• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Is one bunny bullyig the other into staying inside?

Melon_Pip

Young Bun
Hello there...
I have two house rabbits, both around 3yrs, both male, neutered and bonded around 2.5yrs ago. One is clearly boss, outgoing etc, one more timid. They groom each other but more timid bun grooming boss bun.

Anyway, I've noticed that when I leave all the doors open so they can go out the room, through the living room, and then outside, only boss bun goes out (very excitedly!) He sort of seems like he's waiting for me - at every door he'll stop and make sure I'm going too (sorry not sure if this is relevant!). Timid bun usually just stays in the room where their cage is. Sometimes he will go and hang out in the living room. Very, very occasionally he will go outside, and boss bun will chase him in again. If I just close the outside door, so they can get into living room but not further, boss bun will chase timid bun out of the living room too.

I wondered if I need to restrict their space, neutralise everything and gradually expand it again, or if what they're doing is normal? I wondered if it was natural bunny behaviour to have bunnies stationed along the "escape route" back to the burrow, rather than all far away at once. Or something like that. :?
 
It sounds like dominanr bun is saying these are my areas so chases timid bun away. It is probably what happens in the wild. There has to be a hierarchy, but try to ensure timid bun is happy about the situation, as far as you can ascertain their feelings.
 
Had completely forgotton about this post, then something clicked today. I remembered them both going outside last year, and in fact my picture is of them chilling in the yard! I think when I returned from a holiday I let them out/expanded space to quickly, so chief bun just claimed it all. That must be when it changed.
So will be reduing their space to one room temporaily and going through the arduous process of neutralising everything. Need a good long rain to wash down outside too! And then I will re-introduce them to new areas, bit by bit, and together.
Timid bun does seem happy enough as it is, but would be nice to see him scampering outside again.
 
Back
Top