Hello,
This is my first post and I'm hoping for some advice to get my two female rabbits to bond. They are 5 and 8 months old and spayed.
We've had them for 2 weeks now, and put them together on neutral territory every day. At first the younger kept nipping the older and chase it a little bit, but the older would just avoid her and nothing else much happened. Then today they were sitting together and eat and the older started grooming the younger. I thought great, finally we're getting somewhere. But then the older mounted the younger which took me by surprise, I thought only males did that (I realise my mistake now) so I didn't know what to do. The bottom bunny didn't seem to mind at first but then seconds later a fight broke lose. I quickly shouted and banged on the floor which stopped it. But now I don't know what best to do, this was the first time they really fought so it seems worse than when they started. I was also confused because I thought the younger who was doing the nipping wanted to be dominant but I guess now it's the older one being dominant. I let them sniff each other after this but then put them back in their separate cages because I was worried they might have another fight.
What do you think, is this normal after 2 weeks? Anything I can do better? The younger one is generally very timid by the way, she hides and doesn't want to be stroked. The older one is much more tame and comes when called.
Anyway, any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks a lot,
Andie
This is my first post and I'm hoping for some advice to get my two female rabbits to bond. They are 5 and 8 months old and spayed.
We've had them for 2 weeks now, and put them together on neutral territory every day. At first the younger kept nipping the older and chase it a little bit, but the older would just avoid her and nothing else much happened. Then today they were sitting together and eat and the older started grooming the younger. I thought great, finally we're getting somewhere. But then the older mounted the younger which took me by surprise, I thought only males did that (I realise my mistake now) so I didn't know what to do. The bottom bunny didn't seem to mind at first but then seconds later a fight broke lose. I quickly shouted and banged on the floor which stopped it. But now I don't know what best to do, this was the first time they really fought so it seems worse than when they started. I was also confused because I thought the younger who was doing the nipping wanted to be dominant but I guess now it's the older one being dominant. I let them sniff each other after this but then put them back in their separate cages because I was worried they might have another fight.
What do you think, is this normal after 2 weeks? Anything I can do better? The younger one is generally very timid by the way, she hides and doesn't want to be stroked. The older one is much more tame and comes when called.
Anyway, any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks a lot,
Andie