My new bunny is starting fights :(

Ok so let me start at the beginning, I wanted a rabbit for when we moved house back in May, its a nice house, but due to me being ill I got lonely in the day, till my boyfriend got home.

So I was at my friends house and the subject of me wanting a rabbit came up, she mentioned that her daughter had grown out of her rabbit and was more interested in boys and make-up. I jumped at the chance and said I would have her.

At the time Ruby was 5 months old, months passed and its seemed like Ruby was getting lonely, so we travelled to the local petshop and noticed a Netherland dwarf, grey and white, my boyfriend noticed her colours and so we bought her. Naming her Leela. We intoduced them, they played and 'vegged out' together, No fighting no nothing. Great!

The next day we had to go to the petshop,because I had forgot something, damn my simple mind :roll: ! and my boyfriend asked if we could see what other female rabbits they had, out they came (I swear he did it on purpose to guilt trip me into getting another one) all cute looking, then we noticed that Leela's old roomie was still there, a cute albino, we bought her and named her Bambi. They all got on great!

Then Ruby started mounting everything, so we booked an appointment to the vets, we found out Ruby was a boy I wasnt shocked at all for some reason.... But anyway he got the fix.

Now here's the weird part, we went back to the petshop a couple of weeks ago and there was a cute rabbit in the adoption part, who I fell in love with, his name was Harley and he is 14months old (Ruby being 10months), he hadnt been fixed yet which was no problem, I was booking him in two weeks. Anywho its around 4 days after the adoption now, I introduced Ruby to Harley as a "Hello there" meeting. It was wonderful they played, they binkyed and flopped together, even snuggled up together and groomed each other :lol:.

Yesturday came and it was playtime, it started out innocent then turned funny, they circled each other, then a scuffle broke out, no injuries at all, but just fur everywhere, it was quite upsetting .
I have looked on the internet which suggest's putting there cages next to each other (which I have done), if they fight again spray them with water while shouting No!, seperating them if a scuffle breaks out shouting No!, Showing them their favourite treats etc.
Another weird part we now think Harley is a girl......:lol: (which doesnt both me)

I was just wondering Will they ever get passed this stage of fighting?
Is it possible that males and females dont get on?
How come Leela and Bambi get on with both of them, but they dont get on with each other?
How long does it normally take, if possible to bond two rabbits like these two?

Hiya :wave:
Alot of bunsters to handle then - good luck with this, I would suggest that you get them all checked up and get their jabs done at the vets (that way you will also know who is boy/girl) - you don't want any unexpected babies!

I would also suggest starting "all over" and do short 1 hr bonding sessions at a time in neutral places

I was just wondering Will they ever get passed this stage of fighting? - Hard to say as bunnies can despise other buns but get on like "peas and carrots" with others
Is it possible that males and females dont get on? This is more likely pairing and more successful in MOST cases - boy/boy pairings are unlikely to work especially when they have been bonded prior to neutering
How come Leela and Bambi get on with both of them, but they dont get on with each other? This is again down to territory and characteristics - some bunnies do not like others but may get on with them after bonding sessions
How long does it normally take, if possible to bond two rabbits like these two? Hard to say - could take weeks, sometimes months or even years - you need to have some plan in place if it doesn't work but always expect some fighting (even the more cosiest couples fight now and again just like us humans :lol

Hope this helps - I have no expert or backed up knowledge of bonding (as I am still to bond my first couple) but have done alot of research nonetheless

OK I'm a bit confused as to who lives with who, and who has been introduced to who, now Harley has arrived. Can you just clarify please - is it that the two girls live together, and Ruby on his own. And you are hoping to introduce Ruby to Harley? Have the girls been introduced to Harley at all?

Sorry for all the questions but I'm not quite clear on who lives with who etc, so I can't really advise until I've worked that out!

I am also confused about who is currently living with whom. My suggestion would be to get any which are not neutered vet checked and neutered before you proceed any further.

Then to work out who you want to live together, read this http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/sh...hlight=bonding then sort out a weekend where you can give 100 % of your time to the buns without having to separate them. Sort out a totally neutral place and get started, not separating them but just withdrawing them for a total of 10 seconds if they need pulling apart.

I was just wondering Will they ever get passed this stage of fighting? This all depends on the sexes of them, how they interact, how you bond them and also on their temprements. There are many things which will prevent bonding from working such as using non neutral territory, if you dont use this dont expect bonding to work.

Is it possible that males and females dont get on? On the odd occassion this will happen, the chances are greatly increased of working if you ensure that everything is done correctly.

