Rabbit Chase

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If it was the ordinarily submissive rabbit, it was likely a play for dominance. It was a warning shot to say, “I can take this hutch over any time I want.” If it was the dominant rabbit, it was a reminder of who is in charge. Also, fighting rabbits would show the “boxing” behavior where they stand up and use their front paws to dig at their opponents. Wild rabbits use this behavior to intimidate rival rabbits who enter their territory.

It’s rarely a problem to allow a rabbit to consider herself your superior. Rabbits are so small and frail that they cannot do real damage. Signs that your rabbit is trying to dominate you include: Wearing gloves, gently and swiftly separate the rabbits. It may be possible to redirect the rabbit’s attention on to something in the area (usually by introducing additional tasty food as long as this wasn’t the trigger for a squabble). Although all these behaviours can be expected in the process of bonding, they can trigger fighting, so it's best interrupted before things escalate. How to safely intervene or interrupt a session

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Chasing is your rabbit’s misguided attempt to protect their space from an “intruder.” In the wild, rabbits are constantly on guard against threats to their territory. Yours associates chasing you away with defending their home base. Ease territorial behavior through routine, handling and proofing unsafe areas. With time, they’ll see you as an ally, not an invader. Reinforce good behavior with praise and treats. Hunger If you spot any signs of biting, separate the rabbits at once. They need a little time to cool off. Pay attention to which rabbit was biting if it was only one, too. Don’t force two rabbits to share space until they’ve bonded. Bonding is an important component of rabbit life. Once two bunnies bond, they often become inseparable. The rabbit should still look relaxed while crouching. If the eyes of the rabbit are bulging or darting, it’s a sign of fear. The rabbit is attempting to disappear from view to avoid being hurt. Just like dominance, submission has visual cues. The most prominent of these is crouching. Submissive rabbits make themselves as small as possible, head flat on the ground. It’s a message to say, “I’m not a threat.”

Rabbits will chase each other when courting a female partner, having fun, and/or asserting dominance. This is going to vary depending on the situation each rabbit finds itself in. If your rabbit is determinedly following you around, then there are several steps that can be taken to discourage this behavior without causing them distress. For instance, providing them with toys or other forms of enrichment can divert their focus away from chasing you while still allowing them an opportunity for exploration and fun.

Start sessions early in the day, so that you have the whole day to supervise their interactions. If possible, the runs should be placed on grass as this will keep the rabbits occupied with grazing and, as feeding is a social activity, will help create positive associations with each other. If the rabbits appear comfortable with each other, scatter feed tasty food so they're eating closely either side of the bars. For some rabbits this might result in defensive behaviour at first (this is not normally something to be concerned about at this stage), but do not add any further tasty food. This can be introduced later when the rabbits are more comfortable with each other’s presence. This is understandable when we think about a rabbit in the wild. These animals live in warrens with dozens of fellow bunnies keeping them company. Alone time is an alien concept to wild rabbits. Your rabbit may chase you to establish territory and dominance. Rabbits are highly territorial by nature. Yours sees your home as their kingdom and wants to assert authority. Running after you reinforces their top rank and control. Curb territorial chasing by neutering/spaying, establishing set spaces and proofing cords/furniture. With fixed boundaries, your bunny will feel more secure.

During sessions one or both rabbits may carry mount the other as they establish their social structure together. Although normal, mounting can sometimes trigger a minor squabble or a more serious fight, so keep an eye on how things progress. You'll need to be ready to intervene if this happens. If you’re curious about which rabbit is the dominant rabbit and which is the subordinate, watch their behavior. Does one of them always eat first? Which rabbit grooms the other rabbit more often than they get groomed? Your dominant rabbit might get priority not just over food and grooming but with your attention as well. The first thing that you should do when your rabbits are chasing each other is to establish whether or not they are in any kind of danger. You should be extra vigilant to make sure that it doesn’t turn into a fight. Anishinaabe culture and storytelling meet Alice in Wonderland in this coming-of-age graphic novel that explores Indigenous and gender issues through a fresh yet familiar looking glass. Managing the relationship between a human, dominant rabbit, and submissive rabbit can be more challenging. If you inadvertently offend the dominant rabbit, she’ll sulk for hours or even days.

Finally, there is the option of a rabbit chase, where all workers do the same loop behind each other. a compatible group – it's possible to keep more than two rabbits together, but unless the rabbits are related and neutered early, bonding can be more problematic, so it's often best left to the more experienced rabbit owner Normal chasing behavior is when one rabbit runs after the other. There will be one rabbit running away and one chasing. Typically, you will start to see a pattern in the relationship where one rabbit (the dominant rabbit) is always doing the chasing. Chasing might be accompanied by a nip that can pull a small tuft of fur but should not include any seriously aggressive biting or lunging where one rabbit is trying to hurt the other rabbit. Barbering cannot be ignored. It leaves the barbered rabbit’s health at risk, and will lead to a lot of ill-feeling between rabbits. Learn the reason behind the barbering, and put a stop to it. 7) Hoarding A BookRiot Don’t-Miss 2022 Queer Graphic Novels & Memoirs • " Rabbit Chase is a welcome intersectional work for today's youth."—Traci Sorell, award-winning author of We Are Still Here! and At the Mountain's Base