Boo doesn't like Eddy dancing

[joey&boo]

how can I convince Eddy to binky on his own instead of around and on top of Boo? Boo hates it (understandable as she can't see or hear it coming) & gets very vocal with clucking & grunting noises. It takes no time for her to start making them, so she is warning him straight off.

Eddy binkies alot & I feel mean having to intercept or ask him to stop but at the same time I can't have Boo upset. So in the evening & during the night (thankfully it wakes us up) we have several episodes. When Boo runs away from him grunting I think he interprets as play & grunts too! I can't understand why he can't work out why Boo is upset. Maybe cos Boo is more than a bit different & she is the only bunny he's known past infancy? When I bonded them eddy quickly sussed Boo's disabilities & would for eg, flop on top of her rather than near.

Other than this one issue they are really tightly bonded & I think get a lot out of their relationship- I can't tell who is top bun. Eddy is obsessed with Boo. He has never shown any aggressive behaviour. He is actually nicer to her than joey was, doesn't run of with her food & stuff


any advice on how to manage this?

 

[InspectorMorse]

Hmmmmm, tricky. Has Boo ever actually given Eddy a harsh nip ? Unfortunately this might be needed for him to get the message that her ‘clear off’ vocalising means just that. Of course there is always the risk that Eddy could retaliate to a ‘get lost’ nip. But from what you have said about his characterI think he might just do as he is told. At the moment his bouncy approaches have no consequences other than the vocalising from Boo which at the moment he does not understand because you intervene.

Try holding off intervening unless it’s obviously putting Boo in danger of unintentional harm to do so.ignored ( by Eddy) vocalising by Boo won’t be understood unless he learns that it means go away. To learn that he might need a nip on the bum from Boo.

 

[joey&boo]

Hmmmmm, tricky. Has Boo ever actually given Eddy a harsh nip ? Unfortunately this might be needed for him to get the message that her ‘clear off’ vocalising means just that. Of course there is always the risk that Eddy could retaliate to a ‘get lost’ nip. But from what you have said about his characterI think he might just do as he is told. At the moment his bouncy approaches have no consequences other than the vocalising from Boo which at the moment he does not understand because you intervene.

Try holding off intervening unless it’s obviously putting Boo in danger of unintentional harm to do so.ignored ( by Eddy) vocalising by Boo won’t be understood unless he learns that it means go away. To learn that he might need a nip on the bum from Boo.

Ohhh scary & interesting prospect to not intervene but it does make sense. She sounds so loud & upset but tbf she is a ridiculously noisy rabbit (drinking, snoring, yodelling :lol Boo only did one minor fur pull during bonding when he was being too full on for her. He moves so quick I'm not sure she'd get to nip him though. There will be loads of times I miss them carrying on like this. Poor boy just wants somebun to dance with (I'm not good enough, i've tried) Fortunately he is happy to do zoomies on is own.

 

[InspectorMorse]

Ohhh scary & interesting prospect to not intervene but it does make sense. She sounds so loud & upset but tbf she is a ridiculously noisy rabbit (drinking, snoring, yodelling :lol Boo only did one minor fur pull during bonding when he was being too full on for her. He moves so quick I'm not sure she'd get to nip him though. There will be loads of times I miss them carrying on like this. Poor boy just wants somebun to dance with (I'm not good enough, i've tried) Fortunately he is happy to do zoomies on is own.

The vocalising to say ‘ **** off ‘ originates from the mating scenario. The Doe making the very distinctive noises, that actually sound very sad, to tell the Buck she is not ready to mate and/or she s already pregnant. I think it is a bit of a communication problem for Boo and Eddy. She thinks his lively approaches are going to lead to him humping her, which she doesn’t want. Eddy possibly has no intention of humping her, just wanting her to join in his game and not understanding that her vocalising means ‘no’ because he has had no way of learning iIt.

In the mating situation some Bucks will get the message without the Doe needing to chase him away and nip him. But some will just keep trying til they get a very sharp nip on the bum.

 

[a reader of books]

I was thinking the same thing as IM, that only Boo can teach him that it's not okay with her. It's a shame that her grunting and other noises aren't enough to make him realise she really doesn't like it when he does that. I definitely understand that you interfere because you don't want Boo to be upset, and I'm sure I'd do the same. Your stopping Eddy doesn't seem to be teaching him that he shouldn't do it, either, though, so I think it's up to Boo, though, as you said, it'll be difficult for her to give him a good nip when he moves so fast. I think it's a matter of waiting for Boo to get so fed up with it that she'll do more than make noises at him, and find a way to make it clear to Eddy that he shouldn't do it, but I know it won't be nice to watch Boo be so upset by Eddy's binkying near her until that happens.

