No matter how much you are willing to find a friend for your single pet rabbit, it is not always wise to introduce a baby rabbit.
It is not difficult to find a friend for your bunny. Nevertheless, bonding between rabbits of the same age works best.
Introducing a baby rabbit to an older rabbit can get complicated once the younger rabbit’s hormones kick in.
I have explained the complexities and why not to choose a baby rabbit to bond with older rabbits in this article.
Can rabbits of different ages live together?
I am sure in the wild rabbits of different ages live together. Living together doesn’t mean these rabbits bond together.
The point here is rabbits in the wild have plenty of space and a large number of rabbits.
In the wild, rabbits get to make friends with other rabbits of the same age.
Although growing up with older rabbits, youthful rabbits in the wild have the option of befriending rabbits from a different age.
Initially, a rabbit might live in harmony with an older rabbit, but as time passes by and the hormones thrust in, the younger rabbit can choose someone similar to its age to bond.
Option of choosing friends is not possible for domestic rabbits. Compelling two rabbits to bond is a common practice. YES, I think following bonding steps is a way of forcing rabbits to learn about each other.
I am not saying it bonding rabbits is terrible, it is merely my thoughts.
Thus, rabbit guardians may introduce a baby rabbit to its single rabbit with good intention.
Multiple rabbit guardians don’t recognize what consequence may it bring once the younger rabbit grows up.
As well as, in many cases, the older rabbit will not accept a young rabbit in its territory.
So the older rabbit will act hostile towards the younger rabbit.
No, you cannot put a baby rabbit with an older rabbit without proper introduction and following bonding stages.
I mentioned earlier bonding as a compelling technique, but it is essential to bond rabbits in the household. Without bonding, a pair of rabbits might fight to the death.
The rabbit guardian may not have a lot of options, and you may compel a relationship between an older rabbit with a younger one.
It is not going to be easy to do so.
Why is that?
There are two possible reasons.
First, the older rabbit may not like the companion of a younger rabbit.
Secondly, the initial introduction might work well until the adolescent rabbit’s hormone begins developing.
I will discuss the second issue in this article because it is more relevant to the readers.
I will use the example of a rabbit, which is two months old. On the other hand, assuming you own a neutered male rabbit that is one year old.
The one-year-old rabbit doesn’t have any issues with hormones. This rabbit is well trained and is perfect for bonding.
Now that you start to think this rabbit is lonely, you decide to introduce another rabbit to him; thus, your rabbit can have a playmate.
You plan to get a two months old rabbit. What harm can a two months old rabbit do to a one-year-old rabbit?
Afterall the one-year-old rabbit is more prominent in size.
Well, that is not the actual problem. The primary obstacle is you cannot desex a rabbit until it is four to seven months old.
So you have to introduce this baby rabbit to your older rabbit at this age, and intact.
I will suppose you succeeded in bonding the young rabbit to your older rabbit after following the rabbit bonding stages. The bonding process at this stage will take one month at most.
Let me clarify the scene a bit more.
NOW
Your older rabbit has accepted the younger rabbit as his friend.
Perhaps your older rabbit had no issues seeing another bunny in his territory. If initially, your older rabbit doesn’t accept the more adolescent rabbit in his region, then the bonding will never work.
You will waste your time trying to work on their bonding.
However, in your scenario, I am guessing, the older rabbit is ignoring the two months old rabbit in the territory.
Instantly you might think that these two rabbits will live in harmony forever.
You can be very mistaken about this plot. The dilemma will begin when your younger rabbit becomes six months old.
Your younger rabbit is intact as you had no way of desexing a two months old rabbit.
The level of hormone in your young rabbit will rise with its age and its hostility towards the older rabbit.
Remember how I set the example with the older rabbit being neutered.
In this case, the older rabbit is calm because his altered condition keeps him in balanced behavior.
But the younger rabbit is intact and aggressive. The younger rabbit will put up a fight with the older one.
Why will the younger one do so?
At first, the younger rabbit might not have bothered too much about the older rabbit.
As it grew up and hormones kicked in, the younger one will strive for dominance.
On the contrary, the older rabbit, which has always been dominant in the territory, now will defend.
And both of these rabbits will end up fighting each other. And once a rabbit pair starts fighting, it becomes pretty impossible for them to ever bond again.
Once you notice the rabbits fighting, it is essential to create a barricade between them.
You have to separate these two rabbits, and to separate bonded rabbits comes with consequences.
