Ok.. should I be worried?

[Graeme27Uk]

I have two main points:

1)
We went away for a few days and left the rabbits in the care of the in-laws. We came back and Smudge was a bit grumpy and her food bowl seemed not to have hardly been touched. Frosty on the other hand had eaten all his food and was quite happy to eat more when we got home.

Do rabbits pine? I only ask cos we are getting married (not the rabbits...) and when we go on honeymoon the rabbits will be without us for at least a week. I don't want to come back to a pined-starved rabbit or feel that she is in any distress.


2)
We had the rabbits out today together running about the garden. This is neutral territory as its the in-laws garden and they only go on holiday there once in a while and its always together. They were binkying about as they usually do and generally ignoring each other (they have both been neutered) with the occassional sniff and jumping about/over and chasing each other. We thought it was all going well... then suddenly they rushed at each other and were fighting each other. We separated them and then they would immediately try and rush at each other to fight.

Is this normal and should I just let them get on with the fight (obviously stop if it gets serious)?

I have some time off now and so can spend more time trying to bond them together as at the moment having to separate them is becoming a pain.

[LionheadLuver]

Ignore this.

[Graeme27Uk]

Ignore this.

Eh? What do you mean?

[LionheadLuver]

I read the thread wrongly.

[Minimallow]

I wouldnt advise letting them fight it out. You should really wait until they are really comfortable with each other. If fighting does occur i would separate them right away - you dont want them getting a phobia of each other - or associating the other bun with a fight

[Indiechic]

I would say, if they are not used to being together, this will happen. have you considered bonding and keeping them together?

xxx

[Amy & Amber]

I read the thread wrongly.

Lion head lover has said she read the thread wrong
My two are fighting terrible :cry:

[Graeme27Uk]

LIONHEADLUVER why should we ignore this?

I would say, if they are not used to being together, this will happen. have you considered bonding and keeping them together?

xxx

Thats that idea. We WANT to bond them. But this is how far we get... they get so far and then start fighting. This was the best progress we've had.

[BB Mommy]

I presume from what I've read they're living separately but you're trying to bond them?

With Smudge not eating - is she eating and pooping OK now? If she is I wouldn't be too worried.
I'd guess that rabbits like consistency and routine, so moving to somewhere different can be stressful for them - some take it in their stride, others can be a bit more sensitive. If there's no chance of them staying at your home when you're on honeymoon (e.g. someone house sitting) then I'd just make sure that whoever has them for you is on poop alert and keeps a close eye on them, and can contact you for advice if they need it.

With the garden thing - my three girlies have been bonded from day dot (mum and 2 daughters), but once they get into a big new space, like the garden, then they can start scrapping. I'd avoid putting them in too big a space until they're properly bonded.
My other two pairs play together in the garden like kids - gamboling and binkying together - which hopefully yours will once they're bonded.
With the fighting - I wouldn't allow any fighting as it can too soon get out of hand. I'd intervene straight away as I'm a wuss:D
Good luck with the bonding

[Pink Badger]

I assumed lionheadlover had posted then deleted it.

I thought she meant we should ignore her post, not the original posters question :D

[Indiechic]

nope.

But anyway, maybe you should try to bond in a smaller space and increase it gradually x

[LionheadLuver]

I assumed lionheadlover had posted then deleted it.

I thought she meant we should ignore her post, not the original posters question :D

That's what I meant. Sorry if I caused any confusion.