Newbunnies
Young Bun
Hi everyone,
I have a male/female pair who have lived together since 8 weeks old quite happily. The breeder started the bonding so when they came to me they were already happily bonded.
The male is neutered, the female can't be until early January as my rabbit savvy vet likes to leave females until 6 months to spay.
All was fine until yesterday when I noticed fur inside their shed. I also saw that in their hutch (inside the shed) there was a hole with some fur in :shock: (But as he's neutered she's not pregnant so it must be a false pregnancy.)
I then also noticed she was chasing him round and mounting him, from both behind and in front. I know this is normal behaviour to establish dominance but she was coming away with a mouth full of his fur. He became quite submissive, even out in the grass run, just sitting in the corner and looking sorry for himself, big clumps of his fur on the ground nearby. If she went near him he'd run. Before this they would always sit happily with him grooming her etc, would sleep together. Now she will only sit on top of the hutch, while he sleeps inside.
I have temporarily separated them this afternoon. She is in the run/covered aviary part with a hutch inside, he's locked in the shed. Is this the right thing to do, or should I put them back together? They can see each other through the wire, but not much else. If I should keep them separated should this just be till she gets over this false pregnancy (if it is, she hasn't been near the "nest" since that I can see.)
I don't really have enough space to keep them separate till January- my run and inside shed together meet the RWAF requirements, split in two they don't.
Is this normal, what should I do? Thanks for all your help.
(Nothing else had changed, by the way, all was exactly the same as before)
I have a male/female pair who have lived together since 8 weeks old quite happily. The breeder started the bonding so when they came to me they were already happily bonded.
The male is neutered, the female can't be until early January as my rabbit savvy vet likes to leave females until 6 months to spay.
All was fine until yesterday when I noticed fur inside their shed. I also saw that in their hutch (inside the shed) there was a hole with some fur in :shock: (But as he's neutered she's not pregnant so it must be a false pregnancy.)
I then also noticed she was chasing him round and mounting him, from both behind and in front. I know this is normal behaviour to establish dominance but she was coming away with a mouth full of his fur. He became quite submissive, even out in the grass run, just sitting in the corner and looking sorry for himself, big clumps of his fur on the ground nearby. If she went near him he'd run. Before this they would always sit happily with him grooming her etc, would sleep together. Now she will only sit on top of the hutch, while he sleeps inside.
I have temporarily separated them this afternoon. She is in the run/covered aviary part with a hutch inside, he's locked in the shed. Is this the right thing to do, or should I put them back together? They can see each other through the wire, but not much else. If I should keep them separated should this just be till she gets over this false pregnancy (if it is, she hasn't been near the "nest" since that I can see.)
I don't really have enough space to keep them separate till January- my run and inside shed together meet the RWAF requirements, split in two they don't.
Is this normal, what should I do? Thanks for all your help.
(Nothing else had changed, by the way, all was exactly the same as before)