Rabbit behaviour help male and female - mounting

Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Bonnie96

Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2019
Messages
5
Reaction score
1
Location
Stoke poges
Hi all I would really appreciate some advice please. I have two rabbits (brother and sister) I have had them both since they were 8 weeks. The male has been neutered and the female is booked to be neutered next week (they're both 6 months).
Over the last few days she has been mounting him and chasing him and I feel like he's starting to get irritated by it. I've bought pet remedy to try and calm her a bit but I don't really know if it's helping. He is deaf and partially sighted so I just feel extra protective of him. Should I separate them for the week remaining? I also found tiny bit of fur this morning. They've never been separate ever and when she's not trying to mount him they're completely inseparable grooming and cuddling, they always sleep cuddled up. Any advice would be amazing, thank you
 
What you witness is just perfectly normal rabbit behaviour. They are not just cuddly pets, they have a very distinctive social life and hierachy is important to them. Especially for intact femals when they grow up. Humping, some chasing and some tufts of fur flying are within the normal range of behaviour.

Your rabbits are young, just becoming adults - they didn't sort out their hierachy and social status until now, that's why kits practically always get along, that can change when they come of age. They can be hjormonal and grumpy at times.

Seperating them now might give the doe the idea that she has won, all the terretory is hers, and it might fail bonding them after her spay, I wouldn't do that.

What you can do is giving the buck some places to hide, cardboard boxes with at least 2 holes, a low table where he just fits under and the doe can't hump him there, screens in their enclosure so they can go out of each others eyes when they feel like it.
Also giving them something to do might occupie some of their active time, like giving branches of willow, ash, apple, etc. to gnaw on. (introduce slowly when they are not used to green stuff)
 
Hi Preitler

Thanks so much for your reply, I have made some more hiding places and will try and get some branches. Although I'm very happy because they're completely back to their normal selves now it seemed to just last a few days.

Thank you!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top