Ted and Rosie bonding issues update with pic p25

Some of you will know that this week Teddy had been in stasis and at the vets from Sunday until Wednesday. Rosie moved in with him for the last 24 hours to encourage him to eat and it seemed to work as he really picked up. Things were progressing well, Teddy has been eating much better and though still a way from back to normal he was much better.

This morning we were woken up at 1.30 with a huge commotion downstairs, Martyn ran down and they were fighting. Rosie had hold of Teddy by his ear . He separated them, we stayed with them for a bit and they were fine until 4pm today. Not sure what happened, one moment they were fine, next moment there was just a ball of bunnies thrashing, Rosie had Ted's ear in her teeth and there was an awful screaming (presuming this was Ted, awful noise), Ted managed to run off, I scooped him up, his ear was bleeding. Took him back to the vets where they cleaned and glued it - she'd bitten all the way through .

I'm wondering if there's been a problem because Rosie was here on her own for a couple of days and she thinks he's an imposter bunny in her territory. Perhaps we should have thought to have a really good clean so it was as if they were both coming to a new place? The vets have leant us a puppy pen and told us to put one of the bunnies in it and keep swapping them round every few hours until at least Monday night. Rosie is in there are the moment, it's a bit small really but she's stopped (for now) trying to break out by chewing the bars. They've sniffed each other through the bars. I think we'll need to go and buy a bigger one tomorrow. I feel very guilty that they're going to be stuck in there, I know it's only a few hours at a time but they're free range at home and not used to being kept in a cage. We're also very worried this will set Teddy back in his recovery.

In sum, I feel traumatised and guilty. Rosie probably hates me as she's stuck in the cage and she was really scared when we were checking her feet to find the damaged claw. Ted probably hates me because every few hours I'm forcing drugs down his throat and we're always promising the bunnies we won't let anything bad happen to them, and now he has an ear that's been bitten the whole way through. I really need some good news stories about re-bonding please and any vibes going spare that Ted continues to recover and that they'll be friends again would be so much appreciated (though we've had more than our fair share already this week )

If you've managed to get to the end of the post, thank you.

Oh my gosh it must be so upsetting i'm not very good in advice for these situations but i really hope they work it out

Ruthie xxx

Oh goodness, how terribly upsetting. You mustn't blame yourself - the relief of managing to get them together at the vets, and then home again would have put anything else out of your mind.

I've no experience of bonds, but perhaps if you put a separate thread in the bonding section you'll get a more knowledgeable response.

Sending healing and calming vibes. xxx

No advice as not something I have experience of but I just wanted to say how sorry I am to read the update, after all the stress from Ted's illness then relief, it's just heartbreaking.

I'm even more shocked because she was at the vets with him latterly, it's not like it was Rosie's territory the whole time he was away, they came back together.

I really hope it works out. All I can suggest is that she picked on him because she senses he's not well (if he's still in recovery). It's so sad that bonded partners sometimes do this.

How scary for you all! Dont blame yourself, you couldnt have foreseen that they were going to have a fight, sometimes these things just happen, and you've had so much to worry about with Teddy being ill.

Sounds like they have both got very unsettled but your vets sound great, how nice of them to lend you a puppy pen and also that they suggested ways to have them both get used to each other again.

Hugs x

susie bun said:

Oh goodness, how terribly upsetting. You mustn't blame yourself - the relief of managing to get them together at the vets, and then home again would have put anything else out of your mind.

I've no experience of bonds, but perhaps if you put a separate thread in the bonding section you'll get a more knowledgeable response.

Sending healing and calming vibes. xxx

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Thanks susie bun that's a good idea and I've done it with a link to this thread.

Were they bonded before the stassis? I read somewhere that if one rabbit goes to the vet then the other goes too. So they never get seperated. I've always tried to do that with my two. Except I had to bring Jake home alone once when Jazzy stayed for an op but they were okay when she came home. Sorry never had any luck with re bonding. Think you have to start again from the beginning as if they are meeting for the first time.

I suspect two things:

1. she has been on her own a while and now feels the place is hers

2. She can sense he is ill . . however in my experience this latter usually manifests itself in low grade bulying (humping and a bit of chasing and food aggression) not all out war - so it sound rather more like the former.

I would separate (within sight/smell but NOT so they can sniff/bite through bars) until he is fully fully well again - and then go through the whole neutral area/bond process again.

and yes - I have had it happen with bonds breaking due to illness . . and have usually got them back together fine

Buns simply cant always stay together at the vets - some vets dont have the cage room, other times they need to monitor feed drink or have a drip tube placed in which the other rabbit will destroy.

