Conflicting behaviours

[Sauntson]

i was wondering if anyone had any advice on bonding?

I have a 6 month old female who is very loving a loves to play and i have just brought home a lovely male from a rescue centre. He is approx 3 years old and neutred.

She is definately dominant and has told him who's boss which he has accepted and they don't fight but my female goes from grooming and cuddling up to him to biting and growling at him?

She males him sit in the run during the day and won't let him in the hutch. Why does her mood change so quickly? is spaying her the only way to stop her being so nippy and bossy? Any help please

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Spaying her should help. Females can be territorial and she may be seeing him as a threat.

I would separate them until you can get her spayed. You might be able to have them in the run together, but only for short periods.
Once she is spayed and healed (wait at least 3 weeks before you try to bond them), then you can try again. It is best to start on neutral territory. If they can both be good and not be fighting or nipping, then you can move to the run where they will be. Good signs include grooming, cuddling, eating together and ignoring each other.
You can try switching their cages. It can get her used to his scent in her space, and for him to get used to being in the other cage.

It can take weeks or even months for a bond to be formed.

 

[Sauntson]

Thanks, thats great advice. I have spereated them now and booked little stevie in to get checked over to see if she's big enough to be spayed.

Hopefully, she'll calm down a bit after that.

 

[hartleybun]

just a thought but whilst she is healing from her spay, could they be near each other. separated obviously for her sake but where they could see and smell each other.

 

[Sauntson]

At the moment i have two hutches facing each other with a run inbetween and i alternate when i let them out so they can sniff each other through cage bars. I open both hutch doors in the evening for half and hour (supervised) so they can have a bit of a play.

I'm thinking of getting another run so they can be out at the same time, it seems unfair to only have one out at a time. Would my doe be ok to be out in a run after her op? Is her movement going to be limited?