 

[Pets mum]

I know I shouldn't smile, but to hear how happy and exuberant Eddy is, I can't help it-sorry Boo ! Anyway, hope he gets your message beautiful girlie xx

 

[InspectorMorse]

To add, the fact that Boo only has her sense of smell to go by she won’t be able to read Eddy’s Body language. He won’t know this and so won’t understand why she is misinterpreting his intentions.

 

[Omi]

I think I would go with Jane's advice. It makes absolute sense to me, although I can imagine your concerns.

It's not the same, but Tui nips Froe's bum at food time. It makes absolutely no sense for her to do this. I hand feed them both pellets 3 or 4 times a day and each time they both get stupidly excited before I start feeding. It's before I start feeding that the nipping occurs. It makes no sense because firstly it gives her no advantage because she nips before I start to feed. I don't feed until the nipping stops. And she doesn't nip in between pellets. It also appears that it doesn't have any impact on Froe. He seems to behave in exactly the same way as he would minus the nipping. It doesn't make him less keen to approach me for pellets and he never ever gets annoyed about it.

 

[InspectorMorse]

I think I would go with Jane's advice. It makes absolute sense to me, although I can imagine your concerns.

It's not the same, but Tui nips Froe's bum at food time. It makes absolutely no sense for her to do this. I hand feed them both pellets 3 or 4 times a day and each time they both get stupidly excited before I start feeding. It's before I start feeding that the nipping occurs. It makes no sense because firstly it gives her no advantage because she nips before I start to feed. I don't feed until the nipping stops. And she doesn't nip in between pellets. It also appears that it doesn't have any impact on Froe. He seems to behave in exactly the same way as he would minus the nipping. It doesn't make him less keen to approach me for pellets and he never ever gets annoyed about it.

Do you always give Tui hers first ?

 

[joey&boo]

Thank you Jane, reader, omi & petsmum - its nice to have a thread without divided opinion. Its not like eddy responds to me much anyway :lol: although the odd time I do pick Boo up for a cuddle or chuck some leaves down to distract them. I shall do my very best to leave the instructing to Boo from now - I didn't interfere last night.

It could be slightly frisky behaviour - he has the tail up thing going on but he doesn't really try mounting her.

Poor Boo - she still got it! but she don't want it :lol: she just wants cuddles, snacks & a mooch about

 

[Omi]

Do you always give Tui hers first ?

I try to, as it should make a difference shouldn't it?

 

[InspectorMorse]

I try to, as it should make a difference shouldn't it?

Yes, you need to respect their pecking order which Tui seems to have decided is that at least when it comes to food she is top Bunny. If you feed Froe first Tui will want to nip him more

 

[a reader of books]

Thank you Jane, reader, omi & petsmum - its nice to have a thread without divided opinion. Its not like eddy responds to me much anyway :lol: although the odd time I do pick Boo up for a cuddle or chuck some leaves down to distract them. I shall do my very best to leave the instructing to Boo from now - I didn't interfere last night.

It could be slightly frisky behaviour - he has the tail up thing going on but he doesn't really try mounting her.

Poor Boo - she still got it! but she don't want it :lol: she just wants cuddles, snacks & a mooch about

Aw, poor Boo. :lol: I wonder if Eddy is maybe still in a bit of a honeymoon phase and will settle down with time.

 

[joey&boo]

Aw, poor Boo. :lol: I wonder if Eddy is maybe still in a bit of a honeymoon phase and will settle down with time.

Now that would be nice, everything crossed

 

[joey&boo]

I think Boo would give Eddy a good nip - been watching super closely lately - only he is too fast. I can't see it happening tbh. She is instantly forgiving when he grooms or cuddles her after

I think I'll try getting more tunnels. I think she likes snoozing in tunnels as she can feel him coming & he can't leap over her. Not exactly a solution though. Their bedroom (my bedroom?) is pretty big so I can't fill it. Plus when she's upset she loses her barings, bumps into stuff etc

 

[a reader of books]

Aw, that makes sense that he's just too fast for her to give him a good nip. What a tricky situation... Giving her more tunnels sounds like a good plan, so she has more places where she can get some peace without him dancing all over her. I can see how it's not exactly a solution, though, yeah... I'm trying to think of a way to keep him from doing it and upsetting Boo, but since your interfering hasn't worked, I can't think of anything else.

 

[joey&boo]

Aw, that makes sense that he's just too fast for her to give him a good nip. What a tricky situation... Giving her more tunnels sounds like a good plan, so she has more places where she can get some peace without him dancing all over her. I can see how it's not exactly a solution, though, yeah... I'm trying to think of a way to keep him from doing it and upsetting Boo, but since your interfering hasn't worked, I can't think of anything else.

thanks Reader. the only thing that works so far is holding a phone or camera up to him - always stops him

 

[Omi]

I think I would give it some further time without intervention. If when he continues to do it, he gets no reaction from you, nor any good reaction from Boo, he might just get the message that it's not worth doing.