# does vs bucks



## piperknitsRN (Jul 31, 2011)

Just out of curiosity I am wondering if people here have strong opinions on whether they prefer does or bucks as pets. I have heard that bucks tend to be more "cuddly" and friendly to humans, whereas does tend to be uh... a little more independent. I've had a doe and a buck (both spayed and neutered) but the buck was elderly and didn't live very long once I adopted him; but he did seem friendly and would come up to you for pets and so forth, whereas my doe, Flip flop, was not into the whole cuddle-bug scene and preferred interaction on her terms (though she was not aggressive or territorial--she really had a spunky personality and I loved her for it). She was friendly in her own way, just not a big cuddler. Just the same, Olive will tolerate pets to the head on her own terms, but not overtly solicit attention most of the time. But I would still consider her friendly and non-aggressive. 

If you respond, please let me know your rabbit's age and breed, whether or not spaying or neutering (if done) has made a difference, and why you have a preference (or don't).


----------



## Korr_and_Sophie (Jul 31, 2011)

I don't really have a preference either way, I like both. I have only really picked the sex I wanted for about 1/2 the rabbits I have gotten, the others just happened to be what they were. 

My first rabbit was Korr and he is male. I had wanted a female, but he was the only rabbit at the store, so I got him. 
My second was Sophie, a female. I got her as a companion for Korr, so I wanted a doe. She was from the humane society, so got spayed and he did get to meet her. 
Penelope was my 3rd. I picked a female as I was hoping to bond her to the other 2 and make a trio, but that didn't work out. It did work out in the end as she bonded with Korr after Sophie died. 
Sean was next. I didn't really even plan on getting a rabbit right then, but I was looking at the humane society website and saw his picture. I knew he was mine and I don't know if it would have mattered if he has ended up being a female. 
Next was Lillian. I really didn't know which sex I wanted as I was getting the same breed as Sean (he has passed away). The breeder sort of choose Lillian for me and that worked out. 
Ginny was sort of an impulse. I had maybe wanted to bond her to Lillian, but that was a total disaster. I did end up finding her a new home a couple months ago as we really didn't have much of a bond. 
With Amelia, I wanted a doe. Penelope had passed away and I knew Korr needed another girl. I found her through a localish breeder. 
Tesla and Kraken I wanted a buck. I ended up with 2 as the breeder offered me 2 and I had a hard time turning that offer down. I wanted bucks as it had been a while since I had a new boy and I guess I wanted something a bit different. 

Each rabbit has been different and I don't think some it is related to the sex. Both Sean and Lillian have been more cuddly, but that could be the breed and how they were raised. Korr is friendly, but not really cuddly, he preferes to interact with me when he wants. Sophie was affectionate, but again not a huge cuddler. Penelope was more independent and just wanting to do her own thing. Amelia is not terribly fond of people, but will accept petting if she is in the mood and is easy to handle. Tesla is quite affectionate, but doesn't like to be held for too long and will get a big nippy. Kraken is more ok with being held, but still would prefer to just run around. 

All have been spayed/neutered except for Ginny, Tesla and Kraken. Amelia was spayed about 6 months after I got her. Korr was also neutered about 4 motnhs after I got him, he was done whe he was about 6 months old. Sophie was done right before I got her and Penelope a couple weeks after. Sean was done sometime before I got him, but I don't know when.


----------



## Kipcha (Jul 31, 2011)

Personally, I definitely prefer bucks.

Frost was my first rabbit and a doe (And not spayed, we didn't really know better, to be honest) and why I loved her to bits, she wasn't very social and prefered to do things on her own terms. Buttercup is my other doe and she is also standoffish, but I blame that more on how she lived for three years before I got her more then on her gender. Our 'trial rabbit' Flynn is completely opposite though, she's constantly begging for attention and exploring people. However, she's only 4 monthes old so she still has the babies personality.

All of my bucks, though, whether intact or nuetered, have been exetremely cuddly and very tolerant. I just find myself liking bucks more.


----------



## funnybunnymummy (Jul 31, 2011)

I don't really have a preference. I just like bunnies! 

I think whether they are cuddly or aloof reallydepends on the individual rabbit. Quite a few people seem to thinkbucks aremore cuddly. Mine isn't (he'salmost 4 and neutered), but I know of quite a few cuddly bucks on this forum.But I alsoknow of several very cuddly does on this forum too. So I really think it just depends on the bunny's personality.

Hope this helps!

Rue


----------



## piperknitsRN (Jul 31, 2011)

I seem to remember my male lop Mookie (the elderly bun who died several months after I bonded him to Flipflop) being more of a cuddlebun, but that could have been that he was slowing down and just not able to move fast enough to get out of the way ;-). He was a sweetie. 

Ah bunnies... I don't know, next time I might go against the grain and get a buck, although my thought is they are probably harder to litter train when young. My does have always self-trained, thank GOD.


----------



## MikeScone (Jul 31, 2011)

I don't really have a strong preference. 

My first rabbit, Scone MacBunny, was male, and he was affectionate on his own terms. He wanted to be in the same room with me at all times, and loved to sit on the end of the couch or in his director's chair across the room and just watch me watching TV, but he never liked being held and never sat in my lap for petting (although he loved being petted). He'd jump into bed with me last thing at night and first thing in the morning to kiss me and get some petting. 

