Problems with babies

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CameronW

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I have two mini lops that I weaned about a week and a half ago and they were fine with eachother. But then a couple days ago I put a baby from another litter in there, they are all the same size but different colors. The two sisters that i weaned first started fighting and it was bad they were on there sides ripping eachothers fur out kicking eachother. So I took the baby I was just starting to wean out and put it back with its mom, and I seperated the sisters. But today I put the sisters back together and they were fine with eachother just eating and drinking fine. I need to wean the other litter. I only have one growout pen right now. What should I do? The older does are just now 2 months and the other is 8 days younger.
 
Unfortunately, it sounds like adding the other baby started a pecking-order or territory dispute... though they seem a bit young for that. I've never seen such disputes in rabbits that young myself, but I have seen it not too much older.

I know that other members have been able to combine 8-9 week old litters in one growout pen or cage with no problems, but it's one of those things that isn't necessarily going to work out for everyone's rabbits. :(

It does seem like you need to find a way to make arrangements for housing the litters separately.
 
Or, you might try putting a senior doe in with the pair and then adding the next ones ... the senior doe will not tolerate dominance behavior from younger does. She may have to discipline them a time or two, but there shouldn't be any on-going fighting/dominance behavior.
 
Thanks. The babies from this dad have been weird one baby from the other litter has been humping the other babies like it is trying to breed its sisters since it was about 4 weeks old. The one baby should be going to its new home today, and I am making some new cages this weekend to get the others weaned.
 
Good luck!

I've never had any fight that young either.

New cages will be nice to have though! :)
 
Thanks. I am excited to have some more room seperate keepers. And i have 12 week old californians and new zealands together with no problems. I am thinking it has something to do with that dad. All of my other litters have been fine together. I would get out of all of those babies but they are really nice does with the color i want to focus on.
 
Cameron, I have been thinking about this and would like to ask you if you have grown out any kits sired by this buck to maturity? With this young of kits displaying dominance behavior, I would be concerned about their adult personalities. Especially if you are sending them to pet homes for young children ... wouldn't want to be sending buns that develop into snarky adults.
 

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