Male or female – this is a general doubt of every owner who wants to get a pet rabbit. After learning the crucial differences between them, you can make a final decision.
In general, male rabbits show more affection and are comfortable most of the time. But if you do not neuter the males, they will act territorial and show heavy aggression. As for female rabbits, they are cheerful and less hostile. But due to their different temperaments, sometimes they act territorial, rough, and greedy.
Let’s go down to the good and bad aspects of getting a male and female rabbit.
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Why Getting A Male Rabbit Is Good
If you like to have affectionate and energetic animals, bucks (male rabbits) are a great option. They will also show the same admiration for you. Due to the laid-back attitudes of the male rabbits, they are easier to care for than the female ones. Getting a buck is better when you are going to be a pet owner for the first time.
Remember, you will see the above cheerful elements in the male rabbit only after neutering it. Keeping the male rabbit fixed will prevent plenty of issues. It also reduces the discomfort for both you and the rabbit. Neutering the rabbit will avoid terrible behaviors like grumbling, spraying, climbing, and lunging. You can take the rabbit to the vet for neutering when it is four or six months old.
If it is about paying attention to the owner, then bucks act less hostile. The male rabbit tends to spend more time with you and will accept cuddles from you. Depending on their attitude and breed, a few rabbits will also let you hold them. For the kids who want to interact with the rabbits, the above aspect makes it easy for them.
Due to their fun, adoring, and active attitudes, you have high chances of making a bond with the rabbit. No one wants to get a rabbit that will split up with them. Remember, male rabbits might have personality traits. But they are the best and safest choice if you want to have a close connection with the rabbit.
Why Getting A Male Rabbit Is Bad
Male rabbits have a sexual attraction to almost everything. Other rabbits, dolls, kittens, puppies, pillows, and even owners are not safe from male’s desires. Even after neutering the males, sometimes their mounting behaviors would not go away. They will try to reveal their authority and want everybody to understand it.
Besides the mounting, male rabbits spray their urine in the place to mark their territory. When you need to clear up their smelly urine, you might rethink about getting a male rabbit. Many sexual natures will disappear from the male rabbit after neutering it. Remember, this might take a few months.
Getting an expert veterinarian for neutering your make rabbit might be costly. But taking your pet to an unskilled veterinarian might result in health issues. In the worst cases, it might result in the death of the rabbit. You can find many skilled veterinarians of the United States on the House Rabbit Society website.
When you pair a male rabbit with another male, the level of wanting to show authority will increase in them. They will also try to mark the territory most of the time. These two male rabbits will often test each other to become the dominant ones.
Sometimes, the male rabbits will show aggression on their bond partner, other animals, and even humans. Both male and female rabbits are territorial creatures. They will be furious when someone is infringing on their area.
As for the personality of the rabbit, you should consider their breed. Some male rabbits will act hostile, timid, and uncomfortable when they are from a particular kind.
Why Getting A Female Rabbit Is Good
As the male rabbits are more comfortable and cheerful does not imply that the females are different. Many does (female rabbits) are adorable, sweet, and like to cuddle. Remember, it differs based on their attitudes and breed.
Females do not show heavy aggression like male rabbits. Even if they are a bit aggressive, it is not because of their sexual frustration. After fixing the females, they would not spray too much. After you spay the female, the rabbit tends to stay comfortable and happy. Also, litter training them is easy.
Even though females are a bit high-strung, you can still get more time to play with them. Female rabbits have stronger attitudes, and you can get a pet with incredible character. It is easy to understand her because the female rabbit will show signs of her likes and fears.
It is better to make a male and female pair of rabbits to have decent cohesion. There are many benefits of having a female rabbit, and it can give more pairings. Female rabbits incline more for being the dominant ones in a relationship. With mixed pairs, you can avoid fights which are common in the case of same-sex rabbit pairing.
If you already have a male rabbit and want to bond it with a female, you do not have to be worried about getting a new female rabbit. Though your connection with the female one will be different, it would not be terrible.
Why Getting A Female Rabbit Is Bad
Like males, the female rabbits also act territorial. They will show this behavior to other rabbits or particular humans in your home. If you often annoy the female rabbit, your chances will be less to make it to her good side.
Pairing two rabbits might result in more battle or false pregnancies. Nesting happens if a female rabbit is having a false pregnancy. The female tends to make the nest by pulling her fur. Many times, nesting for the false pregnancy occurs if you did not spay the rabbit. Sometimes even after fixing the female, the above situation might occur.
When you see that the female is having a false pregnancy, do not stop her from pulling her fur. It is better to let her make the nest even if she is not going to give birth. If you restrict her, the rabbit will come under stress and might be furious with you.
If you have a female rabbit, it is better to spay it. If you did not spay the female, it tends to suffer from ovarian, uterine, or mammary cancer and might die. When the female rabbit has a bond with an unneutered male, it will get unwanted pregnancies. After that, you might need to take care of around six to fifteen baby rabbits!
The entire spaying process is costly, and the fee varies from 75 to 250 dollars. You might know that taking your female rabbit to an unskilled veterinarian is tricky. So the House Rabbit Society contains the best-skilled veterinarian for spaying rabbits in the United States.
Keeping together two female rabbits will be a bit hard. Due to their intention of being the dominant one, they often combat each other. If you see that the two females are always fighting, separate them and repeat the bonding procedure. The female pairing works out between the sibling sisters because they have a bond since their birth.
Even the domestic female rabbits have burrowing instincts. Your rabbit would not mind even if it is inside the home and starts to dig. Due to this behavior, sometimes you may find torn floor mats and carpets. The female rabbit tries to make a hole in your house. If you did not spay the female one, the above behavior might worsen.
If possible, do some research on the breed of the female rabbits to know if it’s a perfect or opposite fit for you.
Reasoning Why Pet Rabbits Are Good Regardless Of Their Gender
Regardless of the rabbit’s gender, if you are ready to take action and spend time to build a connection, you will get incredible results. Like humans and other pet animals, rabbits also have individual temperaments and behaviors. When it is only about getting the male or female rabbits, the general information will work.
It is natural for you to be anxious about how to handle the rabbit’s attitude. But, it is fascinating to know more about your rabbit and its traits.
First, you have to decide which one to get between female and male rabbits. After that, make sure that you are ready to deal with their preferences, manners, and necessities. Hold adaptability in your mind as well. A few rabbits will change when they get old, and some remain the same. A few rabbits will fix upon reaching adulthood.
Even though male and female rabbit pairing is the traditional style, you can try two female and two male pairings. Regardless of their gender, the bonds between the rabbits will remain dominant and affectionate. You might notice a few disputes between them. But if you are on alert about the changes in their bonds, you can have a pair of happy rabbits.
Sometimes, it is natural for rabbits to behave opposite to your expectations. During this situation, you do not have to be disappointed. Learn the best techniques to create a strong bond with your rabbit. It will also help in enhancing your connection with the rabbit and builds more trust in you. As the rabbit owner, there are a few things you have to keep in mind. Keeping the rabbit in a safe and comfortable place is a crucial element in the rabbit-owner connection.
Sometimes you do not have an idea of what to consider in the rabbit. So here is a list of some rabbit breeds with decent temperaments:
- Himalayan rabbit
- Holland Lop
- Jersey Wooly rabbit
- Lionhead rabbit
- Standard Chinchilla rabbit