How can you tell if a pair isn't working

Hi there. I got my 2 male bunnies around 3 months ago. They have both been neutered. I'm just slightly concerned about how well they actually get on. They seem to eat together very happily (I've never seen any fighting or bullying over food) and I see them grooming each other some of the time. However, I have noticed that one bunny (carrot) seems very jumpy around the other one (theodore) sometimes. This is most noticeable in the outdoor run when theodore has a crazy 5 minutes tearing around the place. Carrot runs away and it can seem like a chase sometimes. I've always thought Theodore wasn't really chasing but lately it has looked more like that.

They are now in the garage. I don't see chasing but I have seen odd clumps of hair. How do I tell if they're not getting on and what can be done? I can't keep them separately. Would a rescue centre swap one bunny for a more suitable match?

You sound like you have concerns - I wonder how old are they? I am not sure if Rescues do what you suggest but it sounds like the boys would be happier with a girlfriend as each boy may want to be the dominant one.

tonibun said:

You sound like you have concerns - I wonder how old are they? I am not sure if Rescues do what you suggest but it sounds like the boys would be happier with a girlfriend as each boy may want to be the dominant one.

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I'm not sure they both want to be dominant really. Carrot seems to get out of the other ones way almost too quickly. He seems quite jumpy but I've never seen any actual aggression to be honest just possible chasing from the other one. And the occasional hair. Carrot is always going up to the other one and asking to be groomed though but, although I do see them grooming each other, theodore often ignores him. I think carrot is quite an affectionate soul while I'm not sure the other would mind too much if he lived alone. He's taken to sleeping separately in the bottom part of the hutch now that I've moved it indoors (this could be because he too hot though I guess as he's a lion head and quite furry). The mostly used to sleep together in the top part of the hutch as far as I could tell. I'm sure if Carrot had a girlfriend he'd spend the whole time snuggled up with her. At the moment as far as I can tell they only really spend time together when they eat. I'm not with them all the time though so I'm not sure about that.

Do you mean one girlfriend between the two of them or each? I'm not sure I could cope with 4 rabbits! They are around 7 months old by the way.

Maybe Carrot is frightened of Theodore as he senses an attack may be imminent. But if he had a girlfriend then he would be more relaxed with her.

So do you think it would be best to separate them and find him a new partner? I'm of sure what I'd do about Theodore. I don't really want 2 set ups. I feel I've made real progress with him though. He was very shy at first. But I don't like to think carrot is nervous all the time.

Has this behaviour started since they moved to the garage? Sometimes a change of territory can kick off chasing etc. if it's that hopefully it will settle down soon :thumb:

Are they both well?

I have an outdoor quad of rabbits (two bucks and two does) one of the bucks often chases the others around (esp his brother) particularly at feeding time. I do regularly find clumps of fur but no injuries and lots of snuggeling up together.

It sounds like normal behaviour to me although I do think you are right to keep and eye on them. Good point made by Zoobec re; recent move.

Hope they settle soon and live in harmony for many years to come.

They've pretty much always been like this since we got them at the end of august. To me Theodore chasing doesn't LOOK aggressive apart from once ages ago when they managed to shut themshelves out of the hutch in the run and I think Theodore was very stressed out and kind of went for carrot. Generally it seems like he's just exercising and carrot is in the way. It has seemed more like he's actually chasing carrot around though lately. They always eat very happily together though but now that they're inside I don't think they sleep together. They do seem to have very different characters. I probably would have made more of an effort to have house bunnies if they were both like carrot. He's very nosy and inquisitive. When I'm cleaning out the cage he's always getting under my feet. Theodore is much more shy. When we first got them we'd bring them inside sometimes for a play but Theodore always spent the whole time hiding so I dont think he'd like being a house bunny at all.

It's hard to know what's normal. Hopefully is just normal but I'll keep a look out. I think I've made such good progress with Theodore (he now takes food from me and let's me stroke him soemtimes) it would beashame to have to send him back!