I think my new girl rabbit is a boy rabbit!

[123andaway]

Any experience rabbit owners - although I suspect I already know the answer to this one!

I have a 12 week old girls rabbit Floppy who has been with us for about 2 weeks. I decided that while she was still a baby we would get another rabbit as she seemed lonely with only the guinea pigs to talk to!

Yesterday we bought another baby rabbit who is 10 weeks old, we have called her Bella.

This morning I began introducting them to each other. After 2 or 3 minutes of sniffing each other Bella jumper on floppy, and began thrusting!!! When I took Bella off floppy 'she' had a long penis like thing sticking out. I held onto Bella for a few minutes and when I put her down she went straight after Floppy again.

Im new to rabbits but Im guessing that Bella is actually a Bert! Fortunately Bella got Floppys head and bottom mixed up so wouldn't have managed to get Floppy pregnant!

I really annoyed as I wanted the rabbits to share a hutch and be friends(I know there will be a long introduction process as they are not little mates), and obviously that won't be happening now. I can't take him/her back to the pet shop as the kids (and I) are now really attached to her!

I have an appointment with the vet tomorrow just to check for sure. Bloody pet shop!

If it is a boy he can be deplummed. I've got a neutered male living happily with a female rabbit. Does he seem to have testicles?

Nope no testicles - but s/he is only 10 weeks old.

Explicit rabbit genitalia here;

www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/sexingboys.shtml

The 'penis like thing' is the clincher here for me

p.s. Do I get quote of the week?

OK having looked at those pictures (thanks stripey), I can confirm that Bella is a boy .

He is the cutest little rabbit though. He's been a house rabbit today, as the only spare hutch I have is an indoor one, and he's spent the day hopping on and off my knee, and wanting cuddles! I think im in love!!

So I need to think of a new name now, as I can't keep calling him Bella! Any ideas?

At what age can you get boy rabbits nuetered?

Beau?

Perhaps ask the pet shop for a discount on the hutch for Bert?

I believe 16 weeks is the normal age. Though I think it has to be once the testicles have dropped, so this could be a bit earlier/later depending on the rabbit.

Actually, why don't you get her spayed instead? Spaying a female rabbit also protects them against ovarian cancer which is very common as they get older. Plus it means they are normally less hormonal and adult female rabbits can be very grumpy.

We're calling him Bell. Bella has kind of stuck, so that seemed like a compromise - although I think Menace would suit him better .

I called the petshop who were very apologetic, and offered to refund or swap him with a girl, but I couldn't give him back now.

At the moment he's hoping around the front room, trying to eat all the electic cables, and teasing the cat - who can't decide weather she should eat him or run away from him! Will be ordering a hutch this evening!

Do the boys not spray and get smelly if you don't nueter them? Will he continue to harass Floppy is I spay her but don't nueture him? I had planned in the spring to let Floppy have a litter with my friends rabbit who is also a Lop and then get her spayed after that - but don't fancy trying to keep them apart until then!

He may well stay frisky and try to hump her all the time if you don't get him done.