Do Male Rabbits Make Better Pets?
A reader asked: Do male Jersey Wooly rabbits make better pets and if so can more than one be kept together?
There are two separate issues in this question I'd like to address, so please bear with me whilst I first address the Jersey Wooly issue, then the male rabbit question.
Do long haired rabbits make good pets?
I would not recommend that any child is bought a long haired rabbit, like the Jersey Wooly as a pet. I would not even recommend that most adults buy these long haired bunnies. Although I can understand the attraction to the notion of a ball of fuzz hopping about the place, the grooming schedule is absolutely brutal, and if you don't keep up with it, you will end up at the veterinarians, paying for your rabbit to be anesthetized and shaved. Fur balls are a real problem in long haired rabbits and they can form very quickly indeed. A few days without proper grooming can lead to clumps of matted hair that will have to be cut out, or worse, removed by a professional.
I really cannot emphasize this point enough. Long haired rabbits need daily grooming, no exceptions. And we're not talking about a quick five minute brush here, we're talking about a proper grooming that make take up to half an hour or more. Do you really have half an hour a day to devote to your rabbit for the next ten years or more? If the answer is no, purchase a short haired rabbit. They make equally charming pets and they require a fraction of the grooming.
Do male rabbits make better pets than females?
In my experience, yes. Males tend to be more relaxed and less aggressive than females. However this very much depends on the temperament of the individual rabbit. However as a male rabbit grows to maturity, it may start to become more aggressive both to the owner and to other pets. They also start spraying a strong urine to mark their territory. It is recommended that you have your rabbit neutered in order to curb their natural aggression and tendency to spray.
Can two male rabbits be kept together?
If they have been raised together and have both been fixed, yes. Males that have not been neutered are likely to fight, and can cause serious damage to one another. It is not a good idea to introduce a new male to an existing male, however if you raise two male bunnies together and ensure that they are fixed before they fully hit maturity, they will likely be the best of friends.