Introducing a new rabbit to existing pet rabbit at home

Macker1

In short the family currently have a 6 month old female rabbit as a pet. Cookie as she is called is settled in very well and there are no issues. Due to Rabbits being sociable creatures it was decided that we would go ahead and get another so they could keep each other company. We went for another female and picked up a 10 week old lop-earred which is extremely cute. The reason for the post is to get some advice on how best to introduce them to each other as we are worrled that the young lop-earred may get hurt. Earlier on today I did briefly place them beside each other for a short while but after a bit of curiosity / sniffing each other the elder appeared to get a bit aggressive.


Is there a specific process and or lenght of time involved in getting them to bond. For a while the young lop-earred will be kept indoors as it will need to get its injections before it it allowed outside to hopefully join its buddy in the garden.

Any advice welcomed.

Sigma Force

It can take a while and they need to introduced on neutral territory. Side by side in individual runs would work at first. Spaying both females (not sure if your origional bun is spayed) will help a lot as well, ensure that both rabbits are the same sex as well as it can be gotten wrong.

What I would personally do is have both bunnies spayed, let them recover from the op and once stitches are out place them side by side for a couple of weeks and eventually let them run around on neutral territory. Keeping them busy at first with some nice veggies so they go for that first and get used to being around each other.

Not saying unspayed rabbit won't get on but unspayed buns can be very aggressive esp. once they hit 6 months.

Time wise it can take anything from days to weeks to months it really all depends on the rabbits but they should get on fine within a couple of weeks.

You could maybe switch their litter trays around so they get used to smelling each others scent.

animalcrazy

It can be extremely hard to bond two females together, in some cases you can't and end having to keep the two separated. Introduce them in an area where the older female has never been before so she isn't territorial, such as the bathroom. Place the two bunnies on the ground and see what happens, if she gets aggresive then take her away, the baby I mean, keep trying for a few weeks, if they seem to get on after a few meetings don't put them together as she could get awful territorial in her cage/hutch, they should be getting on in daily meetings for at least a week before you put them together. It is unlikely they will ever bond unless they were brought up together, you would have gotten a neuteured male instead. Just be prepared to have to purchase a new cage/hutch as they may/may not get along, feel free to ask me anything else your not sure about.

Sigma Force

Have to disagree if spayed they should both get on well after a time.

animalcrazy

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

. Spaying both females (not sure if your origional bun is spayed) will quote]

This won't definatly solve your problem so don't get your hopes up just in case they don't get along after. Although you should get them spayed as they have an 80% chance of getting cervical cancer.

animalcrazy

some will..some won't..it all depends on the rabbits tempermant..you should know your own rabbits tempermant and what it will/willl not tolerate.

Sigma Force

Spaying will cut down on territorial issues so will cut down on aggression coupled with careful introductions I don't see why they shouldn't get on. You will get the occasional grumpy rabbit or even the occasionl grumpy guineapig that won't tolerate others.

There are other ways to help introductions should it not go well for you over the coming weeks, TT touch can sometimes help in these situations.

animalcrazy

ya that's what I mean, there are grumpy buns who just won't tolerate others..but don't get me wrong spaying can help/solve the problem. OP, if you could tell us a bit more about your bunnies personality that would be great..the older bun I mean.

Macker1

animalcrazy wrote: »

ya that's what I mean, there are grumpy buns who just won't tolerate others..but don't get me wrong spaying can help/solve the problem. OP, if you could tell us a bit more about your bunnies personality that would be great..the older bun I mean.

How would I describe the personality of the elder rabbit. Well she is good natured and quite friendly. There have been no issues whatsoever since we got her back in March. She eats well with a good appetite and is happily housed in the hutch which is located in the back garden. Each and every day she gets plenty of attention and is given free reign of the garden on regular occasions. This playtime would be supervised by one of the family due to cats being in the nearby vircinity.

I really do hope that both rabbits will get along in time as It wasn't part of the plan to have to buy an additional hutch.

Can you please advise the details involved in spaying in particular the process / timeframe and cost.

I would expect that if there not getting along it would be wise to protect the 10 week old from getting hurt by the elder. How dangerous can a rabbit be to another ??

animalcrazy

It can be very dangerous even fatal to let them be together while she is being aggresive. It's unlikely they will bond the way they are now so spaying is the way to go but there is no guarntee that that will help, your female rabbit should be spayed anyway as she has a 80% of getting cervical cancer. They are put under general anasthetic, and a small incision is made and the ovaries are removed, they usually recover after about a week, you should make sure your vet is experienced in spaying first though, ask him/her have they spayed many rabbits and have they a high death rate for rabbits. Usually costs around 50-60 euro.

animalcrazy

I also recommend you join this forum, www.fuzzy-rabbit.com
I'm on it under the username Alfie's Mammy. You have to be mad about your rabbits though and it's a really, really friendly, the nicest forum I ever came across and people are sooo helpful. All your questions will be answered there, it's a world-wide forum.

Sigma Force

There are a few things you can do to make the whole process easier for you and the rabbit for more info click below.

http://www.freewebs.com/guineapigcottage/ourrabbitpage.htm

The last rabbit I had spayed cost 70.00 Euro depends on the vet, charges can vary a lot usually whatever they charge for a cat is around what they may charge for a rabbit.

What area are you in might be able to recommend a vet to you.

Sounds like your rabbit has great life, so nice to hear of a bun being properly looked after. They really are smashing pets.

animalcrazy

ya they make brilliant pets, need alot more attention then people think though! You need to have alot of room for them even though people seem to think they can be left in a small cage. Mine have their own garden which they have for a few hours a day and a big hutch for the rest, can't imagine not having my two!

Macker1

animalcrazy wrote: »

I also recommend you join this forum, www.fuzzy-rabbit.com
I'm on it under the username Alfie's Mammy. You have to be mad about your rabbits though and it's a really, really friendly, the nicest forum I ever came across and people are sooo helpful. All your questions will be answered there, it's a world-wide forum.

Thanks for that, I had a quick look at will delve into it further when I have time over the weekend. For now I will keep interaction between the two rabbits to a minimum. The main thing I want is for them both to be happy so both will be getting well looked after with plenty of attention.

animalcrazy

It's a great forum, get all my rabbit advice there, keep their cages beside eachother and let them be together supervised too.

animalcrazy

One thing I always say..if a person knows their rabbits personality well, chances are their bunny is well looked after, a person who doesn't know their bunnies pesonality, chances are they spend no time with their bunny.

Monkshee

animalcrazy wrote: »

It can be extremely hard to bond two females together, in some cases you can't and end having to keep the two separated. Introduce them in an area where the older female has never been before so she isn't territorial, such as the bathroom. Place the two bunnies on the ground and see what happens, if she gets aggresive then take her away, the baby I mean, keep trying for a few weeks, if they seem to get on after a few meetings don't put them together as she could get awful territorial in her cage/hutch, they should be getting on in daily meetings for at least a week before you put them together. It is unlikely they will ever bond unless they were brought up together, you would have gotten a neuteured male instead. Just be prepared to have to purchase a new cage/hutch as they may/may not get along, feel free to ask me anything else your not sure about.

I have just gotten a new female rabbit aged 8 weeks i already have a 2 year old female as well. The older one is very aggressive with the baby. they are kept away from each other at the moment but now the baby has stopped eating was wondering could this be because of the older rabbit? Any tips should I give them time to mix or start looking for a new home for the baby they've only been together for a week