Male rabbits humping…

[Noah and Theo]

Hello! I have 2 older male rabbits who are brothers. They are both neutered and are not aggressive. However, one of them (Theo) humps the other one (Noah) very frequently. Theo chases him around trying to hump him everyday in the morning and late at night basically everyday. There is no other negative behaviour and Noah never does anything back just runs away. I’m not sure what to do about this… Any advice would be greatly appreciated!



Thanks! 

[kurottabun]

How old are they, how long have they been put together and are they properly bonded?

Rabbits don’t really recognise family units and may hump to establish dominance. So two buns who have grown up together may turn on each other once hormones kick in.

[Wick & Fable]

It’s good that they are both neutered, but as kurotta is implying, putting two neutered brothers together does not create a strong bond. After a neuter, hormones fluctuate for about a month, and following that, rabbits need to go through a formal bonding process in order to truly be bonded and be together, unsupervised, for long periods of time.

It sounds like they are not ready to be together permanently. There is a bonding info page on this website that outlines steps to take in order to bond rabbits: https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/9/PID/940/Default.aspx

.. as babies, there are no hormones so rabbits get along just fine. Unfortunately, once the hormones develop, even after a neuter, bonding is needed to ensure a healthy, happy relationship.

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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