# Breeding bonded sisters



## BunsAndChicks (Feb 4, 2017)

Hi all,
 I'm planning to breed our show rabbits for the first time next month. I have a pair of bonded sisters that have never been apart and this will be their first litters (they'll be 6m next month). Is there a way to keep their bond, or will they need to be separated forever? Can they be in the same hutch while pregnant/kindling with a wire separator or will they want more space from each other than that?

Thanks all.


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## Latestarter (Feb 4, 2017)

Greetings and welcome to BYH. Lots of good stuff in the various rabbit threads. We also have a pretty active group of experienced rabbitteers here who might be able to provide input... Hope you'll make yourself at home. Please share some pics of your bunnies if you will. @Bunnylady @promiseacres @samssimonsays @Pastor Dave @Shorty @DutchBunny03 Any of the many other rabbitteers out there?


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## Pastor Dave (Feb 4, 2017)

I haven't had any that have been bonded, but a pregnant doe gets finicky and sometimes as soon as bred.
I know some on here used to talk abt colony rabbitries they maintained, and each doe did have and usually needed it's own space. Someone will probably come along and weigh in. I really like @Bunnylady for answering questions.
You might just have to wait and see as well, and learn from experience. Good luck in your endeavors.


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## promiseacres (Feb 4, 2017)

No experience either. I would lean towards them needing to be kept separate.  Especially if they are show bunnies, my does do fine with wire cage between.


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## samssimonsays (Feb 4, 2017)

I have done it but I have had good and bad experiences. I will not risk it anymore. I had three successful tries and then one day, one of the does killed the others babies. It depends on the doe. It depends on the day. It's not impossible but in order for there to be any chance of working they need adequate space and multiple visual blocks and nesting areas. It tends to be too much of a hassle and something that a regular cage can not support.


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## Bunnylady (Feb 5, 2017)

samssimonsays said:


> I have done it but I have had good and bad experiences. I will not risk it anymore. I had three successful tries and then one day, one of the does killed the others babies. It depends on the doe. It depends on the day. It's not impossible but in order for there to be any chance of working they need adequate space and multiple visual blocks and nesting areas. It tends to be too much of a hassle and something that a regular cage can not support.



As she said. it depends, and you can't predict how the dynamics will work out until you've seen it happen with those particular rabbits. While I have managed to keep rabbits together in colonies, when a delivery is imminent, I find it safer for the litter and saner for me to just put the doe and her nest box in a cage by themselves, and let the doe care for her family alone. If these two does are friends, a simple wire divider will probably be fine; you may even find the does lying next to each other with just the wire between them when they are chillin' away from the 'chilluns'  It's possible that they may go back to being buddies once the litters are gone, just be careful to re-introduce them in neutral territory and see how it goes.


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## DutchBunny03 (Feb 6, 2017)

Yay! Show rabbits are great, and so are bonded bunnies. I have both. I have never bred my bonded rabbits, and never intend too, but yours will be able to be reintroduced. Keep them apart for kindling and raising their litters, though. Mine got in a huge fight a couple years ago, and nearly killed each other, but now they are sitting outside in the same hutch, no fights in quite a while.


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## DutchBunny03 (Feb 6, 2017)

Step 1) Once the litters are gone, put the rabbits in each other's hutches for a day or two. This lets them recognize each others scent. 
Step 2) Place the cages so that they are facing each other, and can see each other, preferably close enough that the wire is touching. Make sure that the food and water are on the opposite side than the sides that are touching, so they can eat and drink in peace. Signs of aggression are barred teeth, ears laid back, and nipping. Signs of affection are mutual grooming, and laying side by side. 
Step 3)If all has gone well, introduce in neutral territory, like Bunnylady said. Put a wire barrier between them, and see how they react. If there is no aggression, remove the barrier. MAKE SURE TO HAVE A SPRAY BOTTLE ON HAND. Fights may break out. Don't use your hand to try to separate them, it can result in nasty scars. Squirt the rabbit directly on the nose, avoid the eyes. If the rabbits are mounting each other, don't spray immediatly. They are just establishing dominance. If mounting persists, spray the dominant one. Also spray if they are chasing each other. This process may take a few days. 
Step 4) If they are accepting each other(mutual grooming, even ignoring each other), lengthen the amount of time they are together every day. Be prepared for setbacks. Don't give up; just go back a step or two and try again. 
Step 5) If they are playing together, grooming each other, have not fought in a few days, and comfortable being around each other, carefully put them in the same hutch, preferably not a hutch that specifically belongs to either of the rabbits. Rabbits are VERY territorial, especially does. There may be a small tussle to determine who's boss of the new territory. This is normal. If they fight too long, or one rabbits chases the other away every time it is approached, remove both of the rabbits and try again. Most likely they will get along fine. 
Step 6) Watch them in their shared hutch for a while. Check on them often, to make sure they are getting along fine. 
I cannot guarentee that your rabbits will be able to be rebonded, but it is very, very probable. Their success depends on your commitment. If you give up, they don't get bonded. Also, use good judgment. Good luck!!!


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## Bossroo (Feb 7, 2017)

On the flip side:  about  10 years ago, I had 2 -5 month old, litter mate does that lived together from birth .  One morning I came to feed the rabbits and what do I see ?  One of the does was eating the other's hind quarter down to the bone while the one being eaten was just sitting there, not moving or making a sound. Just being EATEN ALIVE .


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## DutchBunny03 (Feb 9, 2017)

Thats disgusting.


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## mygoldendoe (Feb 9, 2017)

A lady I talk to on Facebook has a bonded sister and she bred them. They have a really big cage (couple feet wide/long and off the ground a bit.) So they have plenty room for their own space if they want it. 
She gave them their own nest box and they still ended up putting babies in o e box and take turns feeding them...If yours are _truly_ bonded and have a cage big enough for them (plus all the possible growouts) like she did, I don't see why it wouldn't work.


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## Bunnylady (Feb 10, 2017)

Yeah . . . . two litters in one nest box = some very fat babies and a lot of babies not making it, if they have more than 5 or so apiece. Or one litter getting injured or killed when one doe tries to do nest prep in a box that is already occupied by the first doe's litter (rabbits can be really dumb like that). Might work OK for the does, but maybe not so much for the babies.


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## Pastor Dave (Feb 10, 2017)

Sounds like too many kits competing for too few teats!


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## mygoldendoe (Feb 10, 2017)

Yep that's why I mentioned her set up. She had a large cage so tech it could work but like hers they ended up wanting to use same box. That would be a risk you'd have to think of. It's the same concept of colony raising on the ground. If it's large enough for your individual rabbits to have their own space they shouldn't fight too much, they could use their own nest box u provide or you could have em share, or boot out others babies for their own.


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## Bunnylady (Feb 10, 2017)

Honestly, I think people put a bit too much emphasis on the whole concept of "bonding." IME, some rabbits are more civil with their own kind, and some are simply dragons. Some seem to enjoy having other rabbits to interact with, and some merely tolerate them - or not. I have put older does together in what I termed my "retirement homes" where they may have wound up living together for years, and had no problems, but then these girls were small, 'pet' breeds so a more docile temperament was something they had been bred for. On the other hand, I had a young Netherland Dwarf doe get killed by her own mother when space limitations meant I left them together in the same cage for several months. It's very sweet to see rabbits snuggling together and grooming each other, and as long as everyone is happy, well and good. But IME, that can come apart at almost any time, so anyone with more than one rabbit in one space needs to keep an eye on things, and be prepared to separate if things seem to be turning ugly. What I tell people is, "they get along, until they don't, and there's no knowing just how long that will be."


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