Can we have two male rabbits?

[Leviticus]

I've fallen in love with a lovely chap at the garden centre (I may have him reserved...). We have no experience of rabbit keeping although I've got a list of all the equipment needed and we have the space for a big run.

My dilemma is who to buy with him. He's currently with several of his ' of them fighting when they're older. But if I get a female they'll need to be neutered and kept separate (how? Another hutch?) for several weeks by the look of it.brothers but the garden centre have recommended getting a female as there is a 'risk

[Leviticus]

Buggered that right up, sorry.

He's with his brothers now. They've said a pair of brothers may fight as adults.

Getting a male and female to a place where they can be together without multiplying sounds very expensive and a lot of hassle.

Does anyone have experience of having two boys? Will they be less aggressive if they're neutered?

Thanks bunny lovers.

[FernieB]

Two boys together is generally asking for trouble and all rabbits, male or female, should always be neutered anyway. Females are at a high risk of cancer unless spayed and boys should be neutered for both health and behaviour. They also need annual vaccinations. Factor these costs in before you go ahead.

Remember that most hutches sold in pet shops are not really big enough for a rabbit. They need a lot of space to hop about. Please also bear in mind they can live for upto 10 years and think about what you will do when go away.

Please don't get two boys. If they fight in the future you'll end up having to regime one. The best thing to do would be to go to a rescue and adopt a bonded pair if you want rabbits. They'll have two rabbits which are already happy together. If your heart is set on this boy, then can you first see if a rescue has a neutered female they would be willing to see if they can match with your boy.

[FernieB]

That should be 'rehome' not 'regime'!

Just re read your post - if you are worried about expense, then please don't get them. A lot of animals end up in rescues because their owners didn't want to pay necessary vets bills. My first guinea pigs were rejected for that reason.

There is a fair amount of expense (and work) in any pet. My guinea pigs cost a fortune in veggies . A previous rabbit had to have a dental operation which was costly and also had a leg injury which required medication (again costly). Also it takes me about 30 minutes every day to clean out, feed etc. plus there's claw clipping, grooming and health checks.

[Leviticus]

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping that neutering might mean they wouldn't fight.

I'd also read on Google that it is sometimes difficult to find a vet to neuter females and that the males remain fertile for several weeks afterwards. On a practical note how would you keep them separate for that long?

The place I'm looking to buy from has a list on the wall of the costs to factor in - you are quite right.

I have my lovely creamy brown Rex male and a nice jet black female on hold but I'm under no obligation and I have two weeks to consider everything.

[Leviticus]

I'm looking at hutches with an under run - at least 4.5 feet. We'd also get a bigger separate run to put them out on the lawn I think.

[FernieB]

Sounds like you're thinking of everything. An extra run on the lawn would be great but rabbits dig, so would need supervision in case they dig out. There are various solutions to this problem - look at 'Runaround' for ideas. Also foxes could dig in.

[BeautifulBatman]

I'm no rabbit expert but was in pets at home today and they keep neutered boys all in the same pen. They all seemed very happy and relaxed.

[FernieB]

You'd need separate cages to keep them apart but in sight/scent of each other so they can get used to each other. You can't just put two rabbits together, even if both neutered, and expect them to get on. They could still fight. It takes time for them to bond. It's a bit like someone choosing you a partner, putting you in a house and saying "right, that's where you're living and who you're living with for life"!

[uggmum]

I had 2 males. They didn't fight but they constantly had sex with each other. When I say constantly, it was every time you looked in the cage they were at it. There was sperm sprayed all over the cage.

They were cute though (when they were not at it)

[FernieB]

That would be a very unusual pets at home that neutered the rabbits. Usually they keep the baby boys in one pen and the baby girls in another. The fighting doesn't start until they get to about 4/5 months old.

[BeautifulBatman]

Like I say, I'm no expert! But they did look very cute. I'm more of a dogs/cats/horses kind of girl to be honest.

[Milllii]

I had two brothers who lived perfectly happily together for 11 years. Never fought and cuddled up together at night when it was chilly.

[MadAboutMathsMum]

I have a pair of male rabbits. They are very loving towards each other - not like uggmum's rabbits but I find them grooming each other and snuggled up together. However, they aren't old enough yet to be fighting, will be getting them neutered next month when they are about 4months old, so hope that they will stay best friends. I think I have read it takes a couple of weeks for the male neutering to work.
My cage and run set up cost about £500 (about 60 foot square of space) but already looking at expanding it as they love running around the tunnels between the runs and they still look like they need more space when I see them bounding about.

[PurpleAlert]

I had two "female" rabbits. They turned out to be both male...(apparently they are hard to sex...)

One almost tore the others ear off after 30 mins and I ended up taking him to the vet for an operation to stitch it up... £300 later I also had to buy another hutch to accomodate him as the place I bought him wouldn't take him back- you know- due to the stitches and all...

[Hopalongcassidy]

We have two brothers. There was a very short period before they were speyed when one humped the other uncomfortably. But 3 months on, they are back to snuggling and grooming each other, they get on well now. There is a risk there, but it can work it well. They are mostly free range indoors, with an outdoor hutch at 'bedtime'. It can work out.