Trying to keep four month old sisters together

heirlooms777

I have rabbits and I am trying to keep them together a little longer, but they are fighting. I think it is my fault, as I keep moving them around. They are French angora fiber rabbits. Suggestions?

—Christina

Michelle D

Are you sure that they are fighting and not just playing? On occasion rabbits will play by nipping at each other.

What do you mean by moving them around, are you changing where they are being contained?

heirlooms777

@Michelle D I right now have Stardust and Moonlight, the smallest two bunnies, in one huge cage (four cages together); the nippy one, Stardust, in a four cage long one by herself, and, Sunshine, my favorite and the one scared of the nippy one (she was the dominate one, very nice bunny) inside in their original two story rabbit home in a room I make cold in the home. I would like them together until they have babies (and after weaning if it works), but they run around trying to get on top of each other, and the nippy one actually is trying to pull out hair. I may sell Starlight, as she seems to want to be alone anyway since I brought the sisters home. I’m wanting to get into breeding them, and I am newbie, so I know I am messing up, not the sweet bunnies. I have trouble picking up any rabbits living with other rabbits (I’m thinking because they have each other they don’t want to be with anyone else), and even have trouble lifting the nippy one. Sunshine is fine and very social since she has been alone, and looks happy. They are angoras, so they have to be picked up often, every other day to every day, to be groomed for their fur. I have never clipped their nails this month I have had them as I don’t know how, something about putting them on a table and using a flashlight. I think I am stressing myself out by trying to keep them together. Suggestions? —Christina

Michelle D

@heirlooms777 I know that fighting can happen if they feel stressed or like there is competition for something. It could be something as simple as they don't like the feed they have. They could need more space to each have an area they can dominate. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of advice for you. I didn't make effort to keep adults together. If they fought I just separated them. I know that there are tricks that work at times but I never mastered any of them. I did reach out to the person that helped me get started with breeding rabbits. I was told that usually it isn't worth trying to keep them together. That probably isn't what you want to hear. Sorry! I hope you can figure out something that works well for you and your babies.