I have 15 week old Mini Rex siblings, Rupert and Bella, who have always been so sweet and happy with each other... until today!!
Buns were having their usual 2 hour free roam in the garden, when Bella suddenly started mounting Rupert for the first time; they got into a bunny tornado, and ripped chunks of fur out of each other (and my hand!) until I managed to separate them. It was distressing, to say the least.
Rupert was castrated a couple of weeks ago, and Bella is too young to be spayed, but they have never been like this before. Is it hormones, or something else?? I know I've probably been naive allowing them to run around together when she hasn't been spayed, but as a strongly bonded pair of siblings, I've been reluctant to split them up (and I've NEVER seen any sexual behaviour before).
Once they'd calmed down and spent a couple of hours apart, I reintroduced them and they seemed fine - grooming, eating, and sleeping together. They get separated at night into the upstairs and downstairs of their outdoor hutch but I do really want them back together 24/7. Bella had a small puncture wound (I suspect from a nail rather than a tooth), which I bathed with diluted Hibiscrub. By coincidence, I've got to take Rupert to the Vet tomorrow for his post-op check-up and will likely take Bella too, just so they can check there's no serious injuries that I couldn't see.
Anyway, my question is - is it hormones that has caused this? And what can I do to prevent it happening again? I don't have the space/funds for a second hutch, and they constantly escape the puppy pen so I'm not sure what else to do (expensive Omelet run on the way, but 4 week delay due to lack of stock). I want to feel confident leaving them in the garden/run/hutch together in future, but I'm guessing I'll need to wait until after Bella has been spayed? They are otherwise super healthy, inquisitive and gorgeous buns.
Any advice would be welcome - but please go easy on my naivety!
Thanks all,
Pip
Buns were having their usual 2 hour free roam in the garden, when Bella suddenly started mounting Rupert for the first time; they got into a bunny tornado, and ripped chunks of fur out of each other (and my hand!) until I managed to separate them. It was distressing, to say the least.
Rupert was castrated a couple of weeks ago, and Bella is too young to be spayed, but they have never been like this before. Is it hormones, or something else?? I know I've probably been naive allowing them to run around together when she hasn't been spayed, but as a strongly bonded pair of siblings, I've been reluctant to split them up (and I've NEVER seen any sexual behaviour before).
Once they'd calmed down and spent a couple of hours apart, I reintroduced them and they seemed fine - grooming, eating, and sleeping together. They get separated at night into the upstairs and downstairs of their outdoor hutch but I do really want them back together 24/7. Bella had a small puncture wound (I suspect from a nail rather than a tooth), which I bathed with diluted Hibiscrub. By coincidence, I've got to take Rupert to the Vet tomorrow for his post-op check-up and will likely take Bella too, just so they can check there's no serious injuries that I couldn't see.
Anyway, my question is - is it hormones that has caused this? And what can I do to prevent it happening again? I don't have the space/funds for a second hutch, and they constantly escape the puppy pen so I'm not sure what else to do (expensive Omelet run on the way, but 4 week delay due to lack of stock). I want to feel confident leaving them in the garden/run/hutch together in future, but I'm guessing I'll need to wait until after Bella has been spayed? They are otherwise super healthy, inquisitive and gorgeous buns.
Any advice would be welcome - but please go easy on my naivety!
Thanks all,
Pip
