Does a 6 wk old bunny try to mate?

[BeckyWJ]

We brought home our first bunny, Fluffy (netherland dwarf) on Saturday and Cutie Patutie (mini rex) today. We thought they were both girls. BUT...when we put them together on neutral groung, they circled and smelled each other, then F climbed on top of CP. CP did not sit still, but we got F off the top of F. We repeated this scenario about 3 times.

The pet store owner said both were 6 weeks old. Is F trying to mate or what? We're planning on getting both "fixed", but thought we could wait until they were older.

 

[elrohwen]

Bunnies will hump each other to assert dominance - both females and males will do this - so it's not necessarily an attempt to mate.

However, 6 weeks is very young and it's easy to mis-sex bunnies at that age. I would separate them until you get them fixed or at least until a vet is able to confirm that they are actually the same sex.

 

[BeckyWJ]

Thanks! I think it was an exercise in assertiveness! They are now happily sharing the same play space!

 

[kirbyultra]

Even though they are about 6 wks old you might want to separate them until they become old enough at around 4-5 months to confirm the sex. Tiny baby cuties are often hard to say if they're really boy or girl because their parts are so small and testicles, if they are there, have not descended yet.

It's good that they aren't doing any serious fighting, just a bit of dominance. I would advise to watch them carefully if you are going to put them together because as they grow older and as those hormones start to kick in forone or the other, their behavioral dynamics can change and someone could start a fight :shock:

 

[elrohwen]

Ditto Kirby. Often babies like the company of each other, but as they get older and hormones kick in, they can start fighting. I would maybe let them out to play together, while you're supervising (assuming they are, in fact, the same gender), but I would house them separately. Then if they do start fighting, you'll be there to put a stop to it.