Spring hormones

[Spyinak]

Well, I wrote earlier about my girls mounting each other but now every morning I find their cage trashed with even their wooden box upended. They are really chasing each other around and I see an occassional tuft of hair ripped out though I am not seeing anywhere that they are breaking the skin.
Is this just a spring hormone change or are my bunnies showing signs that they won't be sharing a cage for much longer??
I was hoping to get them into their outdoor pen in a couple more weeks but now I am worried they won't be out there together!!
What should I do? :?:

 

[Charliesangel]

I'm not so sure on what you should do but I had the same problem. We had two female's in a large care (mother and daughter) and they had been together since the daughter was born. Then all of a sudden the daughter, ashlee, started mounting her mother, aspen, and ripping out hair. It was really bad so we seperated them right away. What I think is that it was ashlee just going through her "growing up" stage. How old are your buns?

 

[Spyinak]

My buns are about 8 months old - if I remember correctly. I am concerned as I don't have a second cage to seperate them right now and I just don't know when I should intervene. I don't want them to hurt each other but I don't want to have to reintroduce them if this is just a passing phase!
Will you attempt to reintroduce your buns Charlie?

 

[sgprescue]

I would get them both spayed. This type of behaviour is usually hormonal and can be relieved by neutering. I would advise getting them spayed anyway to prevent uterine cancer.

Cheryl

 

[KateRowan]

This started happening with two of my girls who are sisters together since birth. Once they were spayed (as soon as they were old enough at six months) the problem stopped and has never happened again. They're now in a very closely bonded trio now with their neutered brother and it's sweet how much they all love each other .

I think hormonal behaviour is much higher as spring kicks in which won't be helping. In the wild does who've lived comfortably together all winter start fighting over the best territory to raise their kits once spring comes.

If you do have them spayed make sure they're done together and are together during their convalescence or there's a high risk you'll have to start from scratch rebonding them .

 

[Spyinak]

Thanks everyone! Appreciate all of you help!!

 

[WonderBunn]

Its a bad time of the year for hormones. My little one was making a nest bless her, all bald and pink on her underneath!

 

[Charliesangel]

awwwww...yes, I do agree that getting them spayed will help the problem, but until then what are you going to do? I suggest seperating them since you dont want anyone hurt! good luck!

 

[Rallybunny]

Evo has been neutered and he's still been going mental for the past couple of weeks! :lol: My friend (who lives about 4 miles away) is experiencing the same with his neutered buck.

 

[Bertie]

Sniper was spayed blumming ages ago and she's started mounting the other girls. Caught her bonking Cassidy this morning. She's either very brave or very stupid. It's definitely a spring thing. Boscov isn't mounting anything, but he's tearing round the house like a loony. It's very disconcerting to have a French lop run at you in full binky mode. Especially one with such bad eyesight.

 

[taylor v 109]

Im not sure that parting them till u get them spayed is the right thing they may not go back with each other if they are parted they seem to forget who each other is if u know what i meam. As long as they are not drawing blood try to hang on but its best if u get them both done as soon as possable. good luck. val