AboutAmy Expertise I am the owner/operator of a small scale mini rex rabbitry. I am also a member of the ARBA. I can answer questions about Mini Rex rabbits, breeding, care of kits, general care of rabbits both pet and brood stock/show, general genetics (or can point you in the right direction to finding that information). I also have a general knowledge of medical and behavioral aspects of owning rabbits, but I am not a vet, so can not diagnose your pet.
I can not answer questions about dressing out or eating rabbits, meat rabbits (other than general rabbit behavior). Even though I am a breeder I feel that pet rabbits should be spayed and neutered, but that does not mean I will not help a pet owner out who has a litter on the way, or in the nestbox.
Experience Owner/Operator of a small scale Mini Rex rabbitry. I have owned rabbits both as pets most of my life and have been a breeder for a year.
Organizations Member of the ARBA.
Education/Credentials full-time college student with a love for rabbits.
Expert: Amy Date: 7/19/2008 Subject: Bunny afraid of me because of her sister.
Question I have two bunnies, Peanut Butter and Monkey. I got Peanut Butter first, so she's the ruler of the cage. I didn't think it would get this bad. Everyone said that bunnies interact well if other bunnies so I got another one to keep Peanut Butter company. They were good with each other at first. And I was very careful when I finally put them in a cage together. They really love each other. But Peanut Butter has to get everything first, and if Monkey is agitating her, she pulls the fur out of her rear end, her sides and her neck. I just recently bought a kennel so that I could separate the two of them, and I'm keeping Monkey inside with me for a few days. I want her to not be afraid of me. She cries whenever I put my hand near her. And she's bitten me once because she was so afraid that I would hurt her. She used to trust me. Do I just keep on coaxing her to let her know I'm not hurting her? What do I do?
Answer This actually sounds like false pregnancies in both does. This is a common occurance that can be brought on by intro'ing a new rabbit, even of the same sex. The fur pulling sounds like nest building and the best way to get this to stop is to make sure you clean out all the hair as often as possible to keep the nesting instinct down.
Also with Monkey( which is a cute name btw) the crying and biting sounds like what happens when you have a pregnant doe. This is probably a false pregnancy but I would check on where you got her to find out if she has been exposed to any males. IF so check out this website to learn more about rabbits having babies http://www.islandgems.net/bunbreeding.html
The biting could also be cage aggression which is fairly common in female rabbits around the age of puberty.
It really sounds like the only ways to get this taken care of is to spay both rabbits then introduce them again, or separate them permanently.