After your separate two rabbits, they will probably forget each other quicker than you can presume.
These events will take you back to your primary situation. But this time with two single rabbits.
What was your primary situation?
You attempted to introduce a baby rabbit to an older rabbit.
Once these rabbits started attacking and you separated them, you will have to try to bond the younger rabbit again to the older rabbit.
And I can’t assure you these two rabbits will bond again after they have fought with each other.
Even if they temporarily bond together for a while, there is no guarantee the younger one will not trigger a fight.
Hence understand that you will be repeating the same process of bonding every time you attempt to bond these rabbits?
Not just that, as a guardian, you will have to keep an eye on these rabbits to prevent them from injuring each other.
Conclusion.
I believe anyone who is reading this post is willing to bond a baby rabbit to an older rabbit.
My opinion for you is this:
Never bond a baby rabbit to an older rabbit.
I have created a whole plot in this post to discuss the unfortunate events that will trigger by forcing rabbits of different ages to bond together.
It is best to bond rabbits of the same age and the opposite sex.
All pet owners want their pets to have long, happy, healthy lives. The same goes for those who own rabbits. However, there is one concept that can be very complicated for rabbit owners: Vaccines. Do bunnies require vaccinations? Are they even safe? These questions pose a real concern for bunny owners. We all want our …
Pumpkins are believed to be rabbits’ second-favorite orange vegetable, right after carrots. These winter squashes are mostly used as holiday pies, but they’re also packed with nutrition that’s important in a rabbit’s diet. Pumpkin is not toxic for rabbits but they should not be fed with it too often or in larger amounts. If you …
Picking the appropriate fresh vegetables to supplement your pet rabbit’s diet can be an excellent way to turn out their nutrition. While bunnies receive most of their nutrients from fresh hay, attaching a regular supplement of fresh greens and veggies will equip them with vital vitamins and minerals. While most vegetables can aid in keeping …
Cilantro gives a touch of fresh taste to a variety of foods. Just like any other spices, cilantro also carries antioxidants that can remove dejected and unwanted metal particles in our bodies. It has also been proven that cilantro carries an element that can fight off Salmonella. Thus, providing its partaker a more salutary digestive …
Fresh, dried, or cooked corn, all of them are not safe for your bunny. It is very unfortunate to say because some bunnies love to munch on fresh and sweet corn very much. While the hull of corn kernels carries complex polysaccharides. Normally, rabbits find it hard to digest complex polysaccharides. So, corn is considered …
There are several indications in rabbits that you misunderstand as if they are fighting.
Misunderstanding bonded rabbits’ behavior towards each other is concerning.
If you stop your pet rabbits imagining they are fighting while they were merely playful, you will unnecessarily stress your pet rabbits.
By knowing why your rabbits are fighting, you can prevent them from injuring themselves, which is what I am going to discuss in this post precisely.
Rabbits are prey animals and do not show aggression at all.
But if your pet rabbits, even your bonded pet rabbits start fighting with each other, it is the rabbit guardian’s responsibility to interpret why they are fighting and how to prevent it in the future from happening again.
Without knowing the reason behind the fight, you cannot rebond the rabbits ever again.
Why do rabbits fight with each other?
Rabbits are soft furry animals. Being quiet and cuddly doesn’t mean they can’t be aggressive.
Rabbits are very territorial, and likewise wild rabbits, domestic rabbits like to build dominance if there are several rabbits in your house.
Rabbits will generally fight to establish dominance.
Assuming you own a single pet rabbit. One night before going to bed, you decided you will bring a new bunny friend for your pet rabbit. Doing so is an excellent idea. However, you adopted a new bunny and brought it home only to find out that your older bunny is trying to mount the newcomer.
You see, as I have told earlier, rabbits are territorial animals. Once they see a newcomer inside his/her territory, the rabbit will attempt to establish dominance.
They establish dominance by mounting on each other.
Therefore it is said to follow rabbit bonding steps before you place two rabbits inside a hutch.
Bonding rabbits are essential. And bonding two strangers requires a neutral territory.
Rabbits are susceptible to smell. When you place a new bunny in the older rabbit’s territory, the smell of the newcomer will bother the older rabbit.
As a result, the smell of the newcomer in the older rabbit’s territory will trigger a fight.
In most cases, the older rabbit will mount the newcomer. Mounting is a way of fighting.
The scenario will be worse if you introduce unneutered/unspayed rabbits.
Rabbits fight when their hormone level is high.
