killabuni
Young Bun
Since I was here last I've adopted a young doe as company for my elderly buck. The first day I put them together they were ok, although Clymo (my buck) didn't like Whisky (my doe) under the table in the dining room as he knows that's "his" space. Clymo has arthritis so on a cold or rainy day, or in the evening, he comes in, sits himself under the table, which is beside a radiator, and doesn't move for hours.
When Whisky was first brought in to meet him, he would lunge at her coming near him, bite her fur out and try to hump her etc. which I was expecting. The second time I did it again in the dining room for a few hours and the same happened, although Whisky was becoming much more adventurous and was going in "his" space, but then being chased out again, though no biting or lunging. Third time was in the hall and they were worse together and Clymo was really scaring her; he was grunting and even attacking me too. I opened the living room door to let him escape as he was clearly stressed, and scattered a load of veg around the floor to distract them.
For the past couple of hours, the pair of them have been happily sharing the garden, since it's been better weather I took advantage, rabbit-proofed it for Whisky and let them get on with it in a larger area. There has been a lot of progress but she's been doing something else other than running scared from him... Since she's not spayed yet, she's been laying flat on the ground whenever he's come near her, flicked her tail in the air and he's mounted her. It made me crack up first time as he was mounting her head :lol: but I expected that all as well. She's going to be spayed next week now that she's coming up for 7 months of age so that's all fine. Clymo was neutered when he was a year old which was back in 2003 so there's no fear of them breeding.
I do have a question about it, I just wanted to explain what I've done and what's happened so far first. They're getting on really well at the moment, at least Clymo isn't chasing/lunging at her anymore. He's is sort of stalking her, following her wherever she goes and just sits watching close-by whilst thumping slightly. I take it that's normal mating behaviour - this is the first time I've bonded rabbits and I know nothing of their breeding habits as I'm against breeding so have never needed to look into it. She's not flattening out and he's not mounting her anymore, they're just hopping around eating grass. I don't want to ask my vet clinic as I didn't feel very reassured when I asked about bonding advice from one vet who suggesting not bothering to even try and they were much better off on their own. Whisky is a lovely little doe, she craves attention and interaction with you, always wanting to play and have a cuddle, and Clymo hasn't lived with a bunny since he was a baby, which was my own fault, so I'd love him to have some company, even if he is an OAB (old age bunny).
Now, my question. I am aware of phantom pregnancies as one of my old does had one once, my ex's doe had one once and I've read about them too, however, I have no idea if being in a phantom affects their mental health if they're spayed during one. Monday is the earliest I can get her in the vets so I need to know whether or not to wait for signs or go ahead and have her spayed, because of today having Clymo mounting her, I don't know if it's like ferrets where they believe they're pregnant etc etc.
All in all, it's been really positive between them and I'm hoping they get along like this after she's spayed!
Thanks for reading and any advice in regards to my question is appreciated!
When Whisky was first brought in to meet him, he would lunge at her coming near him, bite her fur out and try to hump her etc. which I was expecting. The second time I did it again in the dining room for a few hours and the same happened, although Whisky was becoming much more adventurous and was going in "his" space, but then being chased out again, though no biting or lunging. Third time was in the hall and they were worse together and Clymo was really scaring her; he was grunting and even attacking me too. I opened the living room door to let him escape as he was clearly stressed, and scattered a load of veg around the floor to distract them.
For the past couple of hours, the pair of them have been happily sharing the garden, since it's been better weather I took advantage, rabbit-proofed it for Whisky and let them get on with it in a larger area. There has been a lot of progress but she's been doing something else other than running scared from him... Since she's not spayed yet, she's been laying flat on the ground whenever he's come near her, flicked her tail in the air and he's mounted her. It made me crack up first time as he was mounting her head :lol: but I expected that all as well. She's going to be spayed next week now that she's coming up for 7 months of age so that's all fine. Clymo was neutered when he was a year old which was back in 2003 so there's no fear of them breeding.
I do have a question about it, I just wanted to explain what I've done and what's happened so far first. They're getting on really well at the moment, at least Clymo isn't chasing/lunging at her anymore. He's is sort of stalking her, following her wherever she goes and just sits watching close-by whilst thumping slightly. I take it that's normal mating behaviour - this is the first time I've bonded rabbits and I know nothing of their breeding habits as I'm against breeding so have never needed to look into it. She's not flattening out and he's not mounting her anymore, they're just hopping around eating grass. I don't want to ask my vet clinic as I didn't feel very reassured when I asked about bonding advice from one vet who suggesting not bothering to even try and they were much better off on their own. Whisky is a lovely little doe, she craves attention and interaction with you, always wanting to play and have a cuddle, and Clymo hasn't lived with a bunny since he was a baby, which was my own fault, so I'd love him to have some company, even if he is an OAB (old age bunny).
Now, my question. I am aware of phantom pregnancies as one of my old does had one once, my ex's doe had one once and I've read about them too, however, I have no idea if being in a phantom affects their mental health if they're spayed during one. Monday is the earliest I can get her in the vets so I need to know whether or not to wait for signs or go ahead and have her spayed, because of today having Clymo mounting her, I don't know if it's like ferrets where they believe they're pregnant etc etc.
All in all, it's been really positive between them and I'm hoping they get along like this after she's spayed!
Thanks for reading and any advice in regards to my question is appreciated!
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