Bonding help

[dlattin]

Hello,

I got some great advice from this forum a few months ago when we got our new bun, Coconut, and hoping you can help me out again. Coconut is now about 7 months old and was neutered about 6 weeks ago. We recently bought a 7 month old female, Butterscotch, with the plan to spay her and then bond the two together to give Coconut some company. Butterscotch was very skittish when we got her about a week or so ago but was slowly starting to warm up to us. I kept her in a separate exercise pen near Coconut’s exercise pen (they could see and small each other, but not touch). Butterscotch kept escaping out of her exercise pen (it was only 2 feet instead of 3 feet like Coconut’s and I think she was just jumping out) and would go right up to Coconut’s pen and they would sniff/greet each other across the gate. Well, yesterday morning, one of my kids left Coconut’s gate open and Butterscotch went into Coconut’s pen. They seemed to take to each other very quickly and by the time we found her in his area, they were snuggled up in his house. So we’ve let them stay together since then. Since then, they don’t seem to fight and can often be found lounging next to each other, but we notice that Coconut is *constantly* trying to mount her, will paw at her a lot, sniffs her backside, nips/pulls her fur quite a bit. She doesn’t really retaliate, but does run away (with him chasing) when it bothers her. Is this normal behavior, or should I be worried and separate them again? Also, she is not yet spayed, although we have an appointment to do that in the next month. I have read quite a bit how important it is for both animals to be neutered/spayed before bonding and that the bond may be broken when Butterscotch goes to get spayed. Should I plan to keep them separate after she gets spayed and try to reintroduce them again after she has healed?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

[Wick & Fable]

Mounting is a natural part of the rabbit bonding process and will often occur once the formal bonding process starts. That being said, it can be stressful and harmful, even if the perpetrating rabbit doesn’t intend to be, and work needs to be put in to ensure the mounting is an appropriate amount and is productive, rather than harmful to the overall bond.

The ‘safest’ suggestion is just keep them separated until she is spayed and recovered — she will be going through hormonal changes up until then, in addition to afterwards, that may change how she reacts to him and how he reacts to her.

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.

[DanaNM]

I would separate, as Wick said. But I think you will have a pretty easy bond afterward.

Right now her hormones are making him mount more excessively, even though he’s neutered. The issue is that she could get tired of the mounting and lash out aggressively, or become overly stressed by it.

If you continue to let them live side by side, they won’t forget each other. Then once her hormones have settled post-spay, you can reintroduce them.

 

. . . 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.  

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