How come he'll tolerate head humping but not the regular kind??

Hi everyone...need your help please...

I've posted this in the bonding section a few days ago but still need advice so posting here too, sorry if you've read it over there.

I'm just bonding my 8 month old Ellie with a 2-3 year rescue bun. They've had loads of time together in the bathroom, had a few little tiffs but mostly all been going well.... until a couple of days ago. They're in a 4x4 space now in the bathroom when they are together and I have a 4x4 run that I put them out in in the garden with it being so warm. Ellie's been living inside since November and never been in the run before, neither has our rescue Tufty.

Anyway, he was binkying around like crazy. never seen him do one before so didn't think he was even capable bless him but he had a great time. They were grooming each other eating together as normal. Tufty will push himself right under Ellie who will then proceed to hump his head alternating with grooming his back, he doesn't bat an eye lid. But I had to seperate 4 major fights that day because she tries to hump him the conventional way rather than on his head and he swings round instantly and a full on fight breaks out.

Whats that all about? I know its a dominance thing, Tufty doesn't mount Ellie at all but does a lot less of the grooming. They are both neutered, Ellie in Nov and Tufty in December. Please help anyone, I don't know what I'm supposed to do now?? They've been up in the bathroom since but it seems they've taken a step backwards and are a lot more wary of each other. Help!

Thanks all. Elaine x

Scarlet and Ori, who are bonded, do a similar thing in that Scarlet will occasionally concede to letting Ori hump her head, but the minute he tries to mount from behind she's off like a shot. I don't know, but maybe it means something slightly different in "rabbit speak*

RedFraggle said:

Scarlet and Ori, who are bonded, do a similar thing in that Scarlet will occasionally concede to letting Ori hump her head, but the minute he tries to mount from behind she's off like a shot. I don't know, but maybe it means something slightly different in "rabbit speak*

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You're probably right...and clearly its something not good by Tufty's reaction!! Wish I knew :?

sorry I really dont know....hopefully the bonding experts will see and will be able to help :?

I always figured it was more of an "aggressive" humping when it was in the "usual" way. Obviously if it isn't for mating that is

Being touched around the head to a bunny is generally a sign of affection or being told "your the boss" so is a good thing but the bum is usually where bunnies will bite or nip to tell a bunny off so is a bad thing. Fiver will attack me if I touch his bum because he it's quite "rude" in bunny speak but if I touch his head he usually lays his chin on the floor as if to say "you may proceed". :lol:

Vegan_Bunny said:

I always figured it was more of an "aggressive" humping when it was in the "usual" way. Obviously if it isn't for mating that is

Being touched around the head to a bunny is generally a sign of affection or being told "your the boss" so is a good thing but the bum is usually where bunnies will bite or nip to tell a bunny off so is a bad thing. Fiver will attack me if I touch his bum because he it's quite "rude" in bunny speak but if I touch his head he usually lays his chin on the floor as if to say "you may proceed". :lol:

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Ha, yeah someone suggested over on the bonding thread that a head hump is an unconventional nose rub...made me laugh but its probably true, he'll lie there for ages...no accounting for taste eh :lol:

Just feel like I'm at a stalemate now, no idea where to go.Don't know if I keep putting them together as I have been but don't really know what the next step is. Never done this before, her litter mate was pts last month and they were so devoted to eachother, I know how lovely it is to see bunny love I wanna get her back there..

I bonded 2 bunnies, Fiver and Xena, a few months ago. Put them together and only separated them on a night when I couldn't watch them (I'd taken time off work to do it) I put Xena in a cage in the bedroom where Fiver lives when I separated them so they could see each other. When they stopped chasing and humping constantly I simply let Xena free range in the bedroom, with "her" cage open and the litter tray she was using in there, and watched to make sure neither would get territorial or show any aggression. Ideally if you do this you need to sterilise everything but I only sterilised the litter tray as this was what Fiver was always territorial over.
Fiver did chase Xena a little bit but there was no fur pulling and on the first night I decided to separate them just so they could have a rest but after that they have been living together fine, although not totally "loved up" they do lay next to each other and Fiver will groom Xena but Xena refuses to groom Fiver. :roll:

These 2 were both dominant so it was a little more difficult than most bunny bonds. When your bunnies sort their dominance out then I would move them to where they will be living permanently and see what they are like in there. If there is any sign of aggression that may escalate into fighting them remove them and put them back in the space you are bonding them (after sterilising it) to sort things out.

I always thought that my Benjamin was just being a perve when he lets Little Marge hump his face :lol::lol: