Did I make a major mistake?

[sibelabmom]

I'm very new to owning bunnies, as in my first has only been ours full-time for a week. She's an unspayed female of unknown origin, the bunny in my profile pic. Today, I adopted another unspayed female, the one in my avatar. All I know about her is that she's three months old and likely to be a bit larger than my gray girl.

My gray, Autumn, is pretty much a fearless rabbit. We also have four big dogs, and she shows no fear of them when they crowd the cage trying to see her. In fact, she nuzzles right up to sniff them back.

Since the new girl, Cinnamon, arrived today, Autumn has been mounting her from both in front and behind, pawing at her coat, and every so often someone lands a big thump from a hind leg.

I got Cinnamon as a cagemate for Autumn, and now I'm wondering if that was a bad idea? She had seemed so lonely in the cage, but now I'm not sure I did the right thing by either bunny. Should I give it a few days and see if they can work out a hierarchy, or should I take Cinnamon back right away? Autumn hasn't hurt her, but still...

 

[Watermelons]

They should both be spayed. Autumn is trying to be dominant, and its likely cinnamons hormones haven't quite kicked in yet, and when they do you could end up with some pretty nasty fights if they don't want to bond. I would suggest you get them BOTH spayed to not only have healthier rabbits but ti lessen the likely hood of fighting and have a higher chance of actually bonding them.

 

[sibelabmom]

The plan is definitely to spay them both...I had actually requested that at school before adopting, but they won't do surgery on buns, just dogs and/or cats. I'm looking for a vet to do it now...

 

[MissyAndMoonlight]

I know animal shelters have low cost spay and neuter programs. Where we live, it is only $74 for a rabbit spay, which is much cheaper than a clinic

 

[sibelabmom]

So I just discovered!! The clinic quoted me $193 each, the local spay clinic quoted $65, and I had my huge Malamute neutered there about a year ago. His neuter was only $10 because I'm disabled, so I'm going to check and see what it is for a rabbit spay for the disabled. Even if it's the same amount as the dog, I'll still be getting off lightly!!!:toast:

 

[thebunnyhops]

They will definitely need to be spayed. Second, rabbits have very complex and distinct personalities and it's very difficult to put two random rabbits together. For example, when I got a girlfriend for my rabbit, he went on about 10 speed dates! There was only one rabbit that didn't beat him up, and that's the rabbit that we took home. In essence, I had no "say" in who we took home. Even though he picked his girlfriend, it took about 6 months to fully bond them. For the first month, they were kept completely separate. Then, they were kept in cages next to each other for 2 months, and then the next 3 months after that they slowly got used to each other. Now, they are in love and don't leave each others side.

You will want to keep them separate until they are spayed. Then, be prepared for a slow bonding process. It's slow, but absolutely worth it for your bunny.

 

[sibelabmom]

They're actually getting along very well...they cuddle together and do everything together!

 

[squidpop]

Since it sounds like you got them to bond, be careful to keep them together at all times, like if you get one spayed take the other with her to the vet even and have her wake up with the other there. Sometimes if one goes to the vet and then comes back smelling funny they reject them.

 

[sibelabmom]

Will do. Is it advisable then to have them both spayed at the same time?

 

[RabbitsMaster]

Keep them away from the dogs and spay the ASAP

 

[flemishwhite]

They will definitely need to be spayed. Second, rabbits have very complex and distinct personalities and it's very difficult to put two random rabbits together. For example, when I got a girlfriend for my rabbit, he went on about 10 speed dates! There was only one rabbit that didn't beat him up, and that's the rabbit that we took home. In essence, I had no "say" in who we took home. Even though he picked his girlfriend, it took about 6 months to fully bond them. For the first month, they were kept completely separate. Then, they were kept in cages next to each other for 2 months, and then the next 3 months after that they slowly got used to each other. Now, they are in love and don't leave each others side.

You will want to keep them separate until they are spayed. Then, be prepared for a slow bonding process. It's slow, but absolutely worth it for your bunny.

I've read similar before. Rabbits just don't automatically take to each other. My two rabbits are sisters, and from birth, they are very closely boded.