Many rabbit owners are concerned about their rabbits fighting. Some may even worry that their rabbits could fight to the death. And this is definitely not a situation that any pet owner wants to find themselves in. As a good rabbit owner, you want to protect your pets from any easily preventable deaths.
So, do rabbits fight to the death? Yes, this is typically common between two male rabbits who have not been neutered. While this is much less common with female rabbits, it can still happen. There is a heightened risk if one of the rabbits is a much larger breed than the other, or if one is either very young or very old. But remember, male rabbits that have not been neutered are the most likely to fight to the death.
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Will Male Rabbits Fight to the Death?
Male rabbits who have not been neutered can be very hormonal. These hormones cause rabbits to be territorial, and frequently, they will begin fighting their cage mates. This means that even previously bonded male rabbits could start fighting violently. And if you do not separate the males, they could very well fight to the death. This is especially true if you have two male rabbits together who are not neutered. If you plan to keep multiple males together in the same cage, you should consider neutering.
Neutering one or both of the males may be helpful in getting them to stop fighting. But if that doesn’t work, then you may have to keep them permanently separated. This is because serious fighting between two male rabbits may cause permanent damage to their bond. And once they start fighting, you don’t want one to end up killing the other.
Do Female Rabbits Fight to the Death?
It is much more likely for two male rabbits to fight to the death than it is for two females. However, two female rabbits can still fight to the death. If you notice that your female rabbits are fighting, you should not ignore the problem. Separate your rabbits as soon as possible, and work on having them repair their broken bond. And if your two female rabbits still fight, consider keeping them permanently separated.
Your female rabbits will be more likely to fight to death if one has the advantage over the other, such as being a larger breed or being older. Sudden introductions may also provoke female rabbits to fight each other to the death. With any gender of rabbits, you should keep an eye out for fighting. If your rabbits are fighting, you may have to separate them for their own safety.
Will a Larger Rabbit Hurt a Smaller Rabbit?
You should be cautious with keeping a large or giant breed of rabbit in the same cage with a very small one. This is because a large rabbit could easily kill a small rabbit during a fight. When choosing rabbits to keep together, try to get bunnies that are around the same size as each other.
When you decide to keep two rabbits of different sizes together, make sure you work very hard on their bonding before leaving them together without supervision. You should also make sure they have a very large cage so that the little rabbit can get away from the large rabbit easily if they would ever begin to fight.
Will a Baby Rabbit get Killed by an Older Rabbit in a Fight?
It is very common for territorial older rabbits to accidentally or purposely kill a younger, baby rabbit. This is because baby rabbits are less able to live up to a fight with an older rabbit. They are also smaller, more fragile, and more likely to be picked on. Be incredibly cautious when introducing a very young baby rabbit to an older rabbit. You should be even more careful if one or more of these rabbits is a male.
You should also remember that senior rabbits may also be more likely to get killed in a fight with another rabbit. Many elderly rabbits are frail, ill, and not able to properly defend themselves when rabbits begin to fight.
Could Sudden Introductions Cause a Rabbit to Fight to the Death?
When you bring a new rabbit home, you should introduce it slowly and gradually to the existing bunny. If you do not do a slow introduction, throwing them together suddenly may cause fighting that could result in one rabbit killing the other. This is especially true if the new arrival is a baby bunny, and therefore less able to defend itself against an adult rabbit.
Remember, keep new rabbits separated when you bring them home. Introduce rabbits to each other slowly so that they have a chance to bond properly. Sudden introductions can be catastrophic and very stressful to the bunnies. It is better to introduce them too slow than to potentially introduce your rabbits too fast!
Can You Keep Two Male Rabbits Together if They’re Not Neutered?
Sometimes, owners report no problems from keeping male bunnies together if they’re not neutered. But more times than not, unneutered rabbits will fight. This fighting stems from hormones, and instincts of being territorial. Therefore, you should not keep two male rabbits together until they are neutered. While two brothers may get along when they are very young, they will quickly grow up, become hormonal, and most likely start to fight.
Is it Safe to Ignore my Fighting Rabbits?
Do not ever ignore two or more bunnies that are fighting! You should separate them as soon as they begin fighting. This way, you will prevent your rabbits from injuring each other, or even prevent them from fighting to the death. After some separation, you should begin slowly re-introducing your rabbits to each other.
If you are dealing with rabbits who have not been spayed or neutered, you should consult a vet about getting them fixed. Getting a rabbit altered will help prevent it from fighting due to territorial or hormonal reasons.
What Happens if my Rabbits Injure Each Other?
If your rabbits have been fighting and now you notice blood or a more serious injury, your first step should be to separate them from each other for good. Once your rabbits have reached the point where they are injuring each other due to fighting, they may never again form a good bond. Keep them apart for their own protection.
Assess the injured rabbit. If there is an open wound or worse, take your rabbit to the vet as soon as you can. Unless the injury is very mild, never try to treat it by yourself at home! Keep a very close eye on the injured rabbit while it is recovering.
If my Rabbit Kills Another Bunny, Should I Put it Down?
Unfortunately, you may find yourself in a situation where your rabbits do fight to the death with no prior warning. This happens more often than people think, especially with sudden introductions. If your one rabbit has killed another bunny, you may be distraught. You may also be wondering what you should do with the surviving rabbit.
Some rabbit owners may fear that their rabbit is now a killer, and this means that they have to put it down. They may also feel angry toward their pet for doing this. But animals only act on instinct, and aren’t aware of the concepts of guilt or innocence. You shouldn’t put the surviving rabbit down, but it should live in a cage by itself for the foreseeable future.
Conclusion
Remember, you must keep your rabbits safe by taking it seriously if they start to fight. Separate fighting bunnies, and take any other actions you need to so that you make sure they do not fight to the death. If you have anything else to add about the subject of rabbits fighting to the death, please make sure to share it in the comments section.
Related Questions
Can you keep a male and female rabbit together? You should only ever keep a male and female rabbit together if one or both of them is spayed or neutered. If your rabbits are not fixed then they will mate and create babies. If properly fixed, a male and female rabbit together may get along better than a pair of males or even a pair of females.
Is it better to spay or neuter your pet rabbit? Spaying or neutering your pet rabbit will prevent it from reproducing and bringing more baby bunnies into the world. Spaying and neutering can also have many positive health and behavioral benefits. Sometimes, people alter their rabbits in order to keep them from fighting. This is especially important when it comes to male rabbits.
How do you know if your rabbits are bonded? Bonded rabbits may start doing everything together, such as sleeping, eating, etc. And when a pair of rabbits has bonded, they will start grooming each other and seem less nervous to be around each other. They may also act sad and depressed if you separate the two of them.
