hi we are hoping to get 2 mini-lops to live together outside and the rabbits will be from the same litter. would 2 girls or girl/boy be best? would it be difficult with separation when they are being neutered and would you need to keep them separate for a while after boy is neutered?

Hi there. A girl/girl pair would be able to live together straight away. Spaying both at the same time is best for a safe reintroduction, as if you spay one first the spayed one can become aggressive as she will feel vunerable after the op, so if they can heal together it should be easy. Even two does together should be spayed as unbred does have hgih chances of uterine cancer. You should have no problems. A boy/girl pair are easiest to bond, but will have to live seperately until a month after he is neutered. Again, the female should still be spayed.

It's really up to you, bonding either pair should be smooth sailing so just choose which ever bunnies melt your heart!

Personaly I do not recomend keeping two rabbits together, as each rabbit needs its own space. The following may be of some help to you.

Feeding ... Rabbits require a high fibre with lots of low quality hay (dried grass) or straw and 17% or less protein rabbit pellets to prevent digestive problems, all rabbits do better on a poor quality hay. Vegetables: Artichoke leaves, Jerrusalem leaves, stems and tubers, Asparagus, Beetroot, Broccoli (all parts, including purple sprouting varieties), Brussel Sprouts (leaves and sprouts), Cabbage, Carrots and tops, Cauliflower plus its leaves, Celeriac, Celery plus its leaves, Chicory is a diretic, Courgette leaves and flowers, Cucumber plus leaves and flowers, Curly Kale (Excerlent for winter use), Fennel, Green beans plus leaves and stems, Kohl rabi, Parsnip, Peas leaves, stems and pods, Peppers (red, green and yellow), Pumpkin plus leaves and flowers, Radish Tops, Rocket, Romaine all lettuce as this is a diretic, Spinach (only occasional), Spring Greens, Squash Butternut, leaves and flowers, Swede (Excerlent for winter use), Turnip (only occasional), Watercress. Fruits ... should be fed in moderation, due to sugar content, all types of fresh fruit including skin Apple, Apricot, Banana (high in potassium),Blackberries plus leaves – excellent astringent properties, Blueberries,Cherries, Grapes, Kiwi Fruit, Melon, Mango, Nectarines, Orange, Papaya, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Plums, Strawberries, Raspberries plus leaves – excellent astringent properties, Tomatoes (not the leaves). Wild Garden Herbs/Weeds/Flowers ... Borage, Calendula, Camomile, Chickweed is a diretic, Clover leaves and flowers, Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Dandelion is a diretic, Goosegrass (cleavers) but may stick to coat!, Lavender, Mallow, Nettle (the type with the white flowers), Nasturtium leaves and flowers, Shepherd's purse, Sow Thistle, Plantain, Yarrow. Extra vitamins and salt licks are just a waist of money. There's no such thing as a rabbit-proof house or garden plant. Any changes in diet must be made slowly (green stuffs and prepared feeds) over a period of a week, to avoid digestive upsets. Fresh water must be available at all times and renewed daily. To enable your rabbit to extract as much protein, vitamins and minerals from their low quality food, they digest their food twice, these are soft, kidney shaped droppings which are covered in a small amount of mucous. These droppings are very different from the dry round droppings that you will usually see your rabbit passing. Rabbits are herbivorous and wild rabbits will spend most of their lives grazing on grass, foliage, flowers and roots

Housing ... For first time rabbit owner once you get home with your rabbit, put it in an already prepaired cage and leave it for 48 house so that it can get used to its new surroundings before you start handling it, if you start to handle it too early you could end up with a very grumpy young rabbit from the start.
Rabbits can be kept indoors or outdoors, either way they need their own space in an appropriate cage or hutch. It is recommended that you purchase the best quality you can afford, your rabbit will need it for 7--12 years. Make sure that the hutch is large enough for your rabbit to stretch full out, and high enough for your rabbit to stand upright. The main living area should be large enough for your rabbit to stretch full out, and have wire mesh on the door. The hutch should be at least 6" off the floor to provide adequate ventilation. They are also quite happy remaining out of doors, providing extra protection such as an old blanket draped over the front of the hutch at night in very cold weather. Remember rabbits need good ventilation.
Bedding ... Hay, straw and wood chips all make suitable bedding for rabbits. It is down to personal choice which you use, however, research has shown that rabbits will choose straw rather than wood chip.All bedding should be renewed at least once a week, and the hutch should be washed, scrubbed and disinfected several times per year. Rabbits can live out doors quite happily at minus 20c or below, all they need is plenty of bedding and a 4 inch layer of shavings

