Got questions about human behavior? Bunny behavior? Ask Eddie. You'll get a reply directly and we'll include it here for the benefit of everyone else.

     Pleased to meet everybody! I spent 8 months in a shelter before being adopted into my loving forever home in 2007, So I've met many bunnies and humans and have a lot of info that I am happy to share. Thanks for picking me, Peegie! Your column is the best and I'll do all I can to keep it going! But first, a hay snack...

Please send your questions to eddie@3bunnies.org and I'll do my best to help you.

Hi Eddie,

    Can two male rabbits be kept together or is it true they will kill each other?

Hello Sheri,

    The answer lies in their personalities. While it is true that two "alpha" males will constantly fight for dominance, if one of the pair is more laid back, it is possible for two males to get along. I have read about many devoted bonded male pairs over the years. If both rabbits are neutered (as all adult rabbits should be for health reasons), they will be calmer, which helps.

    If you already have a male rabbit, the best way to know for sure that he will get along with another male is to bring him on a "bunny date" at a rescue, so that experienced volunteers can let you know from the rabbits' behavior if they will get along. They will know the personalities of the rabbits they have for adoption and let you know which would get along best with your rabbit.

     If you already have two males, keep them seperated until they are neutered, and then only have them together when you are able to watch them every second so you can seperate them if they start fighting. Again, a local rabbit rescue often has volunteers who can help with the bonding process. If you'd like more info on bonding rabbits, the 3 Bunnies website has links to excellent articles, or you can feel free to write back with any more questions.

     Hope that helps!

Thanks for writing,

Eddie

Dear Eddie,

    I got two Netherland Dwarf rabbits from a breeder in Stafford, CT. Originally I had asked for one male from her available litter of three, and after reading up on the breed I called her back and asked if I could also get one of the females from the litter. I planned on spaying and neutering them but had read that litter mates are more successful living together and would be great company for one another. On the day I got them I was concerned in the difference in size among littermates, the male was really small compared to the two females, the breeder said that the male was just really small and that at first she didn't think he was going to make it. She had told me on the phone that the females were white with gray ears, and when I went to pick them up the females were all white. Not liking confrontation, I didn't question her on the discrepancy. I brought the bunnies home and for awhile they got along great. Then around 10 weeks they started trying to mount each other, though at the wrong end. I made the appointment to neuter the male only for the vet to inform me he was a she. I checked the other rabbit myself and confirmed it too, was a female.

    Shortly, there after, the larger white female started to bite the little black female, until I finally had to divide the two story cage down the center. Another breeder said that littermates would not mount each other that way and that more than likely they were from two seperate litters. It is very difficult now providing playtime as they have to be seperate and the dominant female will mark her territory everywhere when she is out despite using litterboxes placed in her cage and also in the play area. When it is her turn to be out she won't stay out long. She'll come out for bit, nose around, mark her territory, and then go back in her cage and lie down. Other times she'll run around like a happy and content bunny.She has an appointment to be spayed April 29, and I am hoping this will help her to stop being so darn territorial.

    My question is - once she is spayed, can they ever play together again??? She really seems to want to be with the other rabbit, and acts up when the other one is out. She even chews on the door of the cage to let me know that she too wants out at the same time. But unfortunately I still catch her now and again trying to bite the other rabbit through the divider in the cage, of course she can't get to her, but she still tries. The smaller black rabbit will be spayed soon too, but due to her small size I am waiting a couple of extra weeks because I am so afraid of something going wrong when they put her under. I am afraid to put them together to play because the white female breaks the skin on the black female when she bites and I don't want my baby hurt. I hope you can answer my question and give me any advice on making play times easier. Please note that of the two rabbits the black female is much more trusting and friendly towards us. The white female hates to be picked up, petted, and bites even when wrapped in a towel during nail trimming. I am trying to gain her trust but she only seems to tolerate me while I clean her house, litterbox, and food dishes. They have tons of toys and I constantly rotate them to ward off boredom and still the white female if very destructive and would rather spend her time marking everything with pee!

Sincerely,

Mary S.

