ok so Mable and Booboo (my two girls) are together more and more often these days  while we're around (i'm still cautious of turning my back on them after round two of the great fight) and they're getting on well.  Mable treats Booboo like an older sister, always following her and generally being like her... and this is going ok although sometimes i think Booboo justs wants to be left alone..the thing is Mable has started to mount Booboo!!! i was quite shocked when she first did it... is this a attempt at the dominance thing???  or have i got a lady lover???

Mable always grooms Booboo for a good few minutes and then shoves her head under Booboo's chin and demands a lick back, (expecting the favour to be returned i should think) but Booboo isn't that interested...after a bit of head pushing they chill out, but now the mounting has started i'm not sure what to do??? Booboo doesn't run off, in fact she seems quite confused.  They have both been spayed for over 4 months now?  i can't understand why Mable is doing this?  anyone heard of this before?

Cheers x

Hi bunnybabe,

It seems to me that both rabbits are fairly dominant and they are having a little bit of a power struggle.

Usually one rabbit establishes itself as the top rabbit and the other one obliges by grooming it. Both mable and booboo are having a bit of a disagreement about who is the top rabbit of the house hold.

Mable is mounting booboo in order to establish her dominance (i wouldnt be too shocked by it its perfectly normal.)
By grooming booboo mable is being passive towards booboo but by shoving her head under booboo's chin she is demanding to be groomed contradicting her passive beehaviour by exhibiting dominant behaviour.
Booboo is probably a bit confused as to who is the dominant rabbit.

Im still new to having rabbits myself and i was really lucky that my two rabbits bonded almost instantly so im really not sure if what i am saying is correct in describing your rabbits relationship.


hope that helps

Tallullu is right on about what the behavior means.   As long as BooBoo is allowing the mounting then that is good.  It is helping them establish who is going to be the "queen".   Doesn't mean that  they won't equally care and groom each other later if they become extremely bonded, but it is just how they establish the rules. (Most of the "rules" are no longer needed in domestic rabbits, like the top bunny gets the best nesting areas, etc)  but they still have the instincts to establish rules.

What you should do is allow it to happen, but watch carefully.   If Mable insists on continually mounting BooBoo  for long periods at a time, then BooBoo could get tired of it and fight.    SO here are a couple of  things you can do to make it easier for BooBoo.

1.  Pet Boo while Mable mounts her.
2.  IF Mable is a continual mounter, meaning, she will mount longer than 30 seconds in one mounting, then gently push her off after 20 seconds, and make her take a break for a minute, before allowing her back on again.  

Keep us updated.

Well things are going ok.... although i was a little concerned the first day we let them do 'it' that Booboo would start mounting Mable aswell, but she didn't - phew.  Booboo lets Mable mount her, and when we can we pet Booboo to ensure she's not too freaked out.  So far so good.  Unfortunately it looks as though Mable falls into the 'continuous mounter' catergory...as we have to pull her off!

The first time Mable mounted Booboo she almost went right over the top of Booboo's head!! which was actually quite funny.

I do feel a little sorry for Booboo having to endure this 'behaviour' but she's taking it on the shoulders.... (quite literally almost hehehe)

i thought i would add a recent picture as i have just learnt how to add them to my posts! i know i'm a little slow... but i'm proud of myself x

Mable, Booboo and Sidney the snail 

 

YEAH!!!  Cute pictures.   You're not slow.  The technique is a little tricky!  Congratulations on figuring it out!

what cutie bunnies! it can take a while for bunnies to figure out who is in charge, but it sounds like they're really making progress.