Litter mates U/D Random!

If you have two baby bunny litter mates and you neuter them in time, before hormones take over, do they ALWAYS get on?

Or would their relationship be just like any other 2 bunnies who aren't from the same litter?

I realise that if you got a boy and a girl, they would need to be separated before they are ready for neutering in case of babies, but what about 2 girls?

I know two boys ain't a smart idea.

They can be ok. You certainly have more chance of a good bond than 2 unrelated does. An early spey would be key as well. If you had any problems with them introducing a neutered male may solve the issue.

I've been reading a bit online today about bonding, and one website said two boys, if they grow up together and are neutered early can be friends for life. Also apparently, and I have no idea if this is true, that two neutered boys get on better than two spayed girls. The general jist was though that they had to be together from a young age.

Is there something that you want to tell us?!

my girls are not sisters but i got them both at the same time and ive only had the trouble when there hormones started kicking in but since ive had them done,ive had no trouble

And my friends have a pair of non-related boys, both neutered, and have had no probs so far.

My smokey and rosie are from same litter, but as soon as we found out smokey was a he we separated them, I think its going to be difficult to bond them again, she can be really nippy at him, he wont start a fight but he will defend himself if she starts on him which she does any time she gets close, brush in hand to keep them apart seems to work, but keep it very short so dont stress them out. Charlie on other hand will KILL smokey, he is an older boy, so looks like he will spend his years alone, they will be close but deffo going to be alone, I am building their runs so will make seperate one for charlie to the other 2 but have it joined (use charlies right side as the middle join, saves mesh lol and lets them smell each other.

Are you thinking of the young trio at the sspca? I think they could stay together very happily indefinitely with early speys

We have a quad - Poirot (F), Graham (F) and Smudge (M) from the same litter plus Ronnie (F) who is a few weeks younger. They get on fine with nothing more than the usual bit of fur-pulling.

Also a pair - Taffy (M) and Reggie (F) - who are littermates and have a very close bond.

Dougal is bonded to Rosie - that needed to go through the normal bonding procedure but was actually a very easy bond. We think it might be partly because Dougal grew up in a big group so was well bun-socialised.

I will warn you - if you do get a pair / trio - to expect a few tiffs. This could be quite disconcerting to someone who has had a single bun, but most of the time they can be left to sort it out for themselves

Thanks guys Food for thought....

icedancer wrote:

Is there something that you want to tell us?!

Not really. Just exploring my options. The SSPCA centre have 3 babies up for adoption, 2 girls and 1 boy. They also have another litter of 4 but I have no idea whether they're boys or girls. They are so brand new that you don't even get to see them or the mother yet.

I didn't really want to go down the route of babies. Not because of the expense or any hassle or anything like that, but because it would be nice to know that they can handle anaesthetic in advance of adopting. I was literally ill every time I had to leave Thumper at the vet. I get myself in such a state (You might remember that I actually fainted in the vet one day because they made her bleed )

I'm not going to rule it out as an option yet though.

ETA: Cheryl, that is one of them I was only considering the 2 girls but I would feel bad about leaving the boy Maybe the other 4 might be more realistic, I could (depending on sex) take two and not feel guilty about leaving one alone, plus they won't be ready for a while which would be better time wise. Give me more time to make sure it's the right thing to do!

Thumper....
My last buck (Mr Toast O'Riley, not Milligan he never lived with me), I had nuetered when I first got him and he was about a year old. But when he suddenly needed monthly dentals at seven years old he couldn't handle the anasthetic and after the second dental he succumbed to GI Stasis. The anasthetic didn't clear his system properly and in time to allow him to recover before the next one was due. So don't nesessarily take for granted that an initial good reaction means all future reactions will be the same. I only say this because you are evidently taking a good overall view of all possiblities before making your decision. That's really good.... I think you will make the best choice with just the right amount of logic and love!

I was serious about considering all 3 if you can afford the ongoing costs. 2 girls one boy seems to be a really good combo and the boy can't be far off being old enough to be neutered. I am assuming like the RSPCA the SSPCA will do the neutering for you. Flo wasn't neutered when she came home but they gave me a choice of a voucher towards neutering or to have her neutered at their vets. I opted for the latter. I am not saying it to pressure you but to just say it is an option.

Sparky wrote:We have a quad - Poirot (F), Graham (F) and Smudge (M) from the same litter plus Ronnie (F) who is a few weeks younger. They get on fine with nothing more than the usual bit of fur-pulling.

Also a pair - Taffy (M) and Reggie (F) - who are littermates and have a very close bond.

Dougal is bonded to Rosie - that needed to go through the normal bonding procedure but was actually a very easy bond. We think it might be partly because Dougal grew up in a big group so was well bun-socialised.

