Hello bunny lovers,
I need some advice from experienced bunny carers regarding my bunnies’ behaviours. I have a bonded pair, female and male, who have been successfully bonded for well over a year but recently their dynamics have changed and I am worried that they will become unbonded and have to be separated!
So my pair are completely free range in my apartment and have always been this way, however a few months ago I went on holiday for 2 weeks and my babies went to a great little boarding facility. Due to legislative matters (apparently), they had to be kept caged but had ample exercise and play time outwith the cage. When the bunnies returned, my male was constantly mounting and chasing my female at night time, to the point she was getting very fed up with him and I would intervene to give him some attention and let her chill out for a bit without him. I thought it was the upset of being away from home that caused them to be a little unsettled. This continued for a further week and after researching, came across many topics of adrenal cancer with mounting being a main symptom. So off to the vet we went and she initially booked us in for scans to determine if adrenal cancer was the case. A few days later though, the vet contacted me with an interesting article on how sexual behaviour in altered buns can still be present, particularly in the change of seasons to Spring (we live in Scotland so Spring doesn’t really hit us until April / May :-P). So we put it down to this and I observed his behaviour further. It died down after a few more weeks but then my female bunny started doing the same to my male! My female has never mounted my male, ever, so this was very strange to see. Fortunately, he is really laid back and just wants love from anyone so he put up with her mounting and chasing, although at times I would have to step in if they began circling. Again, this majoritively takes place in the evening.
The next behaviour I am going to explain, I have never seen, and has got me slightly worried. This morning, when the buns joined us for breakfast, they were given a bowl of spinach and broccoli, which they adore. My male had a big chunk of broccoli and my female began to chase him (this is not unusual, they bicker over food all the time, even when I give them both the exact same thing!) and what she did I can only really describe it as a binky but she jumped on top of my male and kind of kicked him on the head. She did this a few times until I took the piece of broccoli from him, broke it in half and then gave her a piece. Can someone please tell me what this behaviour is and what it represents in bunny language?? Is this the beginning of a bunny war in my house?