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Help again PLEASE

P

Phoebesmummy9

Warren Veteran
When removing Piper from the cage into the shed today to play, ive found several bite marks on her ears,neck and front legs. She also has a nast gash in her ear
The good news is the ones on her leg seem oldish and have scabbed over but the ear wound looks pretty fresh
Although the fights between my terrible four have died down ALOT, and as sad as it is, i think this may be the time i have to seperate them and send Fletcher back to the rehoming centre as i cant risk any serious injuries, esp not to phoebe as hes so little.
What can i clean her wound with - is it ok to use savlon or sudocrem on? Ive boiled some water and am leaving it to cool but it looks sore so id like to atleast put something on it
Do you think i should seperate them or keep them togeather? Fletcher is fine with my other 2 - no injuries to them!
I feel so guilty - why didnt i realize my baby was hurt :(
 
Salt water or savlon wash spray.Can you not keep the other wee rabbit and keep them separate or were you fostering?Hope Phoebe is okay.
 
No fletchers mine - i adopted him about 6 weeks ago now. Although there were ALOT of scraps to start they have died down dramatically - im just so worried about my poor baby :(
Do you think its worth taking her to the vets? Im all in a tizz i dont no what 2 do for the best
 
It won't do any harm to take Phoebe to the vets as i don't know how bad the wounds are,but it's possible a wee antibiotic will be needed as bites you have to be careful with and you could clean them until you go to the vets.
 
Personally I would split them. I'm not one for letting them just get on with it because I have seen the extent of the damage they can do to one another on numerous occassions. Is there no way you can split them into two pairs? or did they get along well as a trio originally?

I would maybe get her checked if she has multiple wounds for piece of mind and keep a close eye on them to make sure none end up abcessing. Have you turned her over and thoroughly examined her underside as well as thighs etc....:(


Just to add....are you keeping them in a cage and if so how big?
 
charlie82 said:
Personally I would split them. I'm not one for letting them just get on with it because I have seen the extent of the damage they can do to one another on numerous occassions. Is there no way you can split them into two pairs? or did they get along well as a trio originally?

I would maybe get her checked if she has multiple wounds for piece of mind and keep a close eye on them to make sure none end up abcessing. Have you turned her over and thoroughly examined her underside as well as thighs etc....:(
Click to expand...

Well - i asked on here the the other day about the fights and i thought id let them get on with it - as i know they have to work out whos top bun. They got along great as a trio so id be reluctant to split them up into two pairs - esp since ive just bought a playhouse for all 4 to live in togeather
Edit : They have a big indoor cage abput 5ft wide by atleast 6ft long for during the night then they have a huge playhouse with toys in which currently they only go in during the day as the roof needs refelted before they stay in over night
 
I know a lot of experienced people on here let them sort things out themselves where fighting is concerned...I just don't choose to. I've never had a problem bonding two rabbits where really bad fighting occurs and have maybe been lucky. I still choose to do bonding the slow way and have 'dates' before keeping them together full time....unless they get on well from the first meeting in which case I will leave them together. If they are scuffling I won't, i'm just over cautious because they can really do serious damage to each other. :)
 
Phoebesmummy9 said:
Well - i asked on here the the other day about the fights and i thought id let them get on with it - as i know they have to work out whos top bun. They got along great as a trio so id be reluctant to split them up into two pairs - esp since ive just bought a playhouse for all 4 to live in togeather
Edit : They have a big indoor cage abput 5ft wide by atleast 6ft long for during the night then they have a huge playhouse with toys in which currently they only go in during the day as the roof needs refelted before they stay in over night
Click to expand...

It's not a question of space then because it sounds like they have a large enough area!
 
Theyve got a huge area - plus when there inside there usally running about the dining room/kitchen which is huge - gunna go clean her up :(
 
It could just be that Phoebe and Fletcher aren't going to get on.Personally i couldn't watch them 'fight it out' when you could just put them in seperate areas, i think that's kinda cruel especially if ones bigger than the other,kinda like bullying.Hope Phoebe is okay and let us know how the wee one gets on at the vets.
 
If the wounds are anything more than superficial the Bun needs Veterinary attention. Bite wounds can easily abscessate and Rabbit abscesses are not good news at all.

The Savlon Dry Iodine Spray is OK to use after flushing out the wounds with sterile saline.Savlon Liquid is toxic if the Bun ingests it.

Janex
 
The only wound im currently worried about is the one on her ear - i used the savlon spray jane but i diluted with quite alot of cooled boiled water -
gunna see if i can
Piper is roughly the same size as Fletcher TBH so i dont think its even bullying - one minute they snuggle the next its paws at dawn!
 
I think the key with bonding is knowing what is a 'tiff' and what is a 'fight'.

Tiff's run a natural course and require no intervention because one rabbit will back down instantly. Fights require intervention on behalf of the bonder because either neither rabbit is backing down or one rabbit is persueing the other despite them backing down (this equates to bullying).

Generally if I am still finding bullying or fights after a week I would not continue with a bond. If either rabbit has sustained significant damage (more than a flesh wound) or is under duress then I would also stop, instantly.

In your case it sounds that Fletcher is a bully and it will be getting stressful for Phoebe to continue to be picked on in this way.

BTW- I favour bonding in a smaller area....I actually have less problems with fighting this way.
 
Maybe I'll seperate them again - then try in a smaller area!
Piper seems happy enough in her self and is eatin and drinking,pooin and weeing fine. Im shocked its Piper whos hurt tbh because shes the dominant one! no injuries to the others tho :shock:
Edit : usally a bun does back down - and its always fletcher! maybe shes just been hurt when theyve been havin a bit of a to do?
 
Im shocked its Piper whos hurt tbh because shes the dominant one! no injuries to the others tho :shock:

Maybe that's the problem.... Perhaps neither were willing to back down on this occassion.

Sooz worded things better than I did. I reiterate what she said. I've tried bonding with rabbits where they have gotten along so-so but one has always bullied and it has just never worked out.

I hope you manage to get things sorted!! it's always such a stressful affair. :roll:
 
Fletcher instigates them - usally its when piper goes near phoebe or holli! I expected them to fight a bit tho cos Fletcher was a bonded rabbit orignally whos bond broke down due to his partner finding another husbun
 
Phoebesmummy9 said:
Fletcher instigates them - usally its when piper goes near phoebe or holli! I expected them to fight a bit tho cos Fletcher was a bonded rabbit orignally whos bond broke down due to his partner finding another husbun
Click to expand...

You have two dominant personality rabbits vying for alpha position. Fletcher is defending what he see's as his group from Piper.

How long have they been together? Im afraid this scenario will most likely either never be resolved or be resolved by one of them being ousted from the group.
 
Just under a week so its still a pretty new situation for all involved! I dont know wether to put him in the hutch in the shed and let them other 3 "sniff" him and get used 2 him b4 being let loose
edit: Im thinking maybe I should just email the rehoming centre now before i get even move attached to Fletcher :( it isnt really viable to have a trio and a single
 
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