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What precautions should we take while waiting for 2 14 week old males to be neutered?

Blametom

New Kit
We recently welcomed two rabbits into our home to live with us as house pets, Caramac and Socks.

They are 14 weeks old and both male. They are obviously not from the same litter (one is a Trianta and one is a mini rex) but apparently they have been together since very young. They seemed to be the best of friends and were so cosy together that we couldn't have possibly separated them, however, they were not yet neutered.

The first thing I did was take them to the vet to have them vaccinated and to schedule them in for neutering but the operation isn't for another 4 weeks as the vet didn't think one of the rabbits was quite ready (she could only feel one ball!).

Right now they seem to be the greatest of friends about 90 percent of the time. Every so often, however, Caramac is mounting Socks (Caramac is a bit larger than Socks). Sometimes Socks just makes himself small and lets Caramac get on with it but other times he tries to run away with Caramac chasing after him. Often when this happens, Caramac doesn't take the hint and just keeps perusing Socks relentlessly and these chases can get quite out of control. Socks seems quite scared sometimes when it happens. Caramac also just seems to lunge towards Socks occasionally resulting in a chase so it's not always the mounting behaviour that initiates it. I've never actually seen Caramac bite him but I have seen tufts of fur sticking up on Socks back as if he's might have had a nip.

When we are at home and the bunnies are roaming about, we just make a noise or clap our hands or something and the chase usually stops. However, when we are at work or out of the house, we might have to leave them alone together for perhaps 4 hours at a stretch. One of us always pops home at lunch time but we're terrified that the chasing might turn into a fight while we're not there and that it may result in an injury or the bunnies falling out with each other.

The vet said it would be a shame to separate them, as they are such good friends, but is this good advice? Would we be better to keep them apart whilst we are out and only have them together when we are there to supervise or am I just overthinking things and at the age they are at, another 4 weeks won't hurt?

I've read a lot of horror stories about unneutered male rabbits fighting and we really don't want this to happen but I'd like to know what people think we should do in the interim. Are there any precautions I should take to minimise the risk?
 
We recently welcomed two rabbits into our home to live with us as house pets, Caramac and Socks.

They are 14 weeks old and both male. They are obviously not from the same litter (one is a Trianta and one is a mini rex) but apparently they have been together since very young. They seemed to be the best of friends and were so cosy together that we couldn't have possibly separated them, however, they were not yet neutered.

The first thing I did was take them to the vet to have them vaccinated and to schedule them in for neutering but the operation isn't for another 4 weeks as the vet didn't think one of the rabbits was quite ready (she could only feel one ball!).

Right now they seem to be the greatest of friends about 90 percent of the time. Every so often, however, Caramac is mounting Socks (Caramac is a bit larger than Socks). Sometimes Socks just makes himself small and lets Caramac get on with it but other times he tries to run away with Caramac chasing after him. Often when this happens, Caramac doesn't take the hint and just keeps perusing Socks relentlessly and these chases can get quite out of control. Socks seems quite scared sometimes when it happens. Caramac also just seems to lunge towards Socks occasionally resulting in a chase so it's not always the mounting behaviour that initiates it. I've never actually seen Caramac bite him but I have seen tufts of fur sticking up on Socks back as if he's might have had a nip.

When we are at home and the bunnies are roaming about, we just make a noise or clap our hands or something and the chase usually stops. However, when we are at work or out of the house, we might have to leave them alone together for perhaps 4 hours at a stretch. One of us always pops home at lunch time but we're terrified that the chasing might turn into a fight while we're not there and that it may result in an injury or the bunnies falling out with each other.

The vet said it would be a shame to separate them, as they are such good friends, but is this good advice? Would we be better to keep them apart whilst we are out and only have them together when we are there to supervise or am I just overthinking things and at the age they are at, another 4 weeks won't hurt?

I've read a lot of horror stories about unneutered male rabbits fighting and we really don't want this to happen but I'd like to know what people think we should do in the interim. Are there any precautions I should take to minimise the risk?

Personally I would separate them if there is even a hint of humping behaviour. With two Bucks just approaching puberty fighting rapidly occurs when one or both start to get 'frisky'. Once two Bucks fight it is unlikely, although not 100% impossible, that they will ever be able to live in harmony again, even after neutering. Two Bucks who have fought never forget. As you are probably aware, fighting Bucks can cause each other potentially fatal injuries. IMO it's just not worth the risk.

