MrB
Member
Situation and long long description with question at the end
- 2 males (neither Neutered)
- Both live inside (wire fence keeps them separate from one another)
- 1 of the bunnies (Dash) nips at the other one (Charcoal) as he can poke a small portion of his head through the fence. It's like a lunge and biting action. He will often bite Charcoals side or his face. Charcoal just seems to shrug it off, he never retaliates back
- Dash (Dwarf) will often race out of his box or resting position as though to attack Charcoal (mini rex) if he see's Charcoal move. His body is often stooped lower and his head raised up slightly so as to bite upwards (probably because he's a dwarf)
- Charcoal never bites or lunges at Dash
- Both rabbits (especially Charcoal) will lay against the common fence at night as will dash, so that they lay next to each other (for company?). Neither Rabbit behaves aggressively towards one another when in this position
- Dash (the much more aggressive of the two) will allow Charcoal to lick him through the fence. He will also, at times lick Charcoal without biting him
- Dash sadly was obtained from a pet store that had him caged with two older rabbits that picked on him, so he has always been skittish and feisty and hates with a passion being picked up
- Charcoal was raised with another rabbit (for about 3 months) when young, but some cretin came onto our property and maimed Charcoal (healed now) and killed Charcoals male partner (Pixie). Pixie appeared to be the dominant of the two, so I suspect that Charcoal is looking to Dash to furfil that role? (this was more than a year ago though that the cretin killed our precious Pixie)
- We release them outside together in an open, fenced area without anything separating them from each other. They will chase each other (Charcoal grunts at dash and attempts to catch him but just tags his hind quarters with his chin if he catches him, I have never seen him bite Dash). He actually has a wonderfully gentle nature to him (always has)
- Dash on the other hand will chase and bite Charcoal. When outside they will never lay right next to each other, but will often get close to one another and lay within say 30cm of each other. Dash is clearly the more aggressive of the two and when Charcoal attempts to get close to Dash (bringing his nose up to Dashes nose, whilst stretched out), Dash will bite at him and will often leap over him and attempt to kick him
We would dearly love to bring the rabbits together one day and from what I have read, that means neutering thembut I'm somewhat concerned as they say it makes rabbits more placid - I can't imagine Charcoal being any more placid than he is now! He probably wouldn't move if he was any more placid
Oh, also, at night, Charcoal will often run up and down his cage as what seems like an attempt to get Dash's reaction - which he (Dash) always obliges by chasing Charcoal in an attempt to get him
What's with the mixed behavior?
How come Dash can be biting at Charcoal one minute, then happy to lay down next to him so that their bodies are touching along the full length of each other when inside and will often lay there for an hour, unperturbed that his frenemy is close by?
- 2 males (neither Neutered)
- Both live inside (wire fence keeps them separate from one another)
- 1 of the bunnies (Dash) nips at the other one (Charcoal) as he can poke a small portion of his head through the fence. It's like a lunge and biting action. He will often bite Charcoals side or his face. Charcoal just seems to shrug it off, he never retaliates back
- Dash (Dwarf) will often race out of his box or resting position as though to attack Charcoal (mini rex) if he see's Charcoal move. His body is often stooped lower and his head raised up slightly so as to bite upwards (probably because he's a dwarf)
- Charcoal never bites or lunges at Dash
- Both rabbits (especially Charcoal) will lay against the common fence at night as will dash, so that they lay next to each other (for company?). Neither Rabbit behaves aggressively towards one another when in this position
- Dash (the much more aggressive of the two) will allow Charcoal to lick him through the fence. He will also, at times lick Charcoal without biting him
- Dash sadly was obtained from a pet store that had him caged with two older rabbits that picked on him, so he has always been skittish and feisty and hates with a passion being picked up
- Charcoal was raised with another rabbit (for about 3 months) when young, but some cretin came onto our property and maimed Charcoal (healed now) and killed Charcoals male partner (Pixie). Pixie appeared to be the dominant of the two, so I suspect that Charcoal is looking to Dash to furfil that role? (this was more than a year ago though that the cretin killed our precious Pixie)
- We release them outside together in an open, fenced area without anything separating them from each other. They will chase each other (Charcoal grunts at dash and attempts to catch him but just tags his hind quarters with his chin if he catches him, I have never seen him bite Dash). He actually has a wonderfully gentle nature to him (always has)
- Dash on the other hand will chase and bite Charcoal. When outside they will never lay right next to each other, but will often get close to one another and lay within say 30cm of each other. Dash is clearly the more aggressive of the two and when Charcoal attempts to get close to Dash (bringing his nose up to Dashes nose, whilst stretched out), Dash will bite at him and will often leap over him and attempt to kick him
We would dearly love to bring the rabbits together one day and from what I have read, that means neutering thembut I'm somewhat concerned as they say it makes rabbits more placid - I can't imagine Charcoal being any more placid than he is now! He probably wouldn't move if he was any more placid
Oh, also, at night, Charcoal will often run up and down his cage as what seems like an attempt to get Dash's reaction - which he (Dash) always obliges by chasing Charcoal in an attempt to get him
What's with the mixed behavior?
How come Dash can be biting at Charcoal one minute, then happy to lay down next to him so that their bodies are touching along the full length of each other when inside and will often lay there for an hour, unperturbed that his frenemy is close by?