If you're watching a group of rabbits, you should be able to tell which is the dominant male – he's the one who is constantly patrolling his territory. You'll also notice that subordinates tend to move away when he approaches.
The easiest way to tell which one of your rabbits is dominant is to watch their grooming. A dominant rabbit will groom the other rabbits far less and for shorter periods of time than the other animals. A dominant rabbit will often thrust their heads towards the other rabbits.
In domestic groups, the dominant rabbit is often female. In fact, the females are generally the more aggressive and territorial rabbits in Margo's warren, which is odd, given the fact that they are all spayed and not protecting their burrows or their young. Dominance appears to be based on a number of factors.
Gently push their head down
Some rabbits 100% get that if you push their head down, you're in charge.
A rabbit who is able to obtain and maintain resources—the comfy burrow or a particular piece of food—might be given the place of dominance. In the natural order, some rabbits obtain dominant status and the others take subordinate status; they live in a clear hierarchy that is maintained amicably.
An easy way to tell which of your rabbits it dominant over the other is to watch them grooming one another. Typically, the dominant animal will groom far less frequently, and for far shorter periods of time than the other. You will often see the dominant rabbit thrusting their head towards the other one.
All the other rabbit colors that you may see, are due to the influence of the other genes. "B" is usually used to reference the Black gene. This gene is the most dominant of the two genes, so a rabbit can show a black color, but carry the brown gene.
Rabbits who are not fully bonded must be kept separately when you are not with them. It is natural that one rabbit will be dominant over the other, however, there should not be aggressive behaviour. The subordinate rabbit shows their acceptance of the other's dominance by licking them.
Do – House the rabbits separately but close together. They will get used to seeing each other and to each other's scent if they are close to one another. Make sure the cages are not close enough for them to be able to bite each other. Do – Be prepared for this to take several months.
Mixed-sex pairs usually work best, so if you are thinking of getting rabbits for the first time, it's advisable to get a male and female, although same-sex pairs are not uncommon. Obviously if you take on an already bonded pair then it's all been done for you!
If you're watching a group of rabbits, you should be able to tell which is the dominant male – he's the one who is constantly patrolling his territory. You'll also notice that subordinates tend to move away when he approaches.
If your rabbits are mounting each other a lot, instigating fights, stop them, place them side by side. Pet them together and talk to them quietly. Do not let much chasing ensue. If they are persistently aggressive, separate them to prevent injuries.
Rabbits usually show aggression towards humans (and other rabbits) because of fear or frustration, or because they want to defend their territory. This can include nipping, biting and thumping their feet loudly on the ground; some rabbits also scream, which can be unsettling.
Like all mammals, rabbits experience of a range of emotions, both basic and complex. A domesticated pet rabbit will understand and mirror the emotions of their owner. If you're happy, you'll find your rabbit reflecting this joy. If you are withdrawn and depressed, a rabbit will express concern for your predicament.
Two male rabbits can get along together, but this is usually the least successful pairing. For a male-male pairing to work, one rabbit needs to be much more submissive than the other. They also must be neutered. Neutered males tend to be calmer and more likely to get along.
They establish a kind of pecking order even if there is only two of them and this pecking order may also include the humans in the house. Relationships vary according to the age, sex and personality of the rabbits involved. Rabbits are predisposed to living in groups and usually get along fine.
As BunnyHugga explains, a female rabbit will typically rise to the dominant position in a hutch. This means that it's best to keep rabbits in mixed-sex pairs. It's less likely to result in war. Just ensure both pets are spayed and neutered.
In my work with rabbits and other animals, it's very evident that they love to lie on the red when they lack regular contact with the outdoors. In contrast to red, blue is cooling. It calms and soothes and acts as an antidote for too much red.
In rabbits, black (B) coat colour is dominant over white (b) coat colour. Which Punnett square correctly represents a cross between a rabbit heterozygous for coat colour and a white rabbit?
Black is dominant, which means black individuals must have at least one B allele.