Bunny Yoga Behaviors

[Carly]

Last week, I took Tot to Bunny Yoga; it was his first time socializing with other bunnies. He is 8 months old, neutered, and usually pretty calm at home, but I saw a completely new side to him that night! I have a few questions before I take him to another social. 

-Tot was humping like crazy! It’s been a few months since his neuter, so I don’t think it’s hormones, but I’m wondering if it has something to do with his size. He is a teeny dwarf, and by far the smallest guy there. Some people mentioned “small bunny syndrome”. Does anyone find that the smaller the bun, the more they feel they have to prove? Try to picture a little dwarf trying to hump a Flemish giant….on the head. 

-Will this behavior go away once he feels more comfortable in a group? I’d love to bring Tot to more bunny socials, but I don’t want to spend the entire time chasing him around and pulling him off other rabbits. 

-One rabbit in particular, Tot would not hump, but instead would try to hide under. The other bun was not having it, but Tot kept trying to crawl under his belly. What does this mean? 

Thanks everyone! 

[Mikey]

If hes never been around bunnies before, he was likely thumping out of confusion, stress, and fear. Hes not been around other bunnies and im sure thats the first time hes been in that room before, too. Everything was unknown to him, so it was scary. Most males and females will mount, even after being fixed, to prove they are the boss over the other. Its either something your bun does (tries to alpha) or does not do (submissive). Your bun wants to prove he is the alpha. While in groups, this likely wont change

Possibly, but unlikely. He would need to be used to being around other rabbits, and would have to be semi bonded to the bunnies he meets there

Thats still a tactic to claim being the alpha. When he does that, hes likely asking to be groomed, which alphas will often do and their submissives will go ahead and fallow through with it. He could have been hiding under him as a way to submit, however. If the other bunny did not like him down there, its because the other bunny did not know him and may not want to bond wit him

[LittlePuffyTail]

Humping is usually territorial. I’m trying to bond my 2 boys right now and my little lop is always humping my bigger bun, who is twice his size.

I don’t really know if your buns behavior will subside. I’ve never done any bunny playgroups so not sure if that’s something they become accustomed to or not.

Be careful to stop any head humping! A bite to the genital area can cause serious damage.

[Azerane]

I’m not sure I personally agree with social rabbit events like that. I used to take Bandit to a Bunny Club, but we never let our rabbits interact, it was more for us to spend time with them and so that the person who ran it would clip their nails and often check their teeth etc for you if you wanted.

Rabbits aren’t really a play group type of animal. As has been mentioned they can be quite territorial and instead of just playing straight away, feel the need to assert dominance first and find their place before they will play with other rabbits, it just doesn’t work the way that it does with most dogs. A situation like that can also be very stressful to a rabbit. However if you feel like you do want to continue to go, I would say that it’s possible his behaviour will subside a little if the other rabbits that are going are always the same rabbits he may get used to them over time and he may relax a little, in the meantime however I’d be concerned about the humping leading to fighting, so just be wary and keep an eye.

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