Humping recovering rabbit…

[Boing]

On Wednesday night I noticed that Cincinnati did not want his pellets or veggies. Of course the vet was already closed. So I stayed up and offered lots of different food.

By Thursday morning, he was eating everything but hay.

Yesterday, he started eating hay again and I thought he was on the mend.

So I decided to do a thorough grooming to make him feel better. I discovered urine on his hocks, like he could not stand while urinating. So I washed them. It was not there before this started – they are groomed regularly.

When he was done being brushed and having a spot bath, I brought him back to the living room.

Daisy began to hardcore hump my poor, invalid bunny! She’s not the dominant one. He has always been – lunging or nipping if she gets too pushy.

Does this mean he is not on the mend? Neither has ever, and I do mean ever, humped each other before.

He’s due for his 6 month check up mid-April, but I am thinking of going early and making it three months

Why is little Daisy beating him up? She did it twice and only stopped when forced. She had to be physically removed and was indignant about it.

Does anyone have experience with bunnies taking advantage of the weakness of a recovering rabbit?

Thank you very much!

[Mikey]

Are they both neutered/spayed? 

This isnt “taking advantage” or “beating him up”. Either hormones are getting the best of them and they need to be kept separate for a few months, or if theyre both fixed and have been for over two months, then the illness your second bun is going through is causing a break in their bond.

[Boing]

Hi Mikey,

Thank you for your reply. It’s good to know she’s not being mean on purpose.

Cincinnati is an at least 5.5 year old, 7.5 pound rabbit. He’s been neutered since 3 months before I got him, in October 2013.

Daisy is an almost three year old 4 pound rabbit. She was spayed two weeks before I got her, in October of 2015.

They have separate pens & have always shared: litter boxes, water bowls and hay during their run time, which they have also always shared.

They do not share: veggies, treats, pellets. They are fed them separately.

They’re not formally bonded. They’re like friendly neighbors rather than room mates.

Any ideas?

[LBJ10]

Sometimes stress leads to humping. If she is sensing something is wrong, she might feel the need to hump him. So it may not anything to do with dominance really.

[Mikey]

It could be stress like mentioned. Sometimes sickness can even change a rabbits natural scent for a while, which can cause bondmates to act out thinking theres a new bunny around.

[Boing]

Thank you for the replies. I will have to more closely monitor run time. I can usually be in and out of the room, no problem, but since it is unclear exactly what is causing this drastic change in behaviour, I will be more circumspect.

[Author]

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