The Duchess
Wise Old Thumper
So, I have two single buns here for holidays. The owner has tried to bond them herself to no avail so I agreed to try while they were here.
The female is one of the most defensive rabbits I have ever seen in my life - for a 'spayed' female that is.
She is 7, and was rescued in June by this lady from a local all species rescue that doens't do bonding - they merely chuck rabbits in together and if they don't fight they can go home. Well I am not sure what happened but this lady adopted her but has reported many behaviour traits I would expect to see in a unspayed female.
I asked the lady when she was spayed and she said that the rescue hadn't done it but that she was supposed to have been done before she arrived and had been in the rescue over a year.
I put it to her that due to the reputation of said rescue in our area, that she might not be spayed at all (this rescue insists on the people giving up their rabbits to vaccinate them before they go in) and I know that they don't neuter in order to rehome.
The lady went back to them and they have assured her that she is spayed.
David and I have spent the last week handling her on an almost hourly basis and she is actually happier to be with us and will now not box us everytime we approach her. She growls, lunges and bites too. This is classic cage guarding.
This morning I go up and she has built the most amazing nest ever. Complete with fur and quite a bit of it.
Now I do understand that there can be phantom pregnancies but baring in mind that she is spayed, and is also 7, I would be quite suprised to see such 'symptomatic' behaviour.
Does anybody else have good evidence to suggest that this is just a behaviour or does anybody else think that the owner should be asking for proof of neutering.
BTW, I did attempt to bond them on the first day - with the unfamiliar surroundings being key, but she immediately attacked him and locked on.
I honestly don't think she is spayed - but would like to have some evidence that I could very wrong and it's just behavioural.
The lady who owns the buns is not new to rabbits. Also they live near each other at home so by coming here and living near each other, this isn't likely to be the biggest factor in her building, although I do accept that the unusual surroundings may encourage her to make up 'her own territory'
Sorry for the long one.......................
The female is one of the most defensive rabbits I have ever seen in my life - for a 'spayed' female that is.
She is 7, and was rescued in June by this lady from a local all species rescue that doens't do bonding - they merely chuck rabbits in together and if they don't fight they can go home. Well I am not sure what happened but this lady adopted her but has reported many behaviour traits I would expect to see in a unspayed female.
I asked the lady when she was spayed and she said that the rescue hadn't done it but that she was supposed to have been done before she arrived and had been in the rescue over a year.
I put it to her that due to the reputation of said rescue in our area, that she might not be spayed at all (this rescue insists on the people giving up their rabbits to vaccinate them before they go in) and I know that they don't neuter in order to rehome.
The lady went back to them and they have assured her that she is spayed.
David and I have spent the last week handling her on an almost hourly basis and she is actually happier to be with us and will now not box us everytime we approach her. She growls, lunges and bites too. This is classic cage guarding.
This morning I go up and she has built the most amazing nest ever. Complete with fur and quite a bit of it.
Now I do understand that there can be phantom pregnancies but baring in mind that she is spayed, and is also 7, I would be quite suprised to see such 'symptomatic' behaviour.
Does anybody else have good evidence to suggest that this is just a behaviour or does anybody else think that the owner should be asking for proof of neutering.
BTW, I did attempt to bond them on the first day - with the unfamiliar surroundings being key, but she immediately attacked him and locked on.
I honestly don't think she is spayed - but would like to have some evidence that I could very wrong and it's just behavioural.
The lady who owns the buns is not new to rabbits. Also they live near each other at home so by coming here and living near each other, this isn't likely to be the biggest factor in her building, although I do accept that the unusual surroundings may encourage her to make up 'her own territory'
Sorry for the long one.......................