Three dwarf rabbits
are "caught between two stools" due to the separation of the owners
MSometimes things go a different way in people’s lives, and the pets are right in the middle of it.
Two dwarf rabbit owners are getting divorced, and a few weeks ago Gut Aiderbichlreceived a request, whether we Bärli, Matrix and Pandi in our rabbit house in Henndorf.
The animals were to be helped out of their predicament, and so they were taken in at the end of March.
Without the partner's consent, the 3 dwarf rabbits were in the flat at some point
It soon became apparent that the three dwarf rabbits were not getting along. The solution was for each of them to live individually in a cage. Three unneutered rabbits were now living in separate boxes in a living space that was already too small.
The health-impaired woman took care of Bärli, Matrix and Pandi as best she could. Her conscience niggled at her, as this could not be a species-appropriate way to keep rabbits.
The divorce was imminent and the rabbits were in emergency accommodation. “It really breaks my heart, the emergency accommodation for the rabbits is far too small ….” – Bärli, Matrix and Pandi are now in the rabbit house in Henndorf.
Why didn't the three male dwarf rabbits get along?
Keeping rabbits separated is not a target-orientedsolution. The problem with Bärli, Matrix and Pandiwas mainly that they were not neutered. The sexual urges in a constellation of three male, unneutered rabbits, does not end well, because they cannot act out their sexual urges at all. Uncastrated males can seriously injure themselves during puberty and later. Neutering is essential to keep them in same-sex company in a species-appropriate manner.
A "healthy" mix in the rabbit group
Rabbits that grow up in a group or live together with other rabbits for a longer period of time exhibit the best social behaviour. In larger groups, it is best to keep the same number of males as females. A surplus of females is often more compatible than a surplus of males.
Every rabbit is different. In any case, group housing requires good observation skills on the part of the keeper, as well as sensitivity when putting the animals together. Not all animals are suitable for groups, some prefer to live in a group of two.
Bärli, Matrix and Pandi love their new living situation among all the rabbits at Gut Aiderbichl in Henndorf, and get along well.
Ethics consists of feeling obliged to show the same reverence for all living things as I do for my own life.
~ Albert Schweitzer
