So around 3 weeks ago I adopted an 8 week old female holland lop as a companion for my 9 month old neutered male holland lop. I tried everything I heard about bonding, and for some reason it was love at first sight and the 2 are inseparable. my male grooms her, they cuddle, eat together, and he is protective of her, and they free roam in my room 100% of the time together with No issues so far whatsoever. I’ve been reading on forums though, that younger unfixed bunnies will start to fight their supposed partner once they reach sexual maturity. I do not want this to happen and I want to make sure that the 2 won’t fight at any point, or atleast that this isn’t always the case. I do plan on having my doe spayed once she is old enough, but I want to avoid any fights prior to the spay since they are freeroaming and I might not always be home to separate in case of a fight.. I haven’t seen either bunny hump one another or act sexually towards one another yet, and I’m not quite sure what to think of that. Is fighting always the case? Any information is appreciated
Will my baby female rabbit fight my neutered male once she reaches sexual maturity?
- Thread starter cosmoluna
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I don't think there'll be any problem, apart from normal puberty behaviour. No, fighting is not always the case, and neutered male/intact female is a quite common combination here. Depends on their characters, but I wouldn't be too pessimistic.
What helps in difficult times is when they have enough room and hiding places to go out of each others eyes if they feel like it.
You just almost never read about bunny pairs that didn't have any trouble, it's mostly the other ones that people write about.
I have two pairs of intact does (and an intact buck/spayed girl), and that combination is more difficult than with a neutered male.
What helps in difficult times is when they have enough room and hiding places to go out of each others eyes if they feel like it.
You just almost never read about bunny pairs that didn't have any trouble, it's mostly the other ones that people write about.
I have two pairs of intact does (and an intact buck/spayed girl), and that combination is more difficult than with a neutered male.
Thanks so much for your reply! My buns have both been free roaming together for weeks now and seem to love each other’s company, so I don’t want any of that to change. I’m just a paranoid bunny mom, but your reply really helped me to feel more assured that they won’t start to fight. Thank you! I have an appointment for her spay set for the end of October, will I have to reintroduce them after she is recovered from her procedure and worry about possible fighting then?
It might not be necessary to seperate them for more than three days or so, when they get along well.
Even though my buck is intact and they didn't have contact before I put them together soon, under supervision, sperated them when he was too eager, but it wasn't much of a problem:
https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threa...bond-with-intact-buck-what-to-consider.92855/
Even though my buck is intact and they didn't have contact before I put them together soon, under supervision, sperated them when he was too eager, but it wasn't much of a problem:
https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threa...bond-with-intact-buck-what-to-consider.92855/
Just be aware that when your doe returns from the vet, she may smell completely different, making her basically a 'stranger' to your buck. You'll need to keep a close eye on them then.
yes I was planning on keeping them separate for around a week while she is healing from surgery, Just in separate pens next to each other so they won’t be lonely/miss each other. Thank you for your reply, it’s very helpful as I’m a paranoid bunny mom
RWAF
Well-Known Member
I've never separated a bonded pair when one has been neutered. And never had any problems as a result. On the contrary, provided they had a good bond before the neuter, returning home to a loving partner is a comfort to them when they feel ill.
It might help to ask your vet to let you bring the partner into the clinic and maybe keep him there for an hour, in a hospital cage if you can, preferably with his partner, but if not, then nearby. That will transfer some of the clinic smells onto his fur. Bring them home together, preferably in the same carrier so that her anaesthetic smell will be transferred onto his fur, and then let them out from the carrier into your home together, making it a shared experience, coming home from the vet.
My first female Rosie was a terror for taking out her stitches, even though the vet used the technique where they are buried under the skin, she could still somehow manage to get through the covering medical glue and open up the wound, so there was no choice, she had to wear a cone. I cut it down so she could eat, but she couldn't clean herself and her partner saw to all of that for her, he groomed her as thoroughly as she would have groomed herself. I used to transfer the caecals for her, picking them up as she produced them and offering them to her by hand. She was a bit surprised it seemed at first, but took them readily.