If you introduce unspayed/unneutered rabbits, it is likely they will start fighting someday.
Understand the fact that neutering/spaying a house rabbit is essential.
It is not only to prevent rabbits from fighting, as well as to keep your rabbits healthy.
Adopting a single rabbit or a pair is a pleasure. Nevertheless, I reckon you are not willing to breed rabbits.
You may say what if you adopt a pair of female rabbits. So there will be no problem with rabbits giving birth. Many rabbit owners are not willing to spend money on spaying/neutering as it is expensive in places.
Owning a pair of unspayed female rabbits will stop your rabbits from breeding, and you can call yourself a proud owner.
But one beautiful morning, you wake and notice signs of injury in one of your female rabbits.
Can you guess what happened?
You rabbits might have been fighting while you are sleeping in peace.
Can you guess what might have triggered the fight?
The probable reason for your rabbits to fight is the presence of a high level of hormones in your rabbits. The reason for being too hormonal is your female rabbits are unspayed.
As they don’t have a way to keep their hormone level at normal, they are anxious. I believe you can already understand what may happen when you hold two anxious animals inside a cage for a long time?
They will fight and will injure each other until you stop them and keep them separate.
The same circumstances will follow if you decide to raise two male rabbits together.
Male rabbits might even fight with each other to death.
Small cages.
Raising rabbits in a small cage is the most sickening thing a rabbit guardian can do.
Any responsible rabbit guardian will not prefer to keep its pet rabbits in a small cage.
Keeping rabbits in a small cage that restricts their comfortable movement will upset a rabbit.
An upset rabbit will get grumpy. Unable to move inside a small cage because there are several rabbits inside the cage will cause gatherings to fight.
Even if the rabbits are bonded, and the cage is not comfortable enough for one grumpy rabbit, the grumpy rabbit will push the other rabbit to one corner of the cage.
If the rabbit has signs of injury and is scared to move at all within the cage, then you can guess your rabbits are fighting because the space you provided is not enough.
Not enough space means the rabbit has a lack of freedom and exercise too.
Rabbits need to run around, hop around to exercise, and remain healthy.
Not able to run and exercise, the rabbit will try to spend their extra energy on other rabbits. Pet rabbits may find fighting as recreation. However, if your rabbits are fighting, either recreational or not, you must stop them.
Because if they have injuries, you will have to visit the vet and spend time on their treatment.
Hence I always say to raise rabbits in a free-range environment. If you can’t raise rabbits in a free-range environment, at least try to construct a running space for your pet rabbits attached to your hutch.
Rabbits will fight due to changes in their environment.
Assuming you took my previous suggestion and decided to place your rabbits in a free-range environment abruptly.
Yet you have contributed to another fight in your pet rabbits. I am not saying it is happening inevitably.
But a sudden change in the rabbit’s environment can cause stress in rabbits.
Perhaps you liked raising your rabbits inside a hutch in your garage. One beautiful morning you chose to bring your rabbits indoors and let them play in the living room.
What may happen is, caged rabbits will be overwhelmed by their freedom.
Now, the rabbits will be determined to establish dominance and mark their territory.
And in the process of doing so, even bonded rabbits may start fighting.
Not just that, a sudden change in the environment will change a rabbit’s mood. As a human guardian, you may not interpret their mood correctly.
Sick rabbits will fight.
I believe anyone might understand why a sick rabbit will fight. If you can’t guess, let me explain it to you.
It is usual for any creature to be unhappy when they feel sick.
Similarly, rabbits don’t feel happy when they are sick, and they feel irritated by the presence of other rabbits.
Rabbits usually do not show any signs of sickness until they can’t hide it anymore. Rabbits are fighters. I don’t mean they like fighting with other rabbits, but they fight their pain all by themselves. They do not wish to show weakness.
AS a result, when a rabbit is sick and feels very weak, the rabbit tends to fight with other rabbits inside their running space.
A sick rabbit prefers to be left alone; hence the rabbit may feel annoyed by a companion rabbit. To avoid further disturbance, the sick rabbit will fight other rabbits and keep them away from him/her.
They will fight if they feel a threat from predators.
Threat from predators is a more common factor in wild rabbits. Domestic rabbits raised indoors have very few danger from predators.
However, placing rabbits outdoors even inside a hutch makes them weak to predators.
But once a rabbit senses danger, the rabbit will fight. I am giving this example because no matter what the threat is if any rabbit feels a menace, the rabbits will surely fight.
