Mounting – or 'humping' – is one way that rabbits sort out who's the boss in a pair or group. They might nip or pull each other's fur. This is normal, so don't separate them unless they start fighting in earnest. Supervise, but leave them together for a short time (less than half an hour) before separating them again.
Both sexes may mount each other. Although mounting can escalate into circling, which could develop into a little fight, mounting usually dissipates after the first week and is only for the sake of asserting dominance. It is important to allow the rabbits this very important part of their courtship.
Mounting is a normal behaviour in rabbits and you can expect to see quite a bit during the bonding process. In this situation, it's not a sexual activity but an expression of 'dominance'. During sessions one or both rabbits may carry mount the other as they establish their social structure together.
It is normal for rabbits, neutered and not, to mount and hump other rabbits. There is a point where mounting should be stopped, though, as it may lead to fights. Rabbits mount other rabbits to communicate. Largely, this communication is centered on rabbits determining a social hierarchy.
As a general rule, rabbits are bonded once they can spend 48 hours together without any chasing or aggressive behaviors. You also want to see positive signs such as grooming, sharing food, and sleeping next to each other to confirm that your rabbits feel safe around each other.
Bonding sessions may only last about 10-15 minutes at first. That is okay. Don't stress about it; you can slowly increase the time until they can spend hours together.
Mounting is a form of communication and a way of establishing dominance. It will likely stop or lessen over time as the rabbits' relationship solidifies. Less common, but possible, is love at first sight. The bunnies may groom each other or cuddle with each other.
Bonded rabbits can also break their bond. This can happen if they've been separated, for example if one bunny needs to spend a few days at the vet. It can also happen if you move house, move or change your rabbit enclosure, or upset the hierarchy by introducing new rabbits.
Chasing is a normal behavior to expect during bonding that you should allow to continue. This is not a true fight where the rabbits are getting territorial with each other. However, it can look similar to other behaviors that are aggressive.
The better the rabbits get on at their first meeting, the quicker they will bond. And if you are able to put the rabbits together for very brief periods every day, they'll get used to each other far more quickly than if you do it less often.
The first thought in a rabbit's mind when encountering another rabbit is "are you superior or inferior to me?" Classic signs of dominance are mounting (this can be done by either a male or female), chasing, circling and, if the other rabbit doesn't submit, nipping and fur pulling.
Bonded rabbits spend the majority of their days and nights together. They tend to visit the litter tray at the same time, eat together and groom together. A lot of time is spent simply snuggled up together sleeping. They can become competitive with each other over food and attention from us.
Allow one rabbit out at a time into a rabbit-safe area. After some time, replace that rabbit in their cage and then let the other rabbit into the same area. This allows them to get used to each other's scent. Introductions should be made in neutral territory (e.g., a room that neither has been in before).
Humping – This can be brought on by hormones and happens when the rabbit hits maturity and wants to breed. However even neutered rabbits will still hump other rabbits. This is because they are competing for dominance. The dominant rabbit in a pair or group will hump the others to assert his or her place in the group.
Having two bonded rabbits can provide them with years of joy and fun. First, you'll want to make sure that both rabbits are spayed/ neutered prior to bonding as it will make the process easier. While female – male bonding tends to be easier, you can certainly bond two females or two males together.
Sometimes happily bonded rabbits appear to fall out and the bond breaks down. There is almost always a reason for this: Maturation and the onset of spring, males fighting over territory and females fighting over nesting material.
Although trying to bond rabbits will inevitably be stressful to them, there are other factors that cause stress too and every rabbit owner should be aware of them.
On the contrary, rabbits often flop over as a way to communicate, both with their owners and other rabbits. The act is even more important than binkying. Bunny flopping, or the act of 'flopping' onto its side, is a form of expression. It shows contentment, relaxation, and feelings of security.
Vital for bonding
If you have a mixed-sex pair of rabbits, they both need to be neutered so that they can live together happily. Even if your female rabbit is spayed, an uncastrated male will still try to mount her, which can trigger fighting and it will cause stress to both rabbits.
The whole bonding process can take as little as one day or up to several months – it all depends on your rabbits. Usually, it's a few weeks before your bunnies will be living happily together but it is well worth the wait.
8AM: I like to start the bonding early in the morning because that gives me the entire day to monitor - which is especially important on the first day to see how the rabbits interact with each other.
There is no set time for how long a bond will take, some take hours some take days but as a minimum time scale we would suggest that you put aside two days at least where you can be with the rabbits 24/7 to err on the side of caution. Be prepared to sleep next to them and be on hand to ensure everything is going well.
Rabbits can live happily in male/female, female/female, male/male pairings and larger mixed groups. However, the most natural and therefore easiest pairing is male/female. In the wild, rabbits tend to live in male/female pairs and will sometimes remain partnered for life.
When you keep rabbits together, they form a 'pecking order', with some animals becoming more dominant than others. Rabbits can develop abnormal behaviour and may suffer if you leave them on their own and with nothing to do for long periods, so you should keep your rabbit with at least one other friendly rabbit.