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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BONDING Dominant one grooming??

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    • Manda and Loki
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        So I’ve realized putting Loki and Freya in very small enclosures is they only way it works right now. Even after stress bonding. Freya is VERY dominant- it’s very clear. but yet, when I make their x-pen very small… she non stop grooms Loki. Ears, eyes, will even get on top of him and groom his back. BUT… if I give them the littlest bit of extra room- or sometimes even keeping it the same…. she still tries chasing him and biting his butt. WHY?? Loki is starting to “honk” when she does it. Freya earlier was nudging him in his face like she wanted to be groomed… but Loki just won’t do it. Also, only when in a tight space is when Freya mounts Loki a lot. and tries holding onto his fur.. or tries pulling it out. 


      • Mikey
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          I personally dont find grooming to be a way to define who is the alpha and who are the underlings. My alpha bun is ocd and must have his stuff in perfect order or he gets mad. His stuff counts his cage, his litter box, his fur, and our other two bunnys fur. If one bit of fur is out of place, my alpha bun will get right on that and groom until he is pleased with what he sees. My other two buns groom eachother about equally, and both will groom the alpha if he demands it

          But the nipping and chasing you mentioned is her way of reminding him that she is the alpha It ill likely get better with more bonding time. I wouldnt move to a bigger space until she completely stops doing it in a smaller space


        • LittlePuffyTail
          Moderator
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            When I had Bindi bonded with my Mini-Rex Stormy (who has sadly gone to the Bridge), Bindi was very clearly the dominant bun but he groomed Stormy all the time. I don’t think I ever saw Stormy groom him once. Not sure what the deal is with that, but obviously, it’s just the way of some pairs.


          • Manda and Loki
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              hmm I wonder if Freya is just that way too. She loves to groom Loki, but it also seems like she loves to nip his butt. But I will say in the past couple of days, it’s progressed from butt fur pulling, to just little butt nips. Sometimes I can tell she’s just saying “move!” I have been keeping the x-pen pretty tight to avoid chasing, and it just seems to be working for them. So maybe she really is just telling him to get out of her way. 


            • Manda and Loki
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                Leave it up to my buns to be all backwards in their bonding process 

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            Forum BONDING Dominant one grooming??