I will warn you - if you do get a pair / trio - to expect a few tiffs. This could be quite disconcerting to someone who has had a single bun, but most of the time they can be left to sort it out for themselves

It's the fighting that scares me what if they have a huge scrap while I'm at work and kill each other?

woodwench wrote:Thumper....
My last buck (Mr Toast O'Riley, not Milligan he never lived with me), I had nuetered when I first got him and he was about a year old. But when he suddenly needed monthly dentals at seven years old he couldn't handle the anasthetic and after the second dental he succumbed to GI Stasis. The anasthetic didn't clear his system properly and in time to allow him to recover before the next one was due. So don't nesessarily take for granted that an initial good reaction means all future reactions will be the same. I only say this because you are evidently taking a good overall view of all possiblities before making your decision. That's really good.... I think you will make the best choice with just the right amount of logic and love!

Thank you Dee, duly noted

Bless Mr Toast O'Riley

cheryl'n'bruce'flo wrote:I was serious about considering all 3 if you can afford the ongoing costs. 2 girls one boy seems to be a really good combo and the boy can't be far off being old enough to be neutered. I am assuming like the RSPCA the SSPCA will do the neutering for you. Flo wasn't neutered when she came home but they gave me a choice of a voucher towards neutering or to have her neutered at their vets. I opted for the latter. I am not saying it to pressure you but to just say it is an option.

They don't neuter for you. They just advise you to do the boys to avoid spraying

It's not the money that's my sticking point though. It's the OH. I'm pushing my luck trying to get 2, never mind 3 He's meeting me half way thinking about 1. I think I could (maybe) push for 2. 3? No chance!

You might be surprised. I never thought hubby would agree to a second, but in the end in some ways it was his decision. I showed him some photos, but it was him who told me to go for it.

It is strange how they don't neuter though. I wonder if it's just a policy for that branch or an organisation one.

Not all unnuetered bucks spray!

Lil Loll doesn't spray.... he may be a bit of a rogue but he has bathroom manners!

May I suggest that you don't use logic so much as what your heart tells you. Let the bunny(ies) choose you.

Angel and Gypsy were suppose to be littermates and although they were neutered they started fighting at about 6 months old and I had to split them up sadly.

i thought it was two boys that are more likely to get on than two girls ..... is that wrong?

although i do think it depends on the pair, buns can be together for a while before something that is sometimes unknown changes and they can no longer tolerate each other. i don't think there is any definite as to weather they will always like each other.

Felix and willow are both girls and from the same litter - they had got on great as baby's really close - now they have a more precarious relationship (although they dont fight, its willow humping felix especially when I'm putting food out for them) and are being monitored. They haven't been spayed yet due to all the problems I have had with Rory. It seems different people have had different experiences with pairing different sexes - I know of people who would never bond girls amd those who wouldn't bond boys - it's difficult to predict their personalitys as baby's - willow and Felix were different rabbits when they were young xx

Toffee and Truffle were mum and daughter, unnuetered (I couldn't afford it) and never they never had a cross word even when I introduced Mr Starbuck and later Mr Toast O'Riley. Even when Truffle and Riley mated she syill loved cuddles with Toffee.

They, like all other creatures (inc Humans) have their likes and dislikes, their squabbles and affairs.

woodwench wrote: They, like all other creatures (inc Humans) have their likes and dislikes, their squabbles and affairs.

So VERY true. Even in humans 'made in heaven' matches fall apart. Wonder if there is couple's counseling for rabbits? Perhaps a new area of psychology? I think I'd rather try counseling rabbits than some humans!

Gentl...

You're welcome to try counselling Lil Loll.... he models himself on Keith Moon!

gentl wrote:May I suggest that you don't use logic so much as what your heart tells you. Let the bunny(ies) choose you.

I know, you are right!! I just tend to over analyse everything

I wish a bun could just find me. Just like Thumper did.

Thanks all for your thoughts and experiences on this. It's going the way I thought it was going to go, depends on the buns themselves.

It looks as though someone had the same idea as me because the two girls from the first litter have gone. The little boy is left I really wish someone had taken all 3!!

I don't seem to be getting anywhere with OH, I'm not even managing to get him round to the idea of two bunnies, never mind the trio that we mentioned! He made it clear the other day that he doesn't want any But I won't be told what to do, and I'm pretty sure he knows that I would just rather he was on side because it would be easier all round. Whatever I decide, I just can't take the pi$$ and get more than two, that wouldn't be fair, as this is his home too.

I will continue to work on him, there are plenty of cheap digs in the air in my house just now

So, basically, I still don't know what the heck I'm doing

OMG!!! I just phones the SSPCA to see when the babies will be ready for rehoming (another three weeks at least) and I had a long chat with the guy and I discovered that they are DAVE'S BABIES!!!!

They still have Dave and the mother!

He said they were together for about a year before they had to be separated for obvious reasons.

Do you think mum and dad could be put back together after neutering?

I can't believe that daft thing fathered babies

If they got on well before there is no reason to believe they wouldn't again once neutered.

I'm a great believer that rabbits do find you