Can I have your opinions please?

Hi,

I know I don't post much but was wondering if I could ask the more rabbit savvy person their opinion please.

Now, I am a relatively new bunny owner, I got my first ever rabbits on the bank holiday Monday in August last year for my birthday from DH. Anyway, we picked two girls who were housed together in the shop. Anyway, we bought a big hutch and put them both in together. They really do love each other and groom each other and sleep snuggled up together etc, etc.

They are now nearly 10 months old and you may remember me posting about them humping each other, lol. Anyway, they still do it occassionally but not as often now. BUT sometimes Lola will try and attack Lotta, she will be walking passed her or something and Lola will just sort of look at her and pounce. 9 times out of 10 Lotta shoots away fast enough but this morning I noticed that there was a bit of Lotta's fur after the incident. It's strange too because then 10 seconds later Lola will be grooming her and they will be fine again.

My question is what would you do ? Would you separate them so they each have their own hutch and run or separate them and put them in the run together ? (we have a run that isn't attached as our garden is not rabbit friendly. Or would you have them sprayed (does this normally put a stop to this behaviour ?). Also they have both started grunting and sort of pig squeling (sp) at me until I have picked them up then they are ok with me.

I just don't really know what to do, I don't want to separate them if I don't really need to but we don't have much money at the moment so can't be having them sprayed and then still needing to separted. It's a shame cos I would say 90-95% of the time they are fine. Can I have your opnions please.

Many, many thanks

Jenny x

I would strongly advise you to get them both spayed as this will calm the hormonal behaviour down and it will also protect them from Uterine infections and cancer.
UC effects about 80% of unspayed Does by the age of 3-5 years.

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/leaflet_pdfs/neutering28.8.07.pdf

Good luck

We really need to know if they have been speyed yet or not, and if they have, how long for. Then we can offer some advice based on what is likely to be triggering their behaviour.

Sooz - they are not speyed !

Jack's-Jane - do you think getting them speyed will stop them fighting and grunting, etc ?

Thank you for replying.

An extract from Why a Neutered Rabbit is a Happy Rabbit:

Female Rabbits
Female rabbits reach sexual maturity at around 6 months old. As we have shown a doe is an incredibly productive breeder but there are other reasons to spay your female bunny. Most females become aggressive, moody and territorial at around 4 – 6 months old. This can again be directed as aggression towards their owner or their bonded partner (biting, nipping, lunging and grunting) and through destructive behaviour patterns. Does are also prone to 'false' or phantom pregnancies. These occur when the rabbit becomes convinced she is pregnant and starts to act accordingly. Phantoms can be very distressing for a doe as they put her into a state of high alert which can lead to increasing protectiveness or her space. She may also build, and defend, a nest made from her own fur. This can happen several times a year.

Spaying can help to prevent these problems and more importantly can save your rabbit’s life. Up to 80% of unspayed females develop uterine cancer by the time they are 5 years old. Spaying when your female is young and healthy, will prevent her from having to undergo surgery to remove a cancer, that may well already have spread, at a later age. A speyed rabbit can also not develop Pyometra, a nasty infection of the womb. Doe's can be speyed once sexual maturity has been reached, usually at about 6 months although some vets will spey when they have reached 1kg in weight.

I can't even tell you how much my girl, Piper, calmed down after I had her spayed! It took a few weeks after her op, but it was an amazing transformation. I would definitely reccomend getting them done and you will all be much happier!

Thanks for all your replies.

I am gonna phone the vets and get them booked in to be speyed during the week of w/b 6th April (it's half term then so I am more likely to be able to get myself, two kids and two rabbits to the vets by 8am, lol).

Will keep you posted. Thank you again

Have to say Angel chilled out immensely when she was speyed. Now its Moony's turn!

Both booked in for Wednesday 8th April, am having a slight heart attack because it's gonna cost £160 !!!! DH not impressed, says it's the most expensive birthday present EVER, lmao xx

Thanks again

Well done for biting the bullet and getting them done. Make sure the vets put them back together as soon as they have both come round from the GA to minimise any risk of them 'unbonding' through seperation.

£80 is definately on the steep side of speying, but not the most expensive I have come across.

Oh thanks Sooz will do, hadn't thought of that ! Thank you xxx

mine camled down loads after speying - is defo worth doing and makes them calmer and happier - can i also just say your rabbits are very very cute!

Thanks Rachel69 I think so too, lol.

I have them booked in for next week so fingers crossed they calm down for me, lol.

Yikes! That is pretty pricey - Tibbs cost me £55 when I had her done and that had me wincing a fair bit....

I can't tell you how much happier she is though - she used to get so moody and aggressive, and because we had a colony of wildies near us she was constantly trying to get to them. I also think you get a lot fewer digestive problems when they're happier.

Good for you for biting the bullet and going for it though - so many people take the "it's just a rabbit attitude" when it comes to nuetering.