A lot of pet owners have been wondering whether or not they can breed rabbits with guinea pigs. Perhaps you are one of those people who have been raising or breeding rabbits for a long time, and now you’re curious if you can mate them with guinea pigs or vice versa. Fortunately, this article is written to provide you answers on can you breed rabbits with guinea pigs.
But before we answer your question, we have to make some clarifications first. You might know this already, but it’s worth mentioning: rabbits and guinea pigs are not the same. Although both of them are cute and cuddly, they are not the same species. There are some similarities between them, though. Like for instance, they can be kept inside a cage or a hutch. Also, both of them can be very playful and enjoy outdoor fun during great weather or climate.
You might find some pet owners who feed their rabbits and guinea pigs with similar diet or food items; it’s essential to note that there are subtle differences in what you should feed them and how you should feed them. Researchers even suggest that feeding both of them with the same diet is extremely bad for them. As much as possible, you don’t want rabbits and guinea pigs to be sharing or swapping their diets.
Another obvious similarity that we can observe between these two species is that they are can make excellent pets for your kids. Aside from they are cuddly and adorable, the two of them are among the friendliest pets available today. And yes, both of them can be taught with simple tricks. Moreover, both of them require less maintenance since they don’t need to be supervised with exercising – unlike your beloved pet dog.
Can You Breed Rabbits with Guinea Pigs
Now to proceed with our question, can you breed them? Since the two of them do not belong to the same species, they can’t mate and reproduce. In fact, according to history, most rabbits and guinea pigs were de-sexed or neutered by their owners. The owners do this for the two to be kept together. They also neuter their pets for them to build a harmonious company, and to avoid the risk of population explosion.
If you want to keep multitudes of these two species in the same cage or enclosure, then we recommend that you neuter them. But of course, make sure that you consult your veterinarian first before doing it. Find a reliable veterinarian who has outstanding experience when it comes to neutering rabbits or guinea pigs.
Rabbit x Guinea Pigs Hybrid
You might have heard of the term “cabbit” before. This pertains to a cavy, which is a guinea pig, and rabbit hybrid. Well, I thought that rabbits and guinea pigs couldn’t breed? Well, cabbit is not born out of breeding, but it’s a genetically modified animal. Let’s just say that the scientists were bored and created a new scientific animal hybrid. Also, don’t be confuse the term with the other “cabbit,” which is also a made-up hybrid name of a cat rabbit – this, on the other hand, doesn’t exist.
Because of genetic manipulation, scientists were able to come up with a crossbreed of rabbit and guinea pig. This hybrid cannot be created through breeding or mating of rabbits and guinea pigs. If you check out “cabbit” pictures, you’ll be amazed at how cute these animals are. But be warned, they are extremely expensive. Due to their rarity and the cost involved in creating these kinds of species, the price tag of cabbits is just way up there.
But if you’re looking for an extra rare and unique pet, then you can’t go wrong with this unique creature. Also, it’s important to note that cabbits can’t be found in pet stores or regular breeders. There are also papers and legalities involved when it comes to acquiring this special hybrid.
The life span of cabbits can go from 4 to 8 years. However, some scientists said that the life span can be extended and can get closer to a rabbit of proper care is provided. Meanwhile, the diet of these hybrid requires a special pellet that contains a great amount of Vitamin C. This is because their system is more like a guinea pig. Although you can also feed them with vegetables such as carrots, lettuces, peppers, broccoli stems, cucumbers, or parsley. You can also feed them with fruits such as mango, kiwi, banana, apples, melon, and berries.
Physical Characteristics of Cabbit
Depending on how the genes were manipulated, these hybrids can be small or large. They also some sort of balanced characteristics of both rabbits and guinea pigs. Cabbits have rabbit paws and carriage, and they have similar ears that of a guinea pig. They also love to hop, just like rabbits. Meanwhile, the noises they make are that of a guinea pig. Their coat and color can vary from curly to wavy and from short too long.
Can Rabbits and Guinea Pigs Make a Good Company?
Both rabbit and guinea pigs enthusiasts believe that these two should not live together. It’s not recommended that you cage them both together, and there are several reasons why you must avoid it. First, we must understand that rabbits can only be happy and at peace with at least a friendly rabbit. The same goes for guinea pigs; they can only experience happiness if they are placed together with a friendly guinea pig.
One of the reasons why you don’t want these two to live together is because rabbits are larger than guinea pigs. Smaller creatures tend to be intimidated with larger ones. You don’t want your guinea pigs to be frightened or stressed out. But of course, there are still instances or experiences wherein the pet owner was able to successfully raised rabbits and guinea pigs in the same enclosure. But then again, this is not recommended.
Why They Should Not Live Together?
Aside from the fact that guinea pigs are intimidated with rabbits because of their size, you also need to note that the latter has powerful hind legs. These rabbits can be rambunctious sometimes, and during boisterous play, your guinea pigs might get injured due to power kicks. Also, guinea pigs are not that agile enough to outrun or get out of the way.
There are reports of guinea pigs suffering from broken ribs and legs because of the rabbit’s powerful kick. It might not be the intention of the rabbit to kick the small guy, but they are like children, they love to play, and sometimes their play can be too much. As a responsible and caring pet owner, it’s advisable that you separate the two species.
Another reason why you don’t want rabbits and guinea pigs to live together is that rabbits tend to mount on smaller guinea pigs. Although it’s not possible for guinea pigs to get pregnant, still, the stress and injury that it can possibly acquire from rabbit mounting are not worth it. Moreover, these two species have different ways of communicating with each other. Therefore, confusion and quarrel are most likely to happen.
You should also not join rabbits and guinea pigs because they don’t share the same diet. Yes, there’s a slight difference in their diets. Guinea pigs cannot synthesize vitamin C; that’s why they need to be fed with special pellets that contain an ample amount of the said vitamin. Also, it’s not recommended that you feed guinea pigs with rabbit pellets since they have different digestive tracts, and the pellet may not contain special pellets that contain extra amounts of vitamin C.
Finally, the reason why you don’t want the rabbit and guinea pigs to live together is that rabbits carry a specific bacteria that can cause respiratory disease in the smaller species such as guinea pigs, and this is bacteria is known as Bordetella bronchiseptica. Also, rabbits contain Pasteurella, which is a bacteria that can seriously wreak havoc in your guinea pig’s health and immune system.
Conclusion
While it may seem like a good idea to place rabbit and guinea pigs in the same cage or enclosure, according to research, this is not a good idea. There’s nothing wrong with owning two of these lovely pets, but you have to ensure that both of them are experiencing a happy and healthy life. One way of doing this is by making sure that each species have a different cage and enclosure.
But if you want them to be placed inside the same cage, then we recommend that you ask for tips, advice, or recommendations from the veterinarians. It’s also a good idea that you ask for pieces of advice from your friends or families who have raised and kept rabbits and guinea pigs in the same cage or enclosure. Always remember that a healthy pet is a reflection of how good and responsible you are as an owner. Take care of them, and the rewards that await you are innumerable and priceless.
