After getting our first rabbit, I wanted to get him a friend, but I knew some pets need to be carefully paired up.
I researched rabbits to see if they could cohabitate, and the answer I found surprised me, especially around rabbits fighting to death.
I wanted to share what I found with you, so you can make a safe decision around adding new bunnies to your home.
As a general rule, rabbits can fight to the death, though escalating that far is rare. Male rabbits will fight to assert dominance, and even females rabbits may attack one another at first. If you’re cohabitating rabbits, make sure they’re fixed, of similar size, and introduce them gradually.
Keep reading for more specific information on bunny fighting and what you need to know.
Table of Contents
Do Rabbits Kill Each Other?
It’s possible for rabbits to kill each other in their fights, though it’s rare.
When this happens, it’s usually because the fight injured the bunny enough to die of infection or from a predator later on.
On the whole, bunnies don’t seek to kill their own, but they will fight to assert dominance and protect territory.
Fighting usually involves biting, kicking, and scratching fiercely. It’s surprising to see these cute little fuzzballs going at it, but it’s a reality.
They don’t fight each other to eat each other. After all, rabbits aren’t meat eaters (with one known exception; check out our article on are rabbits omnivores).
Why Do Rabbits Attack Each Other?
Attacks and fights happen, and any owner who keeps more than what rabbit needs to be aware of this possibility.
Before it happens, you need to know what they might fight about. This section will cover the main ones.
Territory
You wouldn’t think these little furry friends would be so territorial, but the males can get into some serious spats over their homes.
If you keep multiple rabbits, it’s always best to gradually introduce them on neutral ground before moving them together.
It’s a common mistake for owners to put a new rabbit in the home of an established one suddenly. Your old bunny will often feel the need to defend its territory, resulting in some fights.
Boredom
Rabbits, like all animals, need some stimulation. If they are too bored, they’ll seek to get mental and physical energy out.
On occasion, this may result in a fight or wrestling with other bunnies in their home.
Always give them plenty of space to roam around and provide some things for them to play with.
Newspaper balls, chewable toys (affiliate link to my fave), and climbing and hiding spots are a must-have.
Dominance
Rabbit families have a hierarchy, with one of the bunnies being the most dominant group.
If this hierarchy is upset or challenged, there will be some fighting to reestablish order or shake things up into a new order.
Read more in our later section on cohabitation for details on what to watch for.
Mating
Animals have many different mating rituals that don’t make much sense to us people, and for rabbits, light fighting is sometimes a part of this.
If you have rabbits who can mate, make sure you watch this process when possible and be ready to step in if it gets too rough.
Lack Of Food
When you read this one, you’ll think:
Of course! If there isn’t enough food, then they’ll fight over what’s there!
Then why do I see this as one of the main problems for newer owners of multiple rabbits?
Remember, rabbits need a constant supply of timothy hay. Don’t simply double or triple what one of your rabbits used to eat.
Give them an almost limitless supply of hay! Put it in a couple of other places in their home so they’re not trying to eat from the same spot.
This is one of the sneakiest and most common causes of serious fights that result in injury or death.
Can Rabbits Cohabitate?
Rabbits can cohabitate if you provide plenty of space, food and introduce them in the right way. Never put two males together unless they’ve grown up together, and make sure rabbits are similar in size. Getting your pets spayed or neutered is a must.
Let’s dig into more details on why for each scenario.
Male And Male
There is almost no situation where a male and a male will get along with no fighting. They are too dominant and too territorial to handle it.
If you attempt to do this, make sure they’re the same size, both are fixed, and it would be a huge help if they were littermates.
Male And Female
Male and female pairs can get along pretty well if they’re both fixed.
Get breeds of similar size when possible and introduce them gradually to one another.
Of course, the exception is if they’re littermates and grew up together. They can be put together right away.
But in this case, getting them fixed is a requirement because rabbits don’t care if they’re related when it comes to mating.
Female And Female
This is another great pairing as long as you follow the previous suggestion we said before.
- Same size and age
- Both fixed
- Littermates would be good; otherwise, introduce them on neutral territory
This is the combo with the least amount of fighting.
