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Fighting - any advice gratefully received

Candiflare

Mama Doe
My bonded three have had fights every time they've been out freeranging for the last week. I thought it was because they could smell the bunny runs I'd been doing on the carriers I have in the garden, so this morning I moved their main run down onto the patio and put them out in there. None of them have ever been there before and it's a completely new area for all three. But they still fought.

Buzz is the dominant bun, with Ralph in the middle and Ruby down at the bottom (as usual.) But strangely it's Ruby starting all the fights and she's starting them with Ralph, not Buzz. I can't get my head around why she is fighting when she's the lowest bun in the pack?
 
Mmmm...my lot only kick off if they see other buns or smell them....

Are they recently bonded in a trio, as it sounds like the bond isn't very strong yet.
Can they exercise only in an area they're all happy in i.e. hutch and run for a few weeks?
 
Maybe she's wondering whether she can move up from being lowest bun in the pack?

My advice would be a medium length journey in a carrier with the two who are fighting. Basically you want to get them anxious enough to feel grateful for the other one's company, without actually stressing them in any way.

Do hope it works out for you/them :wave:
 
I found this with my buns when they was let to free range in the garden, I would reduce their space for a while longer and increase slowly particularly if they're newly weds or it could well be the other smells on the run...do your neighbours have buns?
 
you're right - maybe she wants to be middle bun?

In their hutch they're all fine -- they're grooming and licking and lying next to each other. But as soon as I put them out, Ruby starts leaping over ralph and attacking him and then they are a big furball rolling on the floor with Buzz running around the sides nipping them. Then I have to jump in and pull one of them out! This morning I pulled Ruby out and locked her in the hutch, then left Ralph and Buzz in the run together. For two boys they are absolutely fine with each other.
 
How long have they been bonded? Grimlock and Samus where only in the dog crate 'to bond' for 24 hours and they seemed fine so I let them free range etc. Samus was boss at this point. I can't remember how long it was, maybe a month, and they started fighting and Grimlock got really scared of Samus. He started sleeping with us on the bed but was even too scared to go to his litter tray and peed in the corner of the bed, which just happened to be my boyfriend (at the time)'s head. :lol:

Anyway I started the bonding process again from scratch and they've been fine since, but Grimlock is boss now I think. It's hard to tell but he head nudges her for snuggles and cleaning... :)
 
I only have a twosome but I noticed during the early days of the bond this was happening :cry: Usually when they were fighting over food, or fighting over attention.

Bobby (doe) is definite boss, however Carlo didn't like being bottom bun, so he used to pick fights that he was never going to win:roll: Bobby would just bat him away and hop off with no aggression usually, but once or twice she really went for him:cry:
I did the carrier walking to my mums about 5 mins up the road, haven't had any serious scraps since fingers crossed
 
Mmmm sounds like a bit of fear aggression, it's a pity it is leading to fighting though. Is it always with the same buck that she is a bit aggressive? There isn't anything wrong with her in terms of vision or anything? Are they all similar ages do you know?
 
Are you sure they are happy as a trio. It does sound as if the additional space sets her off, but are they really happy as a trio and not leaving one out?

Was the scab a puncture wound from fighting?

If you are taking the neighbours female bunny, would it be best to revert to two 2s?????
 
Raine, you may be right. They were very happy together first of all and it seemed to improve all of their lives much more than Buzz being single, but if I can't put them in a space bigger than a hutch without them fighting, that's no life for them.

I'm getting these other (TWO) bunnies tomorrow, one of them is Rosie who was the stray but she hasn't been spayed yet. I'll put her in for her spay straight away, but it's still a longer time to wait than making a decision to separate them.
 
Ive been thinking about the group.

As the run is not attached to the hutch, do you have to lift out and place them all into the run? Is this where the fighting occurs?

Is the bunny Ruby attacking, the one with the bite mark?

How are they today?

Not all bonding goes smoothly. Lara (nursecroft) had squabbling in introducing her fourth into a trio. Santa abandoned her trio attempts. If they are fighting every time they are out the hutch and its a fighting with latching on and rolling, it doesn't sound good.

What happens if you let them out the hutch and into the garden as opposed to the run?
 
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