Some years later after she died and her partner Mr H d'Bun was rebonded with very young Cinnamon, the pair of them stayed together after Cinnamon's spay with no problems. Cinnamon's next partner, Nutmeg was castrated when I adopted him so this wasn't an issue, but after Cinnamon's death Betty came along. She wasn't separated when spayed. After Nutmeg's death came already neutered Alfie so again not an issue with separation but after Betty's death came very young Fearne. She became sexually mature at just over 13 weeks, their bond was very, very new and it was in huge danger of breaking up due to her behaviour. Alfie was not interested in the games she wanted to play! She was spayed at just over 14 weeks as my very, very rabbit savvy was happy she was healthy, well grown and of a good weight. She sailed through the op, came home and lay down by Alfie's side. That was that, no problems at all, and 3 years later they are still very happy together.
Potted history there going back over 20 years, but I have yet to experience a problem keeping pairs together after a neuter
It might help to ask your vet to let you bring the partner into the clinic and maybe keep him there for an hour, in a hospital cage if you can, preferably with his partner, but if not, then nearby. That will transfer some of the clinic smells onto his fur. Bring them home together, preferably in the same carrier so that her anaesthetic smell will be transferred onto his fur, and then let them out from the carrier into your home together, making it a shared experience, coming home from the vet.
My first female Rosie was a terror for taking out her stitches, even though the vet used the technique where they are buried under the skin, she could still somehow manage to get through the covering medical glue and open up the wound, so there was no choice, she had to wear a cone. I cut it down so she could eat, but she couldn't clean herself and her partner saw to all of that for her, he groomed her as thoroughly as she would have groomed herself. I used to transfer the caecals for her, picking them up as she produced them and offering them to her by hand. She was a bit surprised it seemed at first, but took them readily.
Some years later after she died and her partner Mr H d'Bun was rebonded with very young Cinnamon, the pair of them stayed together after Cinnamon's spay with no problems. Cinnamon's next partner, Nutmeg was castrated when I adopted him so this wasn't an issue, but after Cinnamon's death Betty came along. She wasn't separated when spayed. After Nutmeg's death came already neutered Alfie so again not an issue with separation but after Betty's death came very young Fearne. She became sexually mature at just over 13 weeks, their bond was very, very new and it was in huge danger of breaking up due to her behaviour. Alfie was not interested in the games she wanted to play! She was spayed at just over 14 weeks as my very, very rabbit savvy was happy she was healthy, well grown and of a good weight. She sailed through the op, came home and lay down by Alfie's side. That was that, no problems at all, and 3 years later they are still very happy together.
Potted history there going back over 20 years, but I have yet to experience a problem keeping pairs together after a neuter
Thanks so much for this! Her partner is just the sweetest bunny, never nipped her or showed any territorial behavior since we got her a month ago. I’m very happy with how easy the bonding has been, all I did was introduce them once and they were cuddling and loving on each other from then on. My only concern is if her hormones will change when she is old enough to be spayed, and I definitely don’t want their bond to be hurt by any hormonal behavior. I’ll probably let them be together freeroaming again once she’s had her 3 days in a smaller pen to prevent injury. I’ll just be cautious,but I doubt that anything will go wrong judging from how it’s been recently! I’m glad that reintroduction isn’t always the case ! Thank you for your reassurance!
RWAF
Well-Known Member
How old is she Cosmoluna? We recommend spaying at 16 weeks provided rabbits are well grown and in good health. At this age most will not have yet quite reached sexual maturity and there should be no significant hormonal changes. (My Fearne is an exception to every rule I think!)
You can read our advice here, everything on our website approved prior to publication by our team of rabbit Specialist vets https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/neutering/
You can read our advice here, everything on our website approved prior to publication by our team of rabbit Specialist vets https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/neutering/
Luna is around 12 weeks right now, but i have the appointment for her spay on October 27th, just after she turns 4 months old. She’s perfectly healthy as far as I know, I just want to be 100% sure she’s big/old enough to handle the procedure.
JenGibs
Well-Known Member
Like another poster stated, I took both my buns to the vet together when one had surgery. Different smells can certainly confuse and may cause some issues. They traveled there and back together. Once home, there was a gate between them for 2-3 days to ensure some healing. They laid tight next to each other on both sides. I would put them together when I was there to watch. Not because I thought they would fight, I just wanted the bun that had surgery to have a little healing time before running around with their partner.
