The Perils of Same Sex Rabbit Pairings - Getting it right, from the very start

It is wonderful and exciting to consider either adopting a pair of rabbits, or to welcome a companion rabbit for your solo bun into the family. But care, thought and planning are essential when considering a friend for your rabbit, or when selecting a pair of rabbits.

The reason we are so insistent in promoting opposite sex pairings is that it is this combination which will provide the strongest, most stable bond for your rabbits. Bonds between same sex rabbits - both F/F & M/M pairings, are notoriously unstable. Rabbits - although very social animals, are also highly territorial and if you get it wrong the chances of fighting which can result in serious injury - even death, is very high. Rabbits, whilst they look cute and cuddly, can be incredibly vicious when they fight and the results - nor the ensuing vet bills, are not pretty....

Rabbits, whilst they look cute and cuddly, can be really vicious when they fight and the results - nor the ensuing vet bills, are not pretty....

A common mistake is to adopt same sex young siblings in the mistaken belief that because they are sisters or brothers, they are ‘bonded’ and will be fine living together hence forth. Whilst this can, on the very rare occasion be correct for the vast majority of same sex pairings, once the rabbits hit puberty ‘all of a sudden’ they may start to be aggressive towards each other and may start to fight. Trying to bond or trying to maintain a bond between two females, can be difficult and trying to bond two males or insisting on keeping two males together beyond puberty will in all likelihood result in violent fights that could cause serious injury to the rabbits and you!

If two females are already together and have become aggressive, the best option is to separate immediately, desex as soon as possible and then once their hormones have settled try to re-bond them - but you must be aware that there is no guarantee that it will work or that the bond if re-established will be stable in the longer term.

If two males have already fought then please give up any thought of trying to re-bond them. Once they’ve fought, the chances of them living safely or happily together again - even if desexed, is extremely remote.

It pays to keep in mind that the bond between rabbits of any sex is not a true bond until they reach adulthood. A bond once the rabbits are 6 -12 months of age is a true bond. Prior to reaching puberty, they are friends simply because they are babies but once they start maturing they will begin to view each other as a potential threat. This is especially true of same sex pairs, even once desexed.

This is why we promote opposite sex, desexed pairs as they are the most stable, long term combination. Rabbits are controlled by instinct - even when the hormones are controlled by desexing and are also extremely territorial, so trying to bond same sex pairs can be very difficult and even when it appears they are getting along it can change in the blink of an eye.

This can happen because of something that we humans may not even be aware of such as:

* There being a new rabbit down the street, we can’t smell it but they can.

* A change in their surroundings, new people, new pets, one of the rabbits was away at the vets etc , all sorts of things can upset bonds.

Rabbits have very good memories and if they have previously had a fight they will most likely fight again. This is why we strongly advise desexing sooner rather than later - before it gets to that point.  We also advocate the long and slow approach to bonding between desexed M:F pairs.

My happily bonded M/F pair Lola and Roux

So, please bear all of this in mind when you are reading these files in preparation to embarking on the bonding journey with your rabbits or in regard to adopting a pair of rabbits. And always ask questions if you are unsure or are having trouble understanding the process. Thank you.

The following is the personal experience shared with WW -

In 2015, five days before Christmas our three year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukaemia. We were given a chemo program that lasts 2 years, 4 months so she will continue Chemotherapy until April 2018. Most of this time she needed to be in isolation due to the risk of infection so we decided to get her some pets for company. In early 2016 we bought two female rabbits from a well known pet store. Being relatively naive about owning rabbits we asked the sales rep for advice and she was wonderful - Friendly, chatty and took a little kitten out for my daughter to cuddle while we organised all the accessories I would need for owning two rabbits. We had chosen two from the female cage and before we had even held them my daughter had named them Peachy and Rosie. I requested the largest hutch available and all that was available was the display model so staff had to dismantle it for me to take home. No discount was offered for it being the display model, in hindsight I wish I had requested one as the hutch was appalling. The lids hinges broke within a week and it has always been very rickety and wobbly, due to wear and tear from the store but I digress.

While the hutch was being dismantled we went to the supermarket and did the shopping. When we came back everything was ready for us, including Peachy and Rosie in a cardboard box. At that point we were told that the rabbit cages were wrongly labeled and we actually had two boys not girls. As inexperienced pet owners I was unaware that this would be a huge drama in the future. We took our pets home, rebuilt the hutch and everything was fine for a few months. Then one day in hospital I met another mum who happened to be a former rabbit breeder. She told me that male rabbits should never live together as when the hormones come in they will fight to the death. I was horrified! She advised that having them neutered might help but was not a guarantee. I took them both off to the vet, had them neutered and all was well for about 6 more months. Then last spring we let them out as usual for the day and went inside where we were having a small party, celebrating the fact my daughter had finished the worst of her chemo and was now on maintenance chemo. Then someone came running in to tell me there was fur all over our garden. We thought the rabbits had been attacked by a cat or dog by the amount of fur everywhere. I then found our rabbits, fighting to the death. Dirty, violent attacks on each other that I could not only see but hear as well. The thumping into each other and full wind body slams. My immediate reaction was to step in between them and I was badly bitten for my efforts. Neither bunny had ever bitten us before.

Leaving the party I had to take them both back to the store as it was the only vet that seemed to be open. Both were badly injured. Lots of blood, scratches and bald spots. Poor Mr Peaches had a terrible scratch across his eye and I'm sure it affected his eyesight as he never really saw me walking up on his right side after that. After as many bonding tips I could find I eventually realised that one would need to be re-homed. Luckily our neighbour was happy to help so for us, this hideous situation worked out somewhat. I advised pet store staff that they should not have sold us two male rabbits and they all disagreed with me, telling me that head office told them that it's ok. I used to go to the store  fortnightly for hay and Burgess pellets and they would always ask after the rabbits. My daughter being bald as an egg from chemo is quite memorable so they remember us. I always say they are good as long as they don't see or smell each other but this still has not stopped the company from selling two males together. They often have SPCA cats for adoption in their stores. Can the same not be done with rabbits? Some back yard breeders are terrible and inhumane and as a pet store surely they should not advocate this practise. By getting them from the spca you can get a personalised description of the rabbit and the kind of home they will need. This will help their customers make an informed decision, rather than a spot decision that leaves a bunny unwanted, abandoned and unloved in a few weeks. The store stocks some of the best rabbit pellets on the market, surely this is enough profit than this ignorant and cruel way of selling baby rabbits?

We then adopted a boy who had been abandoned in West Auckland and once Rosie Boy smelt him he couldn't leave the fence alone. He broke in once resulting in our new boy being hospitalised for two days with terrible damage to his ears. We then used extra wood along the bottom of the fence to secure the separation of property and laid left over roof tiles in front of that and were 100% sure the rabbits would be separated. One afternoon Rosie Boy pushed over trellis, moved the wood and dug under the roof tile and killed Tormund. It was HIDEOUS. I am still so traumatised and feel beyond guilty for not protecting him. It's the worst feeling in the world.

Do rabbits fight to the death? Yes, yes they do. It happened in the blink of an eye, he was still warm when I discovered what had happened. Please please people. Be slow and careful bonding rabbits and remember that same sex marriages are best left to humans, not rabbits. Some people have same sex bondings but they are the exception, not the norm. Rip my beautiful Tormund.

Copyright 2019 - Jen Herd/Westley’s World