• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Update Video! Neutered 10 month old male obsessed with other rabbit

Lynn's Bunny

Mama Doe
I have divided my bunny shed in half and have my 9 year old spayed female on one side and on the other my neutered male. He is now obsessed with her and running back and forth and just stares. I’m worried. Its been an hour. How long should it take him to relax?? I’m scared he will go into stasis.

Will he eventually settle down and eat? I know it sounds silly since its only been an hour… but I don’t want him stressed out. He isn’t angry or wanting to fight. He just wants to meet her.
 
Last edited:
It has been 2 weeks… I guess that is a bit early. He did eat last night and is using his litter box properly so he can’t be that stressed. But he has left territorial poops all around his side.

My other rabbit could care less. I did block off half of the divider with a sheet in case she was feeling threatened but I think she just doesn’t really care.
 
It has been 2 weeks… I guess that is a bit early. He did eat last night and is using his litter box properly so he can’t be that stressed. But he has left territorial poops all around his side.

My other rabbit could care less. I did block off half of the divider with a sheet in case she was feeling threatened but I think she just doesn’t really care.

It can take 6-8 weeks for hormones to settle after a castration.
 
I have an update!

I removed the sheet from the divider and my little girl moved into the sun. Cosmo (boy) came up really hyper but with ears forward in curiousity. She put her head down thru the bars (basically just her nose is thru) and he cleaned her forehead! I was so happy. He did it quite a few times and she seemed relaxed.

He was started to do too much pacing though so he is outside for most of the day so he can calm down. hehehe. But he will go back this evening.

This is a good sign right? The head cleaning and ears forward, not agressive?
 
How unbonded Rabbits behave when separated by a barrier can’t fully determine how they will be when they finally meet. Your Buck is still very hormonal and although the Doe in the cage is being submissive to his attentions at the moment you need to be mindful of the fact that she might give him a nasty nip on the nose if she gets fed up with him putting his nose through the bars into her space. Personally I would use wire mesh against the cage bars so he cannot stick his nose right in.
 
Rabbits usually display this kind of behaviour through bars. Personally I would not allow it as he could nip her on her nose and her nose would never heal. I learnt the hard way! I would keep them separated or put mesh between them.
 
I definitely want to try but my girl is only like 2 lbs and 9 years old. He seems so hyper for her :(

I know when the dividers come down their behaviour can change but yes! I think its encouraging he has given her groomies through the bars. Personally I'd bank that as a good enough sign but wait a few weeks til your boys hormones have dissipated & then try putting them together for proper bonding. In the meantime as others have suggested a little PPE in the form of some mesh, if they seem happy that way. I've a tiny hyperactive 2 year old boy I recently-ish bonded to my blind & deaf 9 year old so it can be done. I had to go slower than I would usually but we got there. There activity levels arent matched but he is besotted with her & her life so much better for having a partner again .

By the way - beautiful rabbits you've got there :love:
 
Thank you everyone for all your suggestions. I have changed the bars so no one can nip each other. I blocked off one part of it with wood as well so they aren’t constantly starring at each other.

I was getting a bit worried that Cosmo was stressed by her and vice versa so yesterday he spent the day in the garden. But last night spent the night in the shed.
 
Just to give you a bit more reassurance, I also did a fairly recent bond with a hyper young boy and easily spooked older female. My female was around 8 years old and the boy was just under a year. She did find him a bit overwhelming at first and he was quite full on so it did take a while to cement the bond and for her to be fully at ease around him. It needed a bit more patience, but they got there.
 
Thank you that is reassuring. I’ve moved Cosmo into the garden run for now. He was getting too fixated and frustrated. I’m going to wait until his hormones subside and will try to bond them in my greenhouse which is a completely neutral area.
 
Back
Top