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Forum BEHAVIOR Reasons bunnies groom other than affection?

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    • Pomandcourt
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        Hello! 

        I’m a new member, but have been stalking this forum for awhile to gather information. (Thanks!)

        I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with rabbits grooming NOT to show affection.

        My bunnies were all out for supervised play time when Luke approached Pom and started grooming her. In my head, I was thinking Success! But no. She had her head down and he licked near her eyes. He stopped. Went back. Stopped again. Then went in for a third time. About two licks in, Pom had enough and lunged at him. They separated and were shooed apart. But I’m curious if maybe there’s another intention bunnies have when grooming/licking that would explain Pom’s anger? Or was she just tired of his presence?

        Thank you!

        Background: I adopted the two lionheads (Luke and Leia) below about a month ago. When we got home, they both had mild-severe GI stasis (poor babies) That, combined with the stress of the move and being around a new bunny (Pom) had them fighting pretty much as soon as I had them in their hutch. I immediately separated them by grabbing Luke and taking him into the bathroom where I tried to calm him down. He started licking me frantically. My collar bone, hands, pretty much anywhere I had skin exposed. As soon as I put him down, he scurried away to hide.

        I’m pretty sure it wasn’t normal bunny affection as he’d only just met me. (Plus the running away.) He was being syringe fed Critical Care and medications for about a week (or more?) a few times a day which required some restraint. Almost every time I restrain him, he starts licking me. Leia does not do this.

        It’s very reminiscent of my sister’s toy poodle who licks pillows, people… the air when he starts to feel stressed out. Is this something bunnies do too? I haven’t seen anyone mention it online and my other bunnies certainly don’t do it.

        Additional information that may be relevant: Their previous home had them in their hutch most of the time (which, while big, was not big enough for them to be there 24/7). There were also 4 small children that would play with them on and off. You would think they’d be used to handling, but they’re both very skittish. It was clear they had never had their nails trimmed and were not brushed regularly if at all.

        (Luke and Leia are bonded brothers and sisters. Both are desexed. They live in a large two story hutch with supervised in-house playtime. Pom is cage free, but was kept away from the hutch for the first few weeks while the little buns were sick and until I felt their stress level was down. She is still intact. I do plan on getting her spayed, but she was severely underweight when I first got her so we’re in the process of fattening her up. I’m doing a terrible job bonding them, I know this. I haven’t really tried in earnest as Pom is to be spayed soon. Plus I was dealing with two sick bunnies and now Pom is sick after getting into some plastic while my parents’ were pet sitting. They do seem more curious towards one another than aggressive. I just have to be very diligent that they separate after a few seconds of nose touching.)

        Madame de Pompadour

        Leia and Luke


      • Sarita
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          Some rabbits groom others due to stress. They are very cute.


        • Hamster Munchies
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            my rabbits used to that. and they were sisters. they’d been together since birth, so i dont think it was territorial as they shared the huge space they had. however, i feel like it may be a dominance show. daisy always felt more dominant than socks, so she would lick her next to and between her eyes. then she would do the same thing you described, the going back and forth and doing it again and again, until socks got fed up and gave her a quick lunge as a warning. it never escalated, but with bunnies who aren’t bonded, it could be dangerous, so good thing you separated them.
            as for the licking under stress, that’s very possible. you know when the kits are young, and they lick to get a taste of things? i feel like some bunnies never get past that, and continue to lick due to stress. i’ve seen daisy do it, too, when my little brother gets too close to her, or if she hears a dog barking in the neighborhood. so she hides with me, because i’m her ‘protector’ of sorts. maybe that’s what luke feels about you.


          • LittlePuffyTail
            Moderator
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              Grooming can be a show of hierarchy as well. Your bunnies are ridiculously cute.


            • Megabunny
              Participant
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                What beautiful babies! But I don’t think you should be trying to bond much at this point. But it would be hard not to try. However, a bad fight can be a real dealbreaker lifelong for some buns. But check on the bonding site. I wouldn’t even attempt a threesome but that’s just me.


              • JackRabbit
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                  I have a bonded pair and a single bun. Will be watching to see how things go!

                  All of your bunnies are adorable, but I keep going back to look at Pom’s ears! I’d love to give that bunny ear rubs! Way too cute!


                • Pomandcourt
                  Participant
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                    Thanks everyone! I I like to at least pretend I know what’s going on in their little heads. It’s good to know when they’re feeling stressed and what their intentions are when they’re interacting with each other.

                    I’m not trying to bond them right now and won’t until I have Pom desexed and she’s recovered fully from that. In the meantime, Luke and Leia do need time out of their cage and my place is very small. I had just thought maybe this was some lucky fluke and they were already in love and my job was going to be so easy. Haha. I can dream.
                    I usually don’t let them near each other when they’re out, but Pom is just so excited to have new bunnies. She’s very curious about them and they seem to be getting used to each other’s presence. Luke and Leia are also interested in her (now that they’re over the stress of the move and I’m not having to shove a syringe in their face multiple times a day) I do feel though that they all want to be together and just don’t know where they stand. I think it’ll be relatively easy to bond them. I might just be fooling myself.

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                Forum BEHAVIOR Reasons bunnies groom other than affection?