brother bunnies

Question
QUESTION: I have two brother rabbits aged 16 weeks. The vet has confirmed that they are both males. One, Harvey is much larger than his brother who was born with a dislocated hip but is much much better now, just smaller. In the last couple of days instead of being very close and snuggling up together and sharing food etc nicely , Harvey the larger of the two has started jumping all over fudge all the time and basically humping him. Fudge is wimpering and very upset but doesnt fight back but whimpers. What should I do I have only one largeish hutch so cannot seperate them easily should I do that or leave them together and let them fight their own battles. Is this normal for two brothers to try and hump each other. Harveys bits are well all out and enlarged but thenkfully I havent yet had to have the birds and the bees chat with the kids as they just think thats hes being a bully. Also they are inside the house an awful lot and have the run of the playroom. Should I stop this. Am I confusing them by having them in and out doors. With regard to litter training they are both great at weeing only in the litter boxes but poos they just do where and whenever. Harveys are huge poos and fudges are small like normal rabbit droppings. Why are they different and why wont they use the litter boxes of which they have a choice of 4 when they know to wee into them."


ANSWER: Dear Heidi,

Under no circumstances should you allow them to "fight it out."  Rabbits can fight to the death, or cause so much initial injury that death follows soon after.  Just don't let it happen.  Fighting will also eliminate any chance they have of being permanent friends.

Have both boys neutered ASAP, and that means now.  If the testicles are descended, they can be neutered by a good rabbit vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Keep them separated but able to see/smell/contact each other without fighting for a couple of weeks, until the hormones are fizzled.  Then use the bonding techniques here:

http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-a=00062824-sp00000000&sp-q=bonding&user=enter

to re-bond them carefully and patiently.

Litterbox habits will improve with neutering, too.  Please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/training.html

for tips.  Harvey's huge poops could be a health problem if that's all he produces.  If so, please write back with more details about that.

Hope this helps.

Dana


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

QUESTION: The large soquidgy poops are all harvey produces yet he seems healthy in appetite and is a real character still. Unfortunately I cannot get the boys to be operated on until 2008 as closed for all bar emergancies for the xmas holidays can you advise me on what I should do in the interim period. Thankyou

Answer
Dear Heidi,

Well, since the boys can't be neutered until 2008, you'll have to keep them physically separated so they don't fight until then.  After surgery, keep them apart until they are fully healed. and then use the bonding articles I sent you previously.  But as I said before, under NO circumstances should you allow them to fight or even get really worked up together.  Rabbits have a loooooong memory, and they do not forgive easily.


As for Harvey's big poops:

The large, marshmallowy poops can be a sign of a congenital condition we sometimes call "Cowpoop Syndrome."  It is most common in white rabbits with dark eyes, though other colors can get this, too.  There is no cure, but it is wise to have a good rabbit vet to whom you can take your bun for regular checkups to maintain and monitor his intestinal health.  You can find one here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Rabbits with this syndrome are very prone to intestinal obstructions, especially as they age.  It is *very* important to keep their intestinal contents well hydrated at all times, to avoid their weird "cowpoops" becoming desiccated, and sticking in the intestine, which is what often happens if they are not getting sufficient oral hydration.  We have had three bunnies die from this, all from intestinal blockages.  

It appears that the more pigmented spots the rabbit has, the less danger their is of intestinal obstruction.  No one has any idea why this is, but it appears that the two genetic conditions (Cowpoop and Piebalding) are somehow interrelated, and probably controlled by multiple genes (which makes it hard to figure out, as Mendel could have told you! ;)  ).

In any case, please ask the vet about getting some lactulose, an indigestible sugar that acts as an osmotic laxative.  We've found that it really helps these particular bunnies keep their poops soft and moist, which is the key to keeping them healthy.

I hope this helpsl

Dana