Pregnant or just crazy?

by Jonix
(Laos)

Perky, our generic grey cotton-tail-looking rabbit was supposed to be a boy and a good companion for Droopy (a fuzzy american lop). When we noticed some intimate mating behavior between the friends, we were surprised. Secretly I hoped they were in a same sex relationship. Now it appears that Perky is in the "family way". Snorting, grunting, biting, eating enormous quantities, and bouncing around the cage at intervals, before snuggling back down for a nap with Droopy.


We guess she is at least 21 days pregnant. She used to be the friendly one, but now I can't get close enough to her to palpate her tum. Droopy is smug, and a lot more relaxed than before. Perky keeps tearing at loose paper, and plastic. She disassembles the litter box when she gets on one of her digging frenzies. Droopy just stares at her like she is insane. He is being great, trying to use the litter box, when it is not occupied territory, but the cage (at least 4 feet x 4 feet) is not the tidy place it used to be. Now there are toilet messes everywhere.

So after diligently reading all the great information on your site, I did the obvious thing. I put in a nesting box, full of hay and soft towels at the bottom. She peed in it. I took it out and put hay and towels in the cage... the bad behavior continued, I put the nesting box back in. She peed in it (not just a bit...a lot).

They are getting along...but should I separate them now? Is Perky just insane or having problems with personal space? Any advice for a first time rabbit owner?

***** Karen Sez *****
Yeah, crazy! (Teasing, lol) You tell a good story, thanks for sharing.

Hard to tell from over here what exactly is happening.

You'll have to help me out a little - catch the silly doe, flip her over and discover whether or not she is indeed a doe. (She'll get over it.)

With a doe that isn't ready for the nest box, you may as well simply wait for another few days before putting it in. And when you do, skip the towels and give her hay or grasses or shavings or straw as nesting materials.

Perky's and Droopy's trysts won't stop when the babies arrive, so your best bet, unless you think you'd enjoy MORE babies in 30-32 days from the kindling of the first litter, is to remove Droopy now. The 'lovers' will be fine apart - they're rabbits, not people. When to reintroduce? 31 days before you'd like more kits.

Lastly, do you suppose Perky really is a dude? Bucks will assert their dominance by humping other bucks. If the other buck doesn't like it, then a major conflagration ensues, sometimes to the death. But, if the personalities are right, say, a dominant buck and a submissive buck, they might manage to hammer out an uneasy truce. That's why you should probably check Perky's business end, just to be sure. Need help? See https://www.raising-rabbits.com/sexing-rabbits.html


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Mar 15, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		Probably Crazy
by: Jonix

Thanks for your feedback. While we waited for Kits to arrive, we had Droopy, the buck fixed. He is still cool and mellow. Perky is still crazy, and anti-social though evidently not pregnant.

I will try to determine her sex, but she is mean...really mean...she will run across the room to bite you. And I am scared of her. All in all perky is not the ideal pet.

I have a few questions to help me figure out what to do. If she is indeed a male, I will get him fixed. If she is female (as I suspect), will getting her spayed make any difference?

I plan to put the bunnies back together...since there are no babies on the way, and Droopy still loves her - in fact Perky is great with Droopy. Maybe some of his mellow behavior will rub off on her.

Any other suggestions anyone has to help me with Perky's aggressiveness would be great!

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