When to intervene during bonding process

[cat_worth]

I recently asked for advice about our new boy rabbit, Morritz:
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=128390

He has become much more inquisitive and active over the last week. We have tried introducing Emily to him in the study and bathroom, which should be neutral territory. On a couple of occasions she hasn't attacked him but most of the time she will try and bite him, sometimes repeatedly. He will sit there until it gets too much and will then try to run away...sometimes with her in pursuit.

How much of a beating should we allow? I know that you're supposed to let them work out who is higher in the pecking order but I don't want him to be hurt or to become scared of her. A couple of times she's tried biting him around the face and I've had to break them up when she's got close to his eye.

Maybe we're putting our emotions on to him... he's quite thick furred so perhaps the bites don't hurt as much as we think they do?

I'd really appreciate hearing your experiences of what is normal aggressive behaviour during bonding.

Emily is a very active and intelligent bunny and not normally very aggressive (except occassionally about her cage which she likes to re-arrange - she's an interior designer don't you know :lol.

they have both been neutered - Emily about 3.5 years ago and Morritz about a year ago.

Thanks,

Catherine

 

[Tamsin]

It she actually breaking the skin? Sometimes rabbits will pull tufts of fur out. What are they doing prior to the biting? Is he ignoring her? Some rabbits can get quite cross if the other rabbit isn't doing what they want. Sometimes it can calm things down to stoke her as she thinks he's grooming her

 

[cat_worth]

Thanks for your reply Tamsin.

We have tried checking for bites in his skin and haven't found any but he does have quite long, dense fur so am not sure whether we have missed any.

Before the biting, he tends to be sitting quietly, she'll come over and they will put their heads together and invariably she will try biting his face... then his sides and sometimes near his tail. He is interested in her but I think he's becoming wary of her now.

We will definitely try stroking her when she next does it - fingers crossed!

 

[BeckyLH]

Sounds to me like it's going ok to be honest, you don't have any serious agression and as long as the skin's not being broken I'd stick with it x x

 

[Tamsin]

Does she put her head down in front of his nose? It sounds like she's asking to be grooming and getting annoyed he isn't. He may cotton on eventually. I wouldn't worry too much as long as the skin isn't broken and he's not getting too annoyed.

 

[cat_worth]

No, she's definitely not asking to be groomed... she used to do that with Harry. She's just going in to bite him. He'll sit there but sometimes jump, and then try and get away. Obviously that's hurting if its making him jump. How do you know just from watching them whether they're breaking skin or not?

She used to nip harry sometimes when he annoyed her but it would just be once or twice until he moved out the way. She's much more persistant with poor morritz.

thanks for your replies!