Yesterday, 12:32 AM #35
Diane
Join Date: Nov 2007 Boy bunnies just don't get on
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I thought that I had 1 boy and 2 girl bunnies when I got them. At about 4 months old, I was very upset to find them one morning in a terrible state - fur everywhere and blood stains. Sure enough, they all turned out to be boys - even the vet had got it wrong! It's now about 2 and a half months since they were all castrated. They have been living in closed proximity to each other during this whole period and I rotate them between cages so that they are familiar with each other's scent.
Every time I have tried to reintroduce the rabbits, it ends up in a real fight with fur flying and the rabbits locking on to each other. I've left them as long as I could stand, hoping that they would sort out the dominance issues and settle down but I seriously think they'd kill each other.
I'm resigned to the rabbits all living in separate cages - any suggestions how to improve the situation would be great (they are outdoor rabbits)
Thanks
Diane
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Yesterday, 01:06 AM #36
jrn1310
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Twickenham
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Diane
I thought that I had 1 boy and 2 girl bunnies when I got them. At about 4 months old, I was very upset to find them one morning in a terrible state - fur everywhere and blood stains. Sure enough, they all turned out to be boys - even the vet had got it wrong! It's now about 2 and a half months since they were all castrated. They have been living in closed proximity to each other during this whole period and I rotate them between cages so that they are familiar with each other's scent.
Every time I have tried to reintroduce the rabbits, it ends up in a real fight with fur flying and the rabbits locking on to each other. I've left them as long as I could stand, hoping that they would sort out the dominance issues and settle down but I seriously think they'd kill each other.
I'm resigned to the rabbits all living in separate cages - any suggestions how to improve the situation would be great (they are outdoor rabbits)
Thanks
Diane
Male rabbits can notoriously be difficult to pair up, others will accept another boy without any problems. When you try to pair them up are you doing this on totally neutral territory?
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Yesterday, 08:28 PM #37
Diane
Join Date: Nov 2007
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No. The three rabbits have 2 hutches in a stable. I rotate them three times a day so that they have an opportunuty to "free range" a bit and so that they are used to each others scent - and always had sight of each other. At night, one rabbit gets the run of the stable whilst the other two are housed in their hutches. Every night I rotate which rabbit gets to roam the stable so that it's fair! I have been doing this since their castration (and since I discovered they were boys). I had assumed that trying to integrate them within the stable would be the best option as this was an area that they all had access to at some time during the day. Have I got it wrong - any advice VERY gratefully received
Diane
Join Date: Nov 2007 Boy bunnies just don't get on
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I thought that I had 1 boy and 2 girl bunnies when I got them. At about 4 months old, I was very upset to find them one morning in a terrible state - fur everywhere and blood stains. Sure enough, they all turned out to be boys - even the vet had got it wrong! It's now about 2 and a half months since they were all castrated. They have been living in closed proximity to each other during this whole period and I rotate them between cages so that they are familiar with each other's scent.
Every time I have tried to reintroduce the rabbits, it ends up in a real fight with fur flying and the rabbits locking on to each other. I've left them as long as I could stand, hoping that they would sort out the dominance issues and settle down but I seriously think they'd kill each other.
I'm resigned to the rabbits all living in separate cages - any suggestions how to improve the situation would be great (they are outdoor rabbits)
Thanks
Diane
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Yesterday, 01:06 AM #36
jrn1310
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Twickenham
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diane
I thought that I had 1 boy and 2 girl bunnies when I got them. At about 4 months old, I was very upset to find them one morning in a terrible state - fur everywhere and blood stains. Sure enough, they all turned out to be boys - even the vet had got it wrong! It's now about 2 and a half months since they were all castrated. They have been living in closed proximity to each other during this whole period and I rotate them between cages so that they are familiar with each other's scent.
Every time I have tried to reintroduce the rabbits, it ends up in a real fight with fur flying and the rabbits locking on to each other. I've left them as long as I could stand, hoping that they would sort out the dominance issues and settle down but I seriously think they'd kill each other.
I'm resigned to the rabbits all living in separate cages - any suggestions how to improve the situation would be great (they are outdoor rabbits)
Thanks
Diane
Male rabbits can notoriously be difficult to pair up, others will accept another boy without any problems. When you try to pair them up are you doing this on totally neutral territory?
__________________
Spend your money wisely, only spend it in non livestock selling garden centres and petshops.
jrn1310
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Yesterday, 08:28 PM #37
Diane
Join Date: Nov 2007
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. The three rabbits have 2 hutches in a stable. I rotate them three times a day so that they have an opportunuty to "free range" a bit and so that they are used to each others scent - and always had sight of each other. At night, one rabbit gets the run of the stable whilst the other two are housed in their hutches. Every night I rotate which rabbit gets to roam the stable so that it's fair! I have been doing this since their castration (and since I discovered they were boys). I had assumed that trying to integrate them within the stable would be the best option as this was an area that they all had access to at some time during the day. Have I got it wrong - any advice VERY gratefully received