel around the head for signs of underlying dental issues and pain which could be due to abscess (this could impact any anesthetic given because of the infection in the body). There will be other things that I've missed I expect but that should all be included.

Some vets will include a preop check in the price of the operation itself and others will charge the cost of a consultation. But if you haven't had your lady healthchecked for a while, it may be worth the investment.

Not sure about the vets you mention but Honeybunnies Rescue in Leicester may be able to advise on good vets and if that is one.
 
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my little mini lop cecile bunbun was spayed last year at the age of five, so that she and her brother could come to live with me and my two bunnies. she coped really well with the operation. there are no guarantees, of course, but hers was a positive experience. she's still a stroppy little madam though, always trying to dominate her brother...:lol:
 
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