Anger or Playing? Already Bonded.

[Slowebot]

So every once in a while my bonded bunnies Simba and Sherlock, start chasing each other. Actually I’d say this was a daily thing. Simba will be laying down, Sherlock will approach her and kind of sniff around, she will stand up slowly, nip him, binky and then race off. He usually looks upset and chases after her and they tear after each other. It has always stopped without any fur flying or blood drawn so I stopped trying to break up the chasing and am trying to let them “work it out.” However, I am confused as to why Simba does this. During these episodes of being really skittish she will run away and not let him get within a foot of her. 

Actually something happened a moment ago where Buns just decided to sprint out of the cage (knocking over his food bowl on the way), sprint under my back (I was leaning against the wall) and stop just a foot away from me so I could pet him. Then Simba stood up and turned and they both started sprinting toward the cage. They entered the door of the cage that had a one of those cement tubes and both tried to squeeze through at once it was so hilarious. Simba is bigger so she got through first and then sat at the other end of the tube and thumped. They seemed slightly upset about it but I was laughing so hard because it looked so stupid.

Anyway my point is that I don’t understand Simba’s attitude toward him. They spend a good amount of the day sitting next to each other, cuddling and grooming. Sometimes I do notice they like to spend time on different floors of the cage and they don’t typically share the litter box (that I see). Is this behavior normal?

[Sialia]

I have no idea since my two aren’t bonded yet…but I just wanted to say that the image of them both trying to squish through the tube is hilarious and adorable. I can understand why you were laughing!

[tanlover14]

They are playing! LOLLLLLL. At least that is what it sounds like!

I have a bonded group of six and they are constantly engaged in behavior like this while they’re up and about. Rabbits play a lot by imitating the behavior of fleeing from predators! Weird, I know! But my group does this quite often and I’ve since seen binkies thrown in every once in awhile which is how I decided it was their playful behavior. Thumping can sometimes be excitement as well as anger/danger. Buns can be quite confusing!

I wouldn’t worry unless you notice them actually going at it, fur flying and such. My “grumpy” bun, Simba also!, always looks grumpy when this happens. I always say he’s the grumpy old man. And he’ll run and crouch in the corner like he hates everyone and is upset but then sometimes I’ll see him come running out kicking up his heels.

[JackRabbit]

I agree with TL14. Sounds like playing. My Marlee does that to her bonded bud Moshi. Hers is more butt sniff, nudge, butt sniff, nip, chase, nip, then Moshi binkies, then Marlee binkies, then they take turns doing bunny 500’s, then they lay down together. They’ve done the two in the tunnel thing as well. The nipping and chasing worried me too at first but apparently the butt sniff and nudge is Marlee’s way of saying “let’s play”, “move, I want that spot”, as well as “stop what you’re doing because it’s annoying me”! Somehow Moshi knows which one she means because he always complies!

[Slowebot]

Okay great then I won’t feel negative if I see some chasing, that makes me feel a ton better. Like I said they get all cuddly and smooshed together in the cage no problem but when they’re out Simba gets so frisky!

tanlover14 it sounds like our Simbas would get along haha. Simba is about 7 years older than Sherlock so she is such a dramatic old lady. Sometimes I think about how she’s pretty much 70 and he’s the equivalent of a 5 year old and then I kinda understand the chasing. I’d probably run if I were Simba too.

Thank you JackRabbit, I’ll have to pay better attention to body language now and also try to figure out when butt sniffing is more of a poke.

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