I have two mini rex, Ellie and Jack, who are 10 and 9 months old respectively.They’re fixed of course, and have been bonded for four months now. The process went incredibly smoothly, with not even a hint of aggression between them, though Ellie did grunt at Jack the first few times he mounted her. She turned the tables on him and began mounting him and quickly assumed the position of Top Bun. I have noticed, however, that she still humps him, even all these weeks later. But only when they are waiting for food.

First thing in the morning I feed them their veggies and replenish their hay. Of course they get excited when they see me walk into the kitchen and run to the front of their cage to rattle the door until I come over with their veggies. While I’m getting my breakfast started and getting their veggies out of the fridge, Ellie will usually hump Jack. He doesn’t seem to care or even notice as he’s too busy begging for his breakfast.

I’ve never seen Ellie mount him at any other time, though Jack will occasionally mount her, usually when she’s not paying enough attention to him.

Ellie is not food aggressive toward Jack and they both insist on eating out of the same bowl and will push each other out of the way to do so – even if there’s another bowl right next them.

Their humping doesn’t bother me, but I’m curious. Why? And why only at mealtimes?