Neutered Bunny Humping & Spraying Pee - help!

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 6sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 7 months ago by kurottabun.

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- 03/28/2018 at 1:47 PM
  Juli
  Participant
  2 posts
  Hi All,
  
  This is my first post, so forgive me if I am still figuring this out!
  
  I will try and get right to the point. I have 2 bunnies. One female, Kale, (spayed) that I adopted a few years ago and is 2 and a half years old. My other bunny, Bugz, is our new addition. We got him from a family we found on craigslist. He was very well taken care of and well socialized with people, they had to get rid of him because they weren’t allowed animals in their new home. He is neutered and was bought from a breeder so I am unsure of how old he was when he was neutered.
  
  We took our time bonding them and while the process really seemed pretty smooth, some behavioral things have not seemed to go away with time. He still humps Kale often … as in more often than I feel bonded bunnies should. It’s very consistent and especially noticeable when I let them run free around the house. Kale is not nipping or fighting him off but she doesn’t seem pleased. In terms of their behavior together(aside from the humping), they don’t fight ever, there is no aggressive chasing happening, they eat together, snuggle together and clean each other. The only change in Kale is she seems to be a bit more jumpy/easily scared.
  
  Along with the constant humping, Bugz is also spraying his pee pretty much everywhere and is still struggling with potty training. We got them a new cage about a month ago when we felt that they were bonded and could move them in together. Its a wood hutch with a lot of room (made for the outdoors but we keep it inside) and he has sprayed the whole thing! Its all over the surrounding floor and has gotten all over other items we have around the room. Every time he is let out of his cage and free to roam around the house he sprays where his cage first was when we got him. I always have a litter box with hay there for him but he just goes all around it and then sprays the walls.
  
  I’m wondering, since both of these behaviors seem to be related to dominance, if I need to separate them again? Does anyone have suggestions on how I can get him to stop/fix either of these things?
  
  My biggest concerns are that even though Kale seems ok and happy that his behavior isnt hurting her emotionally and that no more things get ruined from all this pee everywhere!
  
  Thanks in advance for any suggestions/help!
  
  Juli
- 03/28/2018 at 7:37 PM
  kurottabun
  Participant
  908 posts
  Hey Juli! Hmm in your post you didn’t really mention if you took Bugz for a vet checkup after adopting him just to make sure he was actually neutered? Those behaviours certainly do seem a little suspicious for a neutered bun Another possibility is that the family you got him from only neutered him right before they put him up on Craigslist. How long has it been since you got him? It could be that his hormones haven’t died down completely yet. Maybe you could ask the family when they actually neutered the bunny?
- 03/28/2018 at 7:37 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9054 posts
  I don’t think you need to separate them, but from what you describe it sounds like they just got too much space too fast. Sometimes newly bonded bunnies mark a lot as they have want to defend “their’ new space from any intruders.
  
  I would restrict their space to just an x-pen attached to the hutch at first and see how he does over the course of a week or two. Then gradually increase the space. I would also clean any areas he is marking with white vinegar, as it neutralizes smells, making him less likely to re-mark.
  
  Also, are you 100% sure he’s neutered??
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 03/28/2018 at 10:19 PM
  Juli
  Participant
  2 posts
  Thank you both so much for responding… I am not 100% sure he is neutered but I have asked myself this same question. I have tried to look and haven’t seen any signs that he is not … but I did realize I may have left out an important factor … I have noticed that after he humps there is sometimes a yellowish substance left on Kale (my other bunny). I know it is possible for bunnies to have semen left in them for up to 6 weeks after they are neutered but it’s been much longer than that. We got him in November. Hmm … now I am starting to feel like I sound oblivious (and dumb).
- 03/29/2018 at 10:13 AM
  kurottabun
  Participant
  908 posts
  You mayyyyyy want to take him to a rabbit savvy vet just to make sure. Maybe you could take the chance to have him do a general health check as well at the same time?
- 03/29/2018 at 1:55 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9054 posts
  Yeah… the craigslist ppl might have been dishonest to make him more adoptable! It’s usually pretty easy to see their testicles though if they aren’t, although some bunnies retain them inside, so it’s hard to see.
  
  I would have a vet confirm!
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 03/29/2018 at 6:55 PM
  kurottabun
  Participant
  908 posts
  Good to know Do update us here again once you’ve been to the vet!
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