Desmond attacked Lola!!

LolasMummy said:

Please help.

Last night, Desmond attacked Lola, quite nastily (open wounds). They had 3 separate fights within the space of about 2 hours.

They've been bonded for 3 weeks. All seemed to be going really really well, grooming, cuddling up together, etc etc. No agression has been shown.

We put them in separate cages next to each other last night and this morning have taken Lola to the vet to check her wounds (which the vet was happy with as they're healing quickly). My problem is, I don't know what to do now? They're spending the day together now, one in the cage, and the other in the room. Nose rubbing through the cage bars, and no agression is being shown again.

What would people suggest I do? I don't really have any idea what to do from this point?

Thanks you for your help.

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raine said:

Are they both neutered and spayed? Have you any other rabbits he could smell? Could he be ill and reacted?

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BB Mommy said:

I had a problem with my three girls (mum and daughters from two different litters)
They had lived together from day dot when mum (Midge) had her first kit (Titch - only survivor from litter) and stayed together when the next kit Strawberry (again- only survivor) arrived four weeks later. They were together in the rescue for nearly 5 months with no problems.

When I bought them home things were fine for the first 3 months until Midge and Titch started excluding Strawberry, then starting lots of chasing.
I pulled them out the wendy house and had them in the kitchen to start afresh and things seemed to have settled again.
One morning, several months later, Strawberry had a big wound in her side that needed stitches, so she was instantly pulled out of the group and was bonded with a foster rabbit.

The two pairs live alongside each other now, and see each other in the garden and in their runs with no problems at all, but a few weeks ago Midge ran through my legs as I opened her gate and went straight for Strawberry, grunting and growling like a dog. She managed to pull some fur from her bum before I caught her but she was gunning for her.

I think once the level of aggression has peaked at physical injury then their safety has to come before anything else.
Is there anyone near you that is experienced with bonding and could take them to a new place to do it?

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timb0h said:

Were they confined in a small area when this happened? I know some rabbits become a lot more aggresive when they are trapped in a small area. Giving them more space might help.

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purplebumble said:

:wave: im afraid its spring..and maybe lolas been bossy with him or hes feeling hormonal without hormones...its does get all buns going i swear...

Be aware that buns can be ill without showing obvious signs...if hes been quieter than usual or more bad tempered than usual..take him to the vets..if theyre both ok then id suggest not letitng them have such a wide open area to run wild in unless youre supervising.
begin by using some of those metal pen panels to give them both acess to the room but not free range or with each other..then slowly let them have exercise together in an area not where they sleep and supervise..as soon as they scuffles turn nasty..just split them apart...its just a case of rebonding . BUT if its spring causing the madness maybe wait a few weeks tillt he worst passes. ask more expericned folk on here about spring fever!!

please let all wounds totally heal..let them be able to lay alongside each other through pen panels..sniff each other etc..bot NOT be able to bite each other.

bertie and bif were together 6 months before we got willow......bonding failed time and time again due to bif so we evened numbers up by getting a boy bun and it took...about 3 months of failed bonding then they all 4 bonded in the dec..had been for almost 4 weeks..then fireworks outsidenew years eve made bif attack all the others and unbonding began...bandit next....then he and bif bonded and the tow other buns were a couple. we lost willow then bandit and hey presto bif and bertie were togehter again and rebonded themsleves in the end due to grief. BUT bif always has and always will attack bertie for no reason then love up to him for days...dont know why it happens but it does..mainly cos she gets gi probs so much and maybe tummy ache.
she went for bertie so bad we think she may have caused the injury thats led to bertie getitng this eye ulcer.
they still have lovers tiffs and usually after a bit of fur pulling and her biting his face usually..theyre snuggled up so tight its weird like it never happend.

maybe this is what started to happen and then it got out of hand.
dont rush things.......dont stress..just baby steps......hope it works!

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