Rabbit hiding and stomping

[Dave_R]

Hi Everyone, first time poster.
First of all I'd like you to meet my 2 sisters Misty (grey) and Onyx (black) they're around 6 months old and are sisters

When I first got them Misty was very shy and timid and Onyx was very curious and liked to explore. After owning them for 3 months now I've seen a shift in behaviour. Misty now loves to come and say hello and have a stroke and be held but Onyx has started grunting at me, stomping her feet and hiding in her bedding when ever I try to handle her. I can't see as I've done anything to lose her trust but I was wondering if there's anything I can do to make her more comfortable around me again like her sister is.

 

[Omi]

Hi Everyone, first time poster.
First of all I'd like you to meet my 2 sisters Misty (grey) and Onyx (black) they're around 6 months old and are sistersView attachment 3741

When I first got them Misty was very shy and timid and Onyx was very curious and liked to explore. After owning them for 3 months now I've seen a shift in behaviour. Misty now loves to come and say hello and have a stroke and be held but Onyx has started grunting at me, stomping her feet and hiding in her bedding when ever I try to handle her. I can't see as I've done anything to lose her trust but I was wondering if there's anything I can do to make her more comfortable around me again like her sister is.

Hello and welcome to the forum. Your bunnies are lovely

It sounds like Onyx is hormonal, which is normal for her age. Do you intend getting her spayed? This would probably put a stop to her recent behaviour.

A thought also, have you had the two bunnies sexed accurately by a vet? Mistakes are sometimes made and you need to know obviously what sex they are.

 

[tonibun]

Hello and welcome. The Black one looks like a boy to me but could be wrong. Get them sexed otherwise you could be seeing babies soon. If you do suspect a pregnancy you must separate them immediately as the female can get pregnant straight away after giving birth..

 

[Dave_R]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Your bunnies are lovely

It sounds like Onyx is hormonal, which is normal for her age. Do you intend getting her spayed? This would probably put a stop to her recent behaviour.

A thought also, have you had the two bunnies sexed accurately by a vet? Mistakes are sometimes made and you need to know obviously what sex they are.

Yes they were both sexed not long after I got them, I registered them both with my vet and then had a health check done on both and they were sexed then.

I'd not really thought of speying them with them both being girls but if it might make her a little more receptive to being cuddled I may think about it

 

[Omi]

Yes they were both sexed not long after I got them, I registered them both with my vet and then had a health check done on both and they were sexed then.

I'd not really thought of speying them with them both being girls but if it might make her a little more receptive to being cuddled I may think about it

The advantages of spaying are these (copied from the RWAF site)

• Unspayed females are at very high risk of two potentially fatal conditions. uterine cancer and pyometra (infection of the uterus/womb). These can both be fatal.
• Less commonly, they may develop mammary tumours
• Some unspayed females are aggressive and territorial. Many have repeated phantom pregnancies and may growl, lunge at, scratch or bite their owners or other rabbits, particularly in spring and summer.
• Keeping two unspayed females together, even if they are sisters, is very likely to result in serious fighting and the risk of injuries.
• Female rabbits are able to have kits from about 4-6 months of age.

 

[joey&boo]

What a pair of cuties I agree Spaying its the best course of action

 

[Dave_R]

Thank you all for the advice, I shall get in touch with the vets and arrange for them to be speyed

 

[bunny momma]

They are adorable! I agree with others that hormones would explain the behavior of Onyx; and both Onyx and Misty would benefit from being spayed.