How come Leela and Bambi get on with both of them, but they dont get on with each other? There are many reasons why some rabbits do not intereact well with other rabbits including referred aggression, non neutral territory etc. There is too little information given on this thread to understand exactly what is happening.


How long does it normally take, if possible to bond two rabbits like these two? Usually at least a few weeks. I would advise using a 'quick' method of bonding as this is less stressful for rabbits than using a slow introduction particuarly when bonding more than 2 rabbits. Slow methods of bonding groups of rabbits will often break the bond between the existing rabbits as they are having to compete for the others attention and referred aggression is not uncommon.

I answered on your other thread

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=143512

bunny starting fights

Hi there, right ruby and harley are both boys. Harley not been done , so he's got lots of testosterone. I have had rabbits castrated in the past and it makes no difference to temperment. Two males together they will most definitely fight. Now if you put a male into a females house she will have it in for him trust me I know. If a male has been castrated a female knows because they give off different smell, they're testicle sacks are still there but not the hormones. I had years ago 35 rabbits and became an expert of sorts. We had litters of babies.I couldn't get rid of them being so cute hense I ended up with so many. I've hand reared and everything.You need to keep the boys seperate
They won't be lonely at all so don't think they will. If not you will end up either one killing the other or injuries needing vetinary attention. I had two females together and one ripped all the others nose, just because you keep females together doesn't mean they will always get on all the time. I now have just one bunny called pepper an 9month old blue magpie mini lop. I have no intention of getting another been there done it. I wish you well but take my advice. Stop at what you have and enjoy them. I enjoyed mine when I had 35 but they were hard work to look after. Joanne

sexing rabbits

Hi. Sexing rabbits is so easy. get hold of your rabbit and turn them over holding them correctly press down near their bits a males penis will pop out.
Rabbits can easily be sexed from around five to six weeks. If no penis pops out you have a girl. It's as easy as that.joanne

Thanks Guys and to clear up the confusion ^_^

Thank you all for your advise and help, I really appreicate it all.

Living arrangements:

Ruby: On his own.
Leela & Bambi: Lived together before and live together now.
Harley: Lives on his/her own.

Friendships:

Ruby, Leela & Bambi: Get on great (flopping and binkying together)
Harley, Leela & Bambi: As above
Harley & Ruby: Started of snuggling grooming for 2hrs, nows there's fighting.


I have pulled Harley over to Ruby's hutch so they can get the see each other and smell each other, I woke up this morning to find them sleeping nextto each other, which raised my hopes.

I am also prepared that if they dont get on they dont get on and will each have love and care from me. Just because they dont get on doesnt mean I'm going to give one of them away. I love them all with their crazy personalities.

And just to let everyone know, I have booked an appointment for all rabbits to be vaccinated and get Harley sexed properly (When Ruby had a check up after the op I was worried that Leela & Bambi may be mixed sexes, but the Vet confirmed they are both girlies)

As I have no money at the moment my vet came up with a payment plan, which is helping us alot ^_^

Joanne royle said:

Hi. Sexing rabbits is so easy. get hold of your rabbit and turn them over holding them correctly press down near their bits a males penis will pop out.
Rabbits can easily be sexed from around five to six weeks. If no penis pops out you have a girl. It's as easy as that.joanne

Click to expand...

Not quite that easy according to this, girls have poppy out bits too. http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/sexingboys.shtml

KeeLaraRaven said:

Thank you all for your advise and help, I really appreicate it all.

Living arrangements:

Ruby: On his own.
Leela & Bambi: Lived together before and live together now.
Harley: Lives on his/her own.

Friendships:

Ruby, Leela & Bambi: Get on great (flopping and binkying together)
Harley, Leela & Bambi: As above
Harley & Ruby: Started of snuggling grooming for 2hrs, nows there's fighting.


I have pulled Harley over to Ruby's hutch so they can get the see each other and smell each other, I woke up this morning to find them sleeping nextto each other, which raised my hopes.

I am also prepared that if they dont get on they dont get on and will each have love and care from me. Just because they dont get on doesnt mean I'm going to give one of them away. I love them all with their crazy personalities.

And just to let everyone know, I have booked an appointment for all rabbits to be vaccinated and get Harley sexed properly (When Ruby had a check up after the op I was worried that Leela & Bambi may be mixed sexes, but the Vet confirmed they are both girlies)

As I have no money at the moment my vet came up with a payment plan, which is helping us alot ^_^

Click to expand...

When you say friendships - do you mean through cage bars? If you mean they "play together" - then the girls could get pregnant if Ruby or Harley are a boy that is un neutered or has been neutered in the last 6 weeks.