If they feel a threat from a new rabbit in his/her territory, the rabbit will fight.
Do rabbits fight to the death?
Yes, rabbits fight to the death, but it is not as common as you may think. Wild rabbits may fight to the end more commonly than house rabbits.
Fighting to the death in rabbits is possible if the rabbits are unneutered and unspayed.
The probability for two unneutered male rabbits fight to the death is higher than two unspayed female rabbits.
And domestic rabbits are always suggested to be de-sexed before adopting.
If you can’t de-sex rabbits before adopting them, then de-sex them as early as possible after you bring them home.
However, the wild counterpart is neither neutered nor spayed.
Therefore more prone to fighting with each other to the death.
All the reasons mentioned above for rabbits fighting with a high level of hormone can contribute to a deadly fight in rabbits in the wild.
How to know your rabbits are fighting?
To understand whether rabbits are fighting or not is quite complicated.
Some behaviors of rabbit affection are similar to a rabbit fighting.
Therefore it is often confusing. Rabbit guardians interfere, believing they are preventing a fight where they only block the rabbits from being affectionate.
So understanding the difference in rabbit behavior is crucial. Only a rabbit guardian can understand it better when their pet rabbits are fighting, and when they are loving.
However, there few general signs for rabbit fight comprehension, such as:
Biting fur;
Biting ears;
Nipping;
Lunging;
Swiping with claws;
Bumping nose;
Mounting
Rabbits fight in different ways depending on the situation and their motive behind the fight.
Mounting is a common way of showing aggression to establish dominance.
Biting fur and ears is a common sight if two rabbits are not happy together. Consider nipping as a way of fighting as well as displaying affection.
Nipping is the most complicated sign to interpret. A rabbit gently bites another rabbit to present the love it has for the other rabbit.
AS well as this soft biting can also initiate a fight in rabbits. So it is the rabbit keeper’s judgment that will stop rabbits from fighting and not prevent them from loving.
Lunging at another rabbit, or bumping at each other is also very common among unbonded rabbits. A rabbit may bounce at another rabbit if the rabbit feels irritated.
While accommodating rabbits in a small cage, a rabbit may lunge and bump the other one to one corner of the cage and create space within the enclosure.
If rabbits are swiping with claws at each other, that’s when a fight can become deadly. If rabbits are throwing punches at each other, you must intervene before the rabbits severely injure themselves.
Should I ignore when my rabbit fights?
As I said, you must intervene when your rabbits are throwing punches and swiping claws at each other. Not just that, if your rabbits show any signs of aggression towards another rabbit, it is your duty to prevent the situation from escalating further.
Although rabbits will not always kill each other during a fight, indeed they can injure each other severely.
That is why never introduce a rabbit abruptly without following the bonding stages first.
In a situation, if you notice where your bonded rabbits are not going well along with each other, you can immediately step in and place two rabbits in two different cages.
How to stop rabbits fighting?
You can stop rabbits fighting by separating them. If you notice two bonded rabbits are struggling, then you must scare them by making a loud noise.
Like you can call them loudly by their name, which might scare them off and leave each other.
Most of the time, scaring them off with bang works because rabbits are sensitive to loud noises.
If their fight continues and either one of the rabbits is not willing to give up, you have to use your hands to pull them apart.
Before doing so, you must wear gloves. Rabbits don’t usually bite their guardian. However, if the rabbit is in a severe fight and you try to pull them apart, your rabbit might dig its teeth in your fingers. Similarly, while trying to pull them apart, you can get swiped by their claws.
Regardless of your rabbit does this intentionally or not, you must wear gloves before you step into a rabbit fight.
How to prevent rabbits from fighting?
Rabbits may start a fight for many reasons. Knowing the reasons behind a rabbit fight will enable you to prevent more conflicts in the future.
I have explained above why rabbits may fight with each other. It is easy to understand why a rabbit fights a newcomer. Hence, bonding rabbits is crucial.
But if bonded rabbits are fighting, unless the rabbit guardian figures out the reason, you will fail to prevent injuries in the future.
If you notice your bonded rabbits are fighting because one of the rabbits is sick, then it is essential to take your ill rabbit to the vet.
If you understand your rabbit is fighting because it is stressed. Figure out ways to keep your rabbits stress free in the future.
A rabbit will be stressed if it doesn’t have enough exercise.
A bigger hutch with a setup of sufficient running space will enhance the rabbit’s mood.
