Don't understand

[Carolyn]

Fauna will approach Tucker, stick her nose right into his fur, and thenhe bolts after a second. Twice now, she has done that and it's been aprecursor to her jumping on his back end.

I believe that the last part is that she's trying to show domination,but I'm concerned about her biting Tucker as she sticks her nose intohis fur.

I never see her bite, and Tucker's never had a problem, but do you know what this means?

There are times that she will chase him away, especially if he comes infor a pat while I'm giving her attention. It's obvious she's saying'Back Off' then, but the other times, it's gentler. I hope that makessense. :? I don't understand her intentions all the time.

She'll also make him dance a bit. He runs away from her when she getsclose to him, and sometimes she'll initiate that. No fur has everflown, and they can remain peaceful in a close proximity.

Any thoughts?

Many thanks,
-Carolyn

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Odd!

I'd say that if Tucker isn't really reacting when she pushes her noseinto his fur, then she's probably not biting him. Maybe it's a game toher?

I agree on the last part probably being a way of showing dominence.

Seeing as how she never had a great life before, and she's finallycoming out of her shell, maybe she's testing Tucker on her limits firstand then will assert full dominence?

I'm not really sure. :?

 

[Carolyn]

Thanks for responding, Laura. I don't know if she's pushing him or biting him.

You're exactly right and thank you. She is coming out of her shell andsometimes I get concerned that she'll continue along this line and getmore assertive. Right now, it's a push. I wonder how soon, it turnsinto a bite.

Thank you for the help. You've tapped into exactly what I am wondering about.

She's really quite bold now when she comes out of her cage and into the living room. She claims control, noooo doubt!

-Carolyn

 

[m.e.]

Perhaps trying to instigate a game of chase? :? My bunnies love it...

 

[Carolyn]

Never even thought of that, m.e.!

Could be.

Is that how they start?

She does love to see him hop to. (A girl after my own heart.)

-Carolyn

 

[m.e.]

Yes, chase, follow the leader, and hide-and-seekare all games bunnies will play with each other. If one doesn't seemwilling, the other will try to instigate them. You know, like a kid:"C'mon, c'mon, let's play!" It'll be hilarious once Tuck finallycatches on

 

[bunsforlife]

I agree with M.e. sounds like a chaseis wanted. Guin does that to me when she wants to play catchthe bun, She'll nudge me on the ankle and wait for me to reach down topet her, and then take off like there is a fox after her. IfI dont get on the floor and follor suit, she comes back and nudgesharder.

But as always, keep the eyes open =D buns are like people, very diverseand well known to have sudden changes of mood and temperhehe. Bunny PMS!

 

[Cher]

Ahh Auntie Carolyn welcome to Jade andJezebel's-----> Jadecan be just a plain old pest at times to poor little Jezebel, where Ihave felt sorry for Jezebel and let her take some time out from Jade'santics by relaxing on the couch.

Jade will bounce over, Jezebel looks ever so hopefull and bows her headdown for a groom and nothing doing! Jade starts nipping at her feet andthen moving around to her underbelly and finally the hindfeet. Jezebelwill endure this for awhile, realize NO GROOMING is to follow andfinally springs into action to escape (or the nip was a little to sharp)

Nobody ever gets hurt during this "play", humansincluded andit usually is the beginning of a good ol run and romp around thelivingroom-(unless as stated earlier, princess Jezebel is just not inthe mood and needs "couch time")

So good to hear that Fauna is coming out of her shell,what andpatience will accomplish is amazing.....

xo

Cher, Jezebel and Jade

 

[Carolyn]

Thank you, everyone.
Thank you so much.

Do you think that I should break it up or just let her do it and see if the game ensues?

Tucker's definitely faster than her.

-Carolyn

 

[m.e.]

Let it go. Since Tucker is faster than her, andwill stand up for himself if she really starts to bug him (believe me,even the shyest rabbits will). Rabbit communication is so full ofsubtleties that we can easily mistake what they are doing. I'm sureonce Tucker catches on, they'll have a lot of fun playing together.

 

[TrampNPigeon]

I have observed similar behaviour between Trampand Pigeon.. mostly instigated by Pigeon, but sometimes Tramp will doit back to her and it does indeed seem to be a "let's play chase"signal for them because that's almost always what ends uphappening. I wouldn't interupt them for now and see whathappens. You can always step in if she really does take ittoo far but I don't think that will happen. I have yet to seeTramp or Pigeon do anything to the other one at all.

-Cheryl

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Carolyn,

Even if it is just a game, I'd suggest watching carefully (I'm sure youalready are!) because if Tucker ever gets fed up of it, they couldfight.

Mocha and Spice used to do that and Spice got to the point he'dhigh-tail it out of there if Mocha came near him. Thenfinally1 day, Spice had enough and that was the endof1 cage and 2 bunnies. To this day, he's skittish about hisbut being touched and insists that his head always be facing you andhis butt as far away, backed into a corner if possible.

They may be happily bonded right now, at least at play time, but onceFauna comes totally out of her shell, she may hit those 'terribleteens' and it may not work out then. I'll be hoping things staypeaceful in Tucker Town!

 

[Emmits_mom]

Hey Carolyn. I haven't read through allof the other posts yet, but I thought I'd let you know that Amelia doesthe same to Emmit...but he never gives her the chance to try to get onhis back.

She'll come over to him and stick her nose under him. Shedoes the same to us when she wants us to pet her. I thinkthat Amelia is trying to get attention from Emmit, which is what Faunamight be doing.

Amelia sticks her nose under him, sometimes after she licks him aroundthat area. She sits there under him and waits for him torespond to her...to lick her or nudge her back, but he doesn't and shegets mad...this is how all of our dates go. She loves him,but he couldn't care less.

But that's why she nudges Emmit. I hope this helps!We are trying to pet her and give her some kind of attention when shesticks her nose under him, so she won't give up on him so quickly.

Like I said, I hope this helps!

-Carrie

 

[Carolyn]

You have all helped me tremendously. I won't be as nervous now, will monitor it carefully, and see what happens.

Once when I was trying to bond another rabbit with Tucker, the game ofchase was really a precursor to a fight, so I was nervous. That was abuck to a buck though; in the case of Fauna and Tucks, I believe you'reright. It doesn't seem as if she wants to hurt him, but wake him up abit.

Phew! I was hoping as Fauna has come out of her shell, I didn't have alittle brawler on my hands. You have all put my mind to rest, and I doknow that if Tucker wants to get away from her, his speed will enablehim to do that. Rest assured, Laura, I will continue to keep an eye onit though.

Thanks again. I'm not used to having two bunnies and how they react to each other all the time.

-Carolyn

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Carolyn wrote:

Rest assured, Laura, I will continue to keep an eye on it though.


-Carolyn

Good Carolyn, because you know, it really wont do anything for TuckerBucker's self esteem to be beat up by the new girl in Tucker Town.