Bunnie Possessed

[hannaroo]

I was expecting the visit from the hormone fairy, but Buttons has gone crazy! She is OBSESSED with humping Suri. Suri tollerated it at first and I thought ‘they’re 10 weeks and the hormones are kicking in, Buttons will either calm down or Suri will put her in her place’. Two weeks later, Buttons is worse. Buttons will pester Suri all the time and when Suri hops away she just follows and digs and nips. I’m finding clumps of Suri’s fur and I’ve seen Buttons pulling it out! I’ve seen no agression from Suri but sometimes she sits in corners I’ve given her a grass hut to hide in but Buttons just digs at her until she jumps out! I know humping is normal but this seems a little intense and It makes me want to seperate them. I dont want them to end up fighting or hating eachother but at the same time they miss eachother when they’re away from eachother.

I’m at a loss and need some advice. I’m going to get their nails clipped at the vets and I’m getting Buttons sexed again (no accidents please!) They’re booked in for spraying in the end of June and I dont want to move it forwards as they may not be big enough!

 

Many thanks

Hannah

[NewBunnyOwner123]

You need to separate them before a fight breaks out. Wait until both are fixed. If a fight breaks out it will be more difficult to bond down the road.

[hannaroo]

thanks for your quick reply. I’m going to seperate them, I brought Suri out on her own and she just wanted a rest, shes obviously unhappy now. Buttons was calmer when she wasnt constantly hounding Suri too Would you recommend housing them close to eachother so they stay used to eachothers scent or just keeping them as far away from eachother as possible?

[NewBunnyOwner123]

I kept my buns in seperate cages but they could interact through the bars and shared the same play space until they were fixed. This made it EXTREMELY easy to
Bond because they were used to each others scent. As long as you don’t notice any fighting between the bars it’s ok

[hannaroo]

Where they in the same play space together or at desperate times? I could house them so they can see and smell eachother. There’s never any aggression other than obsessive humping so I’m hoping that when they’ve been spayed, I can bond them again. Thank you for your advice, it’s invaluable when you worry about your bunnies!

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Oh no they were out at different times. They just played in the same room. Like when Harley is out, Sally would be locked up but Harley could still go to Sallys cage and interact and see her through the bars and vice versa.

But you know your buns more than I do. I thought you said Buttons was starting to nip. I guess just play it by ear and watch carefully to make sure no one is getting stressed or frustrated. If you see any sign of aggression forming, separate. Usually unspayed female bonds are fragile and unpredictable when hormones kick in. Which is why people don’t recommend putting together until after they are spayed and healed and given time for the hormones to dissipate. I would personally separate just to play it safe.

[hannaroo]

I’ll defiantly keep them desperate at playtime. It’s such a shame because they won’t be out as much (like them to be out of the hutch all the time I’m home so they can exercise and play whenever they feel like it.) I read so many books beforehand saying get a pair of rabbits, they keep eachother company so it’s disappointing when this happens, however it’s only temporary and there’s been no fights so hopefully Buttons will be a little more laid back after the spay and they’ll bond again

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