Is it normal for girl bunnies to hump boy bunnies?

As title really.

I'm ridiculously worried about my baby buns.

They are a buck and a doe (from different litters). When I got them, the breeder said that they'd be fine to keep together and that I needed to get them neutered between 4 and a half to 5 months for him, which is 5 to 5 and a half months for her. The vet has agreed that (with the caveat that I keen an eye on him for humping behaviour) this sounds feasible and I don't need to separate them.

The breeder said they'd be fine and they were already bonded together and all would be fine.

I'm now at 4 months for her. And over the last few days we've noticed she'll chase him and mount him and try to hump him. He'll try to run away, but otherwise isn't really very bothered. She also occasionally pulls out a clump of fluff.

I have posted on here a few times with various questions, and the answer always comes back - Separate them.

I don't have the facilities to separate them and have them so they can still see each other. I do have a large double hutch with a ramp - so I can seal the ramp and one can live upstairs and one can live downstairs.

We try to give them at least 4 hours of 'hopping around' each day. I do have the facilities to have two runs next to each other. Or Mr and I have discussed letting them in together for say half an hour every day with one of us in the run with them to split them up if necessary. Before returning one to their separate run.

Also - if I separate them, should they have 'sides' should one hutch and run always be hers, and one alwasy his? Or should I alternate so that they are still used to the smells of each other?

Is the humping normal? Is it playing? Am I paniking and separating them and causing them additional anguish when they're just being buns?

What I guess I'm asking is, am I being mean separating them? Is this just her telling him she reckons she's boss, and not sexual? She doesn't seem to care what part of him she mounts.

It just seems such a shame to separate them - they're not fighting properly, and they're absolutely cute as buttons with the mutual grooming and cuddling up together for almost all the time.

Can anyone please advise?

I wouldn't have seperated them for that really, Its quite normal.

Yes girl bunnies do hump male bunnies and they often pull some fur out, but as long as its not biting, I wouldn't worry.

That said....

What would worry me is that they aren't neutered, so I would get them both done and bond them then.... after neutralizing the hutch-run-area :wave:

Well mine like to take it in turns...sometimes Blossom likes to be on top for a change Haha! They're such naughty bunnies! Amusing though!

I'd keep them seperate until 6-8 weeks after the buck is neutered to avoid a litter and then rebond later personally :wave:

Yes girl buns do hump boy buns, my two do it, but Jess can't get over Joejoe's big bum so she humps his head instead :roll::lol: it's more a 'who's in charge' type of thing than the other.

my female always humps my male, from the back and from the head! the male never humps her, but the female is in charge! Mine are neutered though.

Woah, what planet are your breeder and vet living on! Have they not heard the expression 'breeding like rabbits'?! :shock::lol: They should be seperated at 10 weeks - leave it as late as has been suggested and I guarantee there'll be kits. Best to seperate them now anyway as the mounting may well turn to fighting soon. They can be rebonded 6 weeks after their ops.

yes you should separate and get boys neutered as soon as you can. my female humps my male to show that she is boss. he only did it to her when they were first getting to know each other. he has been neutered though. some people (and vets!) say you can put them together after 4 weeks but it needs to be at least 6. someone on here (cant remember who..) had an accidental pregnancy after 5 weeks post neutering.

Pix said:

Is this just her telling him she reckons she's boss, and not sexual? She doesn't seem to care what part of him she mounts.

Click to expand...

yes its normal mine does this all the time. its not cruel to separate if you are preventing unwanted pregnancy. if they fall out you might just have to re-bond.

split the 2 storey hutch, this is what I did before my 2 were bonded. You can mix bedding between areas though and toys etc so they get used to/dont forget each others smells, this might help i think it did with me.

he sounds like he is old enough to be neutered, i cant quite work out how old he is from your OP but i believe males can be done younger as its less invasive so i would get him done 1st then worry about her after.

Males can be neutered as soon as their testicles drop. In some buns this can be as early as 3 months, however in others this will normally be a little longer. Usually by 5 months they will be more than ready and the hormones will start to kick in.

To prevent your female becoming pregnant at such a young age I would split them for the time being, get your boy done now and then get the female done in a few weeks time.

Thank you for all the replies. I'd just like to reassure you that at the bottom of all this I'm just trying to provide the best possible home to, and to the best I can to care for my two buns. I certainly don't want her to get pg at such a young age (or at all), but I'm reluctant to separate two such devoted buns!

Hoping his nuts fall soon and he can have his op. If we have to wait 4 weeks to spay her and give her 2 weeks to heal, that's already 6 weeks. If his timings worked out the same - that would be ideal!

Although, presumably I don't need to worry about the 'wait till 6 weeks after the op cause he might still be fertile' if she's spayed and healed?

(Eta. Just to confirm, they are separated. I just don't like having had to do it)

i guess you dont have to wait, if she has no bits she cant get pregnant!

You have done the best thing by splitting them until they can both be neutered - it only takes a few seconds for him to 'do the deed' so even if you caught them at it, you would be too late to stop it happening.

It must be hard seeing them apart, but perhaps you could set something up so that they are side by side and can still see each other?

If they're both neutered at the same time, I would leave around 2 weeks at least for everything to heal before rebonding them on neutral territory.

just to say even when neutered, the female often still mounts the boys :lol:

my two girls are a nightmare to there husbuns theyhave no shame