Biting bunny and false pregnancy please help!!

Hi i would love some help!!
I am a new bunny owner, i have a boy bunny i have had for 4 months (he is now 8 months) he is a lovely soul such a happy boy. I wanted to get him a friend so was on a hunt for a girl went to local animal shelters but had no luck (girl didn't like him). I went to a pet shop and had a 3 month neatherland dwarf girl i thought perfect same breed and not a huge age gap.
Took her home everything was going fine she was very scared thu i put her in a inside cage,later on i brought my boy bunny inside to meet her i keeped her in her cage and he was running around so happy and she was very happy was love at first sight so i thought.
The next day i tryed to pat her and she granted and bit me!! she also thumps her feet alot i dont know if its cause she is scared or angry? so i brought my boy inside to see her thought it would make her feel better but she wanted nothing to do with him my poor boy was trying to get her attention .
i have been talking to her alot and sitting next to her cage even put her cage in my room to gain my trust but nothing is changing cant even pat her.
This morning she started making a nest and carrying hay in her mouth i believe she is having a false pregnancy is she being so angry and scared because of this ? also she smells more then my boy? how long does the false pregnancy last for? and how can i make her trust me or be calm enough to pat? i am worried that when i eventually put the two together (i am planning on getting them fixed this week or next) that she will be a bully ? sorry for wrighting so much would love advice am i doing something wrong? i love my bunnys and want them to be happy

Hi i would love some help!!
I am a new bunny owner, i have a boy bunny i have had for 4 months (he is now 8 months) he is a lovely soul such a happy boy. I wanted to get him a friend so was on a hunt for a girl went to local animal shelters but had no luck (girl didn't like him). I went to a pet shop and had a 3 month neatherland dwarf girl i thought perfect same breed and not a huge age gap. Took her home everything was going fine she was very scared thu i put her in a inside cage,later on i brought my boy bunny inside to meet her i keeped her in her cage and he was running around so happy and she was very happy was love at first sight so i thought. The next day i tryed to pat her and she granted and bit me!! she also thumps her feet alot i dont know if its cause she is scared or angry? so i brought my boy inside to see her thought it would make her feel better but she wanted nothing to do with him my poor boy was trying to get her attention . i have been talking to her alot and sitting next to he
r cage even put her cage in my room to gain my trust but nothing is changing cant even pat her. this morning she started making a nest and carrying hay in her mouth i believe she is having a false pregnancy is she being so angry and scared because of this ? also she smells more then my boy? how long does the false pregnancy last for? and how can i make her trust me or be calm enough to pat? i am worried that when i eventually put the two together (i am planning on getting them fixed this week or next) that she will be a bully ? sorry for wrighting so much would love advice i love my bunnys and want them to be happy

sorry i posted in wrong bit oops as you can tell i am new sorry everyone and hi all :wave:

Welcome to the site

Try not to worry about the bond. Nothing you are seeing is giving any positive or negative indication for what might happen when they are both spayed/neutered and then bonding. How a bunny acts with you is totally irrelevant to how s/he may act with another bunny.

With regards to the false pregnancy, it depends how entrenched it is. It could last a couple of weeks, which may include lactating, but equally, it could be done within a few hours. Just wait until she destroys her nest and then remove it. Yes, it sounds like her hormones are running rife and yes, you (especially because you smell of the boy) are a threat in her territory and she will want to protect her space and her 'litter'. This is expected when having entire girls around other bunnies, especially boys, so don't panic.

Do you have a plan for what you will do if they don't bond?

You might want to have a read of this, which is an article from my website about bonding. http://flashsplace.webs.com/bondingbunnies.htm There is also other rabbit care info on there too, as well as this article about trust and bonding with your bunny. http://flashsplace.webs.com/bondingwithyourbunny.htm

Thank you so much your website is so useful alot of things i had no idea about.
I really hope they bond but if they don't then i will just keep them apart.
From reading your site i believe my boy is my heart bunny and the reason i thought she would be same.
I am learning so much about bunnys from never having or being around them.
Thanks for that

I think while she is in that cage she will display this aggressive behaviour. I have come across this and think it might be because they feel trapped; in a hutch they would be able to run away from you into the bedroom and then back into the main area, and you can play that game for evermore! In the indoor cage it is more like a trap. 12 weeks is very young to be nesting, maybe she is older and really pregnant so keep an eye out for a while. The pet shop may not have told you her exact age.

oh i see that would explain alot. I also thought that she was to young to be nesting?.
I have another question what does it mean when she shakes her tail? i brought my boy bunny inside and he was saying hello to her and she was making noises and wiggled her tail a few times?
thanks

bowen said:

oh i see that would explain alot. I also thought that she was to young to be nesting?.
I have another question what does it mean when she shakes her tail? i brought my boy bunny inside and he was saying hello to her and she was making noises and wiggled her tail a few times?
thanks

Click to expand...

Excitement of some sort, be it positive or negative. The noises may well be hormone related too.

I would be inclined to agree with Tonibun that she's not the 12 weeks you've been told.

Thanks for the help,so glad i found this site!
I will keep a close eye on her

Waggling her tale sounds like she wants some attention from your boy! Are you going to keep them inside now?

she is living inside and he is outside for now hopefully will change this week or next waiting to get them fixed first.
But i let them see each other i bring him inside to play around and see her through the cage everyday.
The last two meetings she has made alot of noises and wiggled her tail.
My boy really likes her they kiss each other sometimes through the cage and always touch heads and mouths.But then she will run of away from him and sit in the corner and do this a few times.