Exercise ... Rabbits need regular stimulation and exercise in a safe environment. This can be in a purpose made rabbit run, when playing outside of their hutches in a run they should be supervised at all times and the play area must be 'rabbit proofed' by removing any hazards.
Health ... It is recommend that you get your rabbit covered by Pet Insurance as veterinary fees can mount up. Never leave a rabbit in the sole care of a child. As an adult you will have to assume sole responsibility for the health and welfare of your child's rabbit.
To prevent territorial behaviour of both bucks (males) and does (females), it is suggested that pet rabbits are neutered, if they are not neutered then it should be one rabbit per cage. I don't see altering as cruel when the kits may be dead in a year anyway; either through being "released" into the wild" or being slaughtered in a shelter when the owners have got bored of them.
Never put intact cavies / guinea-pigs in with intact rabbits as they will both sexually abuse each other, cavies / guinea- pigs should be housed with others of the same species. Males can be neutered at around 3-4 months, and does at 6 months. Females over 2-3 years old that are not being regularly bred from are at high risk of developing uterine cancer unless neutered.

Rabbits have little ability to regulate their body temperature and die very easily from heat stroke. Ensure adequate shade is provided at all times. Handle your rabbit daily, and it will generally enjoy your company. Never pick a rabbit up by its ears, and always support your rabbits back and hind quarters when handling. Rabbits can easily experience spinal injuries, nails need clipping every 6-8 weeks and teeth should be checked weekly to ensure they are correctly aligned and they moult 2-4 times a year, only one of these will be heavy (usually late Spring/early Summer).
Seek veterinary advice if your rabbit develops discharges from the eye, nose or mouth, has scabs inside its ears, is passing diarrhoea or mucous, or stops eating or drinking. Any ill rabbit must always be given drinking water in a bowl. Water bottles are a clean, hygienic way of providing water if you rabbit is fit and well, but ill rabbits often become listless and will be unlikely to be bothered to lift their heads up to the spout of a bottle and will dehydrate and die very quickly.
If at all worried about your rabbit seek Veterinary Advice as sick or injured rabbits die very quickly. Healthy rabbits kept in clean conditions should not need bathing.

Rabbit teeth, some rabbits have an over bight or an under bight which means that the teeth don't wear down properly, you have a choice here. Get your vet to pull the two front teeth out but I have never had to cut the teeth of any of the rabbits that I have bred. The name for this problem is malocclusion! Rabbits do far far better on a poor quality hay as they will chew this then excrete a pellet which they will eat so as to get more value out of the poor quality hay. This will also give them a more natural exercises to do and keep them occupied for longer. Trimming Nails Sit down and lay your rabbit on its back that way you can get to all 4 feet put your thumb on the sole of the foot with your fingers around the back of the foot and press your thumb down to show the nails take 1/3 rd of the nail off. A rabbits nose should be dry when it is in good health, if the nose is wet seek advice from your vet.

Breeding ... Avoid breeding rabbits that have genetic defects and anything that is not found in the wild population such as long fur, extra short fur, drop down ears or satin fur can be classed as a genetic defect. Long hared rabbits such as Angora's, Cashmeres and Lionheads need a lot more grooming than short hair or normal coated rabbits do
Females will come into heat when a male is around, they don't go through cycles like most other creatures although they can mate anytime in any month and produce a litter, in theory they can produce a litter every month. Gestation 30 to 32 days, litter size 3 to 8, eyes open 10 to 12 days, weaning are 6 to 8 weeks When the litter arrives don't expect every kit in the litter to be the same size, like multiple human births each kit will be different size and weight. Male Rabbit-BUCK (Sire) Female Rabbit-Doe (Dam) Young rabbit- Kit (offspring) Sexing rabbits try the following sites .... www.debmark.com/rabbits/sexing. ... PetEducation.com - The Page You Have Requested Cannot Be Found... ...

My experience
I own and breed Tricolour-dutch, Harlequins, Dwarf Lop Rabbits, Continental Tricolour-dutch, also have 12 Ferrets and Ferret cross European Polecat Hybrids since the earley 70's
I have 28 rabbits, with a litter of eight rabbits born on the 1st of March and another litter of six born 21st March,.
The Hobby of Breeding & Exhibiting Rabbits and Ferrets is called 'The Fancy'. BRC member since the 70's. The British Rabbit Council ... Tonys_Pets ... First_Page-Index