The rabbit will be happier, healthier, and likely stay away from future fights.
Nevertheless, changing your rabbits’ territory frequently and abruptly will cause stress in rabbits. So do not relocate your rabbits often.
Finally, rabbits fight and mount to establish dominance. If they feel a newcomer as a threat in their territory, they will fight. Your old rabbit will not accept the new rabbit easily without proper bonding takes place beforehand.
Without bonding, the older rabbit will attack the newcomer and try to eliminate any kind of threat.
If the new rabbit is submissive quickly, then it is okay. However, it is not always the scenario. If the newcomer doesn’t submit, then the fight will continue and escalate to deadly conflict.
Rebonding rabbits after a fight.
Rebonding rabbits after a fight is not ideal. Yet, if you are willing to rebond your rabbits after they fought and separated, you must be extra cautious.
Introducing them again may trigger a fight suddenly. But once rabbits are separated, they forget each other very soon.
Being apart, rabbits quickly forget it’s partner’s smell. And separating a bonded rabbit pair after observing aggressive behavior, rebonding them is quite tricky.
Rebonding separated rabbits after a fight brings back a bonded rabbit to stage one.
Yet, I can’t assure you that these rabbits will remain bonded without having a conflict again in the future.
What do you have to do once your rabbits fought and were separated?
You have to set and X-pen for the rabbits and keep them close. Close enough, they can get used to their smell, far enough so that they cannot reach for each other.
And you have to do this in neutral territory.
If you do not follow the steps in neutral territory, you will contribute to a territorial dispute?
Because if you start the bonding process in one rabbit’s territory, the boss rabbit in that territory will not be very welcoming of the new rabbit.
Remember, as I said, they will forget each other’s smell?
Therefore the newcomer will be seen as a threat in the territory.
As well as do not rush the rabbit bonding steps, especially after a fight. Because rushing through the steps might not provide sufficient time for the rabbits to rebond. As a result, when you place two rabbits together, they may start their fight suddenly again.
It is further common than you may imagine. Initially, after rebonding, rabbits may fancy their companionship. However, similar conflicts like in the past may trigger a deadly fight in your rabbits.
You may wake up one day and find out one of your rabbits is severely injured, and even worse, a rabbit is dead.
Why do rabbits fight in spring?
In general, rabbits tend to fight when their level of the hormone is high. Spring is the peak time for rabbits to mate. Hence in spring, rabbits in nature have a high level of hormone.
Rabbits in the wild are intact, and with a high level of hormone present in rabbits, they act more aggressively than healthy rabbits.
I am not saying the high level of the hormone is abnormal during spring. It is the wild rabbits’ natural behavior.
However, if you see your bonded rabbits are fighting in spring, the likely reason for that condition is the high level of hormone. Therefore it is suggested to neuter and spay domestic rabbits before adoption.
Unneutered/unspayed rabbits fight with each other more often than neutered and spayed rabbits.
Neutering and spaying a rabbit will keep the rabbit hormones in balance. With a balance in hormone production, domestic rabbits are less likely to act aggressively.
Neutered/spayed rabbits will be less hormonal even at their peak mating season. Hence a fight in bonded rabbits is not expected.
Neutering/spaying a rabbit not only prevents them from fighting, but it is also easier to bond with de-sexed rabbits.
All pet owners want their pets to have long, happy, healthy lives. The same goes for those who own rabbits. However, there is one concept that can be very complicated for rabbit owners: Vaccines. Do bunnies require vaccinations? Are they even safe? These questions pose a real concern for bunny owners. We all want our …
Pumpkins are believed to be rabbits’ second-favorite orange vegetable, right after carrots. These winter squashes are mostly used as holiday pies, but they’re also packed with nutrition that’s important in a rabbit’s diet. Pumpkin is not toxic for rabbits but they should not be fed with it too often or in larger amounts. If you …
Picking the appropriate fresh vegetables to supplement your pet rabbit’s diet can be an excellent way to turn out their nutrition. While bunnies receive most of their nutrients from fresh hay, attaching a regular supplement of fresh greens and veggies will equip them with vital vitamins and minerals. While most vegetables can aid in keeping …
Cilantro gives a touch of fresh taste to a variety of foods. Just like any other spices, cilantro also carries antioxidants that can remove dejected and unwanted metal particles in our bodies. It has also been proven that cilantro carries an element that can fight off Salmonella. Thus, providing its partaker a more salutary digestive …
Fresh, dried, or cooked corn, all of them are not safe for your bunny. It is very unfortunate to say because some bunnies love to munch on fresh and sweet corn very much. While the hull of corn kernels carries complex polysaccharides. Normally, rabbits find it hard to digest complex polysaccharides. So, corn is considered …
Bonding two male rabbits regardless of neutered or unneutered is not a problem at all. Only you have to understand and introduce these two rabbits in a conventional way.
