Over grooming problem

Question
QUESTION: I have two young Netherland Dwarf bucks in together for the time being(in a floored cage inside of a good building), they're around three months of age and just recently I noticed one of the bucks(the less dominant one) getting a little thin in his fur on his back. So I looked and he was missing fur, his skin was showing(bald spots). I was kinda suspicious about it and watched him for a couple days until I realized what was going on. The more dominant buck was over grooming him, I've never had this happen before with any of my pairs(temp or long term).

I only know that they may do this because they're stressed out and such, but I don't really have the knowledge of how to find out the stress inducer. But I plan on taking the one with the scabs inside until he's fully healed.

But for now, the rabbit has like four scabs on his back and a little bald spot(where this rabbit certainly can't reach like that) and he's separated physically until I get the money to go to the vet for him and get him checked out. But I was wondering what else I can do to get his healing a bit more underway and if his fur will grow back in normally at all? He was going to be a show boy, but now he might not be able to.

These rabbits are on feed all my other are on: unlimited timothy hay, and timothy pellets(Oxbow) with greens(romaine and curly kale) and some oats(plain, old fashioned) thrown in. The two young boys don't get many greens yet, they're just getting introduced to them. I don't usually feed the rabbits sweets and have not given them any to date.

Thanks,
Alley

ANSWER: Hi Alley:

Your two bucks need to be separated immediately.  Bucks should not be left together beyond the age of 8 weeks.

Between the age of 10-12 weeks, bucks become sexually mature and once they are, they will fight.  Often they will castrate one another (rip the testicles off one another) and at times, will fight to the death.

Based on your description, only one buck has become sexually mature and the other (the one who is losing fur) has not.  He will soon (any day) and when he does, the fighting will begin.

They need to be separated immediately - I cant begin to stress how dangerous it is to leave two bucks of this age together.

What you are seeing is dominance and control, not grooming and it will worsen until one or both of the bucks is badly hurt or worse.

Given the signs you are seeing, I would not leave them together for even one more day - it's just too risky.

I hope this helps.

Best of luck with them.

Lisa L.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I separated them when I discovered his injuries anyway, since I feared over grooming.

But don't take this the wrong way.. I just don't think you're right about what you're saying about the maturity thing... All my other bucks have always reached maturity at or around 5 to 6 months of age, and actually they were pretty fine together outside of their cages(under supervision) up until they reached five months of age when they started mounting each other aggressively. But when they were younger they enjoyed outside time together.

Small breed bucks don't become sexually mature until around five months of age to my knowledge, and my hardly three month old bucks most certainly can't be early bloomers because their testicles have not dropped. I also know it's recommended to keep them in with their mother until around 12 weeks just in case they're not quick to move over to solid foods, so I don't know how it can be possible for the bucks to become sexually mature at three months when they often are with their mum in a good breeder's situation during that age.

I don't see them fighting, heard them fighting, or smelled them spraying. Also the other buck has no injuries what so ever to speak of. I've seen two rabbits fight, both of them would have fur missing and tossed everywhere. There was no fur flying, there's no aggressiveness between the two bucks. I do know they clean each other constantly, often they'll clean each other's ears, face, and everything like that while I'm around to watch. I spend a lot of time with my buns and I watch them, I already know the dangers of having two bucks in the same cage unaltered but when they're this young I don't believe what you're saying is entirely true. At least for Netherlands.

But what I really need to know is what type of anything I could possibly put on the scabs to help him heal until I can get him to the vets. I could really use the knowledge, I was looking at Neosporin without that 'pain relief'. I'm sure the vet will just put him on baytril like's he's done with a few other rabbits I've brought to him(and oddly enough, he's a registered rabbit savvy vet with rabbits.org). Or if there's even some sort of lotion for his skin that isn't covered by fur, so he doesn't get any dry skin in this hot air.

Thanks,
Alley

Answer
Hi Alley:

On average, I breed 1000 rabbits a year and have been doing so for 25 years now.

I have had bucks as young as 10 weeks father litters and regularly use 12 week old bucks to father litters.  It is true - they do reach sexual maturity that young.  That does not mean that the testicles drop and they become agressive immediately, it just means that they have live sperm and are capable of impregnating a doe.  Bucks do not have to have dropped testicles to be sexually mature.  The testciles drop based on the bucks growth and age, not sexual maturity.  I know many breeders who have accidental litters becuase they didn't see testicles on the buck and therefore thought they could not do the deed - but they can.

Even my florida whites, that are only 5 pounds full grown, have fathered litters at 3 months old.

Some begin to show signs of agression the moment their sexual hormones become active, while others stay docile for another month or two.  The thing is - you never know and its not worth the risk of leaving them together to find out.  Things can change in a moment and it doesn't take long for a fatal injury to happen. I learned (the hard way) that they are capable of doing serious damage to one another as young as 10 weeks of age if the hormones kick in.

If you are comfortable letting your bucks have some outside play time together and they get along well, then that's perfectly ok, but its important to realize that if you also allow a young doe to play with them, the bucks can impregnate them long before you can see testicles.

The best product you can apply to the skin is called "Vetericyn".  It's sold at most large pet stores and at most feed and grain stores.  You can also buy it online.

It works amazingly well for any type of wound anywhere on the animal.

Here is a link so you can see what it looks like:
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&q=vetericyn

Neosporin is fine to put on any area that the rabbit cannot reach while grooming.  It should not be applied to any area that could be licked off.  Ingesting it would disrupt the intestional biota and result in the rabbit having cecal dysbiosis.

If the sores are scabbing and showing signs of healing, there is actually no need to put anything on it.  Letting them air dry would be the best thing.  If they are red and not healing or showing any signs of infection, than vetericyn would be the best choice.

Best of luck with your buns!  Hope I added clarification to my first message.  Please let me know if you need any more help.

Lisa L.