Fighting!!

Hi my names Lara

I have had female rabbits all my life and recently rescued a male lop cross english called joey. He is mainly a house rabbit and i decided to get him a companion. I got Titch a male netherland dwarf that is 3 weeks younger than joey. They got on great until i neutered titch and now i have to keep them seperate because they just want to kill eachother, titch is a nightmare now. They can see each other but i keep them seperate completely at the mo. I recieved bad advice and thought they would be fine if neutered.

Help!

Thankyou

Lara

I don't have much to offer I'm afraid but maybe to suggest moving them outside of each others sight/smell for a while so they sort of forget each other and then try a rebond in completely neutral space. It depends on the level of fighting as well. Some small scuffles and humping is normal during bonding but locking on and biting means they should be separated. Unfortunately if they have had a big fight I think that it is almost impossible to get them back together.

I know im really upset because i think i will have to rehome titch and get a neutered doe for joey instead, ive always kept rabbits together, although joey gets alot of attention i really want him to have a companion. I seem to have nothing but bad luck at the moment

Did you seperate them when you had Titch neutered, i.e. did Joey not go the the vets with him?

you don't say how old either of them are - it might just be they got to 'that age' anyway - I assume Joey's neutered too as you only took Titch to be done? When you have a pair of rabbits they need to go to the vet together as the returning rabbit smells alien when it's had surgery - they won't recognise it as their friend from before

Joey is just over 5 months old and titch is 4 months old. Yes they were seperated for the 24 hours when titch was done, i had kept them seperate for a week before but so they could see and smell eachother before because titch would not leave joey alone and joey was starting to have a go at him because he was constantly humping him. I couldnt take them both to the vet and if i could have they were being kept seperate anyway. Its titch that goes for joey and then joey answers back. They were fine when joey came back from his op, its titch that is the problem and im at my wits end with it. They both love people and cuddles but titch has just turned on joey. He also sprays now which he has never done. They used to cuddle up together. Titch has also started to nip clothes not in a aggresive way but he just wants to dig and bite everything at the mo. They both get alot of attention and are spoilt rotten with toys and thngs to chew, i take them back to my parents so they can run round the stables. When its dryer they will go out in the day on grass too. I dont want to put them outside at the moment as the weather is so horrendous and they are only young.

Unfortunately then thats what has caused all these problems. A pair of boys, even related, must absolutely NOT be seperated for any lenght of time if at all avoidable. Most vets will admit them together and when the one under GA has come round pop them back together.

Its best to get boys neutered at the same time too if possible.

Sadly male pairings are quite hard to keep successfully and as such we wont rehome males to live together here.

awww - sounds like they were having problems even before Titch was neutered then I think it's just 'that age' - I doubt you will be able to bond them quickly now but in a few months their hormones will die down. I've heard many tales of how boys behaviour got worse for a couple of months after neutering, so I'm sure it's just temporary - but not easy to live with! If you house them next to each other, and ensure they can't bite noses (as one of my bunnies did :roll they will calm down in a few months and may just enjoy having each other around more. They will tend to scent mark with wee and poo next to each other's cages though (my outside bunnies make a full-time occupation of this, but again it's easier to live with outside) - If you do decide to try them together in a few months, assuming they both calm down, make sure it's a neutral area they haven't been in before, and that you can leave them there supervised for about 3 days and nights - a bathroom or corner of your bedroom is ideal if they're not usually able to access these areas. Hopefully it will work out eventually

To be honest i just want them to both be happy, its a nightmare at the moment trying to spend lots of time with them individually. I may take titch back to my parents for abit where he can have a big stable to live in and spray all he wants!! Hes not doing it alot, its only when joey is near him. Im finding it hard at the moment as my mum has terminal cancer and im trying to help her too. I really do think im going to have to try and rehome titch which will be horrible as he is so sweet but i cant bear to see them so stressed. I am thinking if i rehome titch then i could rescue a female rabbit for joey then that would solve alot of problems, only thing i only want titch to go to a home where he will be spoilt and handled alot. He loves cuddles. Am gutted this is happening