Introduce Rabbits
Rabbits are social animals by nature and enjoy living with one another. However, they are quite territorial, which makes the introduction, or bonding, process more difficult than with other animals. Rabbits are naturally hierarchical, but they will learn to live with other rabbits if they are introduced properly. However, strange rabbits that come into their territory are attacked and forced to run away. If you didn't buy two rabbits at the same time and your rabbit has been living alone, you can follow a few simple steps to gradually introduce them to one another so they become bonded friends.
Contents
[hide]Steps
Preparing the Rabbits for Introduction
- Pick your pair. Any combination of rabbits can live together. Whether it is male/male, female/female, or male/female, rabbits can learn to live together no matter what sex they are. The most natural coupling is male/female because this is how they typically form in the wild.
- If you buy your rabbits at a young age or buy them together, it doesn't matter what sex they are because they are likely to bond with ease. They may also already be bonded when you buy them.
- It is easier to bring a female home to a male rabbit because female rabbits are quite protective of their territory. However, two female rabbits will likely get a long faster than two males.
- Spay and neuter your rabbits. When you are introducing rabbits to one another who are going to be living together, they must be spayed or neutered. This is so the rabbits won't fight as much or breed. Each female should be spayed and males should be neutered anywhere from 2-6 weeks before you begin the introduction process. This allows time for the rabbits to heal and the hormones to dissipate.
- You need to make sure you keep male rabbits away from unspayed female rabbits right after they are neutered. They can remain fertile for up to 2 weeks after they are neutered.
- If you buy your rabbits as babies from the same litter, you still need to spay or neuter them as soon as possible. They will bond closely when they are young, but if they reach sexual maturity before you have them fixed, then they will fight and break their bonds, most likely for good.
- Place the rabbits in adjoining cages. Once you bring your rabbits home, you need to place them in adjoining cages or hutches, rather than immediately putting the new rabbit in the old rabbit's cage. Putting the rabbits in a cage together could trigger fighting, since original rabbit will be upset with the new rabbit in his territory.
- If you want the rabbits to share a cage, it is best to make the original cage as "neutral" as possible, and leave the existing rabbit in it. Make it "neutral" by cleaning it out and moving it to a new spot, replace the existing cage furniture and add a new shelter, bowls, and bedding, so they smell less strongly of the existing rabbit (hence weakening his view of it as his territory).
- If you don't have cages for your rabbits, put them in adjoining rooms and separate them with a baby gate.
- Watch their behavior. When you first put the rabbits close together, they will be very curious about each other. You should expect them to touch noses through the cage and will likely show signs of courtship, such as honking and circling. After they are like this for a little while, they will become more relaxed with one another, even laying down beside one another on the edges of the cage. This should take a few days.
- If your rabbits are taking a long time to get to this stage, you should try feeding them near one another so they get used to eating near each other.
- They will display courtship behavior even though they are spayed and neutered. This is how they communicate with one another.
- Take it slow. You need to understand that the introduction process takes time. If you introduce your rabbits too quickly, your rabbits can injure themselves and each other. You will also make it much harder or impossible to properly introduce your rabbits if you put them together too quickly.
- Watch your rabbits for when they are ready to meet face to face. This can take a few days or weeks, depending on the personality of your rabbits.
- If you put your rabbits together too quickly, they will likely fight, which will cause the rabbits to see each other as a threat and make it difficult for them to bond.
Face to Face Introduction
- Find unfamiliar territory. Once you think they are ready to see each other face to face, you need to find somewhere that is unfamiliar to both of the rabbits. This is so they can meet on even territory that doesn't belong to either of them. Places in your home such as bathrooms are good for the rabbit's introduction. Once both rabbits are in the room, crouch down onto their level and stay on the floor with them.
- Make sure you remove all the things in the room that could get knocked off and harm them if they start moving around or jumping.
- It is also a good idea to have a cardboard box with a hole in either end so the rabbits can retreat if they get too nervous or scared.
- Watch them closely. You have to watch them closely, especially when you first introduce them. There are three common scenarios that might occur when you put the rabbits in the room together. The most common is that both rabbits will be wary of each other first, but one rabbit will take the lead and start to assert dominance on the other. That rabbit will take the lead and approach the other, sniffing, circling, and possibly trying to mount the other rabbit. As much as this might look like mating, it is a play for dominance. Keep a watch to make sure the less dominant rabbit doesn't hurt the more dominant one as they learn each other.
- Another scenario that could play out is that they will automatically attack one another. This is rare, but you cannot miss it when it happens. Because of this, you should always wear thick gloves when you introduce your rabbits for the first time. When this happens, you need to intervene quickly so the rabbits don't hurt one another. You should then put them back in separate cages and let them get more acquainted before trying again.
- In another rare occurrence, your rabbits may approach each other as equals automatically. They will sniff and nuzzle each other and enjoy each other right away.
- Deal with fighting. Rabbit fighting is apparent when it happens. The rabbits will jump at each other and start clawing, biting, hissing, and trying to harm one another. To help prevent or stop fighting, you need to have a spray bottle, turned to stream, on hand when you introduce your rabbits. If you think the rabbits might start fighting, you should spray them to stop the behavior. This may also help when they first start fighting, as long as it isn't too vicious. Spraying them will also help encourage them to groom one another, which will help bonding as well.
- Nipping at each other is not considered fighting. This is a way for them to communicate with each other, to get attention, and to show curiosity.
- Mounting and circling may turn into fighting. If the dominant rabbit is mounting head to tail, you need to move them around. If the less dominant rabbit were to bite the genitals of the dominant rabbit, it could cause serious damage.
- Continue the meetings. You should only leave the rabbits together 10-20 minutes at a time, especially in the beginning. As they get more familiar with each other, you can increase the time to 30-40 minutes after the first few days. Once they start laying down together and grooming each other, the rabbits are bonded and can live together without supervision now.
- You can add small obstacles or hide vegetables to help give the rabbits something to play with as they get to know each other.
- It can take a few days or a few weeks. It just depends on your particular rabbits and their temperaments. Keep at it until your rabbits are bonded.
- Deal with resistant bonding. Sometimes, rabbits will continue to be aggressive or not make much progress in terms of bonding. If this happens to your rabbits, you can try to, essentially, force the issue. On a day where you are going to be home all day, set up a decent sized exercise pin in your living room and gather gloves and a spray bottle. Put the rabbits in the pin and pop in a movie. Keep an eye on them while you watch, making sure to spray them if they seem aggressive or look like they are going to fight.
- After awhile, they will get tired of being sprayed and will start sulking. Eventually, one rabbit will go over to another and show submission, which starts the official bonding process.
- You can also read a book or play a game with friends or family while you wait. Just make sure you pay attention to them so you can stop any hint at fighting.
Tips
- The same methods can be used if you are introducing multiple rabbits at the same time. The level of difficulty may vary depending on the sex of the rabbits and the overall temperament of your rabbits. You should just make sure you keep the rabbits in separate cages, no matter how many rabbits you have, until they are introduced properly.
- If you are bringing two rabbits home at the same time and you did not previously own rabbits, the introduction process should be easier. This is because neither rabbit can claim your home as his territory and they bond easier over being in a new, foreign place.
- Even if it take a while, especially at first, keep trying to bond your rabbits. They are not meant to be solitary creatures and love socializing. Eventually, this instinct will take over and they will bond with one another.
