Adopting two baby Netherland Dwarf bunnies in a few weeks...need advice!

[f_j]

Hi everyone! I am new to this forum,but not new to rabbits! I had one for 11.5 years, his namewas Willy and sadly he passed away about two and a half yearsago. I am finally ready for a new bunny, and decided thatthis time I would like two. I have arranged to adopt twoNetherland Dwarf bunnies from a breeder in a few weeks. I amgetting a male and a female, as the breeder said this pairing will bondmost successfully. I have a few questions though.

How early can I get them spayed/neutered?
Is it safe to house them together right away? Or should I wait until they are both spayed/neutered?
When they are housed together, will they both use the same litterbox? Will a corner litter box be big enough for two bunnies?

Thank you in advance for any advice!

 

[maherwoman]

Hello! Welcome to the forum!

I haven't yet had the experience of introducing bunnies to one another,unless you count one being out while the other is still in her cage,and keeping about a foot's distance between the NIC panel pen and thatrabbit's cage. Hehe...

In my experience, though there may be other members that haven't hadthis problem, I will have to wait until both of my girls are spayed andlacking those teenage hormones before trying to bond them. MyMaisie is VERY cage-agressive and territorial, and when I first gotFlower, and she came within a foot of Maisie's cage, Maisie tried tobite her rather agressively through the cage bars (even though there'smesh around the cages to keep our kitties from sticking curious paws intheir cages). No, she couldn't do any harm to Flower, but itcaused her so much stress, we now have the bunny that's out in a penand keep it that distance from the bunny that's still in her cage.

Here are a couple links that might help you out a little...

Here's the Rabbit Health section's link on Spaying and Neutering:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12040&forum_id=10

I do know that most vets like to wait until the bunny is at least sixmonths old before spaying or neutering, but some will do it sooner ifthe bunny is particularly stressed from the hormones they'reexperiencing.

As far as litter training and such, here's the Rabbit 101 section's thread on Litter Training:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12213&forum_id=17

And here is the thread on Litter and Litterboxes:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12084&forum_id=17

As far as my own personal experience, I have two litterboxes per bun(with quite large homes for each, so it was more a "I have to go butI'm upstairs" problem), so I would recommend that you at least have twoor three boxes to be sure they had enough free space to "do theirbusiness", if you know what I mean. Hehe.

As far as what kind of litterbox...I just got kitten-sized kittylitterboxes for mine (just small plastic non-covered boxes).They turned out to be the perfect size, for both Maisie (who is justunder 5lbs full-grown), and Flower (who is about 8lbs, stillgrowing). Both buns can get their whole body in the box,which I think is more comfy in general.

Hope all that helps!

 

[naturestee]

I just wanted to add that it's much safer tokeep them separate until they're both spayed/neutered. Theycould get pregnant before you get a chance to get them neutered, plusboys are usually still fertile for a month or more after theneuter. Also once those teenage hormones set in many bunsbecome territorial and fight with their cagemates, even if they used toadore each other. It's much safer to wait till they're bothneutered.

Depending on the vet, boys usually can be neutered either at 4 monthsif their testicles have dropped or as soon as their testicles havedropped, which might be as early as 9 weeks. It's recommendedto wait till six months with girls although some vets will do itearlier. It's a more invasive surgery and it's more difficultif the sexual organs are not fully mature.

 

[aurora369]

It is possible to get a male neutered before histesticles decend. I had it done with my last fosters so Icould keep the whole family together, but you need to find anexperienced vet willing to do this. My boys were neutered at9 weeks of age.

My advice would be to find a rabbit savvey vet NOW, before getting the buns to put together a plan of action.

Talk with the vet about your situation, and see what they would recommend.

But to be safe, I would house seperatly, and get the boy neutered assoon as your rabbit savvey vet feels comfortable. Once he'shealed (give him 2-3 days), start bonding procedures like play time inneutral area and keeping cages right next to each other. Alsoget the girl bun spayed as soon as your vet feels comfortable, todecrease the risk of hormones getting in the way of bonding.

If the two buns are from the same litter, and you've found a vetwilling to do a neuter before the testicles have descended, it may bepossible to house them together right from the beginning. Butthis is very tricky and you have to be very vigilant, and there isalways the chance that the girl will sexually mature earlier thanaverage and become pregnant.

--Dawn

 

[f_j]

Thank you everyone for your helpfulresponses! If I am housing them separately until they getspayed/neutered, which one should I house in the cage that they willeventually both live in? Will the male or female be lessterritorial?

 

[aurora369]

That is really hard to predict, as it willreally depend on the individual bunnies. In general, girlstend to be a bit more territorial when their hormones kickin.

So, I would say house the boy in the cage that they will eventuallyshare. But keep the cages right up next to each other.

