Lop Eared Rabbits

godtabh

Got two lop eared rabbits as a present

Was told and assured that they were both girls. Came home today to find one was humping the other.

Any chance this is common with sisters!

Both are only 12 months old. They were due to get spayed next week as we were told that they should wait till they are over 12 weeks.

How do you tell what is what?

morganafay

They're 12 weeks old? It's normal for females to mount each other, if one is especially dominant. I had two baby ones that had to be seperated from the rest of the litter at 6 weeks for chasing the others and humping them. :rolleyes: They were bigger than the others, but both female, and were just bullies! They were biting the others too and even chasing their mum!

But best to get them checked at a vet (preferably one that knows about rabbits) to make sure they're really both females. Well you'll be taking them to get spayed anyway so that's fine.

It's hard to tell if they're male or female at a young age unless you know how, and unless you know what both look like . . . If you put them on your lap, on their back, with their head nearest your body. And kinda press down above the genitals, and try to get it to pop out, and a male will have a tubular shaped thing, and the female will have a like taco shaped thing. I'll try to find a website with pics . . . cos that's a terrible explanation!

morganafay

On this forum there are some good pics, about halfway down this page.

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=46514

Hope you can see that page. If it's a pointed shape, rather than a round-tubular shape, then it's female. It's easier to tell one if female than male in my experience.

LisaO

I don't think it is unusual for female rabbits to "hump"! When we took on a second rabbit, an older female, she often humped our first rabbit, a neutered male.

If you want to determine that they are male/female then there are websites that tell you how, often with photos to help: http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/sexing.shtml

I would imagine they are both female though, as if you had one of each & they are now 12 months old, you would have had plenty of little rabbits by now

You will find that neutering should curtail this type of behaviour.

godtabh

yeah they are about 12 weeks old. Sorry!

One is bigger than the other and its the small one that is doing the humping!

They both seem to get on well together. Cleaning each other and what not

morganafay

If they're cleaning each other and all I wouldn't worry about them not getting on anyway, they must be good friends. Spaying should hopefully stop that behaviour, and hopefully they are both girls.

godtabh

while i wouldnt mind breeding them I dont have the time or the know how to do it.

They sooner they are snipped the better!

morganafay

Yeah the annoying thing with breeding rabbits too, is you can't keep males and females together after she is pregnant, or she'll just get pregnant again or get grumpy with the male. It feels so mean seperating them, when they're in love!

I love breeding them, but I wish they could just live together, they'd be happier . . .

LisaO

If they are only 12 weeks they are a bit young to be neutered. Vets normally like to wait until they are mature - around 6 months. So you will need to ensure they re both female (or not) in the meantime. Maybe have a chat with your vet ?

godtabh

i thought it was from 3 months onwards

LisaO

Neutering of rabbits is a bit more tricky than with dogs or cats. Many vets would not recommend it until they are at least 6 months old.

godtabh

Good to know. We've nothing booked but was due to book them in next week. So at least I know now. Still might get them brought in

morganafay

Who was it who said they were both females? If it was a pet shop then I'd get them checked by a vet anyway, if it was a breeder or knowledgable person they might be right, but I bought a "male" rabbit from a breeder recently, and in the car home I checked and it was a female! I should have checked when I got her, but I didn't mind either way!

Some vets have no idea either though, but a good small animal hospital should hopefully. But if they aren't both female, then they could get pregnant any time now, so best to get them checked. I was thinking you should wait til 6 months to get them neutered too, but didn't know for sure so didn't say anything.

Sigma Force

Seperate them now, straight away. If you are not 100% sure then don't risk it. Keep them living side by side so they can still see each other. Trust me it's not worth the risk keeping them together if there is the slightest chance.
Or alternatively get them to a really experienced rabbit vet and have them sexed properly. Vets can get it wrong too though.
If they are kept side by side you shouldn't have any problem re-introducing them once they are spayed, you will need to keep them seperate when they are spayed anyway so they don't pick at each others stitches.
There's a rabbit care section on my site (click on my sig.) with before and after care when neutering.

godtabh

been to the breeder again and she says that they are both girls and one is just showing the dominance over the other

morganafay

I'd say they probably are both girls. You've no reason to doubt it so I wouldn't seperate them.

Rabbitandcavy

The breeder should be used to sexing babies so they probably are, I can sex them from 3 weeks on and never been wrong.

Enjoy your new rabbits!