Attempted Speed Dating

[DustiBunny]

My Fiance and I have decided to get another rabbit to bond with our current rabbit (Dusti). One of our neighbors has a rabbit that they are looking to have adopted who is neutered and litter trained (Benji). They are both males and around the same age (only a few months apart). Dusti has been alone, other than my Fiance and I, and Benji has been around dogs.

Benji came over today to have a play date with Dusti and see how they get along to start with. The first thing that happened was Benji attempted to mount Dusti, but Dusti attacked him for that. So we pulled them apart. We both held the bunnies and sat close to each other. Then put the bunnies on the floor by our sides, but a little way away from each other. Benji came forward and put his head under Dusti’s head. Benji had his ears up all the way and laid flat to the floor. Dusti would nibble, for lack of a better word, at the top of Benji’s head. Then Dusti wanted to hop around the play pen we’ve created. When Dusti turned around, Benji put his head down by his butt and it almost looked as if Benji was trying to sniff it. Dusti turned around and attacked Benji again. We decided to put them in opposite carrying cages and close the doors so they can calm down and get used to each other’s smells. After we let the bunnies out of their carrying cages, Dusti came by me and Benji went over by my neighbor and sat near each other. Benji then decided to approach Dusti and put his head under Dusti’s. They sat like this for a while and seemed like Benji was nibbling (again, for lack of a better word) at Dusti’s fur and then Dusti seemed to be nibbling at Benji’s head again. It was almost like they were grooming each other because neither seemed upset by it, but they weren’t licking each other either.

So my questions are:

1) Is Benji putting his head under Dusti’s a sign of submissiveness?

2) Does the “nibbling” seem like grooming or were they being aggressive?

3) Has anyone seen another rabbit attempt to sniff another’s butt, or was Benji trying to do something else?

Thanks!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

If you are going to try another date-I’d do it in neutral territory-where neither bunny feels confident and feels ownership. From what you described, it does not sound promising and you may want to try at a shelter for a friend. It doesn’t mean you can’t bond them but things don’t sound like they are going to be easy with these two.

1) nope, really it’s a ‘groom me now’ gesture; I wouldn’t say it’s dominance/submissive (I don’t like those words actually but you can read more by googling ‘dominance myth’ instead of me getting on my soap box ) I’d say it’s a demand, not submission though.

2) Nibbling is grooming-bites are dramatic and very easy to see

3) I’m not sure I’ve noticed this but it doesn’t sound particularly out there, maybe trying to see what sex this rabbit might be

[Paradigm]

I agree with making sure the territorial is neutral – and on slippery floor if at all possible. Since there’s some grooming (which is a good sign) it might not be extremely hard, but the fighting isn’t a brilliant sign. If you’re willing to put the elbow grease in, then there’s a good chance it will work but as someone doing a difficult bond after a very easy bond, I have to say that it’s extremely time consuming and you have to be willing to be made uncomfortable.

My bonding-in-progress buns sniff each other’s backsides all the time. Not sure exactly why. I’ve seen them do this and then bite, but I’ve also seen them do this and non-aggressively chase or flop down next to each other.

[DustiBunny]

Hi all!

I think the gender checking was correct. We had Benji and Dusti meet again.

This time Benji was running circles around Dusti and grunting then trying to mount him. This is clearly courting behavior. However, I am really confused because both bunnies are male and both are neutered.

I know that mounting is a dominance behavior, but the grunting and circling is throwing me off. Is there a chance Benji’s neuter didn’t go “as planned”?

[Author]

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