rabbits (does)

[mouses]

was just wondering if the gender makes a difference? like with rats - females are more skittish, I find female cats to be more feisty...etc

I had a brother and sister pair before (doe spayed) she was more nippy than the buck and less likely to come to me. sadly she died young, local devil child kept posting orange peel and other foods through the bars.
I have a semi communal garden.

any how, I was looking into trying again. this time I want to keep them as house bunnies. so im looking for sex or breed that would get on best indoors - if that makes a difference at all.
I know they should live in pairs preferably mixed sex, but could 2 females cohabit in peace?

I say does as ive read that bucks still spray when neutered? out side wouldnt bother me but not what I would like inside the home.

[Midori1999]

I have currently got two bucks and four does, although until recently had three bucks. I also volunteered at my local rabbit rescue until it sadly had to close down. I haven't noticed any difference in personalities between bucks and does, but each rabbit's individual personality varies hugely.

My rabbits live outside now, but I started out with one indoor, neutered buck, given to us by a vet nurse friend and he was extremely reliably litter trained. We got him a wife quite soon after getting him and she soon because as reliably litter trained and still is. So is her current husband. Most of mine will at least wee and do most pos in their litter trays, but two of the boys (one of them being the one we lost) are the only two that wee out of their trays, but I suspect this is much more to do with the conditions they lived in prior to going into rescue and the fact I haven't tried to do anything about it.

Two does can certainly live in a pair, as can two bucks or one buck and one doe. A pair has a much better chance of getting alone permenantly or when they reach maturity if they are a doe and a buck rather a same sex pair though. If you would consider an adult pair from a good rescue then you will already know their personalities as adults when you get them. Some will have already been house bunnies and be very well litter trained. They will also be neutered and vaccinated, which, even if you make a generous donation, will save you a lot of money and stress.

[FernieB]

I currently have a neutered male housebun. He is perfectly litter trained and has never sprayed once. He was, actually, litter trained when we adopted him at 7 months old and he lived with us a month before we had him neutered. He has never made a mess anywhere. He is a docile chap and although he hates being picked up and won't sit on knees, loves to be stroked. He has never bitten or threatened to bite anyone and very gently takes treats from anyone's hands.

My previous housebun was an unneutered female and she was a terror. I did manage to get her litter trained but she would drop the old bunny currant as she hopped about. She was, however, quite aggressive (probably because she wasn't spayed), and would try to attack strangers and DH .

I would definitely try a rescue for a bonded pair. They will be ready neutered and most likely have litter trained themselves.

If you are going to have them in the house, cover all your cables - they are serious chewers. They will also try to dig in the carpet and may chew at furniture, although a gentle water spray stops this behaviour temporarily. They are very entertaining though.

[Midori1999]

Ah yes, sorry, I didn't say anything about nipping/biting. IME, if they are neutered, given company and plenty of space (eg, hormones aren't a factor and their needs are met) then rabbits virtually never bite. I've even had an 'aggressive' rabbit that he staff at the PAH adoption centre were scared to go near and despite me having to take her to the vet two days after I got her for vaccination, when she was clearly terrified, she never once attempted to bite and would eventually lay in the garden and let the DC stroke her. I didn't do anything, just gave her time, company and space.

A rescue will know their rabbits well too. They are only interested in the welfare of the rabbits, not selling, not making money and that means they will strive to find bunnies that suit your needs. They will also give free advice and support any time you need it.

[mouses]

ah im all too familiar with the chewing.... the pair I had came in everyday for a roam and ate through the dc's console wires!! Ooops. and they also loved my curtain gather as a toilet

I only have carpet in the hallway/stairs so I got no worries about carpet digging I have lino/vinyl throughout so toilet mess wont be a problem.

can I ask if its right that males still spray after neutering?

I have looked up rescues near me, nearest one in just over an hr away (I don't drive) there was one near me but it closed.

sounds daft but I id love a blue rex and a white. I wouldn't want the rescue to think I was being picky. ....although I probably am

[FernieB]

Mine has never sprayed. I think neutering stops that kind if hormonal behaviour.

I should clarify that my previous aggressive rabbit was absolutely lovely with me and the DDs and would spend hours curled up on me or tucked up in bed with the DC. She just hated everyone else.

[mouses]

just wanted to double check as when trying to google information i got conflicting opinions - so thoughts id ask on here

the main thing is the spraying really, I wouldn't want a buck to spray if I housed him with a doe. I read someone saying theirs still sprayed after neutering?

my doe was spayed but it didn't change her temperament, she was a moody bugger haha. I just went along with her wishes to be left alone and bink around. where as my buck would climb up me waiting for a treat he wasn't altered but lived outside so could spray away

[Midori1999]

I think if they do spray after neutering, it must be unusual, as it's something I've never heard of.

