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Where do you draw the line between bullying and dominance?

C

Candiflare

Mama Doe
I took Ralph and Ruby to my parent's house yesterday, to stay there while I go into hospital. I was cuddling Ruby on the sofa and found another hard bite on her back which had scabbed over (must have happened a week ago, or so) just a bit smaller than a 5p piece. It felt "hard"to touch and the skin underneath felt hard too. Along with the sewn up ear bite and the daily chasing , I'm not sure at what point I separate them?

They are so in love at ALL other times apart from an occasional dusk tiff where she will get chased and, occasionally bitten, I don't know what to do. They miss each other like hell when they're separated and celebrate when they're reunited again, that it would seem wrong to keep them apart.

Are there some bunny pairs where there is one significantly dominant rabbit and one significantly submissive one? And the submissive one goes throughout their lives with the small scars of occasional bites and nicks to keep them in place?
 
Poppy is really dominant over Sweetpea, and chases her at dusk, and 5 in the morning :roll: But there are never any wounds :? Does Ruby get stressed by it at all?
 
I wonder if Ralph just 'disciplines' Ruby? She may do something to annoy him and he nips her to say 'oi, pack it in'.

Amber pees Ollie off when she charges around at meal times and he lungers at her and giver he a nip. Sometimes he'll put his front paws on her head for a second. She sulks for a moment and then is back to normal. All other times they are fine.
 
I can't tell how stressed she gets by it. The way they eventually resolve it is her lying extremely low with her ears flat to the back of her head underneath him. Then he licks her ears, then they act normally again. When she's being chased she makes a whimpery sound and stamps her foot, but I associate that sound as hormonal/stroppy rather than scared or stressed.

She looks quite puffed out after being chased, and she fits herself into tiny holes in the cage to get away from him, but after she's cowered under him, he's licked her and they're back snuggling again, it's like it never happened!

I just don't want her to be covered in small scars.. it seems weird that she has to look a bit mangled and disshevled.
 
Akasma chases Frankie as she is the dominant one but there are never any wounds and they are usually snuggled up after a few minutes. She's doing it more at the moment as she is indoors and its close to spring. When Merlin was with Frankie and Akasma she was chasing him and I could tell he was getting stressed by it so I took him away and bonded him with Wesley.

Time away at your parents might help strengthen their bond.
 
How long have they been together? Was there a particular incident that triggered it? If it happened when you moved, then I would put it down to stress and leave them be. If it's happening regularly then you have to consider if it's in her best interests, or maybe you could keep them in seperate cages just while you are asleep, so they can still see each other but not fight. Of course that risks more problems, but I would only do it if she was getting lots of injuries. After all every open wound is a potential infection site :?
 
Stator said:
How long have they been together? Was there a particular incident that triggered it? If it happened when you moved, then I would put it down to stress and leave them be. If it's happening regularly then you have to consider if it's in her best interests, or maybe you could keep them in seperate cages just while you are asleep, so they can still see each other but not fight. Of course that risks more problems, but I would only do it if she was getting lots of injuries. After all every open wound is a potential infection site :?
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Hi Tim,

They haven't been together very long... since November, so about three months. So far all I know is there has been daily chasing, fur pulling and two bites that have drawn blood. If this was all there is then I would have separated them ages ago, but they are also very happy together and are miserable when they're apart. I'm in hospital at the moment now for a week and so worried that he's going to attack her again:( My parents are looking after them but I don't know if they'd notice a bite :( Argh!
 
Wesley said:
Akasma chases Frankie as she is the dominant one but there are never any wounds and they are usually snuggled up after a few minutes. She's doing it more at the moment as she is indoors and its close to spring. When Merlin was with Frankie and Akasma she was chasing him and I could tell he was getting stressed by it so I took him away and bonded him with Wesley.

Time away at your parents might help strengthen their bond.
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Yep, I think feeling like they are in a different place will help them.My Mum said Ralph chased her last night, but my Mum clapped and they both stopped immediately - it seemed to distract them. I'm now getting all worrying and obsessive because I'm away... there's no chance that a neutered male could kill a spayed doe, could he?It would be unlikely wouldn't it? Obviously I'm really doing worst case scenario because I'm away from them...
 
:wave: are you on RU in Hospital?? :lol:

Sorry to hear about your 2 - try not to worry im sure they will be fine, The fact they are in Love most of the time is good, keep at it - will just have to see what happens - it will probably settle down..

