As many rabbit owners know, male bunnies can be very prone to fighting each other. In fact, I recommend that you should never keep two male rabbits together unless they have been neutered. But I get many people asking me on a regular basis if this also applies to female rabbits. People also ask very often if female rabbits fight, too.
So, do female rabbits fight? Even though female rabbits do not fight like male rabbits do, two or more females are still capable of fighting with one another. One neutered male and one spayed female usually get along better than two females or two males. Separate your rabbits as soon as possible if they begin to fight. You should always keep a pregnant rabbit by herself so that she does not get into fights.
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Will Two Female Rabbits Fight Each Other?
You may know that male rabbits are very likely to fight each other, especially if one or both are not neutered. But are female rabbits as likely to fight? It depends on the circumstances, but yes, two female rabbits are capable of fighting one another. However, female rabbits are less likely to have intense fights and fight to the death. They may also start fighting for reasons that are different than why male rabbits fight.
If two female rabbits begin fighting, you may want to try getting one or both of them spayed. But if that doesn’t work, you may want to take them to the veterinarian to make sure they do not have any health or behavioral problems that are causing the fighting. Sudden health problems or illnesses may cause rabbits to begin fighting. But if your rabbits are new to each other, they may be fighting because they were improperly introduced.
What if my Female Rabbits are Bonded and Start to Fight?
Most of the time, bonded rabbits should not start to fight all of a sudden. However, this can unfortunately happen sometimes with bonded rabbits whether they are males or females. This fighting may happen because of hormonal reasons. If this is the case, you should get one or both of your rabbits spayed.
You should also check to make sure that one of your rabbits is not ill, or even developing a serious health problem. If your two bonded female rabbits start to suddenly fight, you should consult your veterinarian. Separate your two rabbits, and then slowly attempt to get them to bond again. During this time, do not let your rabbits alone together without supervision.
Should I Spay my Female Rabbits so They get Along?
Female rabbits may fight due to hormones, and these hormones can be reduced when they are spayed. Spaying also helps with a range of behavioral problems that are caused by hormones. Getting your female rabbits spayed will also prevent them from getting certain health problems that unspayed rabbits can be prone to developing.
If you have male rabbits in the same house, female rabbits may smell them and act out due to hormonal urges. This is another reason why spaying female rabbits can keep them from fighting each other as much.
Can I Keep a Male and Female Rabbit Together?
The most important thing to know is that you should never keep a male and female rabbit together unless at least one of them has been fixed. If they are both not spayed or neutered, they will most likely breed and reproduce. This means you will be dealing with both unwanted babies, and possible health problems caused during the birth of baby bunnies.
Keeping a male and female rabbit together may mean less fighting than keeping two boys or two girls together. This is because a fixed male and a fixed female may get along better. If you are keeping three or more rabbits together, you may want to keep two females and one male instead of vice versa. This is because two males may continue to fight even if they are neutered.
What Age Should I Introduce Two Female Rabbits?
If you want to keep your female rabbits from fighting as much as possible, you should introduce them when they are very young. It is best to introduce two baby bunnies before they are 12 weeks old. And if at all possible, two female sisters from the same litter will generally get along better than two unrelated female rabbits.
However, it is still perfectly possible to introduce two female rabbits who are a little bit older. Make sure you do slow introductions in order to minimize both stress and fighting. If you introduce female rabbits too fast, they will most likely start to fight. This is why you should also keep two female rabbits in separate cages until they are bonded together.
What if my Female Rabbits Injure Each Other?
When your female rabbits begin to fight, you need to separate them either temporarily or permanently. This is so they do not injure each other. But if you are quick enough and one of them becomes injured, separate the rabbits immediately. Take the injured rabbit to the vet for treatment. This is especially important if there is a lot of blood or deep cuts.
If your rabbits are fighting to the point of injuring each other, they may fight to the death if allowed to go unchecked. While it is more common for male rabbits to fight to the death, it is still possible for female rabbits to do this in rare cases.
Should I Separate my Rabbits if They Fight?
Separating your rabbit should be the first thing you do if they start to fight each other. This is both to keep them safe, and so that you can re-introduce them so that they re-bond properly. Make sure that you always have an extra cage on hand in case you have to separate your rabbits. And when separating them, try to place the cages in different rooms. If your rabbits are in different cages but they can still smell each other, they might still be agitated.
Generally, the separation may be temporary. But if your rabbits persist in fighting, you may have to keep them permanently separated. This is especially true if your female rabbits have injured each other while fighting. If you are able to get them to bond again, they may be able to eventually live together once more. If your rabbits are able to re-bond, keep an eye out for future fights.
Will my Rabbits Fight if One is Pregnant?
If one of your rabbits happens to be pregnant, you should keep her by herself. This is because the closer she gets to giving birth to her babies, the more she will want to withdraw from her cage mate. Rabbits have a natural instinct to protect their babies. Protecting their babies often means that rabbits want to keep them hidden from other bunnies.
Other rabbits may fight a female rabbit for many reasons. Fighting while pregnant can cause significant harm to your rabbit and her unborn babies. And if your rabbit gives birth to her babies, the cage mate may kill or hurt the vulnerable newborn babies. Remember, separate your rabbit at the first sign that she may be pregnant!
Will my Rabbits Fight if They are Different Breeds?
When keeping two female rabbits together, you may wonder if they have to be of the same breed to keep them from fighting. If you introduce two rabbits properly, it shouldn’t matter if they are of different breeds. However, you should make sure that your rabbits are of similar sizes. If you are keeping a significantly large breed with a very small breed, any fighting or disagreements may end in injury for the smaller rabbit.
Conclusion
Today, we have talked about whether or not female rabbits fight each other. Female rabbits are less likely to fight than males, but it can still happen. If you are having a problem with your female rabbits fighting, leave a comment below!
Related Questions
Can you keep two male rabbits together without fighting? In order to keep two male bunnies together without them fighting, you should get them neutered. Two male bunnies may get along better if they were raised together as babies. However, you should still get male rabbits neutered if you plan to keep them together.
How many rabbits can you keep together at once? You should not keep more rabbits together than what you have cage space for. Generally, you should not exceed more than two to three rabbits per cage. If your rabbits have a very large space, such as an entire room or free range of the house, you may be able to comfortably keep more together.
What do you do if your rabbits are fighting each other? The first thing you should do is separate two fighting rabbits. This is so the rabbits do not injure each other. If left to fight, rabbits may even fight each other to the death. And if your rabbits do not stop fighting, you might have to keep them permanently separated.