I have introduced a new male rabbit to my existing house rabbit and they have bonded successfully. Therefore in this post:
I have explained about the best techniques and the proper way for male rabbit owners to bond their rabbits.
In order to bond two male rabbits, a rabbit guardian has to place little effort and patience as well as a gradual introduction of the new male rabbits.
Bonding two male rabbits.
To build friendships between two male rabbits the rabbits must be neutered first.
After neutered, you can allow some time for the male rabbits to get used to with each other and eventually they will become good friends.
Rabbits are very cute small house pets. Although they are cute and small, they can become very destructive often.
The reason for a rabbit to become destructive is that they are bored.
Rabbits can be bored very easily. To keep your rabbits calm and lively you can provide them different rabbit chew toys.
On the contrary, rabbits are very sociable animals too. Without having a partner they will be lonely and not so lively.
Hence it is suggested for every rabbit guardian to have a couple of pet rabbits in the house.
If you don’t want to have a couple of pet rabbits you can have a single rabbit but manage time every day to bond with your delicate small pet.
Perhaps you can’t manage time and you have decided to bring a new rabbit in the house to have friendship with an already existing one.
That is not a bad idea at all. Wait for four weeks after your rabbits are neutered then start the introduction process with the old rabbit.
Assuming your old rabbit is already neutered and will not show any aggression towards the new rabbit.
Although being territorial is more common in female rabbit male rabbits can also show a territorial behavior.
So after both the new and the old male rabbits are neutered, you must wait for at least four weeks.
Only then you can introduce your rabbit in the common territory.
The territory where the old rabbit has been staying for a while now, he may find it uncomfortable or get stress from having to see a new male rabbit in his territory.
Introduce them in a common ground, yet keep them separate using a playpen probably.
Do not allow the two rabbits in the same cage at the beginning. Even if they are neutered, the old rabbit may show aggressive rabbit behaviors.
The old rabbit may just kill the new rabbit sudden swaps.
While you keep the rabbits in a common ground and separated yet close to each other, the rabbit will slowly learn about each other.
They will get used to with the other rabbit’s behavior, and smell.
You have to always keep an eye on the rabbits, how they are acting towards each other.
If you notice that the rabbits are not coming close to each other then you must stop the introduction process.
Any unusual behavior rabbit signs of stress mean you must try to introduce them after a few days.
However, if the rabbits are acting very well, and stays close to each other. Lie down close to each other, those are the signs that they have to begin to trust each other and they will enjoy their companionships.
Bonding two neutered male rabbits.
As I have mentioned earlier it is vital for the male rabbit to be neutered before they are introduced to each other.
As rabbits are very social animals as well as can be very territorial too. An unneutered male rabbit tends to show aggressive body language towards other rabbits.
In case you introduce a new buck to an existing old one, and the old male rabbit must be neutered beforehand.
The best matter is to neuter both the male rabbits and at least wait for 4 weeks prior to introducing the male rabbits to each other.
In order to build bonding among two male rabbits, you must follow the steps and procedures mentioned above.
Bonding unneutered male rabbits.
Some rabbit guardian may try to bond unneutered male rabbits, which is not possible.
Unneutered male rabbits will act territorial and get aggressive with each other. If you try to force them to bond it may result in stress for your rabbits.
Make sure both the male rabbits are neutered and they will learn to build a friendship rather than fighting over territory.
