Bonded 18 month old females fighting all of a sudden

Hi all. We have got 2 18 month rabbits who have lived together since we got them at 12 weeks old, both of which have been spayed. One is very dominant and the other is quite submissive but on the whole they have always got on. There was the occasional nip here and there but they always looked for each other if they couldn't see the other and would snuggle up with each other in the hutch.

However, when they were playing in the garden at the weekend they got into quite a viscous fight with fur flying everywhere. We stopped them and separated them for a little and then put them back in their hutch for the night. In the middle of the night we heard them banging in the hutch and went out to find fur in the hutch too so we brought one inside for the rest of the night and left the other in the hutch.

We tried to reunite them in the morning but they both started to fight again so we went out and bought another hutch so they could be temporarily separated. We have tried to reunite them again this evening and yet another fight broke out.

Here are my questions:

Should we alternate the rabbits between the 2 hutches so that they can still smell each other? The new hutch isn't as big as the old one so we feel quite guilty if one has to stay in the smaller hutch all of the time after being used to the big one.

What is the best way to get them to become friends again? They always seemed so close and we don't want them to get lonely by themselves.

There is a possibility they are not going to rebond, so I would be prepared in case its not an option.

Have you had them both vet checked? Sometimes they fight if they know one is under the weather.

It might be worth getting someone experienced to rebond for you (some rescues do this for a donation) so that you don't have to do it yourself. It might provide a higher chance of a successful outcome.

Sky-O said:

There is a possibility they are not going to rebond, so I would be prepared in case its not an option.

Have you had them both vet checked? Sometimes they fight if they know one is under the weather.

It might be worth getting someone experienced to rebond for you (some rescues do this for a donation) so that you don't have to do it yourself. It might provide a higher chance of a successful outcome.

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I agree with this. I had two females fight a little when one was ill.

If you're in the North East we do bonding

They were both at the vet about a month ago for a checkup and their injections so we don't think either is under the weather. We spend quite a lot of time with them and have always picked up if either of their behaviours are different to normal. Other than them fighting they both seem themselves.

Is there something specific which we would ask the vet to look for?

Where in the north east are you? We are based in Nottingham so if you know anyone a bit closer that would be great.

What do you think about alternating the hutches?