Bonding Bunnies and Dominant Behavior...

[Jenk]

Since late December of last year, my girls have been living side-by-side. (They'd started fighting then,just before their spay surgeries, and had to be separated.)

My husband and I have slowly been re-introducing them in a neutral area (the kitchen). We have them together each night anywhere from 1 to 2-1/2 hours, depending upon our schedules.

All in all, the girls get along pretty well. But Emma, the smaller of the two, tries to dominate Zoe by humping on her from time to time. And since Emma's recent hospitalization, she's even more insistant upon humping poor Zoe.

If Emma always displays such dominant behavior--which, yes, does annoy Zoe to the point that they'll fight--is it possible that they'll never be trustworthy to be housed together again?

Thank you,

Jenk

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Hey,

Just wanted to give you some reassurance. Yes, it's possible they'll be fine. I think on some extra bonding sessions, you should try the car rides, where you sit in the back with the buns and someone drives. That way you cansupervise their behavior and this is a great bonding technique as they stress and huddle together. You'll want to have them in a good size box, open top to do this. Another one to try is the laundry basket. Put them in it together and walk around with them, same idea as far as "stressing them". I've heard these techniques work great in sessions.

 

[Jenk]

AngelnSnuffy wrote:

Hey,

Just wanted to give you some reassurance. Yes, it's possible they'll be fine. I think on some extra bonding sessions, you should try the car rides, where you sit in the back with the buns and someone drives. That way you cansupervise their behavior and this is a great bonding technique as they stress and huddle together. You'll want to have them in a good size box, open top to do this.

I had to laugh at the first suggestion. Not because it's strange/new to me, butbecause Zoe's been to the vet so often, and Emma's come along for several of the last few trips. They've behaved swimmingly each time. Figures. :?

Still, I don't take them on a daily car ride (and probably won't with gas prices being what they are ).

Another one to try is the laundry basket. Put them in it together and walk around with them, same idea as far as "stressing them". I've heard these techniques work great in sessions.

This would be a good option, but I may rope my husband into it, too. In fact, I'll give it a whirl starting today. Thank you!

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

I think the car ride idea is a good idea and maybe eventually Emma will stop humping,lol. You should send her to me and i will sick her on Belle,lol, and see how much Belle likes being humped,lol.

My Belle is the same way, we nicknamed her Humperella,lol, but thankfully Sooty doesnt seem to mind much at all, and will even follow her around and put his head down for her to groom him. I got to the point that Belle was getting on my nerves with all the humping that i invested in a squirt bottle and when she mounts him , i let her do it for a few seconds but then i squirt her. sometimes she gets noff him right away sometimes i have to squirt her a few times, but after doing that i see that she does it alot less then before. It was to the point that Sooty had a bald spot on his back from where she was pulling his hair out and that is all grown back. There are times when she gets excited, when i am getting the pellets, that she goes right to him to mount him, so i have moved the pellets to the other room so they dont know when i am getting the pellets,lol, it is crazy what we do for these rabbits,lol.

Good luck and i hope they get bonded soon for you , I know how frustrating it can be.

 

[cheryl]

Luvmyzoocrew wrote:

There are times when she gets excited, when i am getting the pellets, that she goes right to him to mount him, so i have moved the pellets to the other room so they dont know when i am getting the pellets

Hehe my Sunshine used to do that atpellet time...she didn't care which bunny she did it to..she was just way excited...she doesn't do it any more though..i think she out grew it lol

Cheryl

 

[Jenk]

cheryl wrote:

Luvmyzoocrew wrote:

There are times when she gets excited, when i am getting the pellets, that she goes right to him to mount him, so i have moved the pellets to the other room so they dont know when i am getting the pellets

Hehe my Sunshine used to do that atpellet time...she didn't care which bunny she did it to..she was just way excited...she doesn't do it any more though..i think she out grew it. lol

My girls aren't eating pellets, and they're usually separated when I feed them their veggies; so I've not noticed Emma getting so overly excited as to hump poor Zoe.

But what cracks me up is the giveaway that Emma's about to trymounting Zoe. She thumps once and makes a noise that sounds like a squeaky door. (That's what I call it: "the squeaky-door sound." :biggrin2:

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

now i am wondering about the thumping sound. A rabbit, as far as my knowledge goes, thumps when they are agetated, angry, or mad. So i am wondering if that would be a problem. Sooty rarely thumps his foot but will do so after he gets his teeth trimmed or goes into his carrier, he thumps because he is not happy, hhhmmmm I wonder what others will have to say.



Cheryl you have to love them , they also act like they never eat and if i put the cup in there to fill there bowl up with them there they have knocked it out of my hands a few times trying to get to the pellets that i keep from them till they are on the verge of starving to death,lol. got to love them.

 

[Jenk]

Luvmyzoocrew wrote:

now i am wondering about the thumping sound. A rabbit, as far as my knowledge goes, thumps when they are agetated, angry, or mad. So i am wondering if that would be a problem. Sooty rarely thumps his foot but will do so after he gets his teeth trimmed or goes into his carrier, he thumps because he is not happy, hhhmmmm I wonder what others will have to say.

You'd think; but she doesn't seem to display aggression towards Zoe otherwise. Also, Zoe thumps everytime she even thinks about trying to scale Emma's cage. So I think that both of them thump when they're about to do something that they know their humans consider "wrongdoing."

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Did you do the laundry basket thing? How'd it go?:weee:

 

[Jenk]

AngelnSnuffy wrote:

Did you do the laundry basket thing? How'd it go?:weee:

Alas, not yet...

I put the laundry basket (with a blanket in it) in the kitchen, wherethe girls were hanging out together.They were curious and, of course, chewed on itslightly.

Then I realized that I needed the basketto remove a load of towels from the dryer (to dry the load in the washer). And that's why we've not done the basket trick yet. But I've high hopes for tonight.

:biggrin2: