Observed rabbit behavior

[Nao57]

So this was kind of interesting.

I noticed that my bucks chew on their dishes and surrounding items more than my does do.

I was curious to bring this up with others to see if it was just a coincidence or if other people have observed the same thing?

Do bucks chew more on their toys and dishes?

I also want to note that I feed very regularly like clockwork. I try to be generous to both bucks and does. So they aren't starving.

Thanks.

 

[Niele da Kine]

Hmm, now that you mention it, it does seem as if the bucks chew more than the does. We keep the bucks in their own separate spaces and the does in a herd, perhaps they get bored by themselves and want to chew on things?

 

[Mini Horses]

Do you supply other things for them to chew? Hard food items, etc?

 

[Niele da Kine]

They get a variety of different tree branches to chew on. They especially like eating the bark off of ti plants as well as mulberry branches and citrus branches. We also give them alfalfa cubes, the big square ones as chew toys as well as food. There's a little bit of nibbling on their hutch, but usually not too much of that. Plastic food dishes seem more likely to be chewed on than the hutch or hutch furniture.

 

[Grizzlyhackle]

Dutch buck I have went 1/2 way through a 2x3 from the wire up to about 10". That's each corner of his hutch. Champagne buck chewed a black rubber water bowl all the way around to the bottom. He can shred a cardboard soda box about 2 days. 2 flemish does hardly chewed anything. Old lop doe I have now sits in the box I gave her nibbled on it a little. 2 am chins nibbled on their hutches but not nothing like that Dutch. Boredom I think, territorial a little, something new and don't want it.

 

[Niele da Kine]

The feed stores seem to be having problems getting the containers of feed in so all of them are out of bunny feed at the moment. The buns are eating sheep feed for now as well as grasses and ti leaves, so they'll be fine, it's just more work to cut and carry than to pour out feed. However, I did get 50# of alfalfa cubes. Those make dandy chew toys for buns. I'd thought the sheep would help eat them, but apparently sheep mouths are too small to fit around an alfalfa cube. If they're flaked, then the sheep can eat them, but that's another chore to pick apart alfalfa cubes. Guess the buns will have a lot of chew toys.

 

[Grizzlyhackle]

The buns are eating sheep feed for now as well as grasses and ti leave

What is ti?

 

[Nao57]

So.... a new rabbit behavior was observed yesterday and the day before. I was curious to compare notes with you all to see what you thought.

Yesterday and today I tried to mate the buck with a doe. And after doing so he starts licking her ears. He was doing it quite a while. And he did it with another doe after that.

I guess its a positive behavior? Or is it? He doesn't seem to be biting them..

 

[Grizzlyhackle]

Sounds like you have a Don Juan