All pet owners want their pets to have long, happy, healthy lives. The same goes for those who own rabbits. However, there is one concept that can be very complicated for rabbit owners: Vaccines. Do bunnies require vaccinations? Are they even safe? These questions pose a real concern for bunny owners. We all want our …
Pumpkins are believed to be rabbits’ second-favorite orange vegetable, right after carrots. These winter squashes are mostly used as holiday pies, but they’re also packed with nutrition that’s important in a rabbit’s diet. Pumpkin is not toxic for rabbits but they should not be fed with it too often or in larger amounts. If you …
Picking the appropriate fresh vegetables to supplement your pet rabbit’s diet can be an excellent way to turn out their nutrition. While bunnies receive most of their nutrients from fresh hay, attaching a regular supplement of fresh greens and veggies will equip them with vital vitamins and minerals. While most vegetables can aid in keeping …
Cilantro gives a touch of fresh taste to a variety of foods. Just like any other spices, cilantro also carries antioxidants that can remove dejected and unwanted metal particles in our bodies. It has also been proven that cilantro carries an element that can fight off Salmonella. Thus, providing its partaker a more salutary digestive …
Fresh, dried, or cooked corn, all of them are not safe for your bunny. It is very unfortunate to say because some bunnies love to munch on fresh and sweet corn very much. While the hull of corn kernels carries complex polysaccharides. Normally, rabbits find it hard to digest complex polysaccharides. So, corn is considered …
It would be a lot easier for you to prevent your rabbit’s aggression if you can comprehend with your rabbits’ aggressive behavior.
In this post, I will help you to get a grasp of your rabbit’s aggressive behavior and stop your rabbits from getting aggressive towards other rabbits or when inside a rabbit cage.
After reading this post, understanding aggressive rabbit body language will not be a trouble for you. You will realize how to pet a rabbit and handle them with care so your bunnies will be good bunnies.
Aggressive rabbit body language.
A rabbit is not aggressive by nature. A rabbit may only show signs of aggression when they are scared and try to protect them and their territory from danger.
Being a prey animal a rabbit is very territorial and are easily scared.
There are some easy signals which are noticeable when your rabbit is trying to be aggressive:
Ears moving backward;
Rear feet thumping;
Nipping;
Chasing;
Growling;
Biting.
Besides doing their best to protect their territory, a house rabbit will be hostile during several other events.
The common reasons for your rabbit to get aggressive are as follows:
Not enough bonding with other pets or with the rabbit guardian;
Invasion of a rabbits’ territory;
Sudden change in surroundings and environment;
Frustrated rabbits can be aggressive;
A sick rabbit can be aggressive too. Sickness can cause pain your rabbits which may result in aggressive rabbit body language.
How to make your rabbit less aggressive?
In order to make your rabbit less aggressive, a rabbit guardian must try to break his/her rabbit’s fear.
Fearful rabbits are extremely territorial. As prey animal rabbits are frightened easily and want to prevent their territory by getting aggressive.
First and foremost you have to get your rabbits neutered/spayed. Once your rabbits are neutered/spayed, they will be less territorial.
No rabbits are born aggressive though every rabbit has a unique character. A rabbit builds its aggressive character in time due to many purposes which I have mentioned above.
One of the common reason for hostility in rabbits is due to a rabbit guardian is handling his/her delicate house pets in the wrong way.
To understand how to pet a rabbit properly you can read here.
Rabbits are frightened very easily and if they are scared of you and can’t be relaxed around his/her guardian, they will be aggressive towards you.
Before your house rabbit show signs of aggression, it will show signs of stress. A stressed rabbit is not a happy rabbit.
Therefore you have to allow an adequate amount of time for your new house rabbits to get comfortable around you and trust you.
The best thing:
Once your rabbit starts to trust you, in no time your rabbit will learn to become less aggressive and begin bonding with you.
As you try to bond with your rabbit slowly just stay aware of all the above mentioned aggressive behaviors.
If your rabbits show the symptoms while you intend to bond with them, it is best to stop trying to bond at that time.
Give the rabbit some more time and try bonding again later. You have to allow time for your rabbits to trust you. Once your rabbit trusts you, they will get close to you by themselves.
Let me share my story:
When I brought my first rabbit home, I planned to raise it cage-free. So I allowed my rabbit the living room to use as her running space.
As well as I litter trained my bunny so that she will not poop and pee everywhere in my living room.
In the beginning, my bunny she always liked to hide under the couch. As she seemed scared of me and decided to sleep in a dark place where she thought is safe enough for her to relax.
I never dragged her out or disturbed her while she was hiding under the couch. I did not want to stress her. She was already a stressed bunny from the new place she moved in.
However, as slowly time passed by, probably after two weeks. my bunny started to come outside from under the couch and sleep on the couch.
Meaning she was starting to be relaxed and get used to in her new home and with the new environment.
As some more time passed by she started to bond with me and before I could realize she has begun to sleep near me all the time.
She will always come near my feet and sleep just right next to my feet. She will climb up my legs and come sleep in my lap.
I did not have to compel her to do so but my bunny she understood that it is safe to stay around me.