My current bunny, Natasha Rabbitova, is female. Before she was spayed she was the ultimate lap bunny, and loved nothing more than to sit in my lap or lie down on my chest to kiss my face. If I was watching TV on the sofa, she had to be lying down right next to me, and she'd let me hold her for half an hour or more. After she was spayed she became much more like Scone was - affectionate, but more independent, willing to spend time with her stuffed friends and remodeling her cardboard boxes to fit her tastes. Like Scone, she likes jumping into bed with me morning and evening, although she hasn't yet developed Scone's exact sense of timing, so she'll decide 5AM is the perfect time to groom Dad's hair, or 6AM is the start time for the Bunny 500 around my bed. 

In short, two different rabbits with two different personalities. I didn't really choose either one of them - Scone was supposed to be my son's bunny, and when Scone passed away after seven and a half years, my niece asked if I'd like to adopt Natasha - so I never made any decision on gender. Somehow, I suspect when the next rabbit comes to live with me, many years from now I hope, it'll be much the same thing...


----------



## SnowyShiloh (Jul 31, 2011)

Interesting question. I've had/have 9 bunnies: 5 boys and 4 girls. They all have their own personalities but to me it does not really seem to be gender based. Rory hates all male rabbits (and all female rabbits to a lesser extent), but other than that I've noticed no correlation between gender and snuggliness. My cuddliest bunny was Tallulah, a girl who died at 7 months and would follow me everywhere I went, but all of mine like to cuddle. Some prefer to cuddle on their own terms but they're all affectionate


----------



## Ashleighh (Aug 1, 2011)

I'm certainly a doe person. I don't know why but I've always had a stronger bond with my females. :]


----------



## SnowyShiloh (Aug 1, 2011)

I should add that of my 4 girls, them being girls were all factors in me choosing them. With Tallulah, I wanted a girl because I was hoping to bond her to Rory (ha!). With Phoebe, Tallulah had died a few months before and I wanted another girl because I was emotional. With Kerensa, I somewhat preferred a girl Holland Lop like Tallulah but would have still got her if she'd been a boy because I instantly fell in love with her and gender wasn't important. And with Mabel, we got her along with her brother. She was the only girl baby from her litter and the only black and white one (her brothers were all brown and white) and I picked her both so she'd look different from her brother and because I thought the two would have the best chance of getting along as adults if they were a boy and a girl  I guess you could say that in that instance I picked Maximus because he was a boy but I didn't have a lot of choices as far as that went 

For my boys, I just wanted a bunny of either gender/ fell in love with that bunny that happened to be a boy.


----------



## Jynxie (Aug 1, 2011)

I never have owned a buck, I have only had my male holland lop.

I picked a male because I heard they're more friendly and cuddley. This was infact true. My boy really loves attention and being pet and cuddled.


----------



## TinysMom (Aug 1, 2011)

For most breeds - I tend to recommend bucks - especially if it is a first-time rabbit owner. 

The exception that that is with flemish giants - I find that most of my girls (not all) are more affectionate and are my cuddlers and babies...while the bucks aren't as affectionate as my girls.


----------



## piperknitsRN (Aug 1, 2011)

Tinysmom: Any idea why that may be (that your does are more affectionate)?

Just curious.


----------



## TinysMom (Aug 1, 2011)

*piperknitsRN wrote: *


> Tinysmom: Any idea why that may be (that your does are more affectionate)?
> 
> Just curious.


Luck?

I was told before I got flemish females that I would love them (I think it was BlueGiants who told me that - she is a flemish breeder). She said the boys are sweet but the girls are just cuddlers.

I've been fortunate as my girls are just sweethearts that want me to pet them. When I go to feed them -they immediately pancake down for pets and I used to sit on the floor with them a lot and they'd come crawl in my lap for pets.

The boys however just aren't as affectionate - they are sweet - but they don't "crave" the pets the way my girls do.

Of course my most current does are born here and handled from birth and get lots of affection and cuddling and love it from a young age.


----------



## TinysMom (Aug 1, 2011)

*Jynxie wrote: *


> I never have owned a buck, I have only had my male holland lop.
> 
> I picked a male because I heard they're more friendly and cuddley. This was infact true. My boy really loves attention and being pet and cuddled.


:?

A buck is a male rabbit...


----------



## piperknitsRN (Aug 1, 2011)

Tinysmom: I'll keep your words in mind when I choose my next rabbit (if it's a Flemish!)


----------



## Jynxie (Aug 2, 2011)

TinysMom wrote:


> *Jynxie wrote: *
> 
> 
> > I never have owned a buck, I have only had my male holland lop.
> ...



Yeah I just tried to edit it when I noticed. I ment I've never owned anything other then a buck.


----------



## bunnychild (Aug 4, 2011)

I don't have a preference, but right now i have 3 bucks Palo,( white mini satin not fixed )Pippin, ( gray holland lop not fixed ) and Wild Card ( lilac himalayan to young to fix won't be fixed ). The Big boys are both over a year old and love to play together. Pippin likes to cuddle, but palo prefers games. Wild Card is young and i don't want the big boys to hurt him so when he is out he is on the couch with me.


----------



## Alek (Aug 14, 2011)

I prefer male animals in general as female animals tend to be very aggressive to me (they must see me as competition).
I've had two males and one female. I've also cared for many rabbits. My first rabbit was a male and he was sweet and friendly. My second rabbit was a female; she was nice enough for me to care for her but she was very aggressive towards people and would attack them. She tried to bite me daily. My newest rabbit is a male; he is so laid back and sweet as well as affectionate.
Every female rabbit I've cared for has been as aggressive as my female rabbit. Most of the males have been very laid back and affectionate. Spaying makes a huge difference though. Many female rabbit I knew who were aggressive later became very affectionate and nice once they were spayed.


----------

