Our Buns are going bananas!

[Pancakes]

Hey RO,

So we've been having some issues with our buns and we're hoping to get some help!

We have a bonded pair (male and female) of holland lops. They have been bonded for about 3-4months now, and it seemed to be love at first sight. Our boy pancakes assumed the dominant role in the relationship, and was well recieved by our girl moo moo. Our girl was spayed in May, the month before we begun bonding, and Pancakes was neutered two weeks ago.

Everything was going well, and we were moving towards having them cohabitate together,but all of a sudden, Moo moo has begun humping Pancakes, trying to take over the dominant role. Pancakes seems stressed about the whole thing, and has begun to pull out the fur under his chin. We have stopped playtime together for the time being, but we aren't sure what to do, or if this is normal behaviour?? Should we continue onwards??

Secondly our other girl, hugsy, who has been fully litter trained since the week we got her, has started peeing on the ground while out to play. She will use the litter inside the cage, but not outside. At first we thought she was just being tempermental, because she would pee on the ground when we stopped her from getting into trouble. But now we've noticed that she's doing it all the time. Sometimes she even jumps in the litter, and pees out on to the ground?!?

Anyone have any idea whats going on with our buns? Any help would be really appriciated!

Jeff n Sarah

 

[binkies]

Oh dear, i'm so sorry you are having a rough time. If there is no bloodshed and nobody is getting hurt, then I would continue the playdates. They will have to work out the dominance thing. Just keep a very close eye on them while they are together.

As for Hugsy, it could mean a lot of things. One being a trip to the dr needed.

But i'm sure someone more experienced than I will come along soon.

 

[naturestee]

How old are they? It sounds like they're all going through their "teenage" stages, which can happen whether or not they have already been spayed. Buns at this time in their lives tend to act up, mark territory, and might be aggressive even to buns they were already bonded to.

Moo moo could also be sensing the change in Pancakes since his recent neuter. He came back smelling like vet and feeling poorly and then his hormones started decreasing and he's probably acting a little differently. Maybe more submissive. Some buns will take signs like these, as well as signs of illness, to stage a coup and make themselves top bun of the relationship.

Unfortunately, if this is stressing Pancakes out you'll need to keep them separate for a while. Keep them caged near each other and try to give them playtimes together if it's not too stressful for them. Once Moo Moo seems to calm down a bit then try rebonding them.

As for Hugsy, you haven't mentioned if she's spayed but I'm guessing she's not yet. Spaying will go a long way towards getting her litter habits back. Right now she is marking territory, probably because she is a hormonal teenage bun.

 

[Pancakes]

naturestee wrote:

How old are they? It sounds like they're all going through their "teenage" stages, which can happen whether or not they have already been spayed. Buns at this time in their lives tend to act up, mark territory, and might be aggressive even to buns they were already bonded to.

As for Hugsy, you haven't mentioned if she's spayed but I'm guessing she's not yet. Spaying will go a long way towards getting her litter habits back. Right now she is marking territory, probably because she is a hormonal teenage bun.

Moo Moo and Hugsy are going on 10 months, and Pancakes is our little boy at 7 months. In terms of the domaince issue with our bonded pair, we suspected thatit may have something to do with Pancakes' recent neuter. However, hedid continue to mount moo moo a few days after the operation, when we put them back together. They had been playing normallyfor the past two weeks, it was only today we started noticing the role reversal.....how long should wekeep them apart?Pancakes is really going at his neck area:?

As for Hugsy, she was spayed at the same time Moo Moo was, so I'm not sureits marking of the teritory....the only thing that may relate is that the litter we have out for her touse is communial.....so pancakes and moo moo useit too when they're free ranging..... it never was an issue for her before but, could that be why?

 

[MsBinky]

Um...

How many days after the neutering did Pancakes mount Moo Moo?

 

[Pancakes]

Well two weeks since the neuter and just yesterday we noticed little moo moo mounting Pancakes.. When it happens he GETS REALLY freaked out and takes off like a jet!!!!! not sure why she is doing this now, but i know that the neuter has something to do with their behavior. We have brought Pancakes to the Vet and showed them the fur pulling and they say its something in the environment....(OH Really????) I dont think so, i think something with the neuter is affecting him because he wasnt doing any of these things before the neuter....

 

[Pancakes]

MsBinky wrote:

Um...

How many days after the neutering did Pancakes mount Moo Moo?

Probably 3 days afterwards....we kept them apart for a few days after the neuter. When we took him to the vet, we were told that the incision point had healed really well.

We are getting pretty anxious, we aren't sure what to do, the patch of fur he's been pulling out is getting bigger and bigger. We are trying our best to give him as much attention as possible, treats, extra play time, but he's still doing it.

I was speaking to someone who says it may be a neurological problem...is this true? They told me that if the problem persists, we may have to put him down....which is scarying us to wits end....we aren't very experienced in this area, we are still learning about bunny behaviour. ullhair:

 

[binkies]

Oh dear. I'm so glad your little girl is already spayed.

It takes some time for hormones to settle down in a male after a neuter. Moomoo most likely sensed thatPancakes was vulnerable. But with him still having all his hormones still in his little system he doesn't appreciate her advances.

 

[Pancakes]

Is there anything we can do to get him to stop pulling out his fur?

 

[jordiwes]

Hi there,

Here is the resource centre thread on self multilation. I hope it will help:

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=17913&forum_id=10

 

[Pancakes]

So its been a few days, and nothing really is changing....Pancakes seems less responsive interms of wanting to come out for playtime, and Moo Moo is still nipping at him and trying to mount him......

Some of his fur seems to have started growing back, but we still catch him trying to pull the rest out.....

Should we still continue and let thetwo of them play together?