Question # 1: "My doe (adult female) growls and sometimes charges me when I approach her hutch. What is the matter with her, and what do I do?"
Your doe is simply being territorial - this is a common issue in un-neutered adult females. She is being overly protective of her territory, and tries to show you this by being aggressive when you approach her. The problem can be solved by showing her that YOU are dominant over her - do this by pushing her head down to the ground and holding it there whenever you approach her. Having her head pushed down will tell her that you are dominant, and in time her aggressive behaviour should cease.
Question # 2: "My rabbit is losing hair, and bald patches with flaky skin are appearing. What do I do?"
Your rabbit is probably just moulting. This is a completely natural process, and all you will need to do to assist is make sure that the fur doesn't become matted or tangled. See the grooming page. If the skin appears very dry and flaky and is cause for concern, you can rub on a little olive oil. The oil acts as a natural moisturiser and conditioner.
Question # 3: "Should I get a playmate for my rabbit? Will it get lonely living on its own?"
Pet rabbits generally do better living without a partner. Un-neutered adult rabbits will most likely fight each other, and opposite sex pairs will undoubtedly breed. Some individuals, especially females that have been living together from a young age, will live together happily. However, obtaining a partner for a pet rabbit is not recommended. Remember, the rabbit is not living "on its own." You are its family. Introducing another rabbit will only disturb the rabbit's relationship with you.
Question # 4: "Many websites say that lettuce is harmful to feed to rabbits - is this true?"
Absolutely not. Lettuce has a high water content and is likely to cause diarrhea when fed in excessive amounts, which is the reason for all the warnings. However, any sensible owner would only feed a safe quantity of any vegetable to their pet, and lettuce when fed in reasonable amounts is perfectly safe. In fact, it contains a lot of essential vitamins and minerals including folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin E, chlorine, sulphur & silicon. Just be aware that Iceberg lettuce has a higher water content, so is more likely to cause a stomach upset. As with all foods, lettuce should be fed with caution until you are sure that your rabbit can handle quantities of it. I should also note that I have fed all of my rabbits fairly large quantities of lettuce on a regular basis, and have never experienced any ill effects. See the feeding page for more information.
Question # 5: "I have heard that there are several health benefits that result from having a rabbit neutered. Do I need to neuter my pet rabbit?"
Firstly, has your pet shown any signs that would indicate that it needs neutering? If not, then it is fine as it is. If, however, it has been "spraying" (marking its territory by squirting urine), showing hormone-related aggression, or such like, then neutering should definitely be considered. Keep in mind, though, that the health benefits are very much exaggerated, and the operation can be risky for females. It is extremely important that you find a vet who either specialises in rabbits, or at the very least has an extensive knowledge relating specifically to rabbits. And make sure that he/she is experienced in doing the neutering operation. You would be surprised at the mortality rate in neutering operations in Australia (mainly in females).
Question # 6: "Does my rabbit need to be vaccinated, microchipped or wormed?"
Rabbits don't require worming of any kind, nor is it necessary to microchip them. However, if your rabbit is very precious to you, it is recommended that you have it vaccinated. Of the 2 main rabbit diseases (Calicivirus & Myxomatosis), only 1 has a legal vaccine (Calicivirus) available in Australia. Your vet will be able to vaccinate. Another option, however, is to have an experienced rabbit breeder vaccinate for you. A lot of breeders vaccinate large numbers of rabbits, and will be more than happy to help you, provided you cover the cost of the vaccine. Most will also gladly show you how to do it yourself, so that when it comes time for your rabbit's annual booster shots, you will be able to do it on your own. To see an article on how to vaccinate rabbits, click here.
Question # 7: "Why are my 2 female rabbits trying to mate each other? They seem to both take turns of doing the mounting, and sometimes chase each other around. What is the problem? Do I need to have them separated or desexed?"
Your rabbits don't have any problems. They are simply trying to establish their dominance with each other - you may have noticed that one of the rabbits seemed to do most of the mounting while the other had a more passive reaction. Most or all rabbits will do this as they mature, regardless of the gender of either them or their partner/s. It is best if you leave them to work out who is dominant on their own, although if it gets rough and the fur starts flying you may want to separate them. Most same-sex pairs will live happily together provided they have been bonded since a young age. I would only separate them if they are consistently fighting, which would include intentionally pulling out fur in aggression and/or biting each other. I would also recommend giving them a couple of chances before separating permanently.
Question # 8: "Why is my female rabbit mating my other female rabbit and making a nest?"
That is very common behaviour for adult does (female rabbits). As they mature, their hormones kick in, and the more hormonal ones will often/usually exhibit some behaviour of this sort. A doe mating another rabbit (regardless of the gender) usually indicates that she would REALLY like to be pregnant and raise a litter. The fact that she is making a nest confirms that this is her reason for doing so. She is having a "pseudo-pregnancy" which basically means she and her body knows that she is ready to breed, she wants to breed, and she wants to breed NOW. This is the ONLY reason she would ever make a nest, unless she's genuinely pregnant.
Sometimes rabbits will mate each other as a sign of dominance - again, this is most common in does. It has nothing to do with sexual behaviour, and any gender of rabbit can/will do this to any other gender. This is the reason for most same-gender matings, except for when a hormonal doe is using her body language to communicate the fact that she wants to become pregnant and raise a litter. Obviously this is what has happened in your case (as the nest confirms), but the dominancy issue is something you should keep in mind for the future.
