Humping advice

The rabbits are 18 weeks old today, litter sisters and one has started humping the other, apart from separating them is their anything I can do in the short term to help? Please don't say get them spayed because they are going to be spayed.
Would a soft toy help? Would she leave her sister alone if I put a toy in there. We go from humping to snuggling up together.
I'm looking for something to relieve the pressure, excuse the pun!

There isn't a lot you can do as the behaviour is completely natural. Yours are lucky in that they will be neutered which will help the dominance factor, but some sisters have lived for years together, the more submissive one being treated this way. I doubt a soft toy would help, you could separate for a few hours to give the humped one a break. It depends on how bad it is.

Not a lot you can do about raging hormones - except separate them, which obviously isn't ideal because it could lead to the bond being broken. How much longer till their spay.

They are let out for anything between 2 and 5 hours every day, so they do get a break from each other. It didn't seem to happen anymore yesterday.
I just wondered if a soft toy would make her hump that and not her very gentle, calm sister.
Is it likely it would turn to aggression? They've never been apart and I really would not want to do that. I've got to phone the vet again today.
But I'm so nervous about getting them spayed although it's what we will do.

pollypocket said:

They are let out for anything between 2 and 5 hours every day, so they do get a break from each other. It didn't seem to happen anymore yesterday.
I just wondered if a soft toy would make her hump that and not her very gentle, calm sister.
Is it likely it would turn to aggression? They've never been apart and I really would not want to do that. I've got to phone the vet again today.
But I'm so nervous about getting them spayed although it's what we will do.

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Yes, I'm afraid that 2 un-spayed females could well start to fight - in which case the bond will probably be broken permanently and you will have to keep them as 2 single rabbits.
I can understand that you are nervous about the operation - all you can do really is make sure you have a vet who is experienced with rabbits. Good luck.

When our sisters started at this stage, them having space to run around was when the "humping" became chasing and Toffee who is the less dominant sister was being chased into corners and humped frequently! We seperated them before the chasing & humping turned into agression... with it being 2 days before Christmas we had to wait a week before they could be spayed.
Sadly it took 3 months before we were able to succesfully rebond them.

I personally don't think a soft toy would help, as part of the dominant behaviour will be connected to one showing submission or at least the chase.

Thanks. So far when they are out they carry on as normal, no changes in behaviour there yet. I'm hating this part of it. Makes me feel sad.

pollypocket said:

Thanks. So far when they are out they carry on as normal, no changes in behaviour there yet. I'm hating this part of it. Makes me feel sad.

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I cried numerous times when we had to seperate the girls, and some more when we had a few failed attempts at re-bonding! They were hard days indeed, but seeing the girls now back together, and even catching them on several occasions snuggled up together makes it all worth it.

Hopefully they keep going on as they are and you don't need to seperate them.