Rabbits are highly social animals who thrive on company of their own kind and do best in neutered male, female pairing or living in larger groups.

However they are also HIGHLY territorial animals and introducing, or bonding, your rabbits to new friend(s) should be taken with great care, time, space and of course, patience.

This area is another common failure when seeking advice from Pet Shops. We’ve had staff advising us that two males, or two females, or one of each sex will live happily together, but it’s OK to only neuter one to prevent pregnancies.

Whilst a same sex pairing can and do work out as life time friends, it is usually the case that they have grown up together and not always introduced in later life. There will however always be an exception to the rule, but for the most part, the best successful bunny friendships will be a neutered male, female pairing.

Neutering rabbits is ALWAYS advisable; it not only prevents territorial and aggressive behaviours but lessens the likelihood of cancers developing in the reproductive organs. It is highly recommended that BOTH or ALL rabbits within a pairing or group be neutered; it is not just the ability to breed which should be removed but the behaviours and urges also.

Rabbits and Guinea Pigs should never be housed together, whilst individual animals may get on, they should not be forced to share the same living space. These animals are two completely different species; their diets not only differ but they communicate differently in addition to the risk of passing on disease or seriously injuring each other.

Pet Shops often breach welfare guidelines and commonly house these two animals together in store and encourage owners to buy this mismatched ‘pairing’.

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