Good luck with your new Rabbits and it's really good to read that you have gotten them vaccinated :)
 
I agree with Jane, I'd separate.

I wonder if one could be neutered now (the one who is ready) and then his hormones could be settling down while you're waiting for the other one to be ready. Not sure if this would be advisable, but just a thought. They would still need to be separated with this scenario though, just to be clear.
 
I agree with Jack's-Jane. The fact that one is already mounting the other is a fore-runner of a potential fight. Bucks tend to start fighting at around 14 weeks old, even brothers and you could come home to fur everywhere and one or 2 injured rabbits. Also, the smaller rabbit will sense the possibility of a fight and be living in fear.
 
We recently welcomed two rabbits into our home to live with us as house pets, Caramac and Socks.

They are 14 weeks old and both male. They are obviously not from the same litter (one is a Trianta and one is a mini rex) but apparently they have been together since very young. They seemed to be the best of friends and were so cosy together that we couldn't have possibly separated them, however, they were not yet neutered.

The first thing I did was take them to the vet to have them vaccinated and to schedule them in for neutering but the operation isn't for another 4 weeks as the vet didn't think one of the rabbits was quite ready (she could only feel one ball!).

Right now they seem to be the greatest of friends about 90 percent of the time. Every so often, however, Caramac is mounting Socks (Caramac is a bit larger than Socks). Sometimes Socks just makes himself small and lets Caramac get on with it but other times he tries to run away with Caramac chasing after him. Often when this happens, Caramac doesn't take the hint and just keeps perusing Socks relentlessly and these chases can get quite out of control. Socks seems quite scared sometimes when it happens. Caramac also just seems to lunge towards Socks occasionally resulting in a chase so it's not always the mounting behaviour that initiates it. I've never actually seen Caramac bite him but I have seen tufts of fur sticking up on Socks back as if he's might have had a nip.

When we are at home and the bunnies are roaming about, we just make a noise or clap our hands or something and the chase usually stops. However, when we are at work or out of the house, we might have to leave them alone together for perhaps 4 hours at a stretch. One of us always pops home at lunch time but we're terrified that the chasing might turn into a fight while we're not there and that it may result in an injury or the bunnies falling out with each other.

The vet said it would be a shame to separate them, as they are such good friends, but is this good advice? Would we be better to keep them apart whilst we are out and only have them together when we are there to supervise or am I just overthinking things and at the age they are at, another 4 weeks won't hurt?

I've read a lot of horror stories about unneutered male rabbits fighting and we really don't want this to happen but I'd like to know what people think we should do in the interim. Are there any precautions I should take to minimise the risk?


Hi there and welcome to the Forum :wave:

What I would do in your situation is separate the two boys, but if it's at all possible, keep them next door to one another. Possibly separated by wire.

Rabbits can be neutered as soon as their 'plums' have dropped and they are a good weight, so it's possible your vet could bring forward that appointment for castration?

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/neutering28807.pdf


If they have had a scrap, please don't worry. I have known many bucks to have had a fight or two, and then once neutered and bonded become absolutely the best of friends :)
 
Thank you all for your advice. Separation does sound like the sensible option. I'd hate for them to fall out! Although, it does seem hard for them to be completely apart for the 4 weeks up until the operation and potentially several weeks afterwards too.

We have a 3 foot by 5 foot cage and a 5 foot octagon run so perhaps I should pop one bunny in the cage and one in the run whilst we are at work, and perhaps swap them round at lunch time when one of us pops back so they both get time out of the cage. Does that sound reasonable? Maybe they could have some together time in the evening while they are supervised or would it be safer just to place the cage close to the run so they can still see each other?
 
I think this sounds reasonable. Leaving them together while you go out is not advisable for the above reasons.
 
Hello! Not much experience but with mine I feel that even if that have to be separated for a while they miss eachother and seen very happy when together so I would keep them together at least few hours and that would be the “total happy play time”
 
Thanks everyone for some great advice and the warm welcome to the forum.

