Rabbits humping?

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Jacob & Romeo

Jacob & Romeo

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I have two male rabbits (a dutch and a dwarf lop without lopped ears (?) ). They’re eight months old and they’re the closest pair ever. They basically act like a married couple until recently. Romeo has been humping Jacob endlessly at least every 5 minutes when they’re out the hutch and Jacob clearly doesn’t want it and he sometimes humps back. Romeo now chases Jacob and he tears big chunks of fur out of Jacob and they both spray and marks things a lot. What should i do because this needs to stop and i don’t want there to be a fight.
 
They are acting like typical intact (hormonal) male rabbits. You need to separate them or the fights could escalate and even turn deadly.

If they aren't neutered, then it is time to do so and then they may be agreeable to being bonded. (have to wait 6+ weeks after neuter to re-introduce)

If they are already neutered, then they are no longer bonded. (Baby bonds don't count as true bonds.) They'll have to be housed separately.
 
Blue eyes said:
They are acting like typical intact (hormonal) male rabbits. You need to separate them or the fights could escalate and even turn deadly.

If they aren't neutered, then it is time to do so and then they may be agreeable to being bonded. (have to wait 6+ weeks after neuter to re-introduce)

If they are already neutered, then they are no longer bonded. (Baby bonds don't count as true bonds.) They'll have to be housed separately.
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Thank you, would it change anything if i also say we’ve just moved them indoors? I understand the points you make but we’re quite skint at the minute so if we needed a new hutch for one of them or to neuter i’d rather it be last resort.
 
A change of habitat can certainly exacerbate hormaonal behaviour, as they are claiming the area for their own. But it will never resolve without having to be neutered, two males are very difficult to keep together. Like blue eyes said, fights can be fatal so you would need to do something sooner rather than later.
 
Popsicles said:
A change of habitat can certainly exacerbate hormaonal behaviour, as they are claiming the area for their own. But it will never resolve without having to be neutered, two males are very difficult to keep together. Like blue eyes said, fights can be fatal so you would need to do something sooner rather than later.
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They are absolutely fine and close when they are back in the hutch though. Does this mean i need to neuter them or should i just let them out separately since that’s really the only time they do this. Also is it an option to only neuter one? Solely just because of the money.
 
It could escalate to the point that they fight inside too, or if you let one out and then let him back in the other one might guard the hutch in retaliation. Neutering one won’t really work as the other one will still be humping and territorial, which won’t make the neutered one any more likely to be friendly back, hormones or not. Have you called up to get prices at all? Some humane societies etc can offer neutering clinics pretty cheap.
 
Popsicles said:
It could escalate to the point that they fight inside too, or if you let one out and then let him back in the other one might guard the hutch in retaliation. Neutering one won’t really work as the other one will still be humping and territorial, which won’t make the neutered one any more likely to be friendly back, hormones or not. Have you called up to get prices at all? Some humane societies etc can offer neutering clinics pretty cheap.
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I’ll make sure to look into it soon, thank you.
 
do you have any wild rabbits visiting your property or the presence of females? This sets boys off like crazy and I've been in this situation with two males which were best friends and then had this behaviour due to the presence of other rabbits and so I moved them away from being able to come in contact with other rabbits and now they are fine.
 
Hope you can reserve funds to have both boys neutered. Check with rabbit-savvy DVMs or at shelters who do spay/neuter their surrendered buns. Researching articles on neutering male rabbits and bonding will be beneficial. This situation reminds me of two unneutered males in an outdoor hutch that I came upon at an old technology farm. I was able to remove (rescue) the boy who was getting bitten (open wounds) by the more dominant cage mate. Dominance mounting and biting occurring during my brief visit. It has taken Years for the boy who was bullied by the intact male to learn to trust! Fortunately no flies or parasites found the bite wounds to lay eggs.
 
JimJam said:
do you have any wild rabbits visiting your property or the presence of females? This sets boys off like crazy and I've been in this situation with two males which were best friends and then had this behaviour due to the presence of other rabbits and so I moved them away from being able to come in contact with other rabbits and now they are fine.
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Not to my knowledge. We do live by a field of a farm but they currently live inside.
 
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