Hello Mary,

    It can be difficult to bond two females, whether from the same litter or different ones, because they both tend to want to be "the boss" in the relationship. Mounting is an expected and natural part of the bonding process, a way they work out their relationship, and should only be discouraged if one or both rabbits start fighting or biting the other. You are absolutely doing the right thing to get them both spayed, as over 90 percent of females who have not been spayed develop uterine cancer by the time they are 4 years old.

     Spaying them will also help them have calmer personalities and may help with them being territorial, but some rabbits are just bossy and territorial spayed or not. As you know, they're all lovable no matter what their personality is like!

     Yes, you can gradually bond both rabbits once they've both been spayed. Since one is biting the other, it's smart to continue housing them apart but still near each other. I'm glad you give them both "out" time from their cages as that's so important for exercise and socialization with humans. Here is a link to the section of the 3Bunnies website on bonding bunnies, which has a lot of great information and links to additional helpful articles on bonding: http://www.3bunnies.org/bonding.htm

     Try to closely supervise and separate the bunnies when they are together to try and prevent the black one's skin from getting broken (which can be tough to do, I know). Skin breaks can become infected and become a big health problem.

     Please note that it can take weeks to a couple of months for the hormones - which drive the more aggressive behavior - to calm down. Also, please don't worry, an experienced rabbit vet won't have a problem spaying a mature rabbit (12 weeks and older), even a very small one. I would share with the vet that it sounds like that rabbit was the "runt" of the litter. Hope all goes well for you and both bunnies!

Thanks for writing,

Eddie

Dear Eddie,

    Hello ,my name is Liz and I am a new bunnie owner...YEAH!!!!!!! my question is l have 2 male bunnies and they are around 2 to 3 months old and they seem to be enjoying each others company.. Here goes the questions ...ready.... how old before neutering? Will they be okay to keep together after neutering ? They really seem tom get along well and i would like to keep them that way if they go to the vets together and get neurtered the same day will the bond still be there???? they are starting to chase each other but no fighting as of yet....Help i really need to do what is right for nthem I can not keep both if they must be separated because of the space in my home I originally took them to save their lives...i have only had them for 3 days and they are cute and fun one really is and has a wonderful personality the other is a bit more scared and then pushie...help me do whats right for them..

    Thank you for your time and the wed site is very informational for people like me who need and seek your knowledge and expertise....

     Sincerly, Liz M.

     p.s. the boys are both white one with small grey spots and the other has black spoits and is a rex someone said?

Dear Liz,

    Congratulations on your bunnies! Rabbits generally are mature enough to be spayed by 12 weeks old. If you can swing it, it's best to have them neutered at the same time, or if not, have them go together to each one's neuter. If you separate them to neuter them, they will not smell the same to the other when they return from the vet, and their bond will be broken.

     You are right to keep a close eye on them as simple chasing can turn to aggression as they get older before they are neutered.

     Don't give up on the scared/pushy bunny, especially since you just brought them home. It takes some bunnies longer than others to settle in and get comfortable in a new home. I agree, 3 Bunnies has a wonderful website loaded with information. If you should have to separate the bunnies, you can do it it with x-pens so that it doesn't take up that much space. Here is a link from the 3Bunnies site to an excellent article about different ways to arrange indoor bunny enclosures (scroll down to cage/housing FAQ):

     http://www.3bunnies.org/housing.htm

     As far as their breed, rex rabbits have very short, silky fur and can be many different colors. Thanks for writing, and please feel free to write back if you have any more questions!

Thanks for writing,

Eddie

Dear Eddie,

     I have a rex rabbit, he is about 15 weeks old. We thoroughly enjoy having him as a part of the family. The kids named him, so of course his name is Thumper.

     My problem is the biting. He has free roam of the house, we are working on litter training, but he is a biter. This morning he jumped up on the couch with me (for the first time ever) and we played. He loves his cat toy, round hair ties, I give him treats, pet him and love him. While he was on the couch with me, he kept biting me. Over and over. He has bit all of my children. - don't understand why. If I lay on the floor with him, he goes nuts (in a good way). Then starts biting me. He will lick me, then bite me. I have read a lot of articles and literature, but nothing seems to give a step by step guide on how to cure this problem. Please help, I'm tired of being a chew toy.

