Rabbits can live happily in male/female, female/female, male/male pairings and larger mixed groups. However, the most natural and therefore easiest pairing is male/female. In the wild, rabbits tend to live in male/female pairs and will sometimes remain partnered for life.
First, you'll want to make sure that both rabbits are spayed/ neutered prior to bonding as it will make the process easier. While female – male bonding tends to be easier, you can certainly bond two females or two males together. Next, each rabbit will require its own space with their own personal things.
Mixed-sex pairs usually work best, so if you are thinking of getting rabbits for the first time, it's advisable to get a male and female, although same-sex pairs are not uncommon. Obviously, if you take on an already bonded pair, then it's all been done for you!
Pet rabbits need at least one bunny bestie to live with but they'll be even happier in larger groups. It's easiest to adopt rabbits that are already bonded - brothers and sisters from the same litter will be really happy to live together, so long as they've been neutered (or you get them done when they're old enough).
If you have a young male rabbit castrated within a few days of his testicles descending into the scrotum, he won't have the chance to become fertile, and he can remain with a female littermate or companion.
Always take the female to the male. Leave the breeding pair together for half an hour. You want to give the rabbits time to mate, preferably 2-3 times. Having them mate multiple times can help with the litter size and the success of the breeding.
While some intact male rabbits can live together peacefully, it is more likely for aggressive behaviour to develop between intact male rabbits than neutered male rabbits. This can cause 'uncoupling' where previously bonded rabbits start to bully or fight with each other as they reach sexual maturity (3-6months).
Barring the odd rogue rabbit that likes the lonely life, rabbits generally benefit from the company of other rabbits. They will often be far happier and content with a mate. Rabbits are not that unlike humans, they also get bored, even depressed, and when they do, they often act it out with destructive behaviour.
What is this? Any time you breed related animals together it intensifies genetic strengths and weaknesses. Siblings are the most genetically alike of any relatives, so any weakness in your rabbits would become more pronounced.
In large commercial rabbitries, one buck may be kept for each 10 to 15 does, while small producers may need a buck to doe ratio of 1 to 5 or even 1 to 2. An intensive breeding program will require more bucks to service the same number of does than a less intensive breeding schedule.
In general, rabbits will be happier in pairs than when they are single. A second rabbit can prevent depression, and even help to minimize boredom and troublemaking behaviors. However, enough social interaction from humans or other pets is also okay if getting a second rabbit is not possible.
Once your bunny is bonded it doesn't take any extra work to care for two bunnies. They share a house, food, water, and litter box. They will groom each other and keep each other clean and healthy.
Two male rabbits from the same litter have the best chance of getting along. They must be neutered to prevent hormones from damaging their relationship. Never keep two unneutered male rabbits together, even if they're brothers.
Rabbits just LOVE company!
Most owners house a pair of rabbits, but keeping three or four are also popular options. Be sure that you have enough space to comfortably house all your rabbits, or else you'll have to purchase multiple runs to create enough space.
Traditionally people keep all their rabbits together. However it is advisable to keep the buck separate from the does and do not keep bucks together as they will fight. The doe must be taken to the buck for mating and then returned to her place. A buck can be used until he is 7 years old.
The very best rabbit pairs are a spayed female and a neutered male as both will become a little less territorial and therefore more likely to bond. Two neutered male rabbits can sometimes be kept together but adults should only be introduced by experienced keepers.
Rabbit pairings
Rabbits can live happily in male/female, female/female, male/male pairings and larger mixed groups. However, the most natural and therefore easiest pairing is male/female. In the wild, rabbits tend to live in male/female pairs and will sometimes remain partnered for life.
Rabbits enjoy the company of other living beings. In addition to human friends, your rabbit may get along with another rabbit, house cat, guinea pig and well-mannered dog. All introductions should be closely supervised.
Prepare a neutral area separate from their enclosures
Have hiding places and toys ready to put in the area, but leave it empty for when you first introduce them. Once the rabbits are comfortable with the sight and smell of each other, they can be introduced for short periods in the neutral area.
When you keep rabbits together, they form a 'pecking order', with some animals becoming more dominant than others. Rabbits can develop abnormal behaviour and may suffer if you leave them on their own and with nothing to do for long periods, so you should keep your rabbit with at least one other friendly rabbit.
It can take a few weeks to a few months to combine two rabbits into a "bonded" pair.
3 - 6 months old: Adolescence
Male rabbits will often spray urine as a sign of courtship, circle your feet and mount them. Female rabbits tend to become very territorial over their personal space and may growl or lunge at you.
Males can be neutered as soon as the testicles descend, usually around 3-1/2 months of age. When is a rabbit too old to be spayed or neutered? veterinarians will have their own opinions on this, but in general, after a rabbit is 6 years old, anesthetics and surgery become more risky.
Male rabbits, like females, can become very aggressive when the testosterone kicks in, and the only truly viable solution for this problem is castration, also known as neutering. Testicular cancer, while far less common than uterine cancer, does occur, usually in older rabbits. Neutering eliminates this risk.