• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Opinions on a bonding issue...

casu consulto

Mama Doe
Sorry if this is long...! :oops: I want to try and explain so I can get other opinions on this.

I have a female pair that are mother and daughter. And two single males, at the moment - but the idea there is to be possibly trying to bond those two in the coming year. I'm not nervous about bonding, and understand how a male x male pair is perhaps the least easy to attempt.

My female pair, the mother/daughter are actually the issue here, or might become one. To put it politely, mummy-Hazel can be a rather moody little, erm, madam. She always has been. If they're all out in runs in the garden, and my fluffy headed Amber decides she hates the girls that day, Hazel will turn on Bella, her daughter, in a case of referred aggression. She has NEVER harmed her, she just chases her wanting to assert her dominance, but Bella gets very nervous and skittish and runs rather than keeping still. This lasts until Amber stops trying to challenge Hazel against the side of the run closest to them, and then they all settle down again.

Last night, Hazel was chasing Bella around their hutch and mounting her. They'd been fed not long before - but this is new behaviour for them. When Hazel is chasing Bella, Bella looks extremely nervous and frightened, but it does not seem to last long. As a bonded pair, they rest together in the same litter tray. Hazel is not a cuddly or affectionate bunny. This extends to her behaviour to Bella, too. They don't sit grooming one another, and Bella is the one who initiates any sort of snuggling - Hazel just lies flopped and doesn't look like she minds either way. They've been together for two years now, and Bella has never been without her mum.

My family keep suggesting I split them and bond each with one of my currently unpaired boys. :? I can see their point. It's very neat, and even, to have three male/female pairs. I DO worry that Hazel's behaviour to Bella could get worse. But I don't like the idea of splitting them without 'real' reason, just because I think something MIGHT happen in the future. If their bond was to break, and I could no rebond them, then I'd be unable to adopt partners to cater for each. Six rabbits are quite enough for me.

It WOULD be wrong to separate the female pair, wouldn't it? :? I've never have this number of rabbits, and so I've never been in a position where changing the way they live would be a possibility. My sister keeps pointing out it's not like they'd never see one another again, but I'm not sure how much seeing one another through mesh really counts for a bunny.
 
Last edited:
My first question is are they all neutered? If they are not I would get this doe as soon as practically possible.

When you the rabbits are chasing and mounting each other are they in sight or smell of the other rabbits? If they are you probably have behaviour which is as a result of them being able to see or smell the others. My advise would be to properly separate them and keep them well away from each other for now.

There is no reason why you cannot bond any of your buns together as long as it is done properly in totally neutral territory and with them all having been neutered.
 
They're all neutered. The one doing the chasing has been neutered for two years now.

They have always, always been within both sight and smell of the other rabbits. They have always lived in this way, nothing has changed there and they've never shown behaviour like this whilst in their hutch. I've only ever seen it out in the garden, and then ONLY when Amber, who is incredibly ditzy and easily wound up, would very deliberately provoke Hazel.

I'm just wondering whether it would be fair to separate my female pair, with them occasionally having these issues, and bonding each female with one single male, or whether it would be cruel to part them now. I'm not sure their bond is as strong as I'd like it to be, and am wondering if I'd stand a better chance of forming and keeping three separate pairs by attempting a male/female bond in all three cases, instead of one male/female, one female/female and one male/male. :)
 
You say it is only when they are in the garden, are they are ground which is where the others have been? If it is this is a territorial issue ... and probably wont make any difference if you want to bond them to others.

My first port of call with bonding would be to try and bond them into a foursome with the boys if that is what you are looking at. Then rethink what you do.

Another option would be to go for two threesomes.
 
Splitting your 2 females depends on how bad the behaviour is.

I had a group of 4 - 2 unrelated males and 2 related females. One of the females started a similar behaviour to that you have described towards the other female. It got so bad that the terrorised female began to loose weight and we had to seperate her for the group permanenetly.

The removed female is now bonded with 3 other females and a male (mum and 3 kits). The mum on daily basis chases and mounts her largest daughter and then they get on with their lives. This is definately a dominance thing and the daughter accept it. In this case I will continue to allow them to live together (unless it gets worse of course!).

I don't think the sex of the bunnies makes any difference on the strength of bond. It all depends on the rabbits. One of the most devoted pairs I have had was 2 males. I have had other pairs that just seem to get on.

You also have the option of 2 trios, a group of 4 and a pair and of course a group of 6!!
 
I would try a group and if it doesn't work have three boy/girl pairs. I don't think they will miss each other if they are with another bun.

I have a similar issue with my two girls, Poppy gets rather moody and chases Sweetpea, it has been like this for a year or so. They are fine most of the time, and as a foursome it does work. However if I moved to a larger house I would consider splitting into two pairs to stop the chasing.
 
If your gut instinct says to split them, then this is probably for the best. You could always try the females with the single males to see how it works out, but reunite them if it doesn't go well
 
Back
Top