Thumpers Mom

Kari

Hello Thumper's Mom!

    I am so happy to hear that Thumper has free roam of the house, is spending time with you and is so loved. Now about the biting...

     My advice is: 1. Get Thumper neutered by a rabbit savvy vet if you haven't already done so. A lot of biting comes from raging hormones. When he's licking and biting you, to him he is giving "love nips" (this is actually a form of grooming and a sign of affection). Even if he has been neutered, it can take weeks to several months to settle down.

     2. Keep track of what is happening between the kids and you and Thumper just before he bites--could he be feeling threatened, or upset that his food or stuff - are being messed with?

Does he feel trapped with no escape?

     Whatever the reason, when Thumper bites, the best thing to do is squeal. Not shreik - it will scare him - just a little "eek" to let him know he hurt you. Saying "no" won't help, nor will any sort of physical punishment (not that I think you would do this, just wanted to cover all the bases). I bit a lot when I was first adopted, and the "eek" worked for me. I was startled at first, but the most I do now is put my teeth on my human's hand - without biting down. I'm still a bit bossy and do this to try to get my human to feed me, another reason rabbits nip or bite.

     I know you said you did online research, so forgive me if you've already read this, but it is a really good article that goes into more detail on what I've mentioned above:

     http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/aggression.html

    Hope this helps. Thanks for writing, and feel free to write again if you have more questions!

Thanks for writing,

Eddie

Hi Eddie,

     I'm in Dallas Tx. 2 days ago I came upon an new baby bunny nest in my herb garden - small 8x10 patch - peeked inside gently to confirm life. I peeked inside today because I don't really see evidence that Mom has been there, but, saw wiggly activity inside. I know there is at least 1 baby. Question... what can I do to confirm that Mom is coming back? I've tried to arrange foliage around the nest to confirm activity but I'm not real sure she's been there . Can I place something from my fridge to attract Mom back?

Jackie M.

Hi Jackie,

     It's hard to resist, but the best thing to do for wild bunnies is to leave them alone. Easier said than done when they are right in the middle of your garden, but every time you touch the nest or anything near it, you leave a strange scent that may put the mother rabbit off. It would not be a good idea to place anything in the nest to entice her back.

     other rabbits usually don't spend a great deal of time with their babies in the wild because they don't want to draw the attention of predators.

     Please read this information from our website:

     http://www.3bunnies.org/wildlife.htm

Thanks for writing, and if you have any other questions, please let me know!

Eddie

Hi,

     I am new to the bunny world and have read just about everything on this site, and was wondering if you could answer a few questions I have. I'm sort of long-winded, so please bear with me:

     I have two baby bunnies. I bought the first one, Rusty, 2 weeks ago. He's a Holland Lop, 10 ½ weeks old and just about the most adorable little orange bunny ever. He has been very quick to learn how to use the litter box, and has managed to keep his bathroom habits to the cage, which is a huge blessing. Because he's such a great bunny at not turning the whole house into his own personal bathroom, he's been allowed free run of the living and dining room areas, which in our house, amount to almost the same space.

     Elias, our other bunny, we just got this Monday, when the breeder of Rusty said that the litter was old enough to go home with us, so he's 6 weeks old. He is ¼ New Zealand, ¼ Californian, and ½ Giant Checkered. He's actually pretty good about the litter box already, and it's only really been two days. I haven't really let him out of his cage, except to go into the “playpen” area that I had made that is in front of the cage doors. He doesn't get to go into that for too long, because it just sits on the carpet, and I want to make sure he know where is litter box is and to use it when necessary.

     Originally, Rusty had the whole cage to himself. It's 28” wide by 58” long and is made with those NIC cubes and a piece of plywood with laminate on it. the edges under the laminate are raised using 1”x1” pieces of wood, to make a lip, so it there are accidents they are contained in the cage.

