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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum BONDING Male bunny chasing female bunny?

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    • LittleThumper
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      28 posts Send Private Message

        Hi everyone,

        Just yesterday I got my 2 month’ old female hotot (unspayed). I placed her together with my 8-month, male netherlands dwarf (neutered).

        So far there’s no fight or whatsoever. However, the male rabbit sometimes chases her around the cage. But there’s no biting or whatsoever. The male rabbit just wants to sniff her and such but the female rabbit is simply very timiid. There’s once the male rabbit climbed over her and humped her face (lol). Right now he’s always mounting over her but licks her fur all over as she lays on the ground – timid and submissively.

        So is this okay? Is this considered a good bondign sign? And should I continue to leave them together?


      • Sleepy
        Participant
        190 posts Send Private Message

          It’d be better to wait until you have her spayed before continuing bonding. Even if there’s no issues now, hormones will likely lead to issues as her personality will change and he’ll likely continue to chase and react to her hormones.This is more likely to lead to frustration and can make bonding harder later. 

          If possible, you could continue to let them see and interact with each other through a barrier and then properly bond them later. At the very least, the fact they’re not being aggressive with each other now implies there’s a decent chance of bonding later.


        • LittleThumper
          Participant
          28 posts Send Private Message

            Thanks Sleepy!

            Unfortunately, she’s still too young to be spayed. If I remember correctly she needs to be above 6 months’ old. So I can’t get her spayed until 4 months’ later.

            Anyway, the bonding seems to be a success. Totally no fights. In fact, they really love each other. The female rabbit would cower under the male bunny and he would lick her. Then, in return, she would lick him back. For some reason she loves licking the male bunny’s right ears a lot.

            The only problem is she pees and craps everywhere. Her crap is those soft kind that smears everywhere easily. And because she’s still new, she’s timid and afraid and she would run over the poop and pee smearing it everywhere in the cage… so I have to always check on them to clean the mess. Hope she calms down soon and becomes comfortable.


          • tobyluv
            Participant
            3310 posts Send Private Message

              The reason that you were able to bond your bunnies was because your new one is still a baby. In another month or so, when her hormones kick in, you may have a totally different experience and you may have to separate them at that time, then re-bond them after her spay surgery and recuperation. When the hormones come flooding in as rabbits reach puberty, they can bring a lot of changes in attitude and can bring on aggression, which can lead to fighting. That’s why every article you read on bonding says that the first step is to spay and or neuter both rabbits, then have a wait time of a few weeks before starting the bonding process.


            • Hazel
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                I agree with tobyluv and Sleepy. They should be separated until both are fixed and have had time to recuperate. She’s on the verge of hitting puberty and once that switch flips things can get nasty. Females especially can become very territorial and aggressive once their hormones kick in.

                Also, how long has your male been neutered? They can have viable sperm for a month (sometimes even longer) after the surgery and can still impregnate a female during that time.


              • LittleThumper
                Participant
                28 posts Send Private Message

                  Thanks for the replies, everyone.

                  The male bunny has been neutered about 7 weeks’ ago.

                  Alright, I better separate them till she gets spayed first.

                  Thanks for the advice everyone!

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              Forum BONDING Male bunny chasing female bunny?