unusual rabbit behaviour

Question
To Mr Meyer,
About two months ago my rabbit had babies. We kept one of them to
keep her company but recently the mother has been jumping on top of
her daughter as if mating with her. Do we need seperate them and why
is she doing it?

Yours Sincerely
                      Sophia Kennedy  

Answer
Hi Sophia,

anytime with 2 or more rabbits living together, there is always a dominant rabbit.  The mom is mounting her as an expression of her dominance.  

If the other rabbit accepts it things are fine.  Keep in mind sometimes an event or something can occur where dominance shifts from one ot the other (and back).  There will be little spats now and then - even people can't get along all the time, our rabbits won't either.

However, the problem happens when two rabbits BOTH want to be dominant, and neither back down and submit.  That's when it can turn into full-fledged fighting (biting, kicking, tearing skin, etc).  Biting, not nipping or hair-pulling.  Little nips that pull out loose fur are part of settling dominance.  Face biting, biting ears, fighting you have to separate, that is bad.  If this occurs, you will need to keep them separate.

So right now the it sounds like the daughter rabbit understands and is okay with mom being in charge.  She hasn't hit sexual maturity yet, and this may be the time you should consider separating them (unless you spay both of them).  Two intact female rabbits are probably going to fight in a small shared cage space.  Spaying will reduce their aggressiveness towards each other (and you too).

Write back anytime.  Lee