     Since we got Elias, have divided the cage in half, so that each has on side of the cage to themselves. They have no problems so far when in their sides, and I even have caught them sitting butt-to-butt against the barrier between them, which is also made out of the NIC cube sections. The problem occurs when they are together in the playpen and investigating each other without any barriers. They start the usual sniffing, then they start acting aggressively, in that it looks like that are trying to bite each other or something. I immediately separate them when I see this happen. Am I going to fast with introducing them to each other? I was sort of hoping that because they are both babies, and Rusty hadn't been in our house for very long, that they would become friends sooner, but maybe Rusty has already marked the living room and dining room as his? Should I pretend like Rusty has been here for months or years, and take them to a room that neither has been in to introduce them to each other?

     If I give rusty something else to pay attention to, like some lettuce, he ignores Elias completely, but the second that distraction is gone, it's like he realizes there's another bunny in “his territory.” I let them both into the playpen before I go to work, so it's about ten of fifteen minutes that they are together in a space that they can actually get to each other in. and then when I get home from work, I repeat this action. Another question: should I remove the pen part that is outside their cage doors?

     I guess I just want to know if I should slow down a bit, or if the pace I have set it okay. Any advice would be wonderful. I just don't want to go to quickly and end up with bunnies that hate each other or hurt each other all the time.

Thanks,

Anna M.

Hi Anna,

     Sounds like you really want to do the best to ensure a long and happy life for Elias and Rusty together!

     Generally, getting two males, especially two non neutered males, to bond successfully can be trickier than with a male and female. That said, there are plenty of devoted male/male pairs in the bunny world.

     Your instinct to take things slow is absolutely right. You are also absolutely right that they need to spend limited time together in “ neutral” territory, which would be someplace in your home where neither one has been before. This can include a closet or a bathroom, as long as there is enough space for you to closely supervise them. I suggest offering food to both of them at the same time to see if they will eat side by side. It's also important to do this in order to treat them equally—giving them the same things at the same time will curb any jealousy between them from one not getting something the other has.

     “ Ignoring” is actually not a bad sign, it means they are aware of each other's presence and are tolerating it.

     What might make bonding Rusty and Elias a lengthier process is that at 10 ½ weeks, Rusty is very close to the age bunnies are old enough to be neutered (12 weeks). His hormones may already be kicking in, increasing his territoriality and aggression.

     Here's what I would recommend. In 6 more weeks, Elias will also be ready to be neutered. I would keep their interaction as you are doing it now for that time period, then have them both neutered at the same time (riding in separate crates, unless someone can be with them and separate them if they start fighting). Once they are both neutered, their territoriality and aggression will decrease and the bonding should go a lot smoother.

     If you bond them now and then take them separately to be neutered, their bond is almost certain to break. Bonded rabbits who are separated and then reunited after being in different places no longer smell the same to each other, and even longstanding relationships can be destroyed this way.

     Just a caution: even though you neuter them both, there is no guarantee that they will become best of friends. Just like people, some bunnies love each other at first sight, some grow to love each other, but some never will. Taking it very slowly and gradually is absolutely the key. I'm glad you are reading the articles on our site, because the bonding articles are excellent and offer great advice. One other thing I would suggest is when they are together to continue as you are to be there then entire time, but buy a very small squirt gun to spray if they get overly aggressive—just a light mist to get their attention, no need to wet them down.

     I am including links to a couple of articles you might want to check out on bonding (the first one specifically addresses male/male pairs, and the second two may be on our site, but I think they have excellent info):

     http://www.wisconsinhrs.org/Articles/Bunny%20Brawl.htm

     http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-4/tough-bonding.html

     http://www.rabbitsinthehouse.org/match2.htm

     Hope this helps! Thanks for writing, and if you have any other questions, please write again!

Thanks for writing,

Eddie

Dear Eddie,

     My 12 year old bunny is recovering from sinusitis, and the antibiotic upset his belly so he has been not feeling well for about a few weeks, but he is definitely feeling better day by day, acting more alert and more eager to eat. Anyway for the past week I notice he has been lying on his side with his eyes closed, or totally stretched out eyes closed. He only does this in his cage and has never done this before his whole life. Of course it startles me, but when I approach him and start talking he jumps right up and hops over to me thinking I am feeding him. Should I be worried?

