Rabbits living together?

[kukupecpec]

So I wasn't totally sure where to post this, but here goes!

I have a pair of bunnies to get me started in raising meat rabbits.
They are both mixes of who knows what, but the Red (the female) is a proven mama, and Bugsy (the male) is THE sweetest Rabbit I have ever met in my life, he just loves people and attention. So rather than buy an expensive good quality trio, I'm going to use this adorable pair as my starter pair while I learn all about it (and then I plan to buy a good quality unrelated meat breed trio)

I was wondering about them being together. They have a large hutch that is separated into his and hers, and I know you aren't supposed to leave them together, but I wondered if this is an area where they might be an exception. Neither rabbit is very territorial, and they both adore each other. When first put together, Bugsy did his manly duty a couple times, and then Red had had enough and Bugsy chased her all over the cage for a few minutes until I separated them. They lived side by side for a couple weeks, and now they seem to want to be together. They are ALWAYS laying side by side with the wall between them, and I have been reworking their hutch a little for cleaning/feeding/watering access for me, so they spend supervised time together while I'm working and Bugsy isn't chasing or mounting Red. They just hang out together and snuggle.
Is this ok? Could this cause them not to breed at all (which would be bad formeat production)? I don't think I would ever leave them together unsupervised JUST in case, but is it ok for them to have some time together? Is it silly for me to think that they NEED to spend time together? Is bonding through the cage bars just the same to them?
I feel pretty comfortable with general health information about rabbits, but I don't know very much about them behaviorally.



I also have another sort of separate question - I can't find ANY information about "overbreeding" online. What are the actual concerns here? Every says it's important not to overbreed your females, but no one actually says what the negative effects of overbreeding are. Is is just general harassment? The double pregnancy risk? The nursing while pregnant risk?

Thanks in advance for any opinions or help!

edit - thought I would add a couple pictures but the site won't let me

 

[VickieB]

This is my first year so I'm new at this, therefore you can take what I say with a grain of salt. As far as putting the buns together, I would be afraid they would fight. Mine do great until they ask for the cigarette, at which point they might get along, or they might try to kill one another. I would be afraid that if she were pregnant and they got into a nasty fight it could cost the litter, or her. I've also heard that the bucks could kill the babies. To me it would be a risk not worth taking.

 

[kukupecpec]

They will definitely be separated once the babies come, I would hate for him to accidently squish them or chase Red so SHE squishes them.
I'm more just curious about them spending time together when they have no one else to bond with. I know rabbits aren't really supposed to be alone, they bond really close to a special other rabbit, so I just want to make sure that even though they are healthy breeders, they stay happy too I love them to death, they are so sweet and adorable.

 

[elevan]

First of all - Welcome to Backyard Herds!

We have a pair that stay together all the time, even after the doe has babies.

While we have another pair that if left in the cage after the doe has babies the male will eat them, so he has to be removed after breeding. It's not accidental squishing that you need to worry about it's intentional infanticide on the part of the male.

Best of luck on your venture.

 

[Bunnylady]

First of all - Welcome to Backyard Herds!

We have a pair that stay together all the time, even after the doe has babies.

While we have another pair that if left in the cage after the doe has babies the male will eat them, so he has to be removed after breeding. It's not accidental squishing that you need to worry about it's intentional infanticide on the part of the male.

Best of luck on your venture.

Fascinating.

Long before I started breeding rabbits, I had heard that bucks would kill kits. In almost 30 years of breeding rabbits, I have never had this problem, nor met anyone else that had. Now I can say I finally have heard from a person who has witnessed a buck savaging kits.

On the other hand, I have witnessed the other situation - the buck that is single-mindedly pursuing the doe, with her jumping in and out of the nest box, growling and stamping her feet. I have also seen babies injured when the doe got spooked by something else, and jumped into the box.

Some people will tell you that rabbits "bond" to other rabbits. That is only somewhat true. I have sometimes put older rabbits together in "retirement colonies," and while I have seen all manner of interaction within those groups, I can't say that I have seen tight one-to-one bonds. I have seen young same-sex BFF's that got really nasty with each other when puberty hit. The business about rabbits bonding is something that the rabbit rescue groups use to encourage rabbit adoption, it isn't really based on any scientific observation of rabbit behavior.

 

[kukupecpec]

I'm so glad to hear that others have seen intact male/female pairs get along!
Bugsy used to live with an intact brother and he would chase his brother alllllll over the hutch trying to mount him. Occasionally they would fight, maybe a monthly mouthful of fur, but after their very first puberty fight with a small ear bite no one was ever actually hurt. Bugsy is a really god boy, and Red is just sweet as can be!

I'm glad to hear that even the "bonding" thing isn't 100% either, I was worried when we moved the brother, but he took to Red so quick I was soon relieved.

So have either of you ever had a "double" pregnancy? Where she is pregnant with two different litters a couple weeks apart?
I would guess you don't see any trouble with over breeding. Is this a space thing maybe? How much space do you give your couple and their babies?

Will rabbits go back to their hutch to sleep if given access to a run? I have a large hutch (about 7 x 3 x 3) and the underside is enclosed as part of the chicken run. I would love to give the bunnies access to the chicken run so they have lots of space to run around and hang out, but I don't know if that's necessary or even better just to keep them in their hutch.

 

[kukupecpec]

Oooh I'm allowed to post pictures now

Bugs and Red their first day together

Bugsy and Red this afternoon

The hutch (With Bugsy and his brother - the area underneath is now closed and attached to the chicken run)

Looking at this picture, I know the ends are 3x3, so I think it must be closer to 8 feet long... seems huge in my yard so I wouldn't be surprised lol

 

[Farmin' Girl]

I keep my rabbits in seperate sections of a connected cage. Rabbits breed togoether when you least expect it, so if you aren't watching out and aren't prepared to have babies, than it might be best not to keep them together. But it is up to a rabbit's owner to decide. You can let them bond if you want to, but make sure you watch closely, and don't leave them alone.

 

[GD91]

I thought I'd post my 2 cents...

I've tried keeping my rabbits together. For some reason it works for a couple of weeks before fighting breaks out because of ONE doe who is too submissive for her own good. BUT, there is rabbit rules & rabbit manners. For a buck to repeatedly pursue a doe when she is not interested & she has made that clear, is just asking to be attacked. I have also seen immature / weaker does bullied by more mature minded / stronger does & chased around a pen just to drive the message home.
To live in a group requires a hierarchy. Rabbits are little different from chickens in the scale of the pecking order except the does are generally dominant & have the last word on mating rights & socializing. Yes, I have seen rabbit pairs take off & do very well as long as they are not 2 frustrated bucks. But I have also seen rabbit pairs where one rabbit has driven the other to injure itself in a panic. Rabbits, like chickens, do not like newcomers suddenly appearing in their pen unless its the opposite sex at the right time. Also, the rabbits hierarchy has a dominant doe. She is the doe that chases all the other does around & pulls fur out of them. She is the first to get the tasty treat or barge & snatch it from another rabbit. She is the most likely to kindle successfully & the first to drive all the rules home to any rabbit that doesn't respect them. She is usually an older doe.

The bucks are generally pretty mellow in colony settings as long as there are enough does, they don't care about much else. They actually don't run the show at all.

A rabbit/s that is used to being alone generally does not have the social skills to live in a group or the ability to sometimes even cope with it. They do not understand each other properly & often disrespect each other resulting in a fight.
Like any animal, proper socialization when they are growing up is important. Most rabbits don't get more than mating, sniffing another rabbit through wire or running around together in unknown territory.

Domestic rabbits do need their own space, even in a pairing or a group.

I hope you found this interesting