Moving indoor rabbit outside

[oldhenlikesdogs]

All domestic rabbits derive from the European rabbit, which lives in a community called a warren. Domestic rabbits love company and attention, be it from another rabbit or their people. North American cotton tails are quite anti-social and only come together for mating. Same with jack rabbits.

Do you have rabbits? Most are territorial and will fight, some can get along but it's always recommended to keep them separately unless they are neutered or have lots of room. Putting a rabbit together with another rabbit is a recipe for a bloody fight.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Do you have rabbits? Most are territorial and will fight, some can get along but it's always recommended to keep them separately unless they are neutered or have lots of room. Putting a rabbit together with another rabbit is a recipe for a bloody fight.

I have in the past, not currently. I had two that were inseparable. Even slept bunny flopped together.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have in the past, not currently. I had two that were inseparable. Even slept bunny flopped together.

I have kept mine separately because of everything I read, and have been told by more experienced keepers.

They can see each other, and nose through the wire. This past year when I had my accidental litter, I separated mom out for a few days to wean them. I tried putting her with her kits after that and she started riding them around and biting the back of their necks. I quickly separated her out again.

My males will attempt to bite each other through the fence, and they would fight to the death I believe.

I think it's a case by case basis, and depends mostly on the individual rabbits involved.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I have kept mine separately because of everything I read, and have been told by more experienced keepers.

They can see each other, and nose through the wire. This past year when I had my accidental litter, I separated mom out for a few days to wean them. I tried putting her with her kits after that and she started riding them around and biting the back of their necks. I quickly separated her out again.

My males will attempt to bite each other through the fence, and they would fight to the death I believe.

I think it's a case by case basis, and depends mostly on the individual rabbits involved.

Well, and like chickens, or dogs, horses and any other herd animal... pecking order has to be established.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Can't believe everything you read.
I've been doing colonies for few years now. Couple pics of all ages and both sexes together.
Amount of space is the key.

 

[cassie]

Well, and like chickens, or dogs, horses and any other herd animal... pecking order has to be established.

Except that rabbits are not herd animals.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Except that rabbits are not herd animals.

herd, pack, flock... whatever name you want to use... the European Rabbit is in fact a social animal that lives in a colony called a warren.

 

[BantamLover21]

Rabbits can survive very low temperatures as long as they're out of the wind and dry. However, since your rabbit is not acclimated to the cold, I probably wouldn't put him outside. Maybe if it was just barely freezing, but not single digits.

I concur that rabbits are not generally social, at least when they're sexually intact. Some people have success bonding neutered/spayed animals, which live quite happily together. A few "intact" rabbits may also coexist peacefully, but I believe that is rare. Both bucks and does are territorial and will fight viciously. I've never kept two rabbits together past four months of age (with two brothers); usually, I have to separate them by 12 weeks or they'll start biting each other. They can go from seemingly cohesive "families" to attacking each other in just a few hours.

Most rabbits will lead perfectly happy lives alone in cages with regular human attention (petting, talking, handling/training). Some don't even like this, though, and are true loners.

 

[duncan5]

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Can't believe everything you read.
I've been doing colonies for few years now. Couple pics of all ages and both sexes together.
Amount of space is the key.

This is fascinating. I have seen large groups of rabbits living together in the past. Are all these rabbits related? Did you have a time, in the beginning of your existing colony, when your rabbits fought? Rabbits behavior is amazing!