Humping during the night and morning

[Nette1264]

Hello, right now I am trying to bond my 2 male bunnies. It is going really great during the day but during the night one of them starts to hump the other with a sound. He relax every time the other starts to groom him. They both are neutered. I only have the problem with the humping, there have not been any fighting, nipping, etc.

It is day 8 almost 9. Do you have any advice? Last night it was 6 times he did it.

 

[JBun]

How long have they been neutered? Are you doing short bunny dates or are you keeping them together full time? If you're doing full time where they aren't separated, have they been together the whole time for the past 8 days of bonding? Did you research proper bonding methods before you started trying to bond them? What is the bonding area like that they are in? How big is it?

 

[Nette1264]

One of them since August last year and the other October. They have been living close to each other since they were born. The shelter got them early and they have been neighbors since that day.

Yes they have been together 24/7 for the last 9 days. The first day they both humped each other with 15 minutes between, now it is only one of them during the night and early morning.

I have been bonding two others and they have been together for 2 years now without any problems.

They started small like in 101rabbits' video and now it is bigger. I was thinking about testing the small area again during the night to see if that helps but I don't have any problems during the day.

 

[Nette1264]

Okay I found out the problem. They have been getting treats at the shelter every time there has been a visitor so now they think every time the other is eating that he is getting a treat.

Thank you so much for your help! So happy I found this site.

 

[JBun]

If the humping is happening in relation to treat or feeding time, you can try scattering the food so they have to hop around more to eat, and be distracted from humping hopefully. Or feed them further apart from each other.

 

[Nette1264]

I did try that and it didn't work. Only hand feeding them with treats will. The good thing is that the food is not the problem, they can eat together.

 

[JBun]

Is there anything happening at night that isn't happening during the day, that could be setting them off?

 

[Nette1264]

Nope I am sitting next to their pen in the basement. I thought it was for attention from the other bunny but I can see that it is not. No humping this night.

They are doing binkies during the night.

 

[Nette1264]

Just a little update. The two boys are finally bonded after 18 days. No humping since the last time I wrote in here and they are now in their home.