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My Holland Lop

22 10:21:07

Question
Hi,
I have a Holland Lop who lives in a wonderful outdoor hutch. The problem is, I don't spend as much time with her and I am afraid she may be lonely. Can Netherland Dwarf and Holland Lops be kept together? Or does she need a friend who is also a Holland Lop? How do I introduce the two rabbits?

Answer
Dear Angie,

You're a good mom to realize that an outdoor hutch life is not ideal for a bunny, even if the hutch is big and beautiful.  

Introducing rabbits is very challenging, and must be done with extreme care to avoid potentially lethal fights.  Rabbits may look cuddly, but they fight like demons when a strange rabbit enters an established territory.  Also, both parties must be spayed/neutered before introductions, not only to prevent pregnancies (which can happen in seconds), but also to reduce the chance of fighting.

The best option here would be to bring your bunny indoors (Outdoor hutches are NOT safe, especially at night.  There is no such thing as a predator-proof hutch.) and make her a real member of the family.  There are great tips here:

http://www.rabbit.org/care/new-bunny-index.html

on everything you need to do for litterbox training, bunny-proofing, etc.  Once she's established inside, you'll wonder how you ever got along without a house rabbit!  :)  Our bunnies have free run of the house, and are never caged, and it's a joy to have them running around and enjoying themselves, begging for treats, sitting on the couch with us to watch TV or snuggling in bed.  You'll love it.  :)

Since you'll be bringing bun inside to a new territory, you can also consider allowing her to choose a neutered mate from your local rabbit rescuer:

www.rabbit.org/chapters

so they can entertain each other while you're gone.  Doing this before she's established territory inside will make bonding *much* easier.  But as I mentioned, this must be done with care, and your bunny should choose her partner--not you. The rabbit rescuer can help you with the details.

Hope this helps!

Dana