--Dawn

 

[f_j]

Update: There is a possibility we maybe getting two does. Is it still recommended that they behoused separately until they are spayed? Or can I house themtogether right away so that they grow up together? What doyou recommend?

 

[sunnybunny]

Apparently it's harder to bond 2 females, but mine did just fine. It took about 3 weeks (of actively trying) to bond them.

Now, they're the best of friends. Sunny is spayed, but Misu is not yet, she's only 9 weeks old.

 

[f_j]

Are they living together now? Iguess there is always a risk that the two bunnies just won't mesh, andI will have to cages so I will be prepared for that situation.

sunnybunny wrote:

Apparently it's harderto bond 2 females, but mine did just fine. It took about 3 weeks (ofactively trying) to bond them.

Now, they're the best of friends. Sunny is spayed, but Misu is not yet, she's only 9 weeks old.

 

[Michaela]

I have three unspayed females living together (amum and her two daughters from one accidentallitter) andthere is no problems at all. The all go to the toilet in the sameplace, they all eat from the same bowls, they wash each other and theylie down happily beside each other! I've heard females from the samelitter are the best pair to get and in my experiences this is true.

 

[naturestee]

You can house them together as long as you keepa close eye on them. Several other members here had femalepairs that grew up together but had to be separated, at leasttemporarily, when their hormones kicked in. I have a pair ofsisters that grew up together, but before they were moved into a biggercage and were spayed they picked on each other a lot. I'mstill surprised they lasted so long without seriously hurting eachother, because their owner didn't pay any attention and wouldn't havetried to help treat an injury anyway.

 

[f_j]

I really would hate for them to injureeachother. Perhaps I'll house them separately like I plannedto if they were a male and female, but keep the cages side by side andlet them have their play times outside the cages together. Itsounds like this would be the safest bet before they get spayed.

 

[f_j]

It looks like we are definitely getting twodoes. I am relieved that I don't have to worry aboutaccidental breeding, but now I am nervous about bonding them!

 

[Michaela]

Are they from the same litter?

 

[f_j]

No, they are about a week and a half apart in age. They are from the same breeder though.

Michaela wrote:

Are they from the same litter?

 

[Michaela]

Oh okay, then I can't really give you adviceabout bonding them because I've only ever had two from one litter, butgood luck I hope they don't fight!

I love netherland dwarfs, they are so cute! Do you know what colourthey will be? I can't wait to see pictures:jumpforjoy:.

 

[f_j]

Thank you! One is a chestnut andthe other is a siamese sable. I'm hoping they bond well, butif they don't it isn't the end of the world. I'll have twocages, so the worst case scenario is that they will liveseparately. I am so excited!! I miss my old bun somuch. I'll be sure to post picks as soon as they are home!

Michaela wrote:

Oh okay, then I can'treally give you advice about bonding them because I've only ever hadtwo from one litter, but good luck I hope they don't fight!

I love netherland dwarfs, they are so cute! Do you know what colourthey will be? I can't wait to see pictures:jumpforjoy:.

 

[maherwoman]

Be very careful about keeping an unspayed femaleand unneutered male's cages too close. I would recommendkeeping them at least a foot apart, as buns have been known to matethrough the bars (gross, I know, but worth telling people as aprecaution).

Just thought I would warn ya!

Also, another thought, be ABSOLUTELY sure your two females are indeedfemale before housing them together, to be sure you don't wind up witha surprise litter.

I would recommend they not be housed together at all unless they arespayed and neutered (and have been given time to fully dispel anyhormones in their system), just because you just don't have anypredictability on behaviour with hormones. I have to unspayedfemales, and one is very friendly and loving (despite her hormoneonset), while the other is VERY cage agressive, and when the first(Flower) is out and running about, Maisie (the second), follows herevery move from within her cage, ready to bite if she comes toclose. When you get your bunnies, if they're under the ageof, say, six months, you might not see any hormonal "attitude", but itmay be just around the corner, and at times it can be quite nasty, so Iwould recommend not taking the chance.

Maybe you could get your bunnies from a local shelter, where they'realready spayed and neutered, that way not only will you be giving ahouse to a bunny in need, but you will also have the benefit of nothaving to pay for spaying and neutering.

Anyway, sorry for all the ideas, but Maisie's change in personality dueto hormones was quite literally overnight, with NO warning, and Iwouldn't want you to wind up with a bunny fight on your hands (orworse, losing one of your bunnies overnight) because of this.We love both you AND your potential bunnies.

Just some thoughts...

Rosie*

f_j wrote:

I really would hate for them toinjure eachother. Perhaps I'll house them separately like Iplanned to if they were a male and female, but keep the cages side byside and let them have their play times outside the cagestogether. It sounds like this would be the safest bet beforethey get spayed.