Rabbit age and sociaization

[HuevosModesto]

Hello again! Yesterday, my family and I put a deposit down for two 5-6 month old Flemish Giants, but after reading posts around here I’m wondering- should we purchase younger rabbits? The breeder also has some 6-8 week olds (same breed), would they socialize mre quickly than their elder counterparts? Thanks!

 

[DutchBunny03]

Are you planning on keeping them in a colony/group situation? If not, and the plan is too have them in individual hutches, it doesn't matter how well they get along with each other. Or do you mean socialization with you/your family?

 

[HuevosModesto]

Sorry, socialization with my family (the human ones)!

 

[Bunnylady]

Early handling is always best, but a certain amount of temperament is hard-wired. Some rabbits seem adorable as babies, but when puberty hits, they can become beasts! Flemish are pretty laid-back as a general thing, but with an older rabbit, there is the advantage that you are already dealing with their "grown up" personality. Some of the friendliest rabbits I have owned came to me as adults.

 

[HuevosModesto]

Early handling is always best, but a certain amount of temperament is hard-wired. Some rabbits seem adorable as babies, but when puberty hits, they can become beasts! Flemish are pretty laid-back as a general thing, but with an older rabbit, there is the advantage that you are already dealing with their "grown up" personality. Some of the friendliest rabbits I have owned came to me as adults.

Great, thank you for the insight!

 

[DutchBunny03]

You have does, right? Does are usually less sociable than bucks. They can be extremely territorial (they bite the hand that feeds them) with people and each other. Two of my does have almost killed each other due to this. But these same rabbits can be absolute sweethearts once you interact with them in an area they don't think of as theirs. So if you want to play with the bunnies, do somewhere they are not used to being in. It may be a little different with Flemishes (way more laid back than Dutch!), but does are does.

 

[HuevosModesto]

We do have two females, thank you for the handling advice!

 

[Brownie]

I'm my experience the females are nicer but it all depends on the rabbit