COMPANION RABBIT
If you are looking for a companion for your rabbit, my advice would be to have the opposite sex of similar age and size. Rabbits need to know their place and have an understanding with each other. With this in mind try to make things as neutral and as even as possible to start the process. Introducing a female rabbit to a male is often easier than the other way around, as the females are much more territorial.
Before bringing your new rabbit home, clean the living quarters of your rabbit thoroughly so there is no scent of your rabbit. Change any bedding, clean the water bottle and wipe the cage wire. Move it into a new position, so it becomes strange to your rabbit.
Once you have taken your new rabbit home, stroke them both so they both smell the same!
Next find an area in the house or garden where your existing rabbit rarely or never goes (neutral territory), place both rabbits together and let them sniff and explore. You may find that one of them (buck or the doe) will mount the other, even when neutered. This is just a way of finding which will be the more dominant. It is usual for one to be the boss, and often is the female!
Should your rabbit for some reason charge at the new arrival, push him/her down gently in a submissive manner with their nose close to the floor. Watch them chase each other around, put new obsticles/toys around (new to your existing rabbit too) for them both to examine together.
If a fight starts, separate them immediately.
Once you are satisfied they are getting along well together, bearing in mind this can take a while, then pop them into their "clean odourless" living quarters, with a few treats ie favourite vegetable.
Bonding can take a lot of patience, although in most cases is immediate. Especially if you are satisfied with the temperament of your existing rabbit and return to the same place for another.
It is a very satisfying feeling to watch two bonded bunnies play together.
In some cases un-neutered bucks can get along, they will circle each other and try the obvious. Any signs of aggression the rabbits must be separated immediately. These two bucks live next to each other in their own hutches, but often come out togther for a supervised run around. They will also get to know their own territory and won't stray too far. Females on the other hand tend to be more adventurous.
Before bringing your new rabbit home, clean the living quarters of your rabbit thoroughly so there is no scent of your rabbit. Change any bedding, clean the water bottle and wipe the cage wire. Move it into a new position, so it becomes strange to your rabbit.
Once you have taken your new rabbit home, stroke them both so they both smell the same!
Next find an area in the house or garden where your existing rabbit rarely or never goes (neutral territory), place both rabbits together and let them sniff and explore. You may find that one of them (buck or the doe) will mount the other, even when neutered. This is just a way of finding which will be the more dominant. It is usual for one to be the boss, and often is the female!
Should your rabbit for some reason charge at the new arrival, push him/her down gently in a submissive manner with their nose close to the floor. Watch them chase each other around, put new obsticles/toys around (new to your existing rabbit too) for them both to examine together.
If a fight starts, separate them immediately.
Once you are satisfied they are getting along well together, bearing in mind this can take a while, then pop them into their "clean odourless" living quarters, with a few treats ie favourite vegetable.
Bonding can take a lot of patience, although in most cases is immediate. Especially if you are satisfied with the temperament of your existing rabbit and return to the same place for another.
It is a very satisfying feeling to watch two bonded bunnies play together.
In some cases un-neutered bucks can get along, they will circle each other and try the obvious. Any signs of aggression the rabbits must be separated immediately. These two bucks live next to each other in their own hutches, but often come out togther for a supervised run around. They will also get to know their own territory and won't stray too far. Females on the other hand tend to be more adventurous.