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Trouble introducing 2nd rabbit

Hi all

I use to have 2 rabbits together, unfortuntely one passed away suddenly last week :cry:, i felt sorry for my other rabbit Calvin as he has always been with my other rabbit Smarty since I got them..Calvin is now three. So on Sunday we decided to go ahead and get Calvin alittle new friend but it is not going well at all. Rory is alittle 9 week old lionhead bunny who is lovely...he is a buck...has anyone any advice for me on how to get them both together...at the moment I am just having them both in the house together to try and get them use to each other but it is not goin as well as I hoped it would! With Calvin finishing off the night being very upset and grunting at me....if anyone could offer any advice I would be every so grateful...

A worried bunny lover :)
 
Is Calvin neutered?

It can be harder to introduce two bucks than a female and a male. With two males both need to be neutered to prevent fighting. The youngster will need to be neutered at approx. 16 weeks to stop fighting starting even if you can get them introduced as a baby.

Introductions need to be done in a neutral area, if Calvin usually comes in the house then he'll think of it as his so use a room he doesn't usually go in.

Goodluck,
Tamsin
 
Hi Tamsin

Yeah Calvin is neutered but obviously the ickle bunny isn't....

We are doing it in a neutral area...the living room. We are only doing this for approx 30mins each evening but even before then Calvin is still going for ickle Rory...I just don't want him to get hurt..well either of them really.

So do you think this will ever work? I just felt sorry for CAlvin with the sudden disappearance of Smarty :cry:

Thanks Kel
 
Could you pop the little one in a cage or carry case and then let Calvin sniff around him? That way they can get used to each other's smell without you having to worry about any fighting. Try doing this for a while every day, and swap them over so the other one gets a chance to sniff and hop about. Then when they're more used to each other you could try an introduction outside of the cage again.

You have to let some scuffles occur, but obviously this is more difficult when one of the bunnies is so much bigger than the other. Letting them just be around each other for a while, but bars between them will let them get used to each other and give the baby a chance to put on some bulk before the next introduction.
 
Hi Bertie

Yes I could do that, I tried having CAlvin sat on my knee while the other ickle one was running around us but he just decided to bite me!
I don't want to rush it...like I say they are in both different hutches looking at each other at the moment

Bertie, do you think there is a chance they could become best buds?
Or do you think I am just starting a losing battle?

Thanks Kel, Calvin & Rory :D
 
Its possible they could grow to love each other, sometime introductions can take several weeks/months and then buns live happily together. There is no guarentee though.

Tam
 
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