    Thank you.

Michelle

    Hi Michelle,

     As we bunnies get older, we rest more, and sometimes in ways we didn't do when we were younger. If we lie stretched out on our sides, we rabbits are usually quite comfortable, especially when we're in a place we feel secure, like a cage or hidey box. Older bunnies use a lot more energy to get well from illnesses, so he may just be getting the rest he needs to recover.

     If your bunny becomes less alert, isn't eating/pooping/peeing as much, or ever sits bunched up, grinding teeth loudly and/or eyes are bulging, bring him to a rabbit savvy vet ASAP.

     It's great that you keep a close watch on your bunny's behavior, especially as he gets older. Trust your gut - if he doesn't look comfortable as he rests, contact your vet to let them know about this new behavior, to see what they have to say. If your bunny ever needs an antibiotic again, you might want to ask your vet about giving a probiotic, or about giving medicine that can coat his stomach so the antibiotic is less irritating.

     Most medicines can be compounded, if there is a compounding pharmacy in your area. The medicine is mixed in a flavored liquid suspension that most bunnies love, and might be also gentler on your bunny's stomach. Compounded medicine can be more expensive, but worth checking into!

     Best wishes for many more happy years with your elder bunny. Please write back if you have any more questions.

Thanks for writing,

Eddie

Dear Eddie,

     Hi There,

     My name is Katelyn Gibbons and I own three very unique and silly female rabbits. The reason I am emailing is because when I received 2 of my rabbits (Mocha and Latte) They were in a cage together, as they were also bought together by their previous owner. I was wondering if I should put my rabbits into different cages, because they are not altered. They are the same gender but I am not sure if eventually this will cause problems.

    Thank you.

Katelyn G.

Hi Katelyn,

     If Mocha and Latte are not aggressive to each other (boxing, biting, growling, chasing and/or fur pulling) while in their cage, I would recommend keeping them together. While it's unusual for unaltered female rabbits to get along, perhaps they were littermates - or they may just like each other very much! If they sleep side by side or groom each other, I would definitely not split them up.

     If they are 12 weeks old or older, please get them altered by a rabbit savvy vet as soon as possible - reproductive cancers are almost 100% in female rabbits over 3 years old. If they get along, you should bring them together for the surgery (even if you are doing one at a time), as if they get separated by going to the vet, one will smell different to the other and they will no longer get along.

     You don't mention, but hopefully all 3 of your bunnies spend plenty of time outside of their cages in a bunnyproofed area so they can play and exercise.

     Hope this answers your questions. Thanks for writing, and feel free to write again with any further questions. Hoping you and your bunnies have a long, happy life together!

Thanks for writing,

Eddie

Hi Eddie,

     My bunny died after a week i got it, this was a year ago. I was devestated.

     I still cant stop guessing the reason for its death. Is it because I gave it as much food n water as it wants or did it get sick after I tried giving it a shower.

     Or, did it come with a disease from the pet shop? It was shaking mildly and wanted to be left alone the night before it died.

     Please help me with the possible reasons for its death so I'll get over it soon.

Sina

Sina,

     I'm so sorry you lost your bunny.

     Many times bunnies at pet stores are ill but don't show any signs until they are brought home. We bunnies are very good at hiding illness until it's very serious.

     This is just one reason why it's so much better to adopt - bunnies at shelters and rescues have been checked out and treated for any - illnesses.

     Unfortunately, many times there is no way to know why a bunny has died.

     There may have been more than one reason.

     The vet can perform an autopsy, but sometimes even this doesn't show the reason.

     If you ever get another bunny however, please never give it a bath or shower. Like cats, rabbits can clean themselves just fine. If their bottom is soiled enough to need a bath, there is a health problem that needs immediate vet attention.

     Rabbits who are given baths or showers often go into fatal shock.