Are My Bunnies Playing Or Fighting?
Sometimes it’s tough to decide if your pet is playing or fighting. Aside from the obvious sign of blood or injury, you should watch for these specific behaviors.
Playing Behaviors
Here are some behaviors that may seem like fighting but are usually part of the play:
- Pushing with their heads
- Pulling with light bites
- Hopping or dancing around the other rabbits
- Jumping on top of them for a moment
- Jumping with a kick (binky)
- Teeth grinding
- Chin rubbing on the other rabbit
- Small nips
If their ears are up, they’re usually happy. If they turn their backs on the other rabbits, it’s usually playing, and they feel safe.
Aggressive Behaviors
Here are some behaviors that do signify fighting, so be on the lookout for these:
- Grunting
- Biting hard
- Kicking
- Scratching
- Screaming
How To Stop A Rabbit Fight
If you think or know your rabbits are fighting to the death or even to cause serious harm, you need to step in.
There are some good ways to handle it to stop them safely or even train them not to do it anymore.
Here’s what you need to do.
Take Action Right Away
Don’t wait and see how it develops. Once you think it’s a fight and not play, step in.
Minutes could mean the difference between a severe injury.
Make A Loud Noise
First, make a loud noise such as clapping or saying “Haaa!” I usually do both.
The loud noises are normal for rabbits and teach them you’ve gone too far.
Move Them Apart
Get your hands in there and move them far apart from each other. If possible, put them into separate cages.
Don’t assume just because you’ve broken it up; they’ll stop. They may go right back at it.
Check For Injuries
Assess both rabbits for injuries. Give them care or even consider taking them to the vet if it seems serious enough.
When in doubt, give your vet a call. It’s a good rule of thumb.
Keep Them Apart
Keep them apart in different places for a week or so. See if you can figure out or guess why they fought.
Go through our list above and adjust their feeding if needed.
After a week, think about moving them back in together using the prevention tips we’ll go over in the next section.
Keep in mind: some rabbits just never get along.
They’re like people; they all have their personalities.
If there are repeated fights, those bunnies just shouldn’t be together.
It’s sad to think about, but the safety of your pets should be your highest priority.
Preventing Rabbit Fights
As owners, we have a lot of control in stopping our furry friends from getting into fights. The first thing is to provide enough food and space.
But assuming you’ve got this down, here are a few other things experts recommend.
Build Their Bond
Because of their territorial nature, you need to get those bunnies used to each other.
There is a simple process for doing so that few new owners know about.
Here’s what I do:
- For 1-2 weeks, keep them in separate cages (not the end-goal cage). Keep the cages near each other, so they can interact without being in the same space.
- For 1-2 weeks, let them out of their cages in a big, enclosed space once per day. I use the main level of my house, but I know some people use a large penned-in space outside too. This gives them a ton of space to get away from each other.
- If this works, keep them in a neutral space for 1-2 weeks. Don’t let this be the space you had them in before. If it is, they’ll end up defending territory.
- After this time, if you haven’t already moved them into their new home, do so, and keep a close eye on them for a while.
Observe Them Often
It goes without saying when you keep them together; you should always spend time watching them.
As described above, do it gradually and dedicate time to watch them closely as you increase the time they spend together. Never just dump one in and walk away.
You may even train them out of those fighting habits by catching any fights early and handling them.
Spay/Neuter Your Pets
I can’t say this enough: Fix your pets!
This isn’t just to stop unwanted babies, and it eliminates much of the aggression out of your rabbits.
Every expert and vet I spoke with told me this was the number one thing you can do to stop fighting.
Plus, it extends their life span. So why wouldn’t you get this done?
Introduce On Neutral Ground
I mentioned the neutral ground piece before, but it’s so important I wanted to bring it up again.
When your pets spend time together, it needs to be in a place neither of them has a claim to.
I have a nice big hutch I built for my bunnies. They did not move into it right away.
I kept them both in two different homes for a while and then introduced them in a big neutral space.
Finally, when they were used to each other, I let them move into their new home. It was one that belonged to both of them, not just one.