I introduced my two breeding does today for the first time while I was cleaning their cages. I have a very confident white girl, who lets me pet her and handle her with ease, and I have a grey girl who is much more skiddish and barely tolerates my petting and will not be held. My white doe mounted the grey one, and then they circled each other closely, fought for a few seconds and the white one chased the grey around the pen for a while after that. They only fought briefly, and the chasing did not result in further fighting. The grey rabbit did end up thumping a few times during the chasing period, but they both did a few binkys once things calmed down a bit. They allowed each other to explore and they shared food. Their cages are next to each other, so I'm sure they were at least a little familiar with each other. Hopefully they just had to work out their hierarchy, and they wont have to fight anymore. I am not planning on trying to bond them or move them into the same cage, but they will be in the same larger pen together once a week for cleaning. Is this ok? Or should I let them out one at a time, and only have them out of the cage when it's theirs that is being cleaned? Also, although I am not trying to bond them, is it inevitable in their situation?
Thank you!
Thank you!