It is not only with human, but rabbit also requires time to bond with regardless of another rabbit or any other animal.
They need time and some more time and new rabbit guardians have to be patient.
You may check out the video below to learn more on how to make your rabbit less aggressive.
Sometimes a rabbit will show aggression towards new rabbits too.
Hence, new rabbit guardians have to understand the rabbit bonding stages in order to bond a rabbit with another rabbit.
Rabbit aggression towards other rabbits.
Trying to introduce a new rabbit with your existing house rabbits can cause territorial dispute among the rabbits.
The old house rabbit may get very aggressive towards the new rabbit.
Instead of thinking the new bunny as a friend, the old rabbit may think of him as his rival.
A neutered/spayed rabbit is less likely to show that behavior, nevertheless it is not inevitable.
It is best to introduce two new rabbits slowly. This process may start with a slow and consistent introduction instead of compelling them to live together from the beginning.
If you force your rabbits to bond fast, it may cause the behavioral disorder. The older rabbit will be stressed and will not hesitate to aggressive behavior towards the new rabbit.
As a new rabbit, it will be scared and stressed by the aggressive rabbit body language. Understand this too much stress is very dangerous for rabbits and can be deadly.
The old rabbit may start fighting with the new bunny in the scene. The old rabbit may swat, bite and claw at the new rabbit.
The worst scenario they both will swat at each other and can create a fatal situation for themselves. It will be later expensive on your side then to visit a rabbit vet.
Often female rabbits are more territorial than male rabbits:
Often a female rabbit will show aggression towards a new male rabbit. A female rabbit may not consider a new male bunny as its mates instead she will get territorial and try to attack the male.
The only possible thing you can do is by the cautious introduction of new rabbits and by recognization of the rabbit bonding stages behavior.
Many times I have heard from pet rabbit owners regarding aggression of their rabbit inside the cage.
Why is your rabbit aggressive in the cage?
A rabbit only gets aggressive inside the cage when it has a feeling that someone or something is trying to invade its territory.
If you intend to clean your rabbit’s cage or even intend to bring your rabbit outside the cage for playing around, your pet rabbit will think it is an invasion of his/her territory.
The rabbit will become protective of its territory and show aggression towards anything that is trying to invade.
A rabbit is never aggressive by genetics, they absorb this behavior depending on their surroundings.
As well as do not drag your rabbit out from the cage to play in his running space such in your apartment or house.
Allow your rabbits to discover it by themselves. If you force them to do something you will force them to become meaner.
Keep their cage door open and wait for your house rabbits to come out by themselves and explore new territory.
Similarly, do not remove bunny toys and your rabbit’s litter box abruptly. Because your rabbits will be annoyed by that and consider you as their predator instead of their friends.
So give your rabbit plenty of time to trust you and then open the cage door. so that they come out of the cage by themselves.
Once your rabbit comes out, only then clean all the rabbit chew toys, dishes, water feeder, and your rabbit’s litter box.
All the cleaning must be done once the rabbit has left the cage by himself.
Also, choose the rabbit cages which I have mentioned in a previous article.
Most rabbit guardians recommend buying the rabbit cages in this article >>> Cheap rabbit cages for the purpose of easy cleaning and many other conveniences for both the rabbits and rabbit guardians.
Why is my rabbit lunging at me all of a sudden?
If your rabbit is acting strange and lunging at you often, it means you as a guardian doing something incorrectly with your rabbits.
Maybe you tried to pick up your rabbit in an improper way, or you pet your rabbit in the wrong way.
If you do not know how to pick up your rabbit or how to pet a rabbit the proper way, your rabbit will begin to be meaner towards you.
Picking up a rabbit to give a pet can cause your rabbit to think you as a predator.
While your rabbit considers you as dangerous, annoying, and unfriendly they will definitely try to protect themselves by lunging at you.
So if your rabbit lunges at you suddenly, it means you are doing something incorrectly.
In the video above it seems like the rabbit is lunging at its owner. The owner is invading the rabbit’s space or the territory which made the rabbit extremely hostile.
Aggressive rabbit breeds.
Not all rabbits are born equal, as well as every rabbit has its own unique characteristics.
However, no rabbits are born as aggressive and mean. They grow a habit of being mean due to their surroundings.
So simply we can never judge a rabbit by their breed on how they are going to behave towards their new guardian or its new surroundings.
It is your responsibility to love your pet rabbits and raise them with care so that they do not show symptoms of aggression.
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