Regarding Rexes... The rescue won't think you're fussy (well, they might, but they won't mind. ) but Rexes don't go into rescue that often, although they do end up there. Rex do require special care though as they are very prone to sore hocks and they often get these even on carpet. Hard floors aren't suitable sadly and they do best on a layer of thick hay or similar. So if you really want Rexes, you'll probably have to rethink your housing I'm afraid. I have two rex, a black otter and chocolate otter. They were found loose/lost and no one claimed them. They're little madams!

[FernieB]

Just to add on the flooring - my Current Bun hates our wooden floor and won't go on it unless it's absolutely necessary and then he looks like Bambi on ice. We have rugs like stepping stones for him. So he loves the carpeted living room for big runs.

Previous grumpy bun had no issues and used to roam our old home freely, from the basement up the polished concrete stairs (with gaps) to the bedrooms. She was regularly found sleeping on a bed or hiding behind boxes in the basement with web-covered whiskers.

[mouses]

oh, that's not good. don't want buns to get sore feet or ankles aint it? how would I go about rethinking? would it be having to carpet my house? if so then id have to keep them in my dreams list. unless a rex cross ???....

any advice on buns that can handle hard floors to roam on? my buck, wasn't sure on breed (pet shop buy ) loved sprawling out like a frog over the vinyl.

ive read about the smaller breed such as Netherlands being the most scared / nervous due to their size? would need a breed that will do well around kids and not too scared of their noise or traffic around the house?

all your advice is helping loads x

[HoldenCaulfield80]

We had two house rabbits - male and female - and we had the bit for two years before we got the girl. Both litter trained (although their poo still flies everywhere!) and no spraying. The boy was more friendly and affectionate towards us and the girl only had eyes for him.

Rabbit proofing is no joke though - they get everywhere and chew everything. I got home from work one day and the boy had got out of his cage (where they stayed when we were out, otherwise they had the whole flat), behind the splash board things at the bottom of the kitchen cabinets and had chewed through the fridge's electrical lead. Luckily no harm was done to him, other than some frazzled whiskers, but we had to get a new lead and plug for the fridge and pay to get it fitted. That was the start of seven years of wanton destruction. I miss them both hugely.

[Midori1999]

Rexes can still get sore hocks in carpets. Mine were indoors when I first got them as that was what they were used to and they still got sore hocks. The breed are prone to heart problems too. They are stunning though. I keep mine outside in large accomodation with floor mostly covered in vet bed or hay and the litter trays are filled with hay as they like to sit in these.

Temperament really depends on the individual rabbit, which is why going for adults from a rescue would be better. You know what they are like already, babies are babies and you don't know what their adult personality will be like. Although you get babies in rescue too. Most rescues are likely to be crossbreeds though, although that said, my two Rexes and two cashmere lops were all rescues. The others have all been crossbreeds though.

It's worth speaking to the rescue even if getting there may be tricky. You could also look on rabbit rehome for private rehomes or rescue bunnies. However, I will say that rabbits do need a specialist vet so it's worth finding out where your nearest is and thinking about how you'll get there in an emergency.

When mine have been indoors I've used puppy pens or puppy panels to create a largish area for them, using a picnic blanket as a floor as it's waterproof backed and then an old indoor cage left open filled with hay as a litter tray. They have been shut in the pen while I am out or can't supervise and then allowed to free range when I am home. I'll see if I can find a pic.

[Midori1999]

This was for bonding and so not permenantly here. My two Rexes are in there, but I wouldn't have kept them in this set up full time as it's not big enough and they would have got sore hocks. Something this size would be adequate to shut a pair in while you were out though, but not full time. I have also usually used 2ft high panels, but the Rexes are jumpers so needed the 4ft high to keep them under control! Haha!

[mouses]

ive rung the rescue and left a message also about volunteering so im waiting for a reply

my vet isn't too far i'll use the same as who spayed my doe last time as they were very good.

I was thinking of a pen rather than a cage as most cages I find are not tall enough. although I still have to think of ideas for housing...

do rabbits tend to play with toys? I read that they need loads of toys but my two previous buns didn't touch any, put balls, hanging chews, willow sticks I think they were called, other wooden toys from pet shop.

[mouses]

ok so will need to rethink the breed haha....