Well, that was a short honeymoon. Vying for dominance…

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Hey everyone, I was so happy that Owen and Molly seemed to have worked things out. They were being so cute together and had just started to explore the house together… And then Molly started vying for dominance a couple of days ago 🙁

There’s no fighting or aggression, and not even any bunny tornados. There’s some fur pulling and some circling, but it hasn’t turned into one of those awful fights.

Molly chases Owen and tries to mount him. Owen retaliates by either chasing her off or mounting her and nearly always succeeds. We hope that she’ll get the message and back down.

Both the vet and the bonder have told us to keep them together as long as we can. They say that in the circumstances it’s a good sign that there’s no actual fighting, and they told us to let them sort things out. They both say that it’s not hormonal, but probably due to their young age and puberty (they’re both 10 months old).

They free-roamed in the living room, but we’ve confined them to a pen so they have less territory to fight over. Molly is a lot quieter since we limited their space, but she still makes a couple of attempts each day. Owen chases her off or mounts her in return.

They can eat together without scuffles, and they even flop close to each other. When I pet Owen Molly walks over and wants to be petted too. They even sit purring next to each other while being petted. There is a lot of pee and poop marking, but at least there are fewer and fewer scuffles.

Sigh… Bunnies and their crazy antics. The two of you had better solve it together, because you’re driving me up the wall…

[LBJ10]

They are offering you accurate information. At this stage, it is usually best to let them work through things on their own. Humping and chasing is OK as long as things don’t escalate. Just keep a close eye so you can intervene if necessary. I’m sure they will settle down again though. If Molly insists on humping, you could try the dummy technique where you let her hump and then redirect her so Owen doesn’t get too annoyed. You usually do this with boys, but it can work for girls too.

[DanaNM]

Yep, I agree with the bonders too. Sometimes expanding the space can cause some hiccups, so restricting their area a bit was the right move.

. . . 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.  

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Thank you for helping me keep my sanity, what passes for it anyway…

It is a positive sign that there’s no real fighting. When Molly tried to chase and mount during our bonding sessions it spiraled into heavy circling and a bunny tornado. The fact that it doesn’t now gives me some hope for these two.

[DanaNM]

I’ll just add some pairs have a tendency to “bicker” a bit more than others, and mounting can be a feature of many bonded pair. As long as you are still seeing lots of positive behaviors between them and it doesnt escalate to a tussle I wouldn’t panic just yet.

. . . 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.  

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Thank you! I’m seeing more positive things as the days continue: when she started to try for dominance they were sitting apart and avoiding each other. In the last 3 days they flop more often, and today is the first day that they are laying against each other again! As we speak I’m looking at two bunnies snuggled up tightly in their cardboard box 🥰

 

Dwarfs are indeed known for their feisty personalities, especially when young. Molly also experienced a huge personal growth in the last months: from a timid little runt to a lady who knows what she wants. She’s still excitable and has occasional bouts of anxiety, but she dares to approach people now and asks for attention.

Molly even likes to be groomed and petted, what a difference compared to when she was little! When she was little she was so submissive that she groomed the furniture, and she got very confused and scared when she received positive attention.

Owen has experienced zero personal growth: he’s still the big lazy male that he always was. We’re a bit surprised that he still insists on being the dominant one. Even the bonder expected that he would take the easy way out and let Molly have her way so he could nap in peace. But he seems to want to rule the roost, and he mounts her in long sessions.

One thing that I’ve noticed is that Owen doesn’t really groom her. He only receives, and that is probably frustrating Molly. She’s moulting heavily and she may be very itchy. Yesterday I gently plucked loose tufts off her face, and she absolutely loved it! I think I’m going to groom and pet her more often so her needs are met, and she doesn’t have to argue about it with Owen.

[DanaNM]

That sounds like a good strategy. I think as long as you aren’t seeing them become more and more distant they will sort things out and be just fine, especially as they grow up a bit and become less reactive.

In most of my pairs grooming has been uneven, so I often spend extra time petting the bun that does most of the grooming to make sure they are getting some love too. The only exception is Bonnie, who doesn’t usually like to be petted. The only time I can sneak some nose-rubs in is when she thinks Cooper is grooming 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.  

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