I just wanted to say that I am sending you and the buns lots and lots of good vibes.

Thanks for the comments and advice guys.

The emergency vet said No outright to Rosie staying even after we had asked and told her they were a bonded pair.

I don't know about the cage sizes however he (Teddy) did have a canula/drip in, which Rosie would almost certainly have destroyed.

I really believe our own vet got Rosie back with Ted at the earliest possible opportunity without putting either of them at risk. They were fine together at the vets and all loved up.

It is a real shame however we are both committed to doing everything and anything to get these two together and snuggling again. :thumb:

Sending love and cuddles for all - have PM'd a message too xx

That sounds terrifying. Well done on getting to them so quickly. Sending tonnes of re-bonded vibes to them. xxx

When any of my bonded buns have had to go to vets my vet always tells me to take both :shock:I hope ur bunny gets better sending get well vibes

This is actually what happened to us, our Rosie had a major op just before Christmas to remove a blockage and of course when she came back from the Vet's after her op we kept Rosie and Murphy (her companion) apart but next to each other while she healed. They have been togther for about 4 years . When Rosie was healed and better we went to put her back in with Murphy and he just attacked her and we have been trying since to get them rebonded. They fight and fur flies it's awful and it's so upsetting.
We have been throught this twice but we got the other pair rebonded, I think it's because the rabbit that has been at the vet's sometimes smells different with being at the vet's and having treatment.
Our Rosie had like a blue antiseptic all over her tummy and Murphy would sniff her there and attack her. When Ruby one of our other bunnies had a operation to remove a polyp when we went to put her back with Charlie her companion he also attacked her and was really aggressive towards her.

I do hope Ted and Rosie re-bond again,
Sending mega ' Re-bonding' Vibes xxxxxxx

and hugs as I know how upsetting it is.

wendle said:

When any of my bonded buns have had to go to vets my vet always tells me to take both :shock:I hope ur bunny gets better sending get well vibes

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We always have done. When we had to leave Teddy at the emergency vet on his own it's the first time they've been separated

Tuckerbunnies said:

This is actually what happened to us, our Rosie had a major op just before Christmas to remove a blockage and of course when she came back from the Vet's after her op we kept Rosie and Murphy (her companion) apart but next to each other while she healed. They have been togther for about 4 years . When Rosie was healed and better we went to put her back in with Murphy and he just attacked her and we have been trying since to get them rebonded. They fight and fur flies it's awful and it's so upsetting.
We have been throught this twice but we got the other pair rebonded, I think it's because the rabbit that has been at the vet's sometimes smells different with being at the vet's and having treatment.
Our Rosie had like a blue antiseptic all over her tummy and Murphy would sniff her there and attack her. When Ruby one of our other bunnies had a operation to remove a polyp when we went to put her back with Charlie her companion he also attacked her and was really aggressive towards her.

I do hope Ted and Rosie re-bond again,
Sending mega ' Re-bonding' Vibes xxxxxxx

and hugs as I know how upsetting it is.

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Thanks, not that I'd wish this on anyone but I'm glad it's not just us and that there's a chance they will rebond. I hope you get your bunnies back together again soon, it's so upsetting

martlou said:

We always have done. When we had to leave Teddy at the emergency vet on his own it's the first time they've been separated



Thanks, not that I'd wish this on anyone but I'm glad it's not just us and that there's a chance they will rebond. I hope you get your bunnies back together again soon, it's so upsetting

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We usually always take bonded pairs together to the vet's but there are times when you can't and sadly this was one of those times.

Oh it's very upsetting , heartbreaking even, I can't tell you how many times I have sat and cried to see them both alone or fight , I know how you feel

Im so sorry this has happened, so stressful for you all

Im very optimistic you will beable to get them back together soon though, they may just need some time to forget the fight and for Ted to fully recover.

Sending tons of vibes xxx

Oh I'm so sorry to read this after the awful time you've had with poor Ted it must have been awful to see Rosie attacking him I think I would follow parsnipbun's advice and try to get Ted well again before rebonding. But make sure they can still see and smell each other. Sending lots of healing vibes for Ted and calming vibes for Rosie. I hope you're ok xxx

oh no ... im so sorry its come to this ...

I think you need to go back to small space in a neutral area with all round supervision for the first few days ... some carrier time or perhaps a car journey or two may help but only once ted is completly well ...the lastb thing you want is to set him back ..

bunnymadhouse said:

oh no ... im so sorry its come to this ...

I think you need to go back to small space in a neutral area with all round supervision for the first few days ... some carrier time or perhaps a car journey or two may help but only once ted is completly well ...the lastb thing you want is to set him back ..

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Thanks Angie, I'll PM you