Indoor Buck going through puberty at 2.5 months???

Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Rabbit Talk Forum

Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Stormy

Stormy

Well-known member
Joined
May 17, 2011
Messages
284
Reaction score
1
Location
Occidental, California (US)
Hi folks, I have an unexpected situation where my Belgian Hare buck, who is just barely 10 weeks old now, indoors and box trained, is rubbing on everything and now today chasing all the cats around the house with what seems like sexual interest, and they are really irritated and feeling harassed. They all used to play together but now Jack has to go back in his pen for upsetting the whole house (we have 4 cats). I am startled this would be happening when he is so young. Do they go through puberty at this age, or what is going on? I am working on locating a female for him but did not consider he might find my cats to be close enough. Would getting a doe (not housed together but in smelling distance or roomed nearby) correct this bad behavior? Or what can I do, to bring peace back into the house and give Jack some manners, while maintaining his indoor free range living?
 
Bucks will often try to mate with cats. Perhaps you can put the cats in one room and close the door to give Jack some free time now and again. Housing a female with Jack might correct the problem, but I have a feeling he will still harass the cats. You may have to decide if you want a breeder or a pet. Neutering should solve the problem.
 
neutering will solve that problem if you just want him as a pet.

Next will come the spraying... particularly if he's starting so earlier to show such interest.
 
Thank you for your responses. I have never tried to have a male rabbit indoors before. I am not excited to hear about spraying - is it that they spray other people/animals or is it that they spray furniture or his pen? He's been great about using his box.
As I reflected last night on his behavior, I wondered if it was territorial, as hormones and territorial feelings can all be bundled up into one. He's not jumping the cats, yet anyways, but I don't want it to get to that point. I am just surprised as I thought it took rabbits 6 months to mature... and have heard many rabbits and cats get along fine so I'm surprised if this is territorial behavior.
We love having him indoors with us but do have plans to breed him as this rare breed could use a little help. Do mature bucks stop spraying or acting aggressive if they are neutered later in their life? I'd like to have him sire a couple litters first!
 
In his search to claim all that he sees as "his", everything gets sprayed. His cage, his mates, his food, any of your belongings that get in the way. YOU. I didn't get sprayed by Thumper as being "his", I got sprayed when he marked while I was tending his girls or feed. It was a reminder, "these ARE MINE".
 

Latest posts

Back
Top