     Don't know from your message how long after the shower your rabbit died, so I don't know if that caused it or not.

     All you can do is remind yourself that at the time you did the best you could for your bunny. If you ever get another bunny, there is a lot of great information on the 3 Bunnies website you can check out, and feel free to write with any questions.

Thanks for writing.

Eddie

Hi,

     I have a rabbit that paces back and forth at the rear of his cage excessively. Do you, by any chance, know why he is doing this? Thanks,

Claire B.

Hi Claire,

     Many of us bunnies get really bored if we spend too long in our cages. We have a lot of energy to burn, and when we are kept in a cage, we do things like pacing. We need as much "out" time as possible in bunny proof spaces. Ideally, we would spend all our time "free run" (I do, and I love it!). But if that's not possible, try to make sure your bun has at least 5-6 hours a day out of their cage, if not longer.

     If you need bunny proofing ideas to make this happen, just let me know.

     Also, a bigger cage might help. Some people use dog crates (the big black box looking pens) or even "x pens" - the gold colored dog exercise pens. These are great because they give more space - they're not closed on top, so it would be important to get one high enough that your bunny can't jump over and "escape". Still other people put together bunny condos from Neat Ideas cubes. If you want more info, just let me know.

     If your bun already has a large enclosure, try adding more bunny safe toys - pet stores now carry a large variety of wood toys. An online store called Busy Bunny carries a huge variety of wonderful chew toys made of willow. If your bunny likes to toss things, a small plastic Slinky or a set of hard plastic baby keys would be great. If they like to dig, a pile of scarves or a phone book would be great. If he loves to chew, toilet paper or paper towel rolls stuffed with hay are usually a hit. Experiment with a few things and see what works and what doesn't. There is a link on the 3Bunnies site that has great info on toys for rabbits that you might want to check out.

     If your bunny already has a lot of "out" time, a big enclosure and plenty of toys, it might be possible he's not well. Look for signs like decreased appetite and droppings, and signs of pain like sitting hunched and loudly crunching teeth in pain. If he seems "off" to you in other ways, a trip to the vet may be in order just for piece of mind.

     Hope that covers everything, and that your bunny and you have al ong and happy life together!

Eddie

Hi.

     I'm kinda new to owning a rabbit and been checking around to see how to raise one. So far she's showing all the signs of being a happy and healthy bunny. I've read about rabbit behavior and I know the chin rub is marking territory. My rabbit does that mostly to my hands and feet. Does this mean she thinks I'm the pet or just saying I'm her faviorte chew toy? Cause she does like to nip then run away binking :)

Hello,

     Great questions! Your bunny sounds very happy. Usually we guy bunnies "chin" stuff--or humans--to claim them as ours and no one else's! See, we have scent glands under our chins, and when we rub them against something (or somebody), they leave our scent (only us bunnies can smell it tho, humans can't). I've never heard of a female doing this--but anything's possible!

     Your bunny is playing a great game with you when she nips and runs away. As long as she's not hurting you when she nips, you should join in her game - try to "chase" her (walk behind her slowly or even better get on the floor), and see if she keeps binkying away from you. If she looks like she's getting scared (if she runs zigzag away and hides or "freezes" in one place), then just keep the game to the nip and run away.

     Hope you have many happy and healthy years with your bunny!

Eddie

Hello,

     First of all, I want to thank you for having such a wonderful website! It is so thorough and informative in such a friendly way, so thanks!

     Our family rescued Stuart (a medium sized bunny) one year ago. He is 18 months old and we love him to pieces. We have a large cage for him that he is in every night. During the day throughout winter, we let him out of his cage in the house to roam for most of the day, if not all. He did some serious damage through chewing and peed and pooped in the corner but always outside of his litter box. This is the same style litterbox we use in his cage and he does just fine with it in the cage but not out. ???

