Do bunnies always…?

[MimzMum]

I am concerned with some of the accounts I have heard of different bonding episodes amongst our community, and sorry, this is only because I am a bigtime overprotective mother.

Is it a summary conclusion that two bunnies, altered, when being introduced to one another, will mount each other to discern dominance?

I know I will have to watch out for fighting, I expect that. And the bonding process could take months, if it works out at all. But I am considering my daughter, who is 16 years old and is a homeschooled child. Now she’s no dummy, she knows about this kind of stuff. But I can’t imagine, knowing her, that she will find this particular behavior particularly appealing and it will most likely repulse her.

And how long does it go on? Mimzy and Pip live in separate pens most of the day and night and probably won’t ‘room’ with each other except for their exercise area. Will they have to go through the process every time they are together? Will they wind up pining for one another if separated?

I can’t possibly keep her from seeing the two buns together if we attempt this bonding. Does every bunny have to go through these motions? Have any of you ever heard of a bonding pair that did not?

*sigh* Sorry to sound like such a prude, but I know my little girl. This is going to either upset her or cause her to not want to bond the buns out of concern for Pip. I am going to try to prepare her for all this, since she’ll have to help me with the whole thing, but I don’t want her being agitated becasue that will translate to the bunnies.

*urgh* I sound like a paranoid idiot. >.<

[JK]

Sorry I have to laugh because my 16 yr. old son would be mortified too! I guess that’s par for the course. I want to hear the answer on this one! Do they always mount, that is. That’s what I don’t want to go through if I ever get another one.

[MimzMum]

Oh yeah, I know…my son and daughter can’t even stand to see mom and dad hug. You hear this, “Oh yuck! Would you guys get a room??” So we make sure to give big sloppy kisses in front of them, just to bug them. ^^
Sounds kind of hypocritical, I know. After I reread my post I though, “Hogeeze, just suck it up! You want the bunnies to be happy no matter what!”

[MarkBun]

They don’t ALWAYS mount but it does happen rather fequently. Currently my two haven’t gotten to that level yet.

[kimberleyanddarren]

why not try when she is not there just see what goes on for maybe just for 10mins? then you will know what to expect and can react towards your daughter accordingly.

[RabbitPam]

First, I don’t know if it always happens, but I’d venture a guess that it is very likely. I think she’ll see it at least once at some time.

Is it possible to consider this an opportunity, especially since she’s home schooled, to open a discussion or lesson on fundamental behaviors in the animal kingdom? How different animals are programed with behaviors, some of which is not even learned, but instinctual? It could then bring up the difference in species, and how humans have similar instincts for procreation yet differ due to their place in the animal kingdom as well. You don’t have to make it a sex talk, but I am reminded of children who grow up on farms and are totally familiar with what animals do, with an understanding of their differences from humans. They are not generally grossed out, especially if introduced to the subject of instinctual behavior in a matter-of-fact way. It’s like kids who grow up around the elderly – they are not repulsed by the effects of age and poor health, and love old people readily when exposed to the variety of natural events in life. I think you can do something really terrific here with some preparation and facts.

[Beka27]

of course this is your call, but i wouldn’t try to shelter her from this at all.  it’s a completely natural thing.  like rabbitpam was saying… some behaviors are going to happen.  if she asks if they’re having sex, you could tell her that this is how dominance is determined.  she should be old enough to grasp that concept.  rabbits can’t talk to each other in a traditional way like humans and argue about who is in charge, so this is how they “discuss things”.  has she ever seen a dog sniff another dog’s behind?  same thing… dogs can’t say “hey, how are you going, who are you?”  so that’s how they make “introductions”.

[Sarita]

Well, you need to remember that mounting is a sign of dominance usually, it’s not necessarily a sexual behavior in rabbits.

I have a pair of females that one of the females mounts the other on very few occasions and it’s only when she gets excited.

Will it happen often – depends on the rabbits – one of my friends had a pair that the male would only mount when they were moved (like in a carrier to the vet).

I think it’s more upsetting to us than it is to the rabbits though.

I also have a pair of rabbits that I’ve never ever seen mount each other.

[MimzMum]

Thanks everyone! ^^ Your advice has actually made me feel much better about the whole issue. I also forgot that my daughter LOVES to watch AFV, and I know I’ve sat with her on more than one episode where there’s some silly clip of an animal doing something like this (usually to it’s reflection in a vehicle hubcap or something) and we both just look at each other like, “Oh brother!”

I think rabbitpam has a great way to come to terms with it. I know there had to be something like that floating around in my head, but I’m such a poor communicator that I would’ve botched it up without a script.

Only one more question…do bunnies ever hurt each other during this particular behavior or is it mostly if they actually take an aggressive stance?

[osprey]

I can give you some additional information, based on my experiences with my guys and with doing match making.

– The female is just as likely to mount the male as the other way around.  As others have said, they are trying to decide who is “boss”, and mounting is a way to inflict their will on each other.  It is only bad if the bun on the receiving end is stressed by it.

– Do not allow mounting from the front!  This can result in a really nasty bite wound in a really sensitve place.

– How long will this behavior last?  Possibly forever.  Our little dwarf Deanna still mounts DJ several times a day.  Sometimes he puts up with it, and sometimes he chases her away or growls at her.  DJ and Curly Sue almost never mount each other, so it varies from bun to bun.

– Is it dangerous?  The mounting itself (if from the back) is not dangerous, but sometimes mounting leads to circling, where bunny 1 is trying to mount bunny 2, and bunny 2 is trying to mount bunny 1, and they end up chasing each other in a tight circle.  Intervene if this happens, it could be the start of a fight.  Deanna will sometimes pull out tufts of DJs fur too as part of this ritual.

[skunklionshow]

In school…I was terrified that mounting would happen w/ our therapy buns.  Despite our best efforts to keep everyone seperated, someone “accidently” let Trigger (unaltered male) into my classroom w/ Jessica (unalt female).  They began the hump as I walked into my room.  I had to intervene immediately to avoid impregnation.  I had grades 4-6 & all those kids knew what they just saw.  They thought it was funny.  I was more embarassed than they were.

This summer my 6th grade nephew saw Leo hump Jessica, she has since been spayed.  Even though it was an obvious act of sex, I was a bit lost as to my response.  He looked at me and said “are they doing what I think there doing”?  I told him probably and that opened the door to explain that sometimes they hump for play & dominance. 

Its funny b/c adults get very embarassed talking about “sex” w/ our kids, but it is a needed subject to discuss.  I find it easier to talk about animal reproduction than human.

[Author]

Messages