Hope your ok?? xx
 
kaths101 said:
:wave: are you on RU in Hospital?? :lol:

Sorry to hear about your 2 - try not to worry im sure they will be fine, The fact they are in Love most of the time is good, keep at it - will just have to see what happens - it will probably settle down..

Hope your ok?? xx
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Hi! Yes, I have a special room with wireless!!! Am fine, just have a neurological condition and getting treatment for it!

Thanks for reassurance... it's so easy to feel irrational when you're away from them!

You didn't say who was the more dominant of your two? Sooty or Oreo?
 
Candiflare said:
Hi! Yes, I have a special room with wireless!!! Am fine, just have a neurological condition and getting treatment for it!

Thanks for reassurance... it's so easy to feel irrational when you're away from them!

You didn't say who was the more dominant of your two? Sooty or Oreo?
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Awww glad your ok - Oreo is the more dominent which I was REALLY surprised about as Sooty was a little madam and i thought she would have him firmly in his place but when it came to it she was a wuss and she does everything he says :lol:
The only time she will put her foot down is when food is present which is mainly when the chasing occurs - Have had no injuries though!! It is worrying but I think if its not all the time it is ok - Or if the injuries become more frequent or worse then I think it would be time to seperate!!

Im sure your mum will be ok with them and keep an eye out - I expect you gave them a good talking to when you left and told them to be good - so Im sure they will!! :lol: :love:
 
Try not to worry about them. Hopefully it will help the bond while they are at your mum and dads and if they are anything like my mum and dad they will be treating them like children. Hope it all goes well. :wave:
 
I wonder if Ralphy is kicking off, referred aggression, if he sees or smells Buzz. When you bring Buzz in, do the others see him? Even if hes neutered, it can set the others squabbling.

Hope you have a speedy recovery.
 
raine said:
I wonder if Ralphy is kicking off, referred aggression, if he sees or smells Buzz. When you bring Buzz in, do the others see him? Even if hes neutered, it can set the others squabbling.

Hope you have a speedy recovery.
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Well according to my parents tonight, Ralph has started humping Ruby non stop. He has never done this before.. can't believe what's happening while I'm away!

He and Ruby were inside and never around Buzz while he was chasing her before (Buzz was outside) and now they are at my parents (so completely away from Buzz) and Ralph is still being extremely dominant.

Thanks for good wishes... it's going to be slow, but I'm getting there!
 
The change of environment has obviously set him off, or maybe the time of year? I think quite a lot of rabbits still do hump each other. One of my two french lop girls used to do it.

Hoping you are getting better.
 
Candiflare said:
Well according to my parents tonight, Ralph has started humping Ruby non stop. He has never done this before.. can't believe what's happening while I'm away!

He and Ruby were inside and never around Buzz while he was chasing her before (Buzz was outside) and now they are at my parents (so completely away from Buzz) and Ralph is still being extremely dominant.

Thanks for good wishes... it's going to be slow, but I'm getting there!
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Hopefully Ralph will settle down soon. Glad you are OK. Buzz sends snuggles he's being a very good bunny:wave:
 
Can't look at the pictures of your buns without swooning now, Emma! They were all just so gorgeous with all their little personalities!

I'm missing Ralph, Ruby and Buzz too now.. and a bit bored and lonely here. But got to last the week. :(

Is Buzz being calm and friendly? And eating okay? Eating lots of hay?
 
Candiflare said:
Can't look at the pictures of your buns without swooning now, Emma! They were all just so gorgeous with all their little personalities!

I'm missing Ralph, Ruby and Buzz too now.. and a bit bored and lonely here. But got to last the week. :(

Is Buzz being calm and friendly? And eating okay? Eating lots of hay?
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He's just been helping me clean out his litter tray. :lol: He's really lovely and friendly and likes attention. Now I have figured out where he likes his food put he eats it fine and munches hay like a good boy. He like fenegreek crunchies:oops: I give one to all my buns in the evening and didn't want to miss him out. Silly me was putting his food in a bowl on the floor of the playhouse he wanted it in the hutch. :roll:
 
hurricanhoney said:
He's just been helping me clean out his litter tray. :lol: He's really lovely and friendly and likes attention. Now I have figured out where he likes his food put he eats it fine and munches hay like a good boy. He like fenegreek crunchies:oops: I give one to all my buns in the evening and didn't want to miss him out. Silly me was putting his food in a bowl on the floor of the playhouse he wanted it in the hutch. :roll:
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I hadn't seen fenugreek crunchies before I gave them to H,M and W! Must get some! Then again, I hadn't been "in the flesh" with a lop rabbit or a rex before, so I really am quite an amateur!
 
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