Female rabbits. - Mating?

Question

I know that male rabbits sometimes come up to you and start 'humping' you, but my rabbit is doing this, but she's female?

She'll come up to your arm scrabble at it for a bit, then grip your arm with her front paws and it looks as if she's trying to mate?

Anyone have any ideas as to what she's doing?

It's definitely not anything agressive.

Answer 1

I know cats and dogs (females) do this as a "dominance" thing. One female will mount the other to show that she is the alpha. I'm not sure if it's the same with rabbits. good luck!

Answer 2

exactly what my bun does!  i think that she feels the instinct to mate, but as she's never done it before, she doesn't quite understand!!  as far as i know, it doesn't cause the rabbit any harm; but  if it really bugs you (which it does me) getting her neutered will stop it.  

Answer 3

maybe she`s coming into season and needs a buck rabbit to service her

Answer 4

I have 3 Bunny's i used to have 4 but we had to sell him. Like some of the others had said, it might be a dominance thing. Also she might be in heat, but nothing to worry about, just call your vet they should tell you what to do. Keep in mind that sometimes when you get your bunny and you get told its a female it might not be. The place were we got our rabbit really messed up. Give your bunny another check she might just be a he!!!

Good luck!!

Answer 5

Sounds like she's in heat.

Answer 6

Generally speaking this tends to be a sign of insecurity. Yes rabbits, even female ones will do the 'humping' bit as a matter of dominance, but as you are saying there is no aggression associated with this then I would ask the following two questions. 1) Are you handling her often enough. This may be a way of re-inforcing the bonding between you.

2) Is she in an outside run during the day where other animals Cats or Dogs can be scaring her? This may also be a sign of insecurity and her asking for reassurance.

Answer 7

The biggest reason female rabbits mount another is to gain dominance over another. Like other animals, rabbits establish a hierarchy. Like a pecking order. If the rabbit does this to other rabbits, its a natural behavior. However, if the rabbit is doing this to you, she is trying to show you who is in charge. This is not right of her to be doing this to you, afterall, you are the boss. When she does this it is important to show her that YOU are the boss.

Other signs of dominance can even be purposely spraying. People with Rabbit experience have told me to stop this behavior when it is done to a human.

I had a similar problem... I still find the humping a bit odd when i catch one of mine doing it to another... But thats just a rabbit thing i guess.

Answer 8

She is saying, "I'm the boss of you. I'm in charge. I'm top women."

:D

My big rex female does it ALLL the time. (Not to me though, the other rabbits. lol.)

It has nothing to do with her being in heat. So don't worry.

Answer 9

Most likely she is coming into heat. Many animals, both male and female will do this, however it is also in some cases a dominance thing.

I'm guessing in this case its a wants to have babies thing..*L*

Answer 10

Does she do this all the time? or is it just once in a while? If its just once in a while then she is probably in season, and thinks she needs to be bred.

Answer 11

probably just a horny rabbit!