This evening was fairly trying! Caramac was chasing Socks round the living room at every opportunity and hardly gave him a break, except for a few quiet moments where they lay down together. We ended up putting Caramac back in the cage for a while so he could calm down which he wasn't impressed with! I've knocked together a makeshift cage from the run so we're going to put Socks in there, with Caramac in the normal cage, tonight and let them spend the night with the two cages next to each other. I don't think I'd trust the run while we're not at home, as its a bit flimsy. I'll have to get hold of a second cage as soon as I can. We'll try and give them as much together time as we can when we're there to supervise.
 
It's good to know you are monitoring them and seeking advice even though it isn't exactly what you want to hear!
 
Last night in seperate enclosures worked well. I've set up the full run in the lounge now next to the cage and they're both exploring it for the first time. It's all so exciting that I think they've forgotten about chasing each other for the time being! I'll just move one bun to the cage and leave the other in the run when I go out.
94757cdfbd3cd463d0997567f804bead.jpg


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A little update on Caramac and Socks.

It has been 3 weeks now since the operation. There were some complications as one of Caramac's plums was somehow connected to his bowel so they had to go in through his abdomen to remove it. Caramac was quite poorly for some days afterwards but, thankfully, they both have now made a complete recovery.

We had to abandon the bunny run eventually as it was too low, too flimsy and it wasn't long before both buns realised they able to jump out with ease! It also wasn't long before we had to keep them both entirely separate for fear of a fight breaking out. We had to buy 2 cages for now so that, when we're out or at night time, they each stay in their own cage. When we're in, we have to alternate between bunnies being out. We let one bun run round the lounge and kitchen while the other stays in his cage and swap them over every hour. Its breaking my heart that they can't yet be together yet and that we're having to keep them in cages. The cages are only about 6 ft by 2 ft and I want them to have so much more space but we don't have many options until they can live together again.

The plan is to give them the whole of the spare bedroom, once they are re-bonded, and when we are in they will be able to join us in the rest of the house. I'm so tempted to start to try and re-bond them now but I keep reading that 3 weeks is too soon for male bunnies and that we need to wait until at least 6 weeks. I just hate the thought of them being cooped up in those cages for another 3 weeks! We've kept both bunnies within sight and smell of each other all the time and we swap the litter trays around. We've allowed them to sniff each other through the bars sometimes and they've not been aggressive. Do you think it might be worth a try or should we wait a bit longer? I just feel terrible whenever I have to lock them in :(
 
If you put them in the spare room which sounds like a neutral space, you might find they will be ok. I would give it a go and if you set it up like the puppy pen in the photo with lots of distractions, it might just work. Did they fight before?
 
If you put them in the spare room which sounds like a neutral space, you might find they will be ok. I would give it a go and if you set it up like the puppy pen in the photo with lots of distractions, it might just work. Did they fight before?
Thanks, they never got into a proper fight before. We seperated them before that had chance to happen as we were getting worried with the amount of chasing and humping and nipping going on before they were neutered.

I was thinking about perhaps trying them together as an experiment in the back yard first, where neither have been yet, so we still have their room as neutral territory if we need to regroup and try again. Also it's a nice day! [emoji4][emoji274]

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Oh dear, that really didn't go very well! :(

We created a space in the back yard about 1.5 meters square to try to introduce them in. We popped some hay in there, some of their favorite treats and armed ourselves with a dustpan to put between them, if necessary, plus a water spray bottle and a towel.

The first minute went ok. They sniffed at each other and touched noses and we were hopeful but, before a couple of minutes had elapsed, it had degenerated to nipping and frantic circling with quite a lot of fur pulling and grunting. The spray didn't seem to have any effect so we used the dustpan between them and moved them away from each other to calm down a bit before trying again. The second time, they both went straight in to nip each others bums which almost instantly turned into a horrible fight, ripping fur out and tearing at each other with their rear feet. We jumped in to separate them before they had done any damage, I used the towel to cover Caramac and kept him covered while we moved Socks out of the area. We checked them over and there are no injuries thankfully but we are all very shaken after the experience, both the buns and us!

It was horrible to see them being so aggressive towards each other. They always used to play together so nicely before the hormones kicked in and even before we separated them, they never attacked each other like that. We were really shocked. I'm hoping that perhaps we were just a bit too keen to get them back together and maybe they still have some bunny hormones in their system. Should we wait a few more weeks before we try again or is there anything else we can try?
 
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