So, I've been raising rabbits colony style for a year now and I've notices some interesting behavior that I don't normally see in my hutch bunnies.
I have 2 bucks and 16 does in my colony pen. I've noticed a very orderly pecking order going on in both my bucks and my does and fights do happen but they are not gut busting tear-yo-eyes-out kind of fights, it's more like a chase around the pen and a nip at the hocks to put the offender in their place. The dominant buck rules with an iron fist and come breeding time he sires the most litters, the second buck dose sire litters just not as many and he keeps well out of the dominant bucks way; they don't fight just spat ever now and then over receptive females. But like always it's the does that chooses which buck sires their kits, and there is favoritism among the does!!! some does like the smaller less dominant lilac sable but most seem to like the buff large chocolate chinchilla.
Does have a strict pecking order - far more so than the bucks - the dominant does I have are 2 NZW girls that are pretty laid back for the most part but they don't tolerate shenanigans from the younger girls! If a fight brakes out it's usually between two does. But, like I said it's mostly a ring-around the pen chase and nip or kick that puts the other one back in her place. And the shocking thing is that rabbits apologize to each other! I've seen one doe accidentally gave a bigger doe a rather rude gesture (ear back, tail lifting, growling, lunging) and then get nipped for it, and after that the offending doe will go up to the one she wronged and put her head under the older does.
they also synchronize their birthing. I have does having kits 1-2 week apart from each other - so I have 4, 2 week olds, and new borns in my pen right now - I'm not sure what the purpose is for this but it happens.
Rabbits pretty mutch work out their problems. And when it comes to kits it seems like everyone is walking on eggshells! Kits are ignored for the most part maybe for the exception of one of the bucks or does chinning their ears every once in a while, and they are always careful not to step on them. Mothering does will even help each other raise kits; I've seen one kit get tired from it's own litter mates and crawl over to a different does litter on the other side of the pen. The doe doesn't seem to care.
I also have seen mothering girls fearlessly stand guard over their kits in the colony from other rabbits and my dogs if they get too close. If another rabbit gets too close the mother swipes, growls, and if need be chases the other one away - and more than once has my dogs met the biting teeth of a mom rabbit defending her kits (they seem to like to nest near the doors). They only leave to eat or drink.
Rabbits even have a family bonding time. Like clock work, during the middle of the day the rabbits lay next to one another and start groom each other - bucks, does kits they all pick a little group and sleep the afternoon away.
I'll try to take pictures of these behaviors if I can.
I have 2 bucks and 16 does in my colony pen. I've noticed a very orderly pecking order going on in both my bucks and my does and fights do happen but they are not gut busting tear-yo-eyes-out kind of fights, it's more like a chase around the pen and a nip at the hocks to put the offender in their place. The dominant buck rules with an iron fist and come breeding time he sires the most litters, the second buck dose sire litters just not as many and he keeps well out of the dominant bucks way; they don't fight just spat ever now and then over receptive females. But like always it's the does that chooses which buck sires their kits, and there is favoritism among the does!!! some does like the smaller less dominant lilac sable but most seem to like the buff large chocolate chinchilla.
Does have a strict pecking order - far more so than the bucks - the dominant does I have are 2 NZW girls that are pretty laid back for the most part but they don't tolerate shenanigans from the younger girls! If a fight brakes out it's usually between two does. But, like I said it's mostly a ring-around the pen chase and nip or kick that puts the other one back in her place. And the shocking thing is that rabbits apologize to each other! I've seen one doe accidentally gave a bigger doe a rather rude gesture (ear back, tail lifting, growling, lunging) and then get nipped for it, and after that the offending doe will go up to the one she wronged and put her head under the older does.
they also synchronize their birthing. I have does having kits 1-2 week apart from each other - so I have 4, 2 week olds, and new borns in my pen right now - I'm not sure what the purpose is for this but it happens.
Rabbits pretty mutch work out their problems. And when it comes to kits it seems like everyone is walking on eggshells! Kits are ignored for the most part maybe for the exception of one of the bucks or does chinning their ears every once in a while, and they are always careful not to step on them. Mothering does will even help each other raise kits; I've seen one kit get tired from it's own litter mates and crawl over to a different does litter on the other side of the pen. The doe doesn't seem to care.
I also have seen mothering girls fearlessly stand guard over their kits in the colony from other rabbits and my dogs if they get too close. If another rabbit gets too close the mother swipes, growls, and if need be chases the other one away - and more than once has my dogs met the biting teeth of a mom rabbit defending her kits (they seem to like to nest near the doors). They only leave to eat or drink.
Rabbits even have a family bonding time. Like clock work, during the middle of the day the rabbits lay next to one another and start groom each other - bucks, does kits they all pick a little group and sleep the afternoon away.
I'll try to take pictures of these behaviors if I can.
