Introducing Rabbits?

Question

I have a 9 month old Netherland Dwarf doe, and just got a 2 month old Dwarf Hotot. Aspen, my ND keeps jumping the baby. Any suggestions? I've had them in seperate cages side by side for a week and she still jumps her when put together. I've tried on neutral ground and she's better but wants to jump at her. However since I'm right there with her, she wont do it. Any suggestions on how I can get them to bond?

Answer 1

I usually go about this by using pens side by side. Once they're fairly used to each other I'll take them into a hallway or bathroom and let one run around while I cuddle the other, then swap and give the one I was holding time to run around. After a couple of days I let them both run around, but at the first sign of aggression I pick one up. Watch for the ears going back and the tail up. Keep at it, making sure the times together are as peaceful as possible. I will even start stroking each of them and gently nudge them till their either nose to nose or side by side. The idea being getting them used to good things being associated with the others smell. A couple of my rabbits have 'itchy' spots down low on their back. As soon as you scratch they're they'll groom anything nearby. I find this pretty useful as I nudge the younger one under them and they get groomed while I scratch.

When I'm pretty sure they're not going to tear each other apart I turn one panel of the pens into a gate and open it between their two areas. This still gives them their personal space but allows closer interaction. They'll usually be pretty quick to go investigate the new space. You may see some chasing, but as long as the younger one has somewhere to run too, the older one will probably be content with that. Don't leave them alone and don't do it for long the first few times.

From there I move to leaving the gate open longer and longer until they're basically living together but they each have a space they feel comfortable with as their own. Eventually I remove all panels separating the areas but will leave the extra litter box, food dish and water bottle for a few more weeks.

This does take a while but I haven't had a failure yet.

Answer 2

I had the same problem with my rabbits. I have a very aggressive female lop, and I got baby female fuzzy lop to be her playmate. As soon as I put the baby in the cage, the other rabbit attacked her. Viciously! I never knew rabbits could growl before that! Anyway, I talked to my vet about it, and she said my female had already established her territory, and saw the baby as an intruder. So we keep them in separate cages, away from each other, and they put up with each other at playtime(outside the cage), but they still aren't the best of friends. I found out the hard way that a neutered male makes a much better companion:) Hope this helps:)

Answer 3

i have 2 adult does (ones not living here right now)
and they have always fought. no matter what i did they would always fight.
even the one doe would fight with her mate (when not mating)....
this has to do with territory. when they are in cages together or indoors, a rabbit wants to establish ownership of the place and that is why they fight. the one that has the cage as their home will do more of the fighting. because my one doe is basically princess of "the castle". while the others are visitors...

the only time they have hope of getting along is when they are outside and free to run around. when the mate and my one doe went out together..the mate would chase her and shed try to run away so theyd be hopping and playing around alot.

you can keep trying to train them to get along but your best bet would be to separate them until theyre in an open area or yard.

Answer 4

Rabbits of the same sex are not friendly to one another. The females fight more than the males do.