Ear nibbling

[lunarmoon92]

Hi

I have two bunnies, Buttons (un-neutered male 6 months old) and Tallulah (un-neutered female 10 weeks old).

They haven't spent too much time in each others company yet as I don't want to risk Buttons humping Tallulah and making baby bunnies (even though she is probably still too young). They have spent time on the door mat by the back door together supervised though. Generally they don't seem too bothered by each other. Buttons has been giving Tallulah a good sniff and little nudge every now and then.

A few times it has looked like he has been grooming her and giving her a clean and then he starts to nibble her ears. I stop him as soon as I see him doing this, but I'm not sure if it's a sign of affection or him trying to attack her. On the most part Tallulah doesn't seem bothered, she doesn't try to kick him or move away when he is doing it, but I don't want him to hurt her.

Is it something I should be worried about?

Loz
:0)

 

[prettylupin]

Hi

I have two bunnies, Buttons (un-neutered male 6 months old) and Tallulah (un-neutered female 10 weeks old).

They haven't spent too much time in each others company yet as I don't want to risk Buttons humping Tallulah and making baby bunnies (even though she is probably still too young). They have spent time on the door mat by the back door together supervised though. Generally they don't seem too bothered by each other. Buttons has been giving Tallulah a good sniff and little nudge every now and then.

A few times it has looked like he has been grooming her and giving her a clean and then he starts to nibble her ears. I stop him as soon as I see him doing this, but I'm not sure if it's a sign of affection or him trying to attack her. On the most part Tallulah doesn't seem bothered, she doesn't try to kick him or move away when he is doing it, but I don't want him to hurt her.

Is it something I should be worried about?

Loz
:0)

You need to keep these buns separate from now on until they are both neutered, or atleast the male to start with. The girly bun will need spaying when she is old enough to protect her from high risks of uterine/ovarian cancer. Bonding in the long-term is also best achieved with TWO neutered buns.

 

[lunarmoon92]

Oh I know they both need to be neutered. Buttons is going next month as he wasn't big enough last time we went to the vets.

I'm not really trying to bond them at the moment it's just so they get used to each other really. He gets really grumpy when Tallulah gets attention.

So the ear nibbling is part of a dominance thing?

 

[prettylupin]

Grooming/dominance - hard to say. Personally I would simply not risk them meeting at all until atleast he is neutered. Fertilisation takes just a split second of mounting.