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Help. I don't know what to do :(

Lindy

Young Bun
Any advice would be much appreciated. I have two buns, both rescued from the RSPCA. We have had Oscar coming up two years, he is three at most, and Daphne exactly a year, she is one and a half at most. They were bonded quite easily and have lived together in a huge hutch/aviary for almost a year with no problem at all.

During the day Oscar often free ranges, Daphne goes into a large pen on the grass (we would never catch her if she roamed!) They share food bowls and litter tray, and everything until lately has been hunky dory. Oscar goes to sit next to the pen to be near her.

A few weeks ago I twice noticed a small clump of fur in the aviary, but there was no obvious sign of a fight.

In the past ten days Daphne has been to the vet as she was shivering and had the usual treatment of gut stimulant, painkiller and we gave TLC. Then Oscar the same last week, then Daphne again today. We put Daphne in the run/aviary/hutch set up, which Oscar had been put in minutes before, and he immediately chased her and she was terrified. This wasn't a fast chase, more of a typical Oscar slow plod, but she was scared.

Both buns are gentle, neither ever bites and both very loving. They have never humped each other, and Daphne grooms Oscar a lot, and he occasionally grooms Daphne.

It seems things are getting out of hand. Although it is a huge set up, there is no way of dividing it, and I am terrified to leave them alone. I love both buns, and just don't know what to do. I am now convinced their symptoms are of shock/fright.

Please help.
 
Chasing often happens when one bun is poorly so it could be that. It could be the start of spring fever a bit early.

I know your garden is very secure but could a cat or fox or something got in and spooked them?

I would try keeping them in the kennel for a few days and keeping an eye on them to see how they go. Have they both had the all clear from the vets now? do they know what was wrong?
 
hi and welcome :wave:

Sorry to hear your buns have been scrapping, just a few questions as i'm a little confused!

Are you keeping the buns seperate when they are not in the 'aviary' setup? Eg, they can't physically get to each other? Thats how i read it, that was all.

Each time you have been to the vets, have you taken them both together, for company and to keep their bond strong, or have you seperated them to take them?

I ask, as if one bun comes back smelling of something else (eg, vet smells) it can trigger a fight/scrap as they dont smell right to the other bun. Also, as they have both been to the vet lately, are you sure there is nothing else underlying possibly, as one or more poorly bunnies could also cause scrapping.
 
So they are seperated during the day when Daphne is in her pen? This seperation might be causing territory issues between them which in turns makes them very stressed when theyre back together in their aviary.

I would perhaps try leaving them in the aviary for a few days, under supervision, until things settle between them. It might then be worth while putting both of them in the pen during the day.

The weather could also be affecting them, is it very cold near you? Are they able to shelter from the cold during the day when they need to? :wave:
 
The vet doesn't know and said they treat the symptoms, which definitely got them eating again and stopped them shaking. They had painkiller, gut stimulant and saline to rehydrate them. Daphne's temperature was very low both times. We kept them indoors overnight (separate pens, next to each other) and they were fine. I didn't want to keep them apart, they could still sniff and see each other.

As far as I know nothing has been in the garden. When we had the heavy frost a few nights on the trot there was no sign of footprints. I have onlyonce ever seen a fox locally which was many years ago. There is a farm two miles away and I think foxes get their food there very easily. Lots of hens, pheasants etc.

Since you saw the garden, it's even more secure! Very high fencing added to the already high fencing (the type that cats and foxes couldn't get a foot hold on, like tennis court mesh added on top of the fence). I doubt anything has got into the garden, that was my first thought. I'm home all day and even when the buns are in the run, I keep going out just to check.

Oscar is moulting like crazy, and I know some buns get antsy when that happens. It is upsetting as they are both such gentle bunnies.
 
I've just seen the other replies. We have it very mild here, no snow and today was about 8C (6C last night). They have been together in the aviary more than usual, as it's cold, I like to keep them there where there is warm bedding and shelter (though the crazy things sit out in the cold bit!)

Even when Daphne is in the pen on the grass, Oscar goes up and they groom each other through the pen. This has always been the case. When they go back in the aviary there has never been a problem until about ten days ago when all this started. They never cuddle up together, never have, but do groom, and then go their separate ways. They come into the house for a cuddle together. As I say, nothing has changed in their routine, but suddenly this has happened.

But as it happens, they have spent much more time in the aviary together lately, due to the short days. Oscar is definitley the dominant one as he gets groomed lots, and he does the occasional cursory lick!

There is never one in the aviary alone, they are both in there together.

Oscar has always seemed to prefer human company, whereas Daphne definitely prefers bunny company.

When they go to the vet, they always go alone, even for their injections. I have been lucky and have been fitted in straight after surgery and never had to wait. So that hasn't changed either.
 
You say he is moulting? That is probably because you brung them into the warm and then put them out into the cold again. You can't just swap and change in the middle of winter! Its not good for them, If the temperature outside is similar to inside then by all means you can bring them in, but a huge temperature change will result in them moulting and loosing their winter coats. Im thinking maybe she is shaking because you have been bringing them in the warm and then putting them back out in the freezing cold.. :? also to add by putting them in different runs etc is essentially breaking there bonds because they then claim the run/hutch as their territory and then you put the other one back in and they will have a little scuffle
 
We bring them in for an hour for a cuddle, but turn the heating down. When they stayed in overnight when they were ill, it was in the conservatory with the heating off. Trust me it was almost as cold as outside! But at least inside I could keep going to hand feed them which got them eating again. I do understand, but Oscar started moulting a couple of weeks ago. Daphne isn't moulting, just Oscar.

The weird thing is, their routine has always been the same, but suddenly things have changed. I wondered if they were both getting Oscar's fur inside them when grooming. They are huge hay eaters so should pass the bits of fur ok.

I have just brought them into the conservatory. The heating is off, and I'm sitting the other side of the glass door in the warmth! My husband is on bunny watch in the conservatory, wrapped in his thermals.

We've kept bunnies for fifteen years, and this situation is totally new to me.
 
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