Pet Shop bonding

[~Bracon~]

How do pet shops "bond" their rabbits so quickly? In some shops Ive been in, you can see up to 6 buns in a cage, the smallest from about 6weeks - to the oldest about 3 or 4. New Rabbits come in and out of the shop all the time so how do they spend the time trying to bond them? Or do they just throw them in?:?

 

[Flashy]

I've seen them in little cages in the bigger areas getting used to the other buns, but I'm thinking they sex them and throw them in pretty much, although they may do bonding out the back. I also think that whilst not a doddle, its going to be easier to bond rabbits that are not yet showing hormones.

I know a very good shop that keeps each bun with it's litter mates and that's it. They are a local shop and by far my favourite when it comes to animal goods and stuff.

 

[Haley]

Most pet shops will just "try" to sex them and throw them all in together. Usually most of them are far too young to even be away from mom, so of course theyre not going to fight. The babies will usually cuddle together. As they mature, they will fight (or mate) and the pet stores usually (hopefully) separate them then. But usually most bunnies sold in pet stores are under 10 weeks or so and their hormones havent really kicked in yet.

 

[Nelson_is_mine]

Most of them are babies, like everyone said, so they just get along. The store I go to also takes in unwanted animals, so occassionally they'll be one that's about six months old (that's how I got Nelson) or older. There was a three year old rex in their recently. These older ones get their own cages. Sometimes they even take cages from there for sale and put them in it, just to give them more room. They're really good about it. They also have three different people sexing them, so they're tripple sure one won't go home pregnant. They're really good about things like that.

 

[BlueGiants]

Around here Idon't seerabbitsstaying in a pet shop all that long. They really don't "settle" in and tend to bestressed by the noise and people and changing "scenery". Some bunnies bond under stressful situations, especially younger babies. (Remember the trick of bonding two rabbits by taking them for a ride in a car in the same carrier?) I think they look to each other for comfort during that time (especially if they are just weaned and used to being comforted around litter mates.) And I don't think that bonding is the permenant/lifetime bonding that we look for.

I'd be real happy if the shops around here sexed the babies befor they throw them in together, but they don't. There are a lot of "oops"...

 

[Flashy]

Aw, it makes me sad to think of all those little buns huddling together and being terrified and stuff

Mine are six weeks old, maybe that's why it makes me sad, because I see how they are with their mum and with their siblings.

 

[naturestee]

Yes, I think it's just because they're stressed out little babies. My local petstores don't sex them.:tantrum:

 

[bluebird]

they arent bonded.we often put several litters together too take too shows for sale .babies dont fight.many petstores sell bunnys as young as 4 weeks.bluebird