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Bonding Advice? Ralph is being bullied and has been badly "beaten up"

Candiflare

Mama Doe
Ralph is in my group of four and over the past few weeks I've noticed he's been on the periphery. Always in a different place to the other three, not allowed to eat the same pile of food as them etc.

Anyway yesterday I was cleaning out and found a pile of Ralph's fur, the amount you would find when a doe builds a nest in one part of the hutch and Ralph look mangled with four big wounds on his body and bald patches on his neck, sides and back where chunks of hair are missing. It was like a crime scene.

I suspect that Penelope did it but I don't know for sure - how can you ever tell?

I've checked all the wounds and set him up in different accommodation with Rosie, so now have a two and a two: Penelope and Buzz and Rosie and Ralph. But Rosie has a strong bond with Buzz and I feel bad separating them for Ralph's sake.

What would you do in this situation? What are the likely reasons for sudden bullying and can it be rectified?
 
Sending loads of vibes for Ralph. Personally if he has been badly beaten up I wouldn't put him back with Penelope. Could it be spring fever or sometimes if a bunny is sick they can sense this. Don't know what else to suggest other than keep them in pairs. Sending hugs to you.
 
I have a trio and noticed that two of the buns weren't being nice to another one - so we seperated them - bearing in mind that these 3 have always been together from the off - so we seperated the bullied rabbit from the rest - we put up a fence with holes in so that they could all still see each other and she stayed in her own hutch at night - we kept her seperated for a good couple of months and eventually the other two started grooming the one they'd been picking on through the fence, so each day we'd let them out in the run together but still seperate them at night - we tried all 3 of them in the hutch one night and they were fine - they stay together all the time now and ok theres a bit of nipping and chasing between all three of them but its nothing aggressive they all sit and groom each other at night when I've put them away....have these 4 been together from when they were born or have you bonded them yourself? if so how long have they been bonded for?
I don't know what to say because my 3 were bonded from being born - but if you seperate the bullied one from the rest, that bond might then be broken completely then - I hope you understand what I mean :oops: sorry I'm not very good at explaining myself :lol: hope the situation gets better for you though!!
 
I had a trio that were bonded from babies. I stupidly tried to bond them with Muffin and Emily and the bun that had been the boss of the trio suddenly became out cast. I separated them all again and we got Chloe for Bruce.

That escapade scared me off bonding groups for life.
 
There probably isn't anything you can do about it, rabbits take a dislike to eachother and if they are not compatible they are not compatible. Many of them like having enemies as much as they like having companions. Having two pairs gives them that extra dynamic of having the opportunity to argue without hurting eachother. Just make sure the wire separating them is too small a gauge for them to bite noses through and they will derive lots of pleasure from patroling the boundary. Part of rabbit nature is to be fierce, they are not just soft and cuddly, they have teeth and claws and like to use them on eachother. It is natural behaviour and the ability to express it enriches their lives. Two pairs is much better from that perspective.
 
Were they getting on ok before? If all three have suddenly ousted him it might be worth a vet check to make sure he's not sickening for something. Buns often scrap if one is unwell.
 
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