HELP! Fighting again :(

Hello all

I am in need of some urgent adivce. Bella and Archie have started fighting again after being so loved up for about a month. I don't know what to do. Do i separate them? i can't leave them as they are.
Or do i bring them inside in a dog cage?
I don't know what to do i am worried about both of their health and wouldn't forgive myself if either of them got hurt
Archie is on my lap as i type as i just couldn't leave them together. But i don't know if to permanently separate them.

Hiya.

If you have a dog crate, or an indoor cage, I would set it up somewhere they haven't been and bring them both in to be together.

Make it as neutral as possible.

Do you have any idea why it's kicked off? New smells? Food?

Why not bring both in to sit on your knee together - that way they may well choose to sit quietly together. I'd suggest you get them into a smaller area as quickly as possible, away from their normal environment.

It may calm quite quickly.

Putting them in a carrier and keeping them in there next to you for a bit may also help to stop any immediate chasing.

Whatever happens, try not to seperate unless you fear injury.

I'd also say I think you are going to have to stay up watching this evening if you bring them in and keep them with each other.

Hi Helen

Thank you so much for your advice once again. They are both currently sitting on my knee. Things are calm now. I brought them up to my room (neutral space) and put them in a dog crate but they started fighting straight away. I separated them with a broom but the minute i took it away they started again.

My concern is that Bella has what looks like a very nasty bite wound on her cheek? I'm not sure how deep it is and it has stopped bleeding but do you think this is a sign to separate permanently? Archie also has a few bite wounds on his back but they don't look as bad..

I have no idea what started it. I had just put them back in their shed after they were out in the garden. They have just started a new bag of meadow hay? Thats the only thing i can think of. Food has remained the same. They had just finished their spring greens when the first fight broke out.

Hi

Then as they have sustained injuries, I'd have to say yes, you should probably split them for the time being. I would also get their wounds attended too as soon as you can. One thing I have learned from working at a vets is that a small bite wound can develop very quickly from the infection on the teeth (or nails if it's a scratch wound) into an abcess. Abcesses in rabbits are such bad news.

It sounds to me as if they need some time to calm down because I believe that rabbits do remember when one has 'had a go'. So maybe if they haven't settled in a smaller area, you need to let things be for the time being and get them rebonded again when their wounds have healed.

Are Archie's wounds bites? It's not uncommon to find nips on the backs of rabbits where one has 'held on' when having a chase. But once again, if torn skin and bleeding is involved, I'd want to get it checked over and treated too I think.

Food does seem to be quite a problem for some bunnies - I have a trio who chase every meal time but love each other the rest of the time. Never results in a full scale fight though.

Thanks Helen, i have separated them for now. Archie has gone back to the shed and Bella is with me in my bedroom. I most definitely will be phoning the vet either tomorrow morning or monday. I think they probably will both need an antibiotic injection. I was worried about Bella not eating but i have given her some Timothy hay and some fruit treats and she gobbled them.
I'm not sure about Archie's wounds but they have definitely drawn blood. There is only one nasty one though the others i don't think have broken skin. Bella's on the other hand i can see two teeth marks on the side of her face.
I am really upset that this has happened. They had been getting on so well.

Thanks again for your wonderful advice, i really appreciate every bit of it.

No worries and if you need any other advice about the rebonding me you an can always message me.

Helen