     I thought we were doing the right thing, now that the weather is nicer, in bringing Stuart outside first thing in the morning and letting him exercise all day. We always bring him in at night, even if that means chasing him for a few minutes. After reading through your site, and learning that you recommend bunnies living indoors only, I wonder if we are doing the wrong thing? Our yard is fenced in, which keeps him safe, though he's smart and figured out how to dig holes underneath and has gotten out numerous times. Let's just say all of our neighbors know Stuart and enjoy the comedy show we put on when my husband and I chase him from yard to yard in hopes of capturing him. When he is in the yard, he seems happy, running and jumping and will even hop up to us and our kids for some 'lovin'. Should I not be letting him outside at all? I don't like the idea of a hutch (had one with bunnies when I was younger and racoons were smart enough to work the latch system and killed them.). I thought the fenced in yard was a safe place for him.

     Lastly, Is our Stuart too old to be neutered? He is a rather energetic bunny and does chew, bite often. and humps things as often as he can! Poor guy, he is probably miserable not producing offspring!

     Thanks for reading our lengthy email!

Nikki T.

Hi Nikki,

     Glad you like our website - I agree it has lots of great information. Congratulations for saving a wonderful bunny's life! Sounds like Stuart and your family are a great match.

     You're right, I and my friends at 3 Bunnies believe very strongly that all bunnies should be kept indoors. As you've mentioned, Stuart has "escaped" several times by digging underneath the fence, and one day you might not be lucky enough to catch him.

     Some noises, sights and sounds outdoors can be terrifying to bunnies. We've heard from devastated people of bunnies dying of heart attacks from having crows or animals come near their enclosures or yards, even if they can't get in and attack them.

     In the winter, a bunny's water supply can freeze, and if we can't drink like we should, our kidneys get permanently damaged. Even worse for us bunnies is heat. When we are out in temperatures above 70 degrees, we can't sweat, and with our big fur coats we get overheated quickly, and can die from heatstroke.

     That said, there's no reason why Stuart couldn't enjoy some supervised playtime when it's cool enough for him to be outdoors. All the fun and none of the danger!

     You should absolutely get Stuart neutered! 18 months is definitely not too old for a rabbit to be neutered. At 3 Bunnies, we have taken in rabbits as old as 6 years who we have had neutered, as long as they are healthy otherwise! You may find that a lot of the excessive chewing, humping and biting (which may be from hormones) will improve once he's neutered. Make sure to mention Stuart's peeing outside the box to your rabbit savvy vet as peeing outside the box, as it can be a sign of illness. If he's fine otherwise (eating, drinking, pooping, peeing and energetic), he could simply be marking his territory.

     However, some bunnies don't always stop chewing excessively/humping/biting after being neutered. Stuart sounds like such a wonderful family bunny otherwise, and these behaviors can be successfully addressed. You might want to check our website links on fun and safe chew toys, as well as bunny proofing ideas.

     It's wonderful that Stuart is a free run bunny indoors during the daytime. It's so important for bunnies to get exercise and not get bored, and we have deeper bond with our humans when we are free to interact with them.

     Thanks so much for writing Nikki, and if you have any other questions, feel free to write again! I wish you, your family, and Stuart many happy years together.

Eddie

Hi,

     I have an 8 month old German Lop who has been spayed, though she does have a lot of attention off me, is it worth getting her another rabbit for a companion, so she has rabbit contact not just human. If so what type of rabbit is best i.e male or female.

     Many thanks

Craig K.

Hi Craig,

     Most of the time we bunnies love to have a companion, especially for times when our human is away at work. For a spayed female, a neutered male usually is the best choice for a companion. However, some females get along great with other females, and then there are rabbits who would rather have their humans all to themselves, like me. Others are just so bossy that it's better that they are an only bun (again, like me!)

     I suggest you contact a rabbit rescue in your area to arrange some "bunny dates", which are closely supervised visits between your bunny and a potential mate. From there you can see if your rabbit likes any of the other rabbits, and vice versa.

     Rescues can also give advice and help on the bonding process. The length of the process depends on the bunnies involved. Here's a link from the 3 Bunnies website to information about rabbit companions:

     http://www.3bunnies.org/bonding.htm

     Thanks for writing, and feel free to write again with additional questions!

Eddie