Rabbits, male and female, are social and intelligent animals that make great pets for the right people. Because rabbits are social, they become lonely and can experience health problems if kept in a solitary environment. Rabbits may also experience behavioral problems such as aggression and biting when they live alone.
While the best pairs are male and female rabbits (after making sure to spay and neuter them before they meet), two female rabbits can be tied up and live together peacefully.
In this article, we will discuss the benefits of having two female rabbits living together and the best way to do it.
Benefits of Two Rabbits Living Together
There are several benefits to letting your two female rabbits live together. We will discuss some of them below.
Reduce Anxiety in Your Rabbit
You probably already know from owning a rabbit that they are timid and timid creatures. Rabbits can be easily startled, even after they have been around you for a long time. That’s where having two female rabbits live together comes in handy. When rabbits are kept in pairs, their anxiety levels tend to drop slightly.
It is important to note, however, that every rabbit is different. When you introduce your two female rabbits, take it slow and give them time to bond. You can’t force it. Once the bond is established, you’ll be surprised how much calmer your two rabbits are.
Gives You Strong Peace of Mind
If you are a pet lover like us, then the idea of going to work or school and leaving your rabbit alone and anxious causes you to worry too. Having two female rabbits living together will give you great peace of mind knowing that you won’t leave your pets alone when you can’t be home with them.
Tying Your Rabbit:
Since rabbits are territorial and your rabbit may have been living alone for a while, it’s important to tie up your doe so they don’t fight. On average, bonding two rabbits can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months, so you’ll need to be patient with the process and with your own female rabbit.
Once the bond is established, your rabbit will become a lifelong friend, and you won’t have to worry anymore.
There are several things that you need to pay attention to in the bonding process as listed below.
1. Observe Your Rabbit in the Beginning
Never leave a female rabbit when you first introduce her. You have to keep an eye on them at all times. Some pet owners like to separate their doe at night just to make sure they don’t decide to attack each other. Once they are bonded, it is safe to leave them alone, but not until the bond is fully formed.
2. Take a Closer Look at the Dominant Rabbit
Just like every other type of species, there will be rabbits that are more dominant than the others. If one of your female rabbits starts to bully the other, keep a closer watch on them. If the bullying continues, it’s best to separate them for a while and then try again. However, keep their cages close to each other as just looking at each other can help the bonding process too.
3. Make Sure Each Rabbit Has Its Own Space
It’s important that rabbits have their own space to retreat when they’re anxious or just want to be alone. Make sure the cage you have for your two female rabbits is large enough so that each rabbit can retreat when they feel the need to. It’s also a good idea to give each doe their own litter tray, as they may refuse to share it; this is part of the rabbit that is territorial and should be treated immediately.
Negative Behaviors to Watch Out for
There are some negative behaviors to watch out for when your rabbit is bonded. This is behavior that can lead to fights and injury to one or both of your female rabbits. Watch for aggressive body language, such as raising their tail, flattening their ears, growling, and lowering their heads, which means they are about to attack.
Biting, lunging, and circling one another in increasingly tight circles called bunny tornadoes also indicate that female rabbits don’t get along and need to be separated before a fight breaks out.
Positive Behaviors to Watch Out for
There are also positive behaviors to watch out for so you know when the bonding has begun. Some of them include grooming rabbits for each other, copying each other’s behavior, and putting them together.
Wrap
Yes, two female rabbits can live together if they are properly bonded and closely supervised in the beginning. No rabbit should have to live alone, because they are very social creatures. Whether it’s a boy and a girl or two girls, rabbits need socialization to be happy. Just make sure to keep an eye on your doe during the bonding process, and things should be fine. It’s also recommended that you get your rabbit put together spayed or neutered for best results.
Featured Image Credit: Lex-art, Shutterstock