Does the Gender of my Bunny Really Matter?
Many will say boys are always better. Others say girls are the way to go. Many say the gender doesn’t matter as long as their parents are sweet. Ultimately you have to decide what makes the most sense for your family. Below I’ve listed a few myths about bunnies and genders and tried to explain the reasoning behind them and why I believe they are myths. Obviously, this is my opinion and everyone has one.
Myth 1: Boy bunnies are ALWAYS more nice.
False. While boy rabbits do get the reputation of being more nice overall, it is simply because many girls are kept for breeding and breeding mamas tend to be very hormonal and protective. Even girls who have never had a litter of babies can be hormonal. Think of it as a pre-teen girl. They know something is coming, but they don’t know what. Nature tells them to be wary of everything. Spaying and Neutering your buns is your best bet for optimal bonding.
However, you can’t spay a girl until closer to 9-12 months old. Boys can be neutered around 4-6 months old. The age varies based on the veterinarian doing the procedures and because these bunnies are dwarves so everything is smaller and more complex. Girls can be just as nice and family-oriented as boys–you just have to understand them and plan for that in advance.
Myth 2: Girl Bunnies Won't Pee Everywhere and Boys Do.
False. Litter box training is required for all, and hormones also come into play with these habits as well. Boys can mark, but so can girls. Boys only spray when hormones tell them to, and that usually is when they can smell a female–but not always.
I’ve had a super sweet buck never spray and he’s sired several litters. Yet I’ve had young boys spray when they were barely old enough. It’s truly based on the bunny and neutering them is the best option to avoid that. Saying that, boys can get fixed quicker and younger than girls so ultimately you just have to make the best choice for your family dynamics.
Myth 3: Bunnies Cannot Change
This is also simply untrue. Just like any other pet will change when they feel safe and secure–as long as they haven’t been severely abused. Hormones, fear, anxiety, nature, smells and sounds all play into a bunny’s behavior. Bunnies CAN change and they CAN be loving but it does take time and specific bonding exercises. This is not on your terms or your timetable. Especially if the bun is a rescue or a bit extra. 🙂
Myth 4: Genetics 100% determine how the baby will be.
1000% yes the genetics play A role — BUT I can personally attest that it is NOT an end all be all. I’ve had sweethearts come from feisty mamas who were truly just hormonal and overprotective. I’ve also had a monster papa make a 180-degree turn overnight–twice. Now when it comes to teeth–you betcha–if a bun has overgrown teeth the chances of babies having dental issues is magnified and nearly guaranteed in my experience.
Nunchuck - The sweetheart from a feist-monster
Meet Nunchuck. He was born to a mama who no longer wanted to be a mama. Sprinkles was only a few years old, but had decided she no longer liked having babies. She was extremely dramatic when pregnant. She would death nap and scare the living daylights out of me nearly daily. She slept 100% on her back with all 4 legs out in the air. She was not small so it was very obvious. She had several litters in a row of flops after successful litters for years. This one specific litter had a singleton survivor. I babied him from his first week of life and fostered him as soon as a mama would accept him. Ironically it was a netherland dwarf mama, so he looked like an ugly duckling which is probably why my son cobbled onto him. He loved Nunchuck.
Nunchuck was by far the sweetest buck we will have had or ever will have in our barn. He was raised surrounded by snuggles and boops. But his mom, Sprinkles, was not only a bad mama to his litter–but also was not the nicest to humans in general. She was feisty. She had an infection when I got her. I truly don’t believe the previous owner knew. Sprinkles was good at masking pain. But Nunchuck didn’t inherit any feistiness from his mama. He would let anyone hold him and pet him.
Remington's Dramatic Double 180
Meet Remi. I got him at 8 weeks old from a breeder in Georgia. He was the smallest and very shy. I fed him extra, snuggled him extra, and made sure he was comfy. He was doted on because he was small and not gaining the weight I thought he should. I even went so far as to confirm the birthdate with the breeder–I know, I’m horrid. He was and still is–small but mighty.
Around 6 months old, he went from sweet, to monster, to sweet again. He’s one of the meekest buck babies I’ve had–but he also is one I don’t trust as far as I could throw him (which is pretty far since he is a dwarf.) I would place a wager that hormones are 99.999% to blame for behavior outside of poor pet-parenthood. He was a male bun, coming of age himself with raging hormones in a cage between two females — one who had just given birth and one who was coming of age. Then, I put a girl with him, waited a few days, came back to remove her and before I did, I messed with a water nipple that had gone squirty. It squirted him RIGHT in the face. I giggled and said sorry to him and reached over him for the girl.
In a split second, he lunged at me and clung to the palm side of my right ring finger. Three or four stitches later, and a confirmation of an up-to-date tetnus shot from previous new barn kitty feistiness 6 months earlier, and I was on my way home–with a quick stop by CVS for TWO strong antibiotics. It was a nightmare and thankfully my in-laws were in town or I would have had to drive myself to the urgent care with my hand wrapped in my t-shirt.
Every time I have to go into his cage, I smoosh him gently to the floor to grab the girl. It almost feels wrong, but I know how deep and quick his bite was. It was NOT a warning. He was trying to kill. Poor, stupid, hormonal boy bun.
His babies? Not one has inherited an evil trait–and I’ve been watching very carefully. Many would say he should be culled–and I was close. But ultimately I feel I caught him off guard on a bad day as an unpredictable teenager.
So What Gender Bunny is Best? How Do I Choose?
If you already have a bun at home and are looking for a second, I highly suggest your first bun be spayed or neutered BEFORE adding an additional family member. Even if you think your bun would be completely separate, buns are very effective and sneaky and they will find each other. They can get pregnant early and often. Buns only need 30 seconds and only take 30 days to have babies–AND they can carry two litters at once.
Even if you are looking at the same gender bun as what you have at home, I suggest you make sure everyone is spayed and neutered as soon as they are able. Two boys will fight, two girls will fight and one of each will give you babies in no time.
So what bunny do you choose? Whichever one that suits you. I know that sounds silly, but if they are getting fixed and you are determined to give them the time and care they need, it won’t truly matter in the end. The only caveiat I have for this is if you have young children about 6 or so and younger. Young kids usually cannot overlook bites and nips. They get put off by scratches and don’t want anything to do with them. If you cannot logically work through things with your kids yet because they are young, it is best to get a boy. Simply because theres a space of several months where the hormones kick in and you cannot get the girls fixed yet. However, if you are willing to work with your children on that and help them process through those few months–then were back to whichever floats your boat and captures your heart the most.
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All About Bunny Berries aka Poo
Male or Female? Does it Matter What Gender Bunny I Get?
