Having two bonded rabbits can provide them with years of joy and fun. 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.
Can Two Male Rabbits Live Together? Two male rabbits can get along together, but this is usually the least successful pairing. For a male-male pairing to work, one rabbit needs to be much more submissive than the other. They also must be neutered.
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).
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.
Ideally, rabbits will be kept together in groups familiar from birth. Litter mates of either sex are usually ideal companions, as long as they are neutered. Otherwise, a good combination is often a neutered male and a neutered female, as bonding neutered rabbits of the opposite sex is usually easiest.
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!
As sociable animals, rabbits appreciate constant companionship and in the wild you would rarely find a rabbit alone. To mimic their natural behaviour, it is always a good idea to keep your pet rabbit with a friend to avoid them feeling lonely and unhappy.
It can take a few weeks to a few months to combine two rabbits into a "bonded" pair.
Why Do Two Male Rabbits Hump Each Other? Male rabbits hump each other for the same reasons that female rabbits do: to show dominance. There is a slight chance that this behavior could inspire more aggressive nipping if one of the rabbits does not cede to becoming subordinate to the other.
Bonding rabbits can be an incredibly difficult and stressful process (but not always). However, you can find a friend for your rabbit if you take the time to plan and prepare for bonding. It usually takes between two weeks and two months to bond a pair of rabbits.
Two males might also fight for dominance. Rabbit society is hierarchical, which means that there's a pecking order. Your rabbits may not always agree on who's who in that order, and may fight to establish the hierarchy. Rabbits may also fight out of boredom.
Your neutered male rabbits will live longer as well, given that he won't be tempted to fight with others due to his sexual aggression and will help improve friendships with their bonded partner.
Uncastrated males can breed. Neutering/castration prevents this. Uncastrated male rabbits often spray urine like tom cats over their territory, their possessions (including their rabbit companions) and very often over you, too. Neutering usually makes litter training much easier.
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.
Put the rabbits in nearby enclosures, where they can sniff each other through the wire. If your existing rabbit is free range, put the new rabbit in a small separated area so they can get used to each other's scent. You can swap around their litter trays and rub a cloth over each transferring scents.
Pet Colonies
Intact males have the highest likelihood of fighting, but without the presence of the other sex, they can often live together happily once they establish a “pecking order”. I have several unaltered males in my buck colony.
Humping may settle down between your rabbits or it may not - each pair is different, and for the most part we need to let them do their thing and sort it out BUT we do also need to observe and watch for signs of stress/resentment from the humpee which could lead to fighting and gently intervene if needed.
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.
Mounting: If a male mounts a female and she does not seem to mind or run away, chances are they will bond quickly. Even if she runs away, she will likely warm up to him. You can gently stop a rabbit from humping by gently pushing the 'humper' off the 'humpee' and pressing the humper's nose gently toward the ground.
The whole bonding process can take as little as one day or up to several months – it all depends on your rabbits. Usually, it's a few weeks before your bunnies will be living happily together but it is well worth the wait.
During bonding, the top rabbit will try to claim their spot by mounting and humping the other rabbit. This is a phenomenon that occurs between pairs of rabbits that are the same gender as well as opposite genders. Sometimes the male rabbit is on top, and sometimes it's the female mounting a male.
As a general rule, rabbits are bonded once they can spend 48 hours together without any chasing or aggressive behaviors. You also want to see positive signs such as grooming, sharing food, and sleeping next to each other to confirm that your rabbits feel safe around each other.
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.
One guideline to go by is at least 8 square feet of enclosure space combined with at least at least 24 square feet of exercise space, for 1-2 rabbits, in which the rabbit(s) can run and play at least 5 hours per day.
Pet rabbits can be kept alone if they are given daily attention and socialization from their human companions. It's best if single rabbits are kept as house pets